Month: April 2023

Business Closing

True North Studios Closes

Kaiden Builds opened True North Studios just off NE Glisan Street in September 2019, offering a creative workspace to the community. The pandemic delayed early growth for the membership-based artistic hub at 455 NE 71st Avenue, and reliable funding never materialized. Consequentially, the space shut down permanently on April 30th. A fundraising campaign is underway to help cover the costs of terminating contracts and other debts.

Builds made the difficult decision to cease operations last month, giving members time to move out of the space. However, many artists have few options for a creative workspace. “Most of my members didn’t go to another community space. They went to their homes or another private space. A lot of people actually ended up leaving their craft for a moment or putting it on pause because all of their equipment ended up in storage,” explained Builds. “There’s nowhere that they can find space affordably to keep it operable. So all they can do is put it on pause, store it until they can find somewhere else.”

Builds spent the last 30 days donating or selling company-owned supplies and equipment. “A bunch of the lockers and cubbies went to Lewis and Clark College,” remarked Builds, explaining how they have tried to keep as many items in the community as possible. The experience has been challenging, leaving the True North Studios community questioning Portland’s reputation for supporting the arts. Kaiden Builds has yet to rule out attempting this type of creative-collaborative space again. However, they do not think it could exist in Portland, and it would require having a rent-free building to work from. The community workspace model is popular but not financially strong in the current market.

For Kaiden Builds, securing reliable funding is the most challenging aspect of running a creative space. The hard costs are constant, and membership fees alone do not cover the monthly obligations. “The rent is about $5,500 a month, and that’s $150.00 a day. I can’t get general operating expense help through any program that’s available right now,” said Builds. Although many grants favor nonprofits, Builds founded True North Studios as a for-profit company. However, they feel that was not the cause of the funding challenges. “I honestly don’t know if being a nonprofit would have helped me because my main hurdle is general operating expenses. A lot of the grants aren’t targeted for that,” explained Builds. “And we’ve had some people come back on our Instagram and say, ‘well, you just have to do kids programming,’ but if I put on kids programming, all that money has to go towards that program. So none of it can go to keeping the door open.”

Portland offers some support for small businesses. However, Builds says those programs did not apply to True North Studios. “The stuff that’s available through Prosper Portland and Venture Portland are all through [Tax Increment Finance] TIF districts, and we happen to be just outside of them.” True North Studios took out a $50,000 Small Business Administration (SBA) loan to keep the company running over the years. That outstanding debt and other termination costs are looming over the company as they close down the space. The fundraising campaign is an effort to offset those costs as much as possible.

Kaiden Builds is disappointed in how the city and regional government supports arts. However, they have not given up on True North Studios’ concept. It will take time to regroup from this setback and even longer to figure out where this idea can take root. “I would love to give back to the community again, but at this point, I’ve been running so dry and so thin that I have nothing left to give, and I have to spend some time recovering,” said Builds.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Event

82nd Avenue of Roses Parade 2023

On April 29th, the 17th Annual 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade returned to the streets with participants embarking from Eastport Plaza at Bush Street. The colorful and raucous group headed north on 82nd Avenue towards Yamhill Street. Spectators lined the entire path to observe the various groups walking, dancing, and cruising down the road.

What had started as a small parade in 2007 grew into a significant community event over the years, taking a break during the pandemic. After three years off, it returned with many familiar faces and some new participants. All four Portland Commissioners participated this year alongside the businesses and community groups. Portlands’s ABC affiliate KATU live-streamed this year’s event. A recording of the stream is available on the KATU website.

The 82 Roses Community Enrichment Coalition organizes this East Portland parade. Today’s celebration is the first event on the roadway since the City of Portland took control over 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The success of today’s event offers an optimistic view of 82nd Avenue’s future and a gradual return to normalcy.

By

Jacob Loeb

Commissioner Rene Gonzalez
Commissioner Mingus Mapps
Commissioner Carmen Rubio
Commissioner Dan Ryan
Business Closing, History, Property Sale

Tub and Tan Building for Sale

On January 4th, Tub and Tan closed its doors after failing to resolve a conflict with the property management company Dinihanian LLC. On March 28th, Tub and Tan’s owner abandoned reopening plans and announced online that he could not continue operations under current conditions. Now, the building’s owners have the 5,000-square-foot property listed for sale. The adjacent 5,488-square-foot property behind the store contains a portion of the hot tub rooms and may also become available for purchase at a later date.

