Tag: E Burnside

Construction, New Residence

Four Townhomes on E Burnside Street

Work is underway on four townhomes at 8426 E Burnside Street, built in clusters of two massings joined by a common trash room. The project is occupying a previously undeveloped parcel that once served as the extended yard of the adjacent home to the west of the property. Recently, cement masons erected the foundations for the new 1,000-square-foot homes. The two-story buildings will offer residents two-bedroom units with two and a half bathrooms, to be sold as condos without income restrictions.

Architectural drawing of the north (front) facade of a house, showing dimensions, materials, and design details including windows, doors, and roofing.
North elevation of 8426-8432 E Burnside St courtesy Leon Simms

Although all units are attached, project developer Leon Simms explained that he and the architect, Bayard Mentrum, worked together to create three outer walls for each unit. “The nice thing is we were able to split them so there’s no middle units,” said Simms. The residences function as two duplexes with a small one-story utility structure sitting between them. The sidewalk-adjacent unit faces East Burnside Street, while the other home’s doors face east, connecting to a walkway. The back of the units connects to a small yard via large double glass doors. The alignment of the buildings should obscure the true quantity of homes, so that most people passing the site will not immediately detect the housing density tucked behind.

Simms said that the builder, Martin Kehoe with Portland Leeds Living, will construct the main floor with nine-foot high ceilings, and people will access the homes through eight-foot tall doors. This feature helps make the homes feel larger and of high quality. Each bedroom will have its own attached ensuite bathroom on the second floor, with the other half restroom located on the first floor.

Architectural drawing of an east facade of two residential buildings, illustrating the layout, window placements, and structural details.
East elevation of 8426-8432 E Burnside St courtesy Leon Simms

This project will take advantage of temporary System Development Charge (SDC) exemptions enacted by the Portland City Council that apply to permits issued from August 15th, 2025, through September 30th, 2028. These fees are typically paid by developers to support public costs incurred as the city expands public infrastructure for sewer, water, parks, and transportation to accommodate the additional demand on those services by new residents in an area. City leaders hope removing those construction fees will help builders start projects and deliver more affordable products to the housing market. “We’re going to be one of the first to take advantage of the SDC waiver program, so that there’s not any income restriction,” said Simms. He explained that these types of homes often use the Homebuyer Opportunity Limited Tax Exemption (HOLTE) program to remove property taxes for up to ten years. It has a homebuyer income limit of 100 percent of the median family income for a family of four in the region. This and other affordability program restrictions can exclude people who would benefit from a lower entry point into home ownership, but are making just enough to not qualify. “A lot of people that want to buy these more affordable, small new homes but make a little bit too much money,” remarked Simms.

Construction site with concrete foundations laid for a new building, surrounded by a fence and trees.

Leon Simms is a fan of infill housing but has only recently started working on projects east of the Willamette River. “I’ve always been a Westside guy. I’ve been in the new home sales business for almost 40 years, but I’ve been 99% Westside,” Simms said. He likes this area and thinks these homes will be a “cute” addition to the neighborhood. They are walking distance from the historic Montavilla Downtown on SE Stark Street and near transit options. This section of East Burnside Street has curbside parking only on the north side, across the street from the development. However, it is often underutilized and buffered from passing traffic by a bike lane, making it a suitable place for residents to park. Work on the units is moving quickly, and people should expect to see them take shape over the next few months.

  • 8426 E Burnside Street
  • 8428 E Burnside Street
  • 8430 E Burnside Street
  • 8432 E Burnside Street

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence

Sixteen Detached Homes Complete on East Burnside

Recently, crews completed paving work on the NE 92nd Place-94th Avenue Alley off East Burnside Street, leading to 16 new two-story homes. Each of the back 15 units has attached garages, and the front home features a wide parking pad. This development project transformed a former automotive storage and wrecking yard into an urban subdivision with family-sized units.

Low-angle view of a newly paved street with a storm drain in the foreground and residential buildings lining the sides.
Stormwater management on paved alleyway

The approximately 20-foot-wide asphalt-paved alley has a concrete center channel that connects to stormwater inlets, which will control rain runoff from extensive paving at this site. The developer widened the once-overgrown gravel alley that connects East Burnside Street to a private street serving a 1996-era housing development. The public right-of-way alley continues north to NE Glisan Street but is blocked by parked vehicles and overgrown vegetation beyond this recently improved loop. Although the alley is not for through traffic, work at this site built a street-grid connection that facilitated significant housing density.

A newly constructed residential area featuring multiple houses, a sidewalk, and a recently paved street, surrounded by landscaping and a split rail fence.

Most of the new homes have a similar floor plan, with the frontmost home deviating from the design pattern in two notable ways. In addition to not offering interior vehicle storage, 9251 E Burnside Street has one less bathroom on the second floor than its 15 neighbors to the north. Designers also placed that unit’s stacked laundry closet on the ground floor rather than the upper level. All homes in this project have three bedrooms and an open concept main level. Each has a half-bath powder room on the first floor under the stairs. Six of the back units are designed to meet Portland’s visitability standards for universal access on the main level. They have a concrete ramp to the front doors that bypasses the steps and a larger ground-floor bathroom. Those larger restrooms extend past the outer wall, creating pop-out space with interior capacity to accommodate an unobstructed circle at least 60 inches in diameter. Both features help people in mobility devices enter the structure and use all the lower-level facilities. All 15 back-homes have a primary suite on the second floor with an attached bathroom and a double closet.

Row of modern suburban homes with various colors and architectural styles, featuring garages and front porches.
Six units with concrete ramps to the front doors that bypasses steps meeting visitability standards

The homes use a condominium land structure with a small monthly homeowners’ association (HOA) fee. Units also have fire sprinkler systems required in modern builds of this density. One of the units is currently listed for $439,900, with the others expected to become available soon. This site is walking distance from several transit options, including the MAX light rail system, and East Burnside Street has dedicated bike lanes. This location would be a good home for non-drivers or families that only have one car. However, this development still provides significant parking with space for up to two vehicles per home, along with infrastructure improvements that many opponents of some infill housing say must be part of density projects. The design team transformed a blighted commercial property into housing that fits the scale and style of the surrounding structures. Look for homes to fill with new residents over the coming months.

  • 9251 E Burnside Street
  • 9253 E Burnside Street
  • 9255 E Burnside Street
  • 9257 E Burnside Street
  • 9259 E Burnside Street
  • 9261 E Burnside Street
  • 9263 E Burnside Street
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  • 9273 E Burnside Street
  • 9275 E Burnside Street
  • 9277 E Burnside Street
  • 9279 E Burnside Street
  • 9281 E Burnside Street

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

City to Demolish House for New Street

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will demolish a 1951-era single-family residence to build a new segment of NE Davis Street. The city purchased the 700-square-foot single-story home at 205 NE 100th Avenue and three other vacant lots to construct a two-block street between NE 97th and 100th Avenues. This work is part of a Local Improvement District (LID) set to rebuild roads and add sidewalks ahead of redevelopment in the Gateway District.

Portland Maps illustration showing street improvements and property boundaries

The LID work will take place in two phases beginning in Fall 2024. Most improvements will occur on NE 97th Avenue north of E Burnside Street. Crews will repave the street and add sidewalks to this currently curbless segment of roadway. Cement masons will install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps at each new intersection, and lighting crews will install new street lights along the updated sections of NE 97th Avenue, NE Couch Street, and NE Davis Street. During the first construction phase, PBOT will build one block of NE Davis Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue. In Spring 2025, crews will begin the second phase of construction, extending NE Davis Street from NE 99th to 100th Avenue and creating a new one-block segment of NE Couch Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue.

Funding for the LID comes from adjacent property owners and other government sources. At formation, the total budget was $14,585,083. LID funding accounted for $9,770,408. PBOT provided $2 million from collected System Development Charges and $800,000 from other PBOT budgets. Prosper Portland contributed the remaining $2 million. PBOT paid $2,336,712 for the four lots that will become NE Davis Street. Land left over from those lots not used for road construction will revert to the adjacent property owners.

PBOT provided graphic

PBOT will construct these new streets to modern standards with roadways that are 36 feet wide and sidewalks on both sides of the street. The pedestrian area will offer a 6-foot wide through zone and a 4-foot planting strip between the sidewalk and curb. The LID will also create a new marked crosswalk on E Burnside Street across Interstate 205. This crossing will help pedestrians and cyclists travel across E Burnside Street to connect with the I-205 Multiuse Path. BPOT intends to reconstruct the traffic signal at NE 97th Avenue and E Burnside Street, including new crosswalks.

PBOT does not often create new streets in an established neighborhood. Housing developments like those planned for this area often use private driveways and parking lots to grant residents access. Private streetscapes are not always designed with adequate sidewalks and are not open for public use. This extension of these streets will repair the grid and offer Portlanders better east/west access by all modes of travel. The developments within these newly defined blocks will benefit from the new streets, as will everyone traveling through this area. Look for work to begin later this year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

Biketown Rack Removed after Car Crash

Biketown maintenance staff recently removed the bike-share rack on SE 81st Avenue and E Burnside Street after it received significant damage. Around noon on February 19th, an older Toyota sedan drove over the rack bending all six lock-post. Lyft, the operator of Portland’s bike rental program, will replace the dock next week.

Biketown Station with car stuck on top

Biketown bike racks, referred to as stations, are placed on sidewalks or in the parking lane of streets. These designated spaces offer users a dependable location to find the iconic orange bikes. Although riders can lock the bike any place at the end of a trip, Biketown finically incentivizes people to return rented bikes to stations. Since its removal, this station no longer appears on the Biketown System Map. Riders looking to save the $1 fee charged for parking outside a station must travel to the nearest location on NE 78th and Glisan Street. Unlike the damaged unit, the bike-share operators placed that station on the sidewalk.

All bike spaces were empty when the crash occurred, and no injuries were reported. With only plastic delineator posts marking the station’s footprint, this type of collision could happen again. However, this is the first reported incident at this location since its installation 18 months ago. Expect a new station at SE 81st Avenue and E Burnside Street by March 10th.

Biketown Station Replaced on SE 81st Ave
Biketown Station on NE 78th Ave and NE Glisan St

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, New Residence

Slender House Replacing Garage on Burnside

Portland real estate investor Antoine Dean recently purchased a thin 24-foot-wide lot on the NE side of E Burnside Street. The site contains a detached garage used over the last several decades by residents of 4 NE 72nd Avenue. Later this year, after demolition crews remove the existing structure, the site will host a new two-story single-family residence fronted on E Burnside Street.

Antoine Dean is a Portland real estate agent and investor who often looks for unique development opportunities. When he discovered the 1904-built home on the market, Dean saw potential in the detached building. The single-car garage and attached shed were not part of the original home but joined the adjacent property later. The lots remained separate parcels over the years, and Dean was able to purchase the garage’s land independently from the house.

Image from Portland Maps

The site will require creativity in its construction, being one-foot skinner than most infill houses. “It is a relatively small lot compared to everything else,” remarked Dean. Residential buildings in this zone require a five-foot setback from the property line. Consequentially the architect had to take a standard 15-foot-wide split lot plan set and shave an extra foot from the design. This proposed house is 14′ wide by 38′ long. However, it fits many amenities in that 1016-square-foot space. Each of the two bedrooms has an attached bathroom. That leaves just enough room on the second floor for a stacked washer and dryer closet at the top of the stairs. The main floor features an open-plan living room, kitchen, and dining area. Under the staircase is a small main-floor powder room.

Floor Plan courtesy of Antoine Dean

This home targets the affordable side of the housing market. Dean explained that a home in a high-traffic location with a modest floor area is ideal for those working with a constrained budget. “Whoever purchases it is going to have to feel comfortable being right there on Burnside,” said Dean. He expects the single-family residence to list anywhere from $375,000 to $415,000, depending on the market conditions at the time of sale. Providing finically accessible housing is important to Dean. He sees it as one of the top challenges in the country, and he hopes his work will help mitigate the national housing shortage.

The demolition permit for the garage is approved, and work should begin soon after workers clear the property. Expect to see crews working the site throughout the summer. Dean hopes to keep to a tight building schedule and have the property listed before the end of the year.

Update October 14th, 2023: Cement masons completed foundation work at 7225 E Burnside Street outlining the new skinny structure. Look for principal framing to progress over the next few months.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

Expanded Sidewalks on NE 72nd and Burnside

Update: Last week, crews poured new concrete sidewalks and curbs along E Burnside Street and NE 72nd Avenue. This walkway expansion work was required due to a recent lot division and the construction of a new single-family residence at 7171 E Burnside Street. Cement masons also reconstructed an existing curb cut on NE 72nd Avenue that now leads to the new home’s driveway. Workers will soon take down the construction barricades surrounding the two lots.

E Burnside Street looking west
NE 72nd Ave looking north

Article originally published on October 25th

Sidewalk reconstruction work is currently underway along E Burnside Street and NE 72nd Avenue. A recent lot division, and subsequent construction of the new single-family residence at 7171 E Burnside Street, triggered the pedestrian zone upgrades. Workers will completely replace the sidewalk and expand curbside planter strips. Landscapers will plant five River Birch street trees in the curb strip with some additional sidewalk adjacent plantings on the private property.

Sidewalk Illustration over plan-set by Thogerson Designs

As a condition of the redevelopment, both lots relinquished an additional four feet from the original property line. This land dedication to the City of Portland was necessary for an expanded public right-of-way that now meets current design standards. As a corner lot, the original 1900-era home at 7 NE 72nd Avenue forfeited more property when accommodating the new sidewalk and planting strip than the newly completed home. However, the century-old 880-square-foot building still sits comfortably back from the street and has an adequate yard.

When completed, this once-narrow walkway along a busy street will feel more comfortable for pedestrians. That extra space only extends for half the block, and it will take further redevelopment along E Burnside Street before whole segments of the pedestrian zone are rebuilt to modern standards.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure, Renovation

MAX Blue Line Revitalize at 102nd

TriMet repair crews will close the MAX Blue Line this weekend between Gateway Transit Center and East 122nd Avenue. Shuttle bus service will transport MAX riders around the closure as workers revitalize tracks between the two stations and a rail crossing at East 102nd Avenue and Burnside Street. Construction will begin on September 23rd and be complete on the 26th. However, the Blue Line disruption and shuttle service will only occur during the weekend on the 24th and 25th.

Operators will adjust the MAX system during the four-day project, running all trains every 20 minutes throughout most of the day. Riders are encouraged to plan their trip ahead of time and check the trains’ location in real-time on trimet.org. Drivers in the area may also anticipate some disruption due to construction on the tracks. During the rail line interruption, extra TriMet staff at select stations will assist riders in making connections. Additional information about this transit disruption is available on the TriMet website.

By

Jacob Loeb

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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

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Construction, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

NE 97th Avenue LID Grid Restoration

Next summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will begin a multi-year project to reconnect portions of the City’s street grid east of Interstate 205. This work will slice up several long blocks, opening the way for new housing developments emphasizing walking, Biking, and public transportation. The project will span from NE 94th Avenue to NE 100th Avenue, with work occurring in two phases.

PBOT intends to begin Phase 1 work in mid-2023, completing sidewalk infill on NE 97th Avenue. Previous developments and public works projects added modern road infrastructure to NE 97th from NE Glisan Street to NE Davis Street. Crews will continue that work south to E Burnside Street. That area currently lacks curbs and sidewalks. This phase will also improve conditions on E Burnside Street from 94th Avenue to 97th Avenue. Portions of the sidewalk and road surface have deteriorated, particularly near the TriMet Max tracks that cross the westbound lane.

E Burnside Street at 94th Avenue Looking east

Planned for the Summer of 2024, Phase 2 of the project has a greater impact on the local streetscape. This work will create new streets and require significant private land dedication to complete. PBOT crews will build new segments of NE Couch Street from NE 97th to 99th avenues and NE Davis Street from NE 97th to 100th avenues. The project’s scope includes new streets, sidewalks, and stormwater improvements.

NE 97th Avenue and NE Couch / Davis LIDs from Portland Maps

As a Local Improvement District (LID), property owners will supply funding for this $15 million project with tax increment financing (TIF) from the Gateway Urban Renewal Area and a transportation system development charge (TSDC). PBOT will cover overhead costs incurred by managing this project.

Developer Joe Westerman and his companies own the majority of the affected properties in the LID. That concentrated ownership likely helped drive the City’s efforts to reconnect streets and will allow a significant change in road use. Although near the I205 Multi-use Path, this section of Portland is challenging to navigate outside of a car. Long blocks force pedestrians onto busy roadways and extend walking distances as people double back to reach a destination. Walkable and bike-able streets near public transit reduce the number of parking spaces needed, allowing for larger developments that maximize land usage and housing density.

NE 97th Avenue at NE Davis Street looking towards E Burnside

In 2019, this area received a surge in development interest, with one project at the corner of E Burnside Street and NE 97th Avenue receiving design approval. Other projects stalled in the Early Assistance phase of development, including a six-story building with 77 units. These planned improvements could help reignite developer interest in this area and spur a new wave of housing construction. Look for road crews to begin work next summer and prepare for new streets in 2024.

East Montavilla Sanborn Map 1928

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence

Infill House on Burnside with Hidden Parking

Construction crews are wrapping up work on a two-story single-family residence at  7171 E Burnside Street. The sizable infill-home features four bedrooms and a single-car garage accessed from the back of the property. At the builder’s current pace, the new home could become available for purchase this fall.

Original article published February 18th, 2022

This week, construction crews prepared a new flag lot on E Burnside for a forthcoming single-family residence. Located at a recently created address of 7171 E Burnside Street, the two-story home will feature four bedrooms and a single-car garage. Unlike most infill-homes with the garage door dominating the front of the structure, designers of this house placed the attached garage behind the home.

Plans for the home show a 27-foot wide home extending back 42 feet. The front door sits between a half-bathroom and a ground-floor bedroom at the front of the house. The floor opens up to a living room and dining room from the entryway. The open floor-plan creates a long 33-foot by 16-foot room, ending in a kitchen at the rear of the house. A ductless fireplace with TV hookups above the mantel is at the center of the main floor. A door from the dining room leads to the single-car garage positioned at the northeast corner of the structure and setback nine feet from the northern edge of the home. This recessed placement allows a vehicle to make the 90 degrees turn from the ally into the parking space.

Up a flight of stairs, a ten-foot by ten-foot bedroom and a shared bathroom occupy the front of the second floor. A large family room and another ten-foot by ten-foot bedroom take up the center portion of this level. At the back of the house, a bedroom suite fills the remainder of the floor. Inside that room, a walk-in closet over half the size of the standard bedrooms sits to the right. The 16-foot by 12-foot main bedroom features a tray ceiling with a suspended fan. The ensuite has a shower, spa tub, toilet room, and dual vanity.

The project’s layout and design adhere to contemporary higher-end home construction standards. However, limitations created by the site’s location moved the project towards a classical arrangement. For many years, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has asked developers to place new driveways on side streets, reducing possible collisions on arterial roads like E Burnside. That directive influenced the need for a driveway entrance from NE 72nd Avenue. The Developers took additional space from the original property at 7 NE 72nd Avenue and created an alleyway leading to the rear of the new property.

Portland Maps image of 7171 E Burnside

Before WWII, most homes hid parking behind the house. It was not until the 1950s that most new homes placed the garage prominently at the front of a residence. Over the decades, the width of a house’s garage door signaled the homeowner’s prosperity. That valuation has recently decreased with changing perceptions status symbols.

Although vehicle storage is no longer a key sign of wealth, many new infill homes still offer attached garages, often requiring two-thirds the width of a home. This layout pushes living space to the back of the building, sometimes isolating occupants from the activities in the community. Although this building’s design may not have intently looked to the pre-war designs of American architecture, the benefit of placing the parking at the rear should create a more attractive building and perhaps encourage other builders to reconsider a vehicle’s place in the home.

By

Jacob Loeb

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