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.
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Donors and family should go to the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue during their assigned time. There will be pumpkin painting for young family members while parents donate, and the church’s sanctuary will remain open for anyone wishing to light a candle in honor of lost loved ones. Blood Drive participants will receive a punch card featuring special rewards redeemable at participating local businesses. Costumes are welcomed and encouraged.
Disclosure: Montavilla News is a member of METBA and the author of this articles serves on the board.
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Volunteers of America (VOA) Oregon will raze the existing church building and other structures at 8815 NE Glisan Street within eight years. This demolition work will clear the way for the organization’s consolidation of its family safety, substance use, behavioral health, and post-incarceration services. Until the redevelopment begins, the human services organization plans to reuse the existing buildings for some relocated services and potentially as a childcare center.
President of VOA Oregon, Kay Toran, explained in an interview last week that the organization is in the early planning stages. The massive property spans both sides of NE 90th Avenue at Glisan Street, and plans for the new VOA campus will include purpose-built structures to support their various programs. Toran sees this project as an opportunity to change the perception of supportive services. “We tend to marginalize our oppressed populations by the facilities that they visit. So what I want this property to be a property that not only makes good efficient use of our time and efficient use of our professionals but also to lift up the population we serve,” said Toran.
VOA Oregon currently maintains services across many locations in the Portland Metro area. Development of this site will bring together those disparate locations into one destination and give the organization room to expand into other offerings. “We plan to use the 5.8 acres to relocate our existing services into one space, so we have more of a one-stop-shop,” said Toran. Consolidation is just one aspect driving the redevelopment of this multi-lot property. VOA Oregon is in the process of substantially expanding its medical services.
A sizable portion of VOA Oregon’s work centers on addiction treatment, including substance abuse disorder and gambling addiction. With the development of the new facility, they will focus on growing the behavioral health services by becoming a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). They intend to augment their current behavioral health offerings by providing Primary Health services to clinic patients and their families. This ambitious goal will drastically increase the number of people using VOA Oregon services. “So right now, we serve, over the course of a year, probably 10,000 individuals. That includes families and individuals,” explained Toran. “Well, I think it will grow exponentially because we’re looking at applying for a new service that will support family [healthcare].” This move to include accessible general medical care fills a critical gap in supporting marginalized people. “In our community, health care is not easily accessed by most people who are not insured,” said Toran. VOA Oregon would like to get people on the Oregon Health Plan when possible, but that still leaves people unserved, and this new expansion will help bridge the gap in coverage.
Not all VOA Oregon functions will relocate to the Glisan Street Site when completed. Corporate offices will remain at SE Stark Street and Cesar Estrada Chavez Blvd. The Montavilla location will grow into the central hub for the organization’s client facing services, maximizing all available land for that purpose. “We’re going to use all this space, and that’s where the professional talents of an architect is very important,” explained Toran. Staff will continue working with professional contractors to design the campus over the next four months. At that point, Toran expects to have a loose plan to share regarding the project.
A campus of this size and scope will require extensive planning and substantial donor investment. However, Kay Toran is committed to seeing this project underway with the urgency that current conditions demand. “I can’t tell you whether that’s five years or eight years, but I can say it won’t be ten years.” The site will likely remain empty as plans take shape. Expect to learn more about the NE Glisan Street property early in 2023 and anticipate seeing some temporary use for the building sometime next year.
By
Jacob Loeb
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After an unseasonably dry Fall, the Portland Water Bureau began blending water from the Columbia South Shore Well Field with the City’s Bull Run water supply. Although rain has returned to the region and some snowfall has accumulated on the mountain, managers of the water distribution system made the decision to supplement approximately 65 percent of groundwater into the watershed-sourced supply. This change occurred on October 13th and will take up to two weeks to reach all homes and businesses.
The Portland Water Bureau assures residents that Columbia South Shore Well Field water supply meets or surpasses all federal and state drinking water regulations. However, they make it a policy to notify the public when activating groundwater sources so sensitive water users can take precautions. Portland’s water supply serves almost a million people in the area, utilizing 53 tanks and reservoirs to store water for summer use. As the weather system trends towards hotter and dryer patterns, the Bureau’s investment in groundwater reserves will become an increasing resource in water delivery.
