Month: August 2022

Construction, New Residence

Affordable Housing Site Divides

On August 8th, Oregon Metro filed a Land Use Review application to re-plat the existing lots that currently comprise 432 NE 74th Avenue. This work will reshape the site to create distinct properties for each new low-income building planned for the site. Interested persons have until 5 p.m. on September 12th, 2022, to provide email comments to the Bureau of Development Services planner.

By early 2023, demolition crews will remove the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at the NE Glisan site. Once crews clear the old TV studio, the developer will begin constructing 137 units of affordable housing split between two four-story buildings. The development will contain a wide assortment of apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units. All housing created by this project will serve families and individuals earning 30% or 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).

Site Map from re-plat application LU 22-128996 RP

The smaller structure at the northwest corner of the site will offer 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) reserved for Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), seniors, and people experiencing homelessness. This structure will occupy Parcel 1 of the re-platted property and cover most of the 11,016 square foot lot. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants.

Parcel 2 will contain the larger “U” shaped building that provides the remaining 96 units of family-focused housing. Additionally, the 45,469 square feet lot will hold all site parking and courtyard amenities for the development. Management will reserve residences in this building for BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and intergenerational families. Homes will range in floor space from 400 square feet to 1,200 square feet, with rents ranging from $507 to $1,616 per month. Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) will provide resident services at the family housing property.

Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing project’s site plan

Although the site will function harmoniously to meet affordable housing goals, each building has a specific focus and management organization that needs autonomy from each other. Separating the site into multiple parcels allows each facility to operate as an individual organization. Parcel 1 will become 7450 NE Glisan, and Parcel 2 will have the address of 451 NE 75th Avenue. Construction of each building could begin independently once this property division is approved. Expect to see this Land Use Review application approved within the next few months, ahead of the anticipated project ground-breaking in early 2023. The City has a website for those interested in following the project’s progress, and public comments will remain open for another twelve days.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, Food and Drink, New Business, View of Montavilla

Proposed Chick-fil-A on SE Stark

This month, the Chick-fil-A development team continued their preliminary work on redeveloping 9950 SE Stark Street. Designers have modified the project from the Early Assistance meeting last May. The current Early Assistance no longer seeks to demolish the approximately 7,012 square foot building or construct a drive-thru lane on the property. Instead, crews will rehabilitate the existing structure to host the fast food restaurant with 98 indoor seats. Plans still include some outdoor seating.

Currently zoned as Central Commercial (CX), City planners expect new developments on this property to maximize density and encourage urban activities. The CX zone allows projects with tall buildings placed close together. Developers working in this zone should create pedestrian-oriented structures with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape. The proposed project on SE Stark Street will be a nonconforming use of the existing site. Portland allows noncomplying use within a zone when the building predates the new standards and only expects zone compliance to occur when property owners significantly redevelop the site. The status of nonconforming structures is not affected by changes in ownership or tenant. The project’s initial demolition and drive-thru-oriented redevelopment plan would need to adhere to the CX standards. This new renovation plan will create a different Chick-fil-A than most of the restaurant’s other locations but retain its nonconforming status and maintain the usage pattern of previous tenants.

The single-story structure, first built in 1984, hosted a wide range of restaurants and entertainment venues over the years. Rax Roast Beef owned the property until 1990. Recent tenets included Tony Roma’s restaurant, Hooters, Mystic Gentlemen’s Club, and Venue Gentlemen’s Club. If approved, Chick-fil-A will shift this location’s use back towards general fast food and away from adult-orientated services. The lack of a drive-thru window will limit some of the traffic impact experienced by the change in use. However, based on other Chick-fil-A locations, this could become one of the most popular destinations in the surrounding blocks and attract additional vehicles to the area. The project is likely months away from approval and may fail to move beyond the planning phase. Look for permit applications sometime next year if the City approves this site’s reuse.

Article originally published May 13th, 2022.

A recent land-use Early Assistance application indicates Chick-fil-A may soon open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street. If approved, developers will demolish the 1984-era building and construct a new fast food restaurant with a drive-thru window. Located at 9950 SE Stark Street, the 36,590 square-foot half-block property currently houses an adult entertainment club and bar.

The Chick-fil-A development team intends to construct a 4,991 square foot building with 98 indoor seats for guests. Outdoor canopies and an outdoor eating area with 12 patio seats would surround the new building. The property sits between SE Stark and SE Washington Streets, aligned at SE 99th Avenue near Mall 205. The site offers a variety of vehicle access points and is near the number 15 TriMet bus line. Other Chick-fil-A restaurants tend to attract many visitors, sometimes with lines spilling onto the neighboring street. However, this proposed Chick-fil-A is just six miles from the Clackamas restaurant and seven miles from the Gresham location. That density of stores may reduce peak demand for the proposed eatery and avoid traffic issues sometimes seen at other Chick-fil-A sites.

