The new owner of 37 NE 78th Avenue is seeking Early Assistance ahead of constructing eight row houses. The developer intends to build four units on each of the property’s two lots. Demolition crews will need to remove the existing 1890-built structure to make way for the new homes.

The original building was a one-and-a-half-story small home, first addressed as 325 E. 78th Street North. In 1896, six years after its construction, the family added a second home to the large parcel. Records indicate that the Burke family owned the second home until the 1950s. By 1924, the two houses existed on separate lots, with the older one featuring a new address of 39 E. 78th Street North. In the 1930s renumbering of Portland, the home changed its address to 37 NE 78th Avenue.

Over the years, previous owners of the 1890-era building added onto the house, erasing all signs of its original structure. Despite its age, it lost any historic architectural significance due to the additions and poor maintenance. The home’s 2021 real estate listing informed potential buyers that it would require a complete remodel or site redevelopment.

If the City approves the site’s transformation, it will feature a 20-foot-long driveway between the two row-house buildings, possibly allowing for onsite parking. At 10,000 square feet, the combined property has suitable space to handle the eight planned units. A similar development on SE Washington Street fit ten row houses on a lot with comparable demotions. This project is in the pre-planning phase and could change before the developer submits building permits. With current permitting delays in Portland, construction will likely occur in 2023.

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