In 1940, C. Lews began construction on the building at 8028 SE Stark Street to house a tile store. In 1964, Executive Barber College opened in this location with upwards of 20 barber stations. It served several other businesses throughout the years before becoming a hot tubbing location in the 1990s. After nearly 30 years, it may soon see redevelopment for a new use. However, the real estate listing for the property indicates that functional sauna and hot tub equipment remain on-site for a potential turnkey business. Still, only some of the facility is for sale because the tubbing company spanned two properties. 8025 SE Washington Street, along with Tub and Tan, are owned by John Captain III. The SE Washington property contains the outdoor hot tub rooms for the now-closed business. In a Facebook comment, Captain mentioned trying to reopen from the other property, but later social media posts indicate a diminished interest in continuing the business.

This Stark Street storefront is located in Historic Down Town Montavilla, where commercial properties rarely change hands and tend to sell quickly. People interested in purchasing the building can contact Jason VanAbrams with Marcus & Millichap by calling 503-200-2027 or emailing the agent.

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 Closing, Business Relocating, Community, Property Sale

NE 82nd Hotel Becomes Recuperative Care Site

Central City Concern (CCC) is relocating its Recuperative Care Program (RCP) to the former Comfort Inn at 8225 NE Wasco Street. From this new location, staff will provide ongoing medical and housing support for people recently discharged from the hospital but needing continued recovery assistance. Participants are referred directly from local hospitals, health plans, and outpatient providers, staying on the property for an average of four to six weeks.

CCC is purchasing the 66-unit former hotel to host the RCP program currently housed within the Blackburn Center at 122nd Avenue and E Burnside Street. That location often runs at its capacity of 51 participants. The program’s relocation to the NE 82nd Avenue building will allow it to expand to address the 25 to 35 patient referral waitlist. Beyond the added space, the new facility offers centrally located access to transportation through the adjacent Max station and the 72 Bus line. According to Jordan Wilhelms, director of CCC’s RCP program, many of their clients face mobility issues and need easy access to TriMet. “Having access to public transportation is critical to their recovery,” wrote Wilhelms in an email interview.

The RCP provides a critical service to recovering people who do not have access to post-treatment support. Medical respite care prevents recently discharged patients from relapsing and needing to be readmitted. Inadequate post-hospitalization care is a particular concern for unhoused individuals who do not have access to primary care or specialty outpatient care. CCC will provide on-site primary care and pharmacy support for RCP participants in the new building, so people staying on the property can have immediate access to those services. The health care and pharmacy services currently offered at Blackburn Center will remain at the E Burnside Street facility, while the soon-to-be vacated RCP space could help expand the supportive housing program offered in that building.

Since 2005, CCC has grown the RCP and often stands as an example to other communities facing similar issues. “We were early adopters of the medical respite care service and are routinely visited by governmental and organizational representatives from cities all over the country looking to replicate the model. Our service is built around connecting participants with appropriate health care, helping stabilize health conditions, and accessing much-needed housing support,” explained Wilhelms. They provide around-the-clock support for clients and a place for medical providers to refer patients experiencing homelessness and needing additional care to recover from an acute or chronic condition.

Sheltered people often accomplish post-hospital care at home with the assistance of their personal support network, but that option is not available to everyone. RCP partners OHSU, Providence, and Health Share rely on this program to discharge at-risk patients to a safe and supportive environment where they can receive continued care. Programs like RCP can save money and keep hospital beds open. With the RCP option, people do not need to extend their hospital stay solely because they have no medically sound place to go when released. The CCC is engaging neighborhood and business associations in conversations regarding this site, and people can direct questions to the senior director of public affairs with the CCC, Juliana Lukasik, at juliana.lukasik@ccconcern.org.

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

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.

New Business, Services

Noble Woof Opens on SE Stark Street

Noble Woof recently opened its first brick-and-mortar space at 8502 SE Stark Street after six years of providing in-home private dog training. Staff use positive reinforcement methods to cultivate good behavior and emotional enrichment in dogs. In addition to various instructor-led courses, their day training program helps reinforce at-home training with the added socialization dogs benefit from. 

The owner of Noble Woof, Brie Blakeman, explained the importance of working with the base character of an animal in behavior training. “All dogs have several canine core needs that we can’t take out of them, and if we don’t satisfy those needs, we’re going to see maladaptive behavior,” said Blakeman. Dogs have a primal need to experience shredding, digging, chewing, chasing, sniffing, and social contact. Breed and a dog’s personality affect the mix of those characteristics. “We put a lot of focus on figuring out what each individual needs to have those core needs met, and we pair that with structured high-level training.”


Noble Woof owner Brie Blakeman

Currently, Noble Woof offers day training for six hours, two days a week. The drop-off times are staggered to accommodate different schedules, with one day offering drop-off starting at 8 a.m. and the other day’s drop-off beginning at 10 a.m. Behavior training is the primary focus of the program. However, Blakeman expects certain clients will want to use the space to enrich their pet’s life rather than just building on previous training. “Some people, for example, used to be able to take their dog to daycare, and then they hit social maturity and could no longer tolerate that environment, but they still really need care for their dog.” Said Blakeman. In those cases, they will welcome the canine into the group, provided it remains a healthy environment for the dog.

Staff recommend consistency and ask clients to drop off pets on a set day, allowing them to match animals of similar character in small groups. “That allows us to facilitate slow and thoughtful introductions to the other dogs so that dogs who are a little more sensitive to their own kind aren’t feeling pressured to interact,” remarked Blakeman. Day training consists of up to four participants with group and individual activities. Dogs participating in day training must have had some instruction before attending. “The ideal client for day training is someone who has done private training with us or one of our approved training partners. There are a lot of great trainers in the city that use the same methodologies as we do, and it’s important that dog guardians are doing the training at home and understand the principles,” said Blakeman. That requirement ensures constant feedback with the consistency needed for long-term success.

Noble Woof offers an evolving roster of training opportunities for both the dogs and trainers. Blakeman explained that many clients only seek focused training and do not use the drop-off option. “There will, of course, be some guardians who just want to bring their dogs six times to work on a specific skill.” Those sessions occur every other week to build experience over a long period. “It’s a relationship, which means it’s going to take time for them to understand how to communicate with each other,” said Blakeman. Additionally, some behavior is environmental, and not all goals are achieved in an off-site session. Consequently, they will continue offering in-home instruction or observation through their staff or partners.

Noble Woof is located in the former Unicorn Jiu Jitsu shopfront, left vacant after that business relocated to 9220 SE Stark Street. Blakeman took over the storefront on April 1st and now shares the space with handmade BioThane leash maker Tricia Case. Case’s company, Trailblazing Tails, operates out of the back half of this location, and the two companies collaborate wherever possible. Blakeman is still painting the walls and working to place black agility flooring over the concrete floor in the main training room, but much of the base functions of the space are up and running. Future upgrades will include outdoor areas offering a smelling garden and patio area to practice tableside etiquette. 

The four employees and five contract trainers at Noble Woof are committed to creating a trusted resource for improving canine behavior. Brie Blakeman and her employee working on the day training program have rescue backgrounds through work at the Oregon Humane Society. Blakeman emphasized the value of that experience when running Noble Woof. “When you work in rescue, you become really good at the management and prevention of problem behaviors, setting up a space as best you can to ensure the comfort of every individual. A rescue environment is quite hard, and there are a lot of stressed dogs who don’t know where their home is. I think people can bring their dogs here knowing that we have a deep knowledge of learning theory and behavior, but we also have a lot of applied experience working with dogs of all varieties.”

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, Infrastructure

Free Rides and New Bikes

In celebration of Earth Day, Nike is offering people free Biketown rides starting on Saturday, April 22nd. Riders will have 200 new electric-assist e-bikes to use as part of a 500-bike expansion announced on Friday. At the event, Nike and its partner Lyft unveil 30 special Earth Day bikes depicting local landmarks. The added bike-share vehicles will expand the fleet to 2,000 units.

A 2020 expansion brought the service out to Montavilla and other points in East Portland. It coincided with the fleet’s upgrade to pedal-assist electric bikes. Just last year, Biketown hit a record of more than 575,000 rides, a 65% increase over the previous year’s ridership. Usage of the bike-share system continues to increase, and these added vehicles will help meet demand and better distribute bikes throughout the network of docks.

Image courtesy Biketown

From April 22nd through the 24th, Biketown will waive fees for trips 60 minutes or less. Details are available on the program’s website. Participants need to download the mobile phone app before obtaining their free ride. The program operators hope this free ride weekend will encourage more people to take a bike instead of a car for some trips, reducing carbon emissions and helping the environment year-round.

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.

Infrastructure

82nd Ave Online Open House

On April 19th, the three public agencies planning improvements to 82nd Avenue published an online open house presenting current roadwork plans and concepts for future projects. The resource site provides high-level information with links to more detailed resources. Construction begins this year and will run through 2030, shifting to different sections of the former state highway as work progresses.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), TriMet, and Oregon Metro collaborated on this new site, blending their community education initiatives. The information focuses on the physical road infrastructure and potential implementation of TriMet’s new FX express bus service, replacing the 72 line on 82nd Avenue. A group of site-wide survey questions allows open house participants to share their priorities for where some projects should focus the limited funds. Money for the road work stems from a 2022 agreement to transfer ownership of Portland’s section of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) stewardship to PBOT. A key requirement of that exchange was the $150 million commitment from the State of Oregon and a $35 million commitment from the City of Portland.

Although the committed funds seem significant, the allocated money is far less than needed to rebuild all the old and failing infrastructure that does not meet City standards. Federal funding provided $80 million of the State’s contribution, and the City must spend that money by 2026 or risk losing it. Consequentially, PBOT is already deploying those funds to address critical safety and maintenance projects that are shovel-ready. They include improved street lighting to fill in gaps where there is insufficient nighttime visibility. Repaving and reconstructing curb ramps to modern standards will occur throughout the corridor, along with new and upgraded crossings for pedestrians or bicycle riders. PBOT will construct median islands and traffic separators at select locations, and some intersections will gain new or enhanced traffic signals.

PBOT Interactive Map of Projects

The remaining $105 million will go to projects still under consideration. PBOT will need to strategically deploy those funds to achieve the most effective safety and operational improvements on 82nd Avenue. Not all projects are made from cement, asphalt, and wires. Throughout the construction, project planners are looking for ways to incorporate trees and other landscaping to improve the environment and make it safer for people walking during high-temperature weather events. People interested in commenting on those projects should visit 82ndave.info and complete the more detailed survey released last month.

Illustration curtesy TriMet

Outside of the 82nd Avenue jurisdictional transfer funding, TriMet wants to create FX express bus service to replace the 72 bus line. Similar to the Division FX transformation completed in 2022, the proposed rapid bus service will reduce stops to speed up travel times and have enhanced stations with near-boarding-height platforms to accommodate the longer articulated buses. This bus line adjustment would also change the northern terminus. Four different paths are under consideration, some as far north as the Portland International Airport. Designers are also considering dedicated lanes and signal priority changes to 82nd Avenue to get buses around car traffic.

Planning for these projects is happening now, even though residents and business owners may not see the changes for years. Planners invite all Portlanders to participate in the online Open House and sign up for project updates so they can provide further guidance as officials firm up the transformative changes. Participation in the planning process is the public’s best opportunity to shape the future of 82nd Avenue as it sheds its history as a former State Highway and becomes a city main street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Illustrations provided by PBOT

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the 82nd Avenue Business Association Board and the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group

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.

Event, Renovation

Local Building Featured in 2023 Northwest Green Home Tour

The 2023 Northwest Green Home Tour features two projects from Montavilla’s low-carbon designer Harka Architecture, with one of their featured projects located within the neighborhood at 7631 NE Glisan Street. Ticket holders will have an opportunity to view the environmentally friendly transformation of Harka’s headquarters, learning about all the innovative techniques that went into the 577-square-foot Art Deco structure’s remodel.

