Our Work

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Vela Projects focuses on affordable housing development, culturally responsive community facilities, and owner's representation throughout the Pacific Northwest. Each project is approached with careful coordination, thoughtful leadership, and respect for the communities it serves.

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Affordable housing development requires financial rigor, regulatory expertise, cultural awareness, and steady construction project management from predevelopment through completion.

Affordable Housing

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Aerial view of a modern two-story house with a gray roof and white exterior, surrounded by a landscaped yard with young trees, shrubs, benches, and paved walkways, in a residential neighborhood with other houses and parked cars.

Voyagers Village –
Salem, OR

Culturally responsive affordable housing developed in partnership with the Micronesian Islander community

Newly constructed multi-story residential building with large windows, a gray and white exterior, and a small backyard. The building is behind a sidewalk with young trees and some rocks, and a wooden fence with signage advertising the property.

Self-Enhancement, Inc. Housing – Portland, OR

A 31-unit affordable homeownership development supported by strategic cost management and expanded participation of minority contractors

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Community and Cultural Facilities

Projects that serve as civic anchors require careful phasing and operational sensitivity.

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Exterior view of a modern building with white brick walls, large black-framed windows, a wooden fence on the left, and leafless trees in the foreground.

Alberta Abbey –
Portland, OR

Capital improvements for a historic community arts and performance space

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Thoughtful construction project management unlocks new methods of building and delivery

Innovation in Housing

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Prefab ADU –
Portland, OR

A pilot project using panelized prefabrication and precision coordination across trades

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A multi-story building under construction with a wooden frame and red window borders, located on a city street with parked cars, trees, and construction fencing.

Park 20, a Prefabricated Sustainably Built Townhome Development – Portland, OR

The first prefabricated townhome development in Portland, integrating manufacturing, logistics and construction into a single delivery process.

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Ken’s earlier work included complex institutional and gallery projects in New York requiring historic restoration, international coordination, and advanced systems integration. That technical foundation informs the rigor applied to every project today.

Foundation of Experience

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Creative Problem Solving in Practice

When Self-Enhancement, Inc. faced nearly one million dollars in HVAC replacement costs, Ken contacted the National Association of Minority Contractors-Oregon to find a creative solution. By contracting with local vendors, they were able to reduce costs by nearly half while creating opportunities for local small businesses and building client trust. That trust has translated into more work.

Creativity in construction is not abstract. It emerges through careful execution, strong partnerships, and a commitment to service.