Author: Jacob Loeb

Jacob Loeb began writing for newspapers in high school, first for the school's publication and then for a Vashon, Washington, community paper. He graduated college with a degree in English Literature and Television Communications. After graduating, Loeb worked in film distribution for a pioneering DVD company that supported independent filmmakers. Years later, he wrote for a weekly newsletter about technology and ran a popular computer advice column called Ask Jacob. Moving to the Montavilla neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, with his family in 2005, Loeb firmly planted roots in the community and now writes for the Montavilla News. He is a Society of Professional Journalists member and volunteers with non-profit organizations serving East Portland. ~

Infrastructure March 8, 2023March 17, 2023

SE Thorburn Lanes Closed for Tree Pruning

On March 8th, crews with Tree Masters Inc will close a portion of SE Thorburn Street near 7256 SE Thorburn Street. Arborists will heavily prune two large Deodar Cedars hanging over the street. Expect delays using the road that connects E Burnside Street and the Washington Stark couplet. Drivers may need to find an alternate route at times throughout the day.

Tree maintenance is essential around roadways, particularly with these larger street-adjacent trees at the base of Mt. Tabor. Last January, a large tree fell across SE 74th Avenue, pulling down power lines and partially blocking SE Thorburn Street. The tree’s root ball pivoted from the ground, breaking the sidewalk. During that cleanup work, crews blocked one lane of SE Stark Street west of SE 76th Avenue for several days.

*Stump and broken sidewalk from toppled toppled tree – January, 2023*

The one-day disruption to traffic could prevent a multi-day road closure due to an unexpected broken limb or downed tree. Use caution while walking and driving in this area. There will be detour signs and flaggers to direct traffic around Thorburn.

Jacob Loeb

Updated to include additional project information from Tree Masters Inc. and corrected the arborists initial statement about removing a tree. Added pictures 10:30 a.m.

Community, Crime, View of Montavilla March 7, 2023March 17, 2023

PPB Focuses on Retail Theft at Mall 205 and Gateway

Over the last four months, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has spent several days focused on retail theft at Mall 205 and the Gateway area. Conducted in partnership with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), the crime reduction program concentrates efforts on a small geographic area that has seen a substantial rise in theft. The PPB statistics from the three Retail Theft Missions demonstrate the daily burden of crime experienced by these retailers.

On March 5th, 2023, PPB and MCSO officers made their third attempt to significantly reduce criminal activity at these Interstate 205 adjacent retail centers. This past Sunday, 34 people were taken into custody and served 28 warrants. Police recovered seven stolen vehicles actively driven in the area. Officers also recovered over $3,000 worth of stolen merchandise. In February and December 2022, program operators saw similar daily results from these police operations.

Although presented as an effective retail theft sting that together netted 138 arrests and the recovery of almost $14,000 of reportedly stolen merchandise, it also shows a steady level of crime in the area. The data presented is insufficient to draw credible conclusions about the program’s efficacy, but the numbers show consistent theft.

If the Retail Theft Mission continues in this area, the numbers may diminish as miscreants see this as a policed area. However, the numbers indicate this has yet to occur, and theft remains steady. Even if these efforts are effective in the Mall 205 and the Gateway areas, retail theft crime will likely shift to another commercial corridor unless additional diversion tactics reduce the overall occurrence of this type of crime.

PPB provided Retail Theft Mission numbers

March 5th, 2023 (Single Day Mission)
– 34 arrests
– 28 warrants serviced
– 7 stolen vehicles recovered
– $3,006.32 in recovered stolen merchandise

February 6th, 2023 (Single Day Mission)
– 40 arrests
– 60 warrants serviced
– $2,237 in recovered stolen merchandise

December 17th and 18th (Two-Day Mission)
– 64 arrests
– 70 warrants serviced
– 10 stolen vehicles recovered
– 3 firearms recovered (2 stolen)
– $8,743 in recovered stolen merchandise

Jacob Loeb

Construction, New Residence March 6, 2023March 17, 2023

Two Slim Houses Under Construction on NE 75th

In September of 2022, the new owners of 319 NE 75th Avenue demolished the 122-year-old home. Now, crews are building a pair of single-family residences. Cement masons will soon pour the concrete foundation walls into the forms already in place at the worksite. Building permits 22-142935 and 22-142840 each call for a two-story house with an attached single-car garage. The homes will occupy two 25-foot-wide parcels recently created by a lot division.

