The Dome Building Community Coalition is guided by a clear threefold mission: to develop income-restricted housing for youth, young adults, workforce renters, and seniors; to preserve and steward the historic Dome Building; and to activate the space for lasting public benefit. This blog shares the thinking, planning, and community collaboration behind that work. Here you will find updates on affordable housing development, historic preservation strategy, policy alignment, and the practical steps required to transform a landmark into a living, mission-driven community asset.
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You are invited!  Are you:

• A current partner/supporter?
• Interested in the Dome Building status?
• Possibly wanting to volunteer/support this project?
• Otherwise curious what is going on?

​To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/ueq-yjgs-fsv 

Otherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 470-839-8278 and enter this PIN: 832 215 880#. To view more phone numbers, click this link: https://tel.meet/ueq-yjgs-fsv?hs=5

The Department of Administrative Services has confirmed a clear and transparent path for the Dome Building’s disposition that prioritizes public-benefit and mission-driven entities. The required Clearinghouse process favors nonprofits and public partners before any open-market sale, aligning closely with DBCC’s preservation-first, community-use model.
​DAS’s emphasis on historic stewardship, operational capacity, and long-term feasibility reinforces the need for a qualified nonprofit steward rather than speculative redevelopment—precisely the role DBCC is designed to serve. The upcoming Public Lands Advisory Committee consultation and extended timeline reflect the complexity of responsibly transferring a historic asset and create meaningful opportunities for DBCC’s proposal to be considered within the formal process.

Historic buildings in Oregon do demand higher capital and operating investments, but these expenditures are not simply costs; they are catalysts for economic activity, skilled job creation, and preservation of the state's unique architectural heritage. Rehabilitation of the Dome Building can drive local employment through specialized construction, design, and compliance work, while attracting federal and state preservation incentives. It is estimated that this project could create approximately 150 skilled jobs in Marion County, offering significant economic benefits to the area. These investments ensure the building's safety, seismic resilience, and code compliance, all while honoring its historic fabric. Rather than deterring buyers, this complexity highlights the essential role of public leadership in revitalizing assets that private markets are ill-equipped to steward.

Within Marion County, the regulatory framework for historic preservation ensures that renovations adhere to high standards, but this process also offers an opportunity for the State to demonstrate leadership, transparency, and commitment to community values. While state agencies have faced similar deferred maintenance challenges across Salem facilities, their ability to secure legislatively approved capital funds showcases the resources and resolve required to preserve Oregon’s heritage. 

The Dome Building can serve not only as a model for state stewardship but also as a pilot initiative that sets a precedent for other Oregon communities with similar assets. By supporting the transformation of the Dome Building, the State demonstrates a replicable approach that can be adopted elsewhere, widening support beyond Marion County. For the Dome Building, state ownership transforms deferred maintenance from a private burden into a public opportunity, one that can secure long-term insurability, community trust, and sustainable operating margins through strategic investment.

While operational costs for historic buildings like the Dome Building may exceed those of newer properties, these investments yield lasting returns for the local community and for Oregon's citizens. Modernizing the facility creates opportunities for energy efficiency upgrades, innovative public uses, and expanded community engagement. 

Unlike conventional buyers, DBCC can integrate public, philanthropic, and earned revenue streams to maximize the Dome Building’s value as a civic asset. Rather than a simple real estate transaction, this is an investment in Oregon’s cultural legacy, economic vitality, and the future vibrancy of Marion County.

As part of this outreach, Young Leaders Program engaged with multiple agencies and was ultimately referred to the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). During early conversations, DAS staff introduced the organization to the Dome Building as a potential opportunity. This introduction marked a pivotal turning point. Young Leaders Program was promptly invited to tour the building and begin exploratory discussions regarding its future.

As discussions progressed, DAS clarified that while Young Leaders Program’s mission was well aligned, the scope and complexity of the Dome Building would require stewardship by a broader, community-based entity rather than a single nonprofit organization. DAS encouraged the formation of a larger coalition that could demonstrate broad community support, operational capacity, and long-term sustainability.

In response, Young Leaders Program helped convene community partners, nonprofit leaders, and stakeholders to form the Dome Building Community Coalition (DBCC). Young Leaders Program provided foundational support—both organizationally and financially—to assist with DBCC’s formation. Following its establishment, DBCC began extensive outreach and engagement efforts to raise community awareness, recruit partners, and build a shared vision for the Dome Building’s future use.

At DAS’s request, DBCC also engaged with the City of Salem to determine whether the City had an interest in acquiring or leading redevelopment of the property. City leadership indicated that the City did not intend to pursue ownership of the Dome Building and expressed general support for DBCC continuing to explore a community-based reuse approach.
Through this process, DBCC emerged as a purpose-built coalition—formed not opportunistically, but intentionally—to respond to state guidance, community needs, and the unique challenges of stewarding a historic public asset.