Sensitive water users can sign up at the Portland Water Bureau’s website to receive notifications regarding changes to the water system. Customers with questions should call the Water Line at 503-823-7525 and watch for updates to this article when Portland’s water system returns to 100 percent Bull Run watershed-sourced water.
By
Jacob Loeb
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On October 12th, Portland City Council approved a declaration of intent to form the SE 89th Ave and Taylor St Local Improvement District (LID). This proposed infrastructure project would rebuild 450 feet of SE 89th Avenue adjacent to Berrydale Park, adding curbs and sidewalks to this partially paved roadway. The LID would also add sidewalks on the south side of SE Taylor Street from 92nd Avenue to 98th Avenue. Although unanimously approved, the Council members expressed deep concerns regarding the financial burden placed on the adjacent homeowners, some of whom testified against this LID’s formation.
Local Improvement Districts form when a majority of property owners in an area elect to pool private funds with the City of Portland, sharing the cost of infrastructure construction. Landowners commonly use LIDs to improve unpaved streets and reconstruct paved roads not built to current engineering standards. Although SE 89th Avenue has paved travel lanes, it’s bordered by curbless gravel shoulders, lacks stormwater management, and has no sidewalks. Andrew Aebi, Portland’s Local Improvement District Administrator, worked with Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty to propose this LID formation ahead of Berrydale Park’s renovation in the Spring of 2024. Portland Parks & Recreation owns the majority of street frontages included in this LID and will shoulder the bulk of its costs.
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) chose to pursue this expanded infrastructure improvement project based on lessons learned from the missed opportunities of past projects. In 2007, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) built Holly Farm Park in a neighborhood of SW Portland without sidewalks, consistent curbs, or stormwater management. Crews constructed the missing infrastructure around the Park’s frontage and reconstructed the road to the center of the street. However, the properties across from the Park still lack sidewalks and stormwater management. Aebi pointed to this project as a turning point in the City. The lost opportunity to improve conditions for adjacent residents was glaring. PP&R now collaborates with the other Portland bureaus to include infrastructure upgrades during Park construction and encourages LID formations so area residents can take advantage of discounted upgrades made cheaper by piggybacking on funded projects.
At last Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Aebi explained that regardless of a LID’s formation, the Berrydale Park project will include curb and sidewalk construction on PP&R property. However, as is now standard procedure, City staff proposed the SE 89th Ave and Taylor St Local Improvement District to offer cost savings to adjacent property owners. If this LID is approved by City Council on November 30th, residences involved in the LID could pay substantially less for the infrastructure improvements. “We have structured this LID so that Parks pays the lion’s share of LID Costs,” said Aebi. The savings stem from an 800,000 commitment to the LID from PP&R and other City contributions intended to defer the financial burden placed on homeowners. The City will cover all roadway reconstruction costs and only ask residents to pay for the curbs and sidewalks built in front of their property.
Even with all the expected cost savings for property owners, the City is seeking a significant sum. If City Council enacts the LID as presented, 14 property owners will each contribute close to $24,000. Payment is due after LID work is completed, with the option to pay over time. Financed over 20 years, people would pay $165 per month for the infrastructure added to their property. Although not an exorbitant amount, people on fixed incomes could face hardship due to the forced monthly payment. Commissioner Dan Ryan expressed reluctance to approve the LID, fearing that this financial imposition could jeopardize retired people’s ability to age in place.
Looking west on SE Taylor showing where the sidewalk ends at SE 89th
In addition to the homeowners opposed to the LID, City Council heard from three testifiers in favor of the project. However, those in support of the LID were not members of the planned improvement district. Instead, they all lived near Berrydale Park and planned to use the sidewalk infrastructure to navigate the neighborhood. One speaker, who uses a wheelchair, mentioned the challenges of moving around his street due to the lack of curb ramps and sidewalks. His testimony highlighted the shared responsibility for infrastructure in a community and how delaying these updates will negatively impact other people on the street.
City staff will keep working with affected property owners and try to find options that everyone can accept. Andrew Aebi anticipates returning to Council in November with two different proposals for a LID in this area. He intends to present an option that will fully modernize the public infrastructure around the Park’s property and another that creates fewer enhancements but still builds the pedestrian access needed for parkgoers and schoolchildren walking to this destination. City Council will hear this item next month and likely vote on the LID formation in December.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This Saturday, Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Urban Forestry department will provide free trees to residents. The 6th Annual Yard Tree Giveaway program continues on October 15th, with two other dates on the 22nd and November 5th. Montavilla residents can collect trees from the PP&R Maintenance Yard at Mt Tabor Park on the November date. Trees are intended for planting on private property within the Portland City limits. Advance registration is required to secure up to two trees.