The architect designed the new residences at 323 NE 75th Avenue and 321 NE 75th Avenue as mirror duplicates, with their entrances closest to one another. Each building is free-standing and fifteen feet wide at the front. The homes will join several other skinny houses built on this block. Look for construction to continue through summer and real estate listing for both properties appearing towards the end of 2023.

*319 NE 75th Avenue prio to September 2022 demolition*

*319 NE 75th Avenue in October 2022 after demolition*

*321 NE 75th Avenue under construction March 2023*

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, Infrastructure March 5, 2023March 17, 2023

A CoW Will Now Connect Your Call

In the next few months, the mobile phone network operator Verizon Wireless will deploy a temporary Cell-tower on Wheels (CoW) to 432 NE 74th Avenue. This device will support the wireless network during the demolition and reconstruction of the site’s equipment room. The existing cell tower will remain on NE Glisan Street and return to operation after demolition crews raze the former TV broadcast facility where the network equipment is currently located.

Last December, Verizon Wireless filed a permit to create a new equipment area within a ten by twenty-foot fenced area on the residentially-zoned southern portion of the property. The enclosure will house equipment cabinets and a generator associated with cell phone antennas on a utility pole in the NE Glisan Street right-of-way. Crews will construct a fully sight-obscuring eight-and-a-half-foot tall wood fence around the equipment shed and standby power generator. The wireless support staff will access the space through a four-foot gate on the north side. Landscapers will provide plantings around the outside perimeter to further blend the structures into the residential streetscape.

*Plan set from 2019 Cell Site upgrade showing equipment room being demolished*

The new weather enclosures installed behind the fence will replace the existing three racks full of batteries, power management devices, and radio equipment stored in the northeast corner of the former TV studio. Crews will deconstruct the building to make way for the site’s two future low-income and supportive housing developments. Verizon Wireless will deploy the portable cell tower to maintain cell phone coverage during construction. It includes a cellular antenna, transceiver device, battery, and other necessary equipment required to provide a stable wireless mobile network. The transition to the temporary equipment should be seamless for users. Expect new equipment to arrive on site later this year ahead of demolition work.

Jacob Loeb

Infrastructure March 3, 2023March 17, 2023

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*

Jacob Loeb

Community, Infrastructure March 2, 2023March 17, 2023

Portland Expanding EV Charger Access

At the March 1st City Council session, members in attendance unanimously passed the second of two ordinances designed to expand Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. Portland’s leaders made these code updates to incentivize Level 2 charger installation by private companies in spaces accessible to people living in multifamily residences. These early steps seek to remove barriers blocking the widespread adoption of low-carbon-producing vehicles.

City Council passed the EV Ready Code Project on February 8, 2023. These zoning code updates require new multi-dwelling and mixed-use developments with five or more units to provide EV-ready charging infrastructure, as long as the property includes onsite parking. Starting on March 31, builders must provide conduit and electrical capacity to support the future installation of Level 2 EV chargers for 50% of the available onsite parking spaces with a minimum of six spots. Developments with six or fewer spaces would need to provide this infrastructure to all parking spaces.

Although the EV Ready Code Project does not require EV charger installation, it removes much of the costs associated with retrofitting that equipment into parking infrastructure. As tenant demand for charging access increases, that lower installation cost should also shorten the time building owners take before adding the environmentally friendly amenity.

Pilot charger mounted on utility pole on SE Clinton St, image courtesy PBOT.

Charging infrastructure availability is a barrier to some residents looking to buy an electric vehicle, particularly those without onsite parking or living in existing multifamily residences. The second round of code amendments approved yesterday will address offsite parking electrification. EV chargers in the right of way would expand choices for many car buyers who must park on city streets. The recently passed ordinance directs the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to work with private charging companies and utility providers to establish curbside Level 2 EV charging. It updates the City code to allow the installation of this equipment and dedicates public parking space to EVs. The Charger equipment could mount to existing utility poles or freestanding pedestals in the furnishing zone. PBOT will limit the number and type of operators allowed to install charging equipment in the right-of-way. Individuals and businesses are not eligible to install personal charging equipment on public streets. These code amendments only apply to chosen companies with the ability to install and maintain EV charging equipment at a large scale.

Program architects designed EV charger equity into this initiative through targeted placement. Master Lease Agreements with EV charging companies and utility providers would require the distribution of chargers into neighborhoods currently underserved by existing EV infrastructure. EV chargers will be allowed on Local Service Traffic Streets around the corner from Main Streets. Program coordinators envision charger installations within larger districts like Gateway Regional Center, Hollywood, Lents, and St. Johns. Additionally, Neighborhood Centers like Roseway, Woodstock, and Montavilla are prime locations for charger expansion. PBOT staff must report to City Council by June 30, 2024, on the policy’s progress and could request further changes to City Code to advance the program.

According to the ODOT TEINA Report, conservative estimates say that Portland needs to add 9,500 public charging ports by 2035. City leaders and staff feel these two new programs are the best approach to meeting that goal while creating affordable and convenient access to EV Charging in Portland. PBOT says installations of curbside EV chargers could begin later this year, but there will be a public notification process before any work begins. If these programs are successful, thousands of shared EV chargers could become available to Portlanders over the next decade.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure March 1, 2023March 17, 2023

82nd Ave Draft Concept Shared by PBOT

In an effort to embrace design transparency, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) released a Draft Concept for the 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes project. They want public participation in the design process and created a survey to gather comments on the proposed upgrades. These near-term critical safety and maintenance repairs on 82nd Avenue will break ground in 2024, with crews working through 2026. Although repair work will span the entire stretch of 82nd Avenue, these specific projects focus on NE Fremont Street to NE Schuyler Street and SE Mill Street to SE Foster Road.

The enhancements could include medians with street trees, signal reconstruction, and sidewalk reconstruction or infill. The current draft concept maintains some center turn lanes but also create new dedicated left turn lanes. In some cases, pedestrian islands could prevent east-west automotive traffic from crossing 82nd Avenue at NE Klickitat Street, NE Schuyler Street, SE Clinton Street, SE Lafayette Street, and SE Center Street. PBOT intends to repave much of the project area, and the limited sidewalk construction will provide pedestrians with safe travel to one of the many new signalized crosswalks.

*Image from PBOT’s March 2023 Draft Concept Design*

Montavilla will receive only a handful of updates as part of this current round of proposed projects. Both sides of SE Mill Street could receive 200 feet of new sidewalk east of SE 82nd Avenue. PBOT also wants to reconstruct 300 feet of sidewalk on the east side of 82nd Avenue between SE Division Street and the mid-block crosswalk to the north, near the Portland Community College Southeast campus. The draft concept contains raised concrete medians on 82nd Avenue south of SE Harrison Street to SE Division street and beyond. Several breaks in the median allow for designated left turns and driveway access. PBOT will attempt to plant street trees in the raised medians where possible.

The two main project sites will cover a 2.5-mile stretch of 82nd Avenue that Portland now maintains. Last year, the Oregon Department of Transportation transferred seven miles of the State highway to the City. Funds acquired during that jurisdictional transfer are supporting these projects. The draft concept released alongside the survey represents an early proposal, and people reviewing it should expect changes based on comments submitted by the public. PBOT’s project team wants feedback from businesses, property owners, and residents on the draft concept design. The survey is open until April 15, 2023, and available in Chinese: 中文, Russian: Русский, Spanish: Español, and Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt.

Jacob Loeb

Demolition February 28, 2023March 17, 2023

Trio of Dilapidated Houses on SE 92nd

Demolition crews will soon raze three dilapidated and boarded-up houses along SE 92nd Avenue near SE Division Street. The Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Portland purchased 2320 SE 92nd Avenue, 2328 SE 92nd Avenue, and 2340 SE 92nd Avenue between 2007 and 2013. Those properties became vacant four years ago, with one recently suffering fire damage.

