On October 25th, the owners of 34 NE 74th Avenue split their lot through a Middle Housing Land Division, creating space for the new two-story home with an attached garage under construction. The three-bedroom house will sit on the back third of the property, accessible by an existing driveway that once led to a now-demolished detached garage. At 1,500 square feet, the new home is nearly 400 square feet larger than the original 1921-era home that will remain on the front lot.
This development shares similarities with many infill Flag-Lot housing projects seen throughout Portland. With those types of L-shaped land divisions, two property line adjustments carve out the back portion of a traditional lot and create street access. In this case, the property owners proposed dividing this single parcel as a detached duplex using the Middle Housing Land Division process, resulting in each unit residing on its individual lots. This process has similar results as the older Flag-Lot process but requires fewer lot line adjustments and allows for a more straightforward easement process for shared utility access. If the rear house did not offer onsite parking, they could have divided the property without direct sidewalk access and used a walkway easement. Land division speed and flexibility are primary features touted in the Residential Infill Project – Part 2 (RIP2) updates enacted on June 30th, 2022.
The new home under construction at 94 NE 74th Avenue features an open main floor plan with a half-bathroom on the 1st floor. The Second floor has two bedrooms that share a full bathroom. The owner’s suite has an attached ensuite and walk-in closet. A second-floor flex spaced contains the laundry area with room for an entertainment center and access to a balcony shared by the owner’s suite.
This project adds a large family home behind a 100-year-old house without disrupting the street’s character. According to the site plan, crews will remove one tree during construction and fully rebuild the driveway. Look for work to continue at this property into 2024.
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.