Residents have 21 approved tree types to choose from when registering. The assortment emphasizes large-growing, native, and evergreen trees because they are most beneficial to the environment. People can select the best time to pick up their trees during registration. PP&R staff will provide mulch and a watering bucket to help residents care for the newly planted tree.
Since the first Yard Tree Giveaway event in 2017, 5,000 trees have joined Portland’s urban canopy. This program increases tree cover across the City and makes trees more accessible. Funding support for this giveaway comes from the Parks Local Option Levy, and the program mainly targets residences in North and East Portland. Distribution focuses on neighborhoods with the highest temperatures and the fewest trees. Nearly all areas known as “heat islands” are located east of the Willamette River.
The distribution of free yard trees is a fundamental part of the City’s efforts to grow and maintain Portland’s tree canopy. Trees provide habitat for wildlife, shade for urban areas, and cleaner air. PP&R stresses the importance of Portland’s urban forest for people’s well-being, noting its physical, mental, emotional, and psychological benefits to neighbors.
People can register for their free tree in English and Spanish at portland.gov/free-yard-trees or call 503-823-4963 (Para ayuda en Español. llamé 503-939-0536). Complimentary delivery is available to homes in the St. Johns, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Cully, Centennial, Glenfair, and Sumner neighborhoods.
North Portland – Farragut Park Saturday, October 15, 2022 8:30am – 1pm (pickup time determined upon advance registration)
Southeast Portland – The Gates Park Property Saturday, October 22 8:30am – 1pm (pickup time determined upon advance registration)
Southeast Portland – Mt Tabor Community Garden (Enter at SE 64th Avenue & SE Lincoln Street) Saturday, November 5, 2022 8:30am – 1pm (pickup time determined upon advance registration)
By
Jacob Loeb
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In the last days of 2017, PacifiCorp purchased an industrial property composed of three metal-clad buildings at 9380 NE Halsey Street. In 2018, the power utility cleared all structures from the property and now proposes the construction of a new distribution substation at this Interstate 84 adjacent site. When completed in 2026, this location would increase capacity for Pacific Power’s customers and meet the increasing demand placed on the power grid.
Pacific Power, a division of PacifiCorp, provides electricity to Montavilla properties north of SE Stark Street. Although located just outside the neighborhood’s boundary, this distribution substation will play a critical role in maintaining the local power grid as service demands increase. “The purpose of the new substation is to increase capacity to serve customers, further improve reliability, and plan for growth. These are all long-term goals,” explained Tom Gauntt with PacifiCorp.
Portland Maps
Energy experts project that the region’s power demands will jump as developers construct new buildings and people upgrade existing properties. During the October 6th Design Commission Hearing, Commissioner Samuel Rodriguez noted that developers anticipate building transformers to increase in size by 20 percent to accommodate new Electric Vehicle (EV) charging requirements. He, and other commissioners, also acknowledged environmentally conscious design would increase power system demands. Many builders will rely entirely on electricity as they remove carbon-emitting natural gas appliances and heating systems from buildings. The increase in power-efficient devices has improved the burden placed on the power grid. However, taking over the work of natural gas, installing EV charging capacity, and the increased use of air conditioning will require more electricity than we currently use.
Pacific Power engineers are just now beginning the planning and permitting process for the distribution substation on NE Halsey Street. Final plans for the project are years away from completion. However, this addition to the power distribution network should be online in advance of demand, allowing for environmentally responsible shifts in construction and new electricity service for an increasing population.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Last night, at the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) meeting, the artist Hector H. Hernandez presented designs for a ceramic-tile mosaic coming to the corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street as part of the new Jackson’s convenience store and gas station currently under construction. The new public art is the backdrop to a public plaza on the refueling station’s property aimed at activating the pedestrian realm on the busy intersection and adding neighborhood identity. This pedestrian-focused enhancement is part of an extensive transformation of the area, including reorganizing the Washman property and reconstructing sidewalks along NE 82nd Avenue.
