Four new houses now surround 8404 NE Holladay Street in what was once the 1931-era home’s expansive yard. Each two-story building is on one of five lots created by a new Middle Housing Land Division technique. This multi-structure project is one of Montavilla’s first cottage cluster land divisions, and it demonstrates the housing density possible with the 2022 enacted zoning updates that allow for this type of development.
The scale of the project triggered frontage improvements to the sidewalk along both streets, including the reconstruction of corner ramps to comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. However, not all cottage clusters will require these improvements, and in many cases, this type of land division is a cost-saving process for developers. Instead of orienting lots with individual street access, cottage clusters use pathways and utility easements to divide a parcel. This process can create odd-shaped lots hidden behind other houses in places that previously could only hold an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU).
8414 NE Holladay Street (Unit A) has an open-concept first floor with a kitchen at the front and a half bathroom at the back. A sizable section of the main level’s footprint contains an 18-foot-wide patio covered by the upper floor. The second level holds three bedrooms. The main bedroom has a full-sized ensuite, with another full bathroom accessible from the hallway. Designers placed a stacked laundry closet at the end of the hall.
8410 NE Holladay Street (Unit B) has its owner’s bedroom on the main level with a three-quarters ensuite. A half bathroom sits at the center of the house, off the living room. The U-shaped kitchen and dining area occupy the back wall with a covered patio to the south. Three more bedrooms on the second story share a full bathroom with double vanities. The staircase wraps around a second-floor stacked laundry closet.
964 NE 84th Avenue (Unit C) is a mirror replica of 8410 NE Holladay Street. 960 NE 84th Avenue (Unit D) is an inverted version of 8414 NE Holladay Street. The two street-facing additions offer 1,349 square feet to residents, while the innermost homes provide 1,269 square feet. These four new homes are over 1,000 square feet smaller than the original building. However, they are still spacious enough for families and offer substantial housing density while retaining the surrounding area’s single-family scale. Expect to see these homes for sale later this year.
Update: One of the new homes is for sale, 8414 NE Holladay Street – $449,900
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