Developers use Early Assistance applications during the pre-planning phase of a project. Many proposals do not continue past this stage, and this Chick-fil-A may never materialize in this location. However, the addition of a popular destination restaurant in the area could draw in more visitors and improve business for neighboring stores. Expect to see updates regarding building permits if this project moves forward.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

History, Property Sale

SE Yamhill Vacant Lot for Sale

The new owners of a vacant lot east of 8505 SE Yamhill Street recently placed it on the market after selling the neighboring single-family residence. Ground Breakers Construction & Development purchased the 1923-era home and lot in April of 2022, reselling the home two months later.

2115 E Yamhill Sanborn Map 1928

The vacant lot once held a five-room “modern bungalow” built in the early 1900s. The one-and-a-half-story home had the address of 2115 E. Yamhill Street. The first record of the property appears in the Morning Oregonian of December 12th, 1912. This advertisement asks for a $200 downpayment for the home located one block from the Mt. Tabor streetcar line. Four years later, the home’s inhabitant J. A. Orchard, listed his Victrola and records for sale in The Oregon daily journal on June 22nd, 1916. By 1919, the Morning Oregonian of August 11th shows the property for sale again. Later that year, a marriage license by J. R. Moffatt at this address was printed in The Oregon daily journal on November 29th, 1919. Through the early 1920s, J. A. Orchard continued using 2115 E. Yamhill Street as his home address. The demolition date for the house is unknown, but at some point, the land merged with 8505 SE Yamhill Street.

Now that Ground Breakers Construction & Development separated these two properties into the original parcels, this lot will again serve the needs of Montavilla residents, providing needed housing. Windermere Real Estate offers information regarding the sale price in the property listing. Contact Kendall Woodworth at (503) 539-0001 with questions or to see the land.


Morning Oregonian of December 12, 1912
The Oregon daily journal of June 22, 1916
Morning Oregonian of August 11, 1919
The Oregon daily journal of November 29, 1919

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Property Sale

36 SE 82nd LiveWork Building for Sale

The distinct green metal-clad building at 36 SE 82nd Avenue is for sale. Initially built in 1910 as a home, this two-story structure is now zoned for medium-scale commercial mixed-use and configured to support a live-work business. The building has transformed substantially over the last century, with the most recent remodel in 2002. Since that time, it housed Eastgate Health Clinic offering naturopathy herbs and acupuncture.

Phan Hoang An owns both the building and business at this site. However, the listing at Keller Williams Realty does not state the property will sell with an active lease, indicating the clinic will no longer operate from this location.

Although the building is in usable condition, a new owner may redevelop this property. Half of the site serves as a paved back parking lot and driveway. New buildings in this zone are generally expected to be up to four stories tall, with a base floor area ratio (FAR) of 2.5:1. That number increase to 4:1 with bonus provisions, allowing a four-level development that uses most of the property. With the lot located within steps of the number 20 and 72 TriMet bus lines, this location would be ideal for affordable housing with retail on the ground floor.

People interested in buying this property can contact the listing agent Tim Phommany at (503) 896-8861 or timphommany@kw.com.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Renovation

Washman Remodel Improves Facility and Sidewalks

Washman Car Wash in Montavilla will soon undergo a remodel designed to enhance the neighborhood’s walkability and expand the facility to meet demand. The auto spa company recently submitted a permit application to construct 31 new vacuum stations on the west side of the property. This expansion onto previously unused land allows for the decommissioning of thirteen vacuum units along NE 82nd Avenue, reducing the need for cars to cross the sidewalk for much of the block. Construction crews will also repair the worn sidewalk on NE 81st and 82nd Avenues.

Over the last 20 years, Washman purchased the adjacent lots west of its property at 315 NE 82nd Avenue. The cleared land has served as employee parking and storage in recent years. Now they will construct a new vacuum center on that undeveloped land and shift site operations west, away from the heavy traffic on NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The expanded area will eliminate the current congestion experienced on the property’s eastern edge, solving a long-standing annoyance for pedestrians walking around the business.

Blue lines indicate site for new vacuum stations. Image from Portland Maps

The Washman Car Wash is a busy location located on the corner of two well-traveled roads. Consequently, cars trying to enter or leave the property must do so quickly to match the flow of traffic. Cars tend to ignore the marked curb cuts and drive over the sidewalk to enter the business wherever space is available. Vehicles use alternative entry points so frequently that the sidewalk’s edge has deteriorated along most of the property’s frontage. This behavior creates a dangerous condition where drivers and pedestrians mix in unpredictable places, frustrating both parties. Washman’s location next door to Vestal Elementary School and kitty-corner to the Montavilla Park Community Center further intensifies this problem.

The need to improve the pedestrian realm around the site is a key part of Washman’s goals for this project. Although vehicles will still drive along the 82nd Avenue edge of the building to enter the car wash, removing the vacuums will provide extra space for the cars to queue up. The fence along the eastern property line will extend north, limiting vehicle access to only one curb cut on NE 82nd Avenue. Further adjustments will impose a right-turn-only limit on cars exiting onto NE Glisan Street. David Tarlow, Chief Financial Officer of Washman, explained that these changes should improve the conditions around this location, focusing on student wellbeing. “We believe this will result in less traffic near the school than there is now, and the SE 82nd sidewalk that borders our site will be less congested and safer with the removal of the vacuums.”

The permit calls for clearing some trees on the property near where crews will install the vacuum units. The project includes landscaping along the property’s west edge and paving the gravel areas. Permits for large commercial projects can take six to eighteen months for City staff to approve. Expect to see construction begin in 2023 unless there are unexpected delays. When this work is complete, the site should be safer for pedestrians and more convenient for customers to navigate.

Gravel employee parking lot to be paved and used for vacuum stations

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

Jade District Dumpster Day Overwhelming Success

Saturday’s Jade District Dumpster Day and Solve Oregon cleanup attracted dozens of volunteers and a stream of vehicles dropping off large trash items. Within the first hour of operation, people filled 30-yard dumpsters at two drop-off sites. Instead of closing three hours early, the events coordinator, Alisa Kajikawa, picked up her phone and arranged for additional dumpsters. Before the day was done, yet another cycle of dumpsters rolled in to accommodate the overwhelming demand for trash disposal.

Kajikawa, the Jade District Manager, organized this one-day event with funds from Oregon Metro and support from the 82nd Avenue Business Association. The four-hour-long program included a community cleanup and open dumpster access for neighborhood disposal of bulky items.

Volunteers with Solve ventured out with 33-gallon carts to collect trash throughout the area and bring back items of all sizes to the primary dumpster site, located in the Unicorn Inn’s parking lot at 3040 SE 82nd Avenue. Nearby campers used shopping carts to roll in trash from their area and help clean up the streets.

Jade District Manager Alisa Kajikawa and Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang stacking mattresses

The dumpster on SE 82nd Avenue, and one on SE 92nd Avenue, were open to residents seeking a free place to dispose of items not collected through curbside trash pickup. Demand for dumpster use far exceeded expectations, and both sites eventually had to turn people away. Even after staff filled the five 30-yard trash containers to capacity, a stack of mattresses remained awaiting pickup by a recycler.

The dumpster demand seen over the weekend signals a great need in Portland for more events like the Jade District Dumpster Day. In 2020, The City canceled a long-running program that worked with Neighborhood Associations to host dumpster days across Portland. These events acted as an annual trash release valve that reduced the number of illegal dumps. Now groups like the Jade District are scrambling to find funding to meet the demand for trash disposal.

The original budget for the event only included funds for two dumpsters. The added cost of the three extra dumpsters will need to come from grant reserves and other funds within the organization. The success of the cleanup is measurable by the tonnage of rubbish collected. However, it barely makes a dent in Portland’s trash problem. Based on the demand seen Saturday and the piles of illegally dumped items across the City, an event like this could run every month for years without slowing down.

Flyer for the now completed event

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article servers on the boards of the 82nd Avenue Business Association and Montavilla Neighborhood Association. He also volunteered at this event.

Entertainment, Event

Gospel on the Grass Musical Event

Today, at 10 a.m. St Peter & Paul Episcopal Church will host a musical event open to the community. Located at 247 SE 82nd Avenue, the religious organization will present favorite and little-known gospel tunes for their Sunday service on the SE Pine Street lawn. Sunday, August 21, is the Gospel on the Grass event featuring musical guest Ethan Anderson, singer-songwriter and front man for the Seattle-based country-rock band Massy Ferguson.

by

Jacob Loeb

Title image from Google Maps

Construction, Infrastructure

Stormwater and Sidewalk Enhancements on E Burnside at NE 92nd Place

This week, crews began roadwork replacing corners and upgrading stormwater inlets at E Burnside Street and NE 92nd Place. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will create a curb extension at the northeast corner when reconstructing the sidewalk, increasing pedestrian visibility and shortening the travel distance across E Burnside Street. That design change required the relocation of an existing rainwater collector and the addition of a second inlet further west.

Northeast corner at E Burnside Street and NE 92nd Place before changes

Across the T intersection, on the south edge of E Burnside, workers will add a new curb ramp in alignment with the eastern crossing. That addition and the two corner improvements will provide a much-needed crosswalk for E Burnside Street. This segment of roadway allows drivers to travel from 82nd Avenue to 99th without stopping, creating a dangerous situation for pedestrians trying to cross.

New extended corner on NE 92nd Pl & NE Glisan St

Last week crews completed a similar project on the other end of NE 92nd Place at NE Glisan Street. Together, these projects create an accessible path from E Burnside Street to NE Glisan Street. However, NE 92nd Place lacks sidewalks or curbs, and its degraded street surface is a challenging path to navigate for people with limited mobility. With this recent investment by the City, this street is an ideal location for a future Local Improvement District (LID) or a City-funded sidewalk infill project. Look for construction to continue over the next few weeks with an occasional crosswalk closure. 

Update September 26th, 2022: Work on the two corners is near complete.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Business Relocating, Property Sale

Family Fun RV Moves Out of Portland

This month, Family Fun RV closed its location at 333 SE 82nd Avenue after relocating the last reaming inventory to the new lot in St. Helens, Oregon. Construction fencing now surrounds the former vehicle sales establishment. Last year this company closed its other Portland location at 1027 SE 82nd Avenue to focus efforts oping a larger facility along Columbia River Highway.

Since 2017, Family Fun RV sold new and used recreation vehicles from the 82nd Avenue location. Although suffering recent thefts at the site and navigating challenging conditions on surrounding streets, this business’s relocation stemmed from the imminent sale of the property. The owner of this 28,212 square foot car lot listed it for sale at the beginning of 2022, along with many other properties in the area. Information regarding the pending sales of the site is not yet known. However, Family Fun RV staff indicated in a phone call last month that they would only close the 82nd Avenue location after being informed of an offer on the property. 

Family Fun RV at 333 SE 82nd Avenue from January 2022. Image from Google Maps

Family Fun RV’s new sales lot is substantially larger than the old Portland location, giving the woman-owned business the space to grow operations. Whoever buys the now-vacant 82nd Avenue location will gain a propionate property near downtown Montavilla. The half-block site has street frontages on three sides, making it highly accessible for many concurrent uses. Although it could easily host another automotive business, it is an ideal location for a mixed retail and housing project.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

Montavilla Jazz Festival Starts Friday

Starting this Friday, August 19th, the annual Montavilla Jazz Festival returns with in-person music performances. The three-day festival showcases emerging and established Portland jazz artists in four venues. Tickets are on sale now, with select shows live-streamed from the Portland Metro Arts stage.

Venue tickets range from $5-35 per concert, sold through tickettomato.com. Event organizers offer discounts for advance purchases, students, and Arts for All eligible patrons. However, reduced pricing is only available for some concerts. A limited quantity of day passes for Portland Metro Arts performances on Saturday and Sunday cost $50-60, and all-access festival passes are available for $155-185. Event staff will stream the six concerts at Portland Metro Arts for free on the montavillajazz.org website with a suggested donation amount.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Montavilla Jazz relies on local business support, donors, and volunteers. Those contributions, along with ticket sales and support from other organizations, make the annual arts event possible. The Montavilla Jazz Festival is presented this year by OnPoint Community Credit Union, Mr. Plywood, and The Skanner News.

This weekend’s shows will provide a unique opportunity to experience some of Portland’s favorite jazz musicians. This exhibition continues to grow each year, working towards a large celebration in 2023. A recent investment of $18,730 from the Oregon Cultural Trust will support a considerable portion of next year’s event, including the Montavilla Jazz Festival’s 10th-anniversary concert at Mt Tabor park. Participating in this year’s concerts will help grow the organization and ensure the 10th anniversary is a huge success. 


Friday 8/19

Saturday 8/20

Sunday 8/21

Alberta Rose Theatre is located at 3000 NE Alberta Street. Portland Metro Arts is at 9003 SE Stark Street. The 1905 venue is located at 830 N Shaver Street, and Vino Veritas Wine Bar and Bottle Shop is in downtown Montavilla at 7835 SE Stark Street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Images courtesy of Montavilla Jazz

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.