Each home sits on an expansive 56 by 368-foot lot, together representing a 1.4-acre property. The area is zoned Residential Multi-Dwelling 1 (RM1). It supports low-scale multi-dwelling developments up to three stories tall and setback from the sidewalk, similar to other residential structures around it. The houses are under a 35-day demolition delay to permit public comment. City staff will approve the permit applications sometime after March 22nd, 2023.

*Aerial view from Portland Maps showing the three large lots*

The Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church owns an adjacent site of similar size to the north, where they operate the Grace Lutheran School and preschool. Church staff fenced off the back portion of the three homes and created a grassy field available to the students. When cleared of homes, the front section of the properties may also become an open field until the faith organization determines a future use. Church leaders were not available to discuss plans for these properties.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, New Residence February 27, 2023October 25, 2024

Three Townhouses Coming to SE 89th and Market

Update (October 25th, 2024): Work is nearly complete on three townhomes at SE 89th Avenue and Market Street. The developer connected two new two-story townhomes to the existing single family residence at 8905 SE Market Street, creating a three unit structure. The north-most home at 1680 SE 89th Avenue has an attached garage. The center townhome at SE 1682 SE 89th Avenue connects to the original 1952-era house by a small protrusion at the back of the building. The architect staggered the building’s frontage, creating a visual distinction between each home.

The new owners of 8905 SE Market Street intend to attach three new townhomes to the existing single-family residence at this corner lot. Sunset Bridge Inc. bought the 1952-era home last October and plans to create additional housing on the property after demolishing the detached garage. Each proposed two-story unit will offer around 1,100 square feet of living space.

The four residences will all share the same lot, with the new homes likely fronted on SE 89th Avenue in an area of the property currently covered in tall hedges. The new structures will not contain garages. However, the curb cut and parking pad used for the old garage may remain. The existing 1,466-square-foot home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The three new townhouses will likely contain two bedrooms.

Building permits in Portland take several months to approve, and those delays could push this project’s start date into the latter half of this year or 2024. Expect constriction to begin sometime after demolition crews deconstruct the single-car garage. When complete, this project will accommodate more homes while preserving the existing housing.

*8905 SE Market Street on Portland Maps*

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Demolition, Infrastructure February 24, 2023April 12, 2023

A Dim Future for Portland Parks

Starting February 22nd, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will remove dangerous light poles in twelve City parks, including Montavilla Park. Six of the seventeen light poles at 8219 NE Glisan Street have structural anchoring issues that make them unsafe. These units could pose life and safety hazards to the public. Maintenance teams must remove them immediately, even though the City parks bureau lacks sufficient funds to replace these lights. Affected parks will close at 10:00 p.m. nightly, and Park Rangers will visit locations more frequently at night.

PP&R recently identified 243 poorly anchored light poles after conducting a system-wide review of 1,000 units in City parks. Some lamp posts are over 100 years old. Many of the older cast concrete light poles are not anchored to the ground sufficiently to avoid tipping over if pushed with horizontal force. Last June, one of the older light poles fell on two people in Irving Park after a hammock was illegally attached.

Mt. Tabor Park also contains 81 lights that fall into the unsafe category. Park crews will replace some light poles over the next 16 months, with Irving Park and Mt. Scott Park receiving priority based on an equity analysis. However, bureau staff are exploring opportunities to maximize the use of remaining lights to keep affected parks as bright as possible.

*Montavilla Park’s gravel center road lined with older lamp poles*

PP&R will require additional funding to replace all the unsafe light poles in the park system. bureau leadership has reallocated $5 million from the major maintenance fund to remove the potentially hazardous light poles and begin the partial replacement process, pulling money away from other projects. Portland parks require $600 million of repair and replacement work beyond what the bureau budget covers. PP&R Director Adena Long is working to address this challenge through its Sustainable Future Initiative to align equitable service with available funding.

This lighting reduction is one of multiple budget shortfalls leaving Montavilla Park with fewer amenities. In 2021 demolition crews removed a dilapidated picnic shelter that park officials intended to replace with a new structure. However, lack of funds postponed that project, and the site is now just another grassy field. Expect fewer light poles in the two area parks over the next few months. Until PP&R funding increases, do not anticipate the restoration of the removed lights or shelter at Montavilla Park.

Update: PP&R will now replace all lights and halt removal until new lights are available.

Twelve City parks with light pole removal planned