For 30 years, the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild has represented a community of professionals committed to ecological building in the Pacific Northwest. The Northwest Green Home Tour allows the interested public to learn about sustainable building practices from the people and businesses that support it. The 2023 tour will take place on April 29th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This year’s event features green building approaches that reduce energy usage, lowering a building’s carbon footprint and reducing operating costs for its owner. The featured structures boast a variety of green building certifications, including Passive House, Built Green, and Net-Zero.

Image courtesy Northwest EcoBuilding Guild

The seventeen tour locations are spread over the Pacific Northwest. However, people can selectively visit the locations that appeal to their interests. In addition to Harka Architecture’s Glisan Street location, the tour features another of their creations, Mason Studios. That Cully neighborhood development added two new residences and a large shop on a property with three existing homes. Tickets are available on the Northwest Green Home Tour website. People can register for free or choose to donate funds at several levels. This upcoming event is an excellent opportunity to visit an iconic Montavilla building and learn about its low-carbon renovation.

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, Food and Drink

Food Cart Week 2023 Starts April 16

Because Portlanders love food carts and week-long eating celebrations, the food cart community created Food Cart Week. Sponsored by  Downtown Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive, and Here Is Oregon, the second annual street-food dining event runs from April 16th through the 22nd and spans the entire city. Although cart discovery is the primary focus for participants, people can also enter several contests to win $100 in prizes.

Contestants have a few ways to participate. Oregon Live is hosting a People’s Choice Award. Submissions of a favorite Portland food cart will enter participants into a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. Cart diners can also participate in a mobile app-based contest run by BabbleBuy. Top posters could win $100 worth of food from their favorite cart. Organizers will update the event’s website (portlandfoodcartweek.com) with more information as the festivities kick off this Sunday.

Supporting food carts helps small business owners and is an excellent way to experience the widest variety of culinary possibilities. Montavilla has a collection of options inside the Yard at Montavilla Food Carts pod at 8220 NE Davis Street. Other carts are anchored next to local businesses, including Rey Taco Cart at 145 SE 82nd Avenue and Thai Me Drunken Noodle at 803 SE 82nd Avenue. Beyond the neighborhood boundary, CORE – Collective Oregon Eateries at 3612 SE 82nd Avenue and Eastport Food Carts at 3905 SE 82nd Avenue host many eating options. There are also often overlooked nearby pods, including Powell 82nd Food Carts at 3405 SE 82nd Avenue and The Barley Pod at 6035 NE Halsey Street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The Author of this article serves on a board with BabbleBuy’s founder

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

Special Election Candidate Forum

On April 23rd, Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church will host an event featuring the three candidates running for Multnomah County District 3 Commissioner. Voters will select a permeant replacement to serve the remainder of Jessica Vega Pederson’s term as commissioner during the May 16th election. People interested in asking candidates a question can RSVP and submit questions online. Attendees should arrive at 247 SE 82nd Avenue by 3 p.m., with activities concluding by 4:30 p.m.

Candidates Julia Brim-Edwards, Albert Kaufman, and Ana del Rocio have confirmed their attendance. Multnomah County has played an increasingly visible role in the Montavilla community, with two houseless support sites planned in the neighborhood. Many Portlanders look to the City for most issues affecting their lives. However, the County is responsible for a wide range of services, including support for seniors, people living with disabilities, animals, mental health needs, addiction recovery, and support for people experiencing poverty, including the unsheltered.

Event flyer for April 23rd Candidate forum. Courtesy Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church

District members elect four commissioners to the Multnomah County Board, and all County voters elect the Board Chair. Jessica Vega Pederson designated Diane Rosenbaum as the interim Multnomah County District 3 Commissioner when she moved into the Chair position after winning the seat last year. Commissioner Rosenbaum has served on the Board since January 4th and will continue until a replacement is elected. If no candidate receives the majority of votes this May, a runoff will occur on November 7th.

Meet Candidates: April 23rd 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church
247 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97216
(503) 254-8168 or info@spp-pdx.org

Special District Election on May 16, 2023

Update April 21st, 2023: Candidate Julia Brim-Edwards will attend the event. However, she may be late due to a scheduling conflict that had previously prevented Brim-Edwards from attending. An earlier version of this article said only two of the three candidates would attend.

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.