MNA members selected Hector H. Hernandez for this project in the latter part of 2020. The artist met with neighborhood residents and Board members to gather inspiration for the project. Those conversations and his years of experience creating public art guided the creation of the conceptual design presented at the October 10th, 2022, meeting. His slide deck included work in a variety of mediums representing an array of subjects. The presentation also offered a look at the OPB segment featuring Hernandez’s work on the side of the Woodburn Independent newspaper building.
Site Map courtesy Jacksons. Red line shows mural location on wall
The artwork will complement the covered benches and landscaping in the 22-foot-wide plaza. This space is in addition to another on-property seating area designated to support people waiting for the 72 TriMet bus. Trees and plaza amenities will partially obscure parts of the mural. Hernandez took this into account with his designs. He included intricate details for those near the wall but incorporated more prominent imagery visible through the environment’s clutter, allowing passing vehicles to experience the artwork.
The mural’s placement will occur toward the end of construction. Expect to see work progress at the site into 2023. By this time next year, the corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street should feel like a different place with an attractive plaza that reflects the neighborhood.
By
Jacob Loeb
Site rendering courtesy Jacksons. Mural image provided by Hector H. Hernandez.
Disclosure: The Author of this article served on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association Board during the mural’s selection process.
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An acre of Commercial Mixed Use real estate at 1411 NE 82nd Avenue recently became available on Montavilla’s northern edge. The lot, adjacent to Interstate 84, is the current home to Eastern Cathay restaurant and is the former birthplace of the Elmer’s Pancake House franchise.
The listing agent, Adrian Chu of Specialty Real Estate Group, is positioning this property as a “developer’s dream.” The parcel sits at the intersection of a freeway, 82nd Avenue, NE Halsey, and the TriMet MAX Light Rail system. The site is underdeveloped, with only a single 4,500-square-foot restaurant building at its center, surrounded by more parking than guests could fill. If redeveloped, residents could quickly travel to any destination from this location with numerous transportation options, and retail on the ground floor would have access to hundreds of daily commuters.
This site was born out of the I-84 expansion, having been leveled during the widening of Sullivan’s Gulch. The 1950’s era civil engineering project required the demolition of the McCarthy & Danna Food Center that had formerly occupied the land over the freeway where NE Halsey connected to NE 82nd Avenue. The store’s operator, Salvatore “Sam” G. Danna, intended to rebuild the grocery store on the remaining property not taken by the freeway project. However, a restaurateur suggested a different use for the vacant lot. In 1960, Danna constructed the first Elmer’s Colonial House of Pancakes restaurant on this site for Walt and Dorothy Elmer. Opening in 1961, this breakfast-focused restaurant began what would become a Northwest business empire spanning multiple states. However, this location closed after the customer base shifted to other areas.
Sanborn Map 1924 showing McCarthy & Danna Food Center location
In October 2008, Rong Liang Mei bought the property and restaurant. Having already started two successful restaurants, the new owner quickly converted this location to Eastern Cathay. The business is available as part of a sale or will shut down after the deal finalizes. At $3 million, this property may stay on the market for a while. However, its size and location make it a tempting acquisition for a developer or government buyer.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Maintain Yourself PDX will relocate from a 200-square-foot office above the Bipartisan Cafe to a ground-floor storefront off SE Stark Street. In December, the therapeutic massage provider is taking over Montavilla Community Acupuncture‘s former space at 7925 SE Stark Street. The larger multi-room office will allow the business to grow its client base and hire more massage therapists.
Diane Barker worked for an established massage provider in NW Portland for seven years before branching out on her own. Being a Montavilla resident wanting to work closer to home, she opened Maintain Yourself PDX at 422 SE 79th Avenue, suite 203. In less than two years, the business grew beyond the confines of the current location, prompting this move.
The vacancy on SE Stark came at just the right time, and the space is practically move-in ready for the business. “Things already set up,” said Barker. “Since it was an acupuncture place before, it’s pretty much set up for massage at that point.” Currently, plans for the space focus on painting walls and a few other updates. Barker also appreciates the new location’s ground-level entrance. “One of the big things I’m excited about is not having stairs for people to come up. Being able to walk right off the street is going to be fantastic because a lot of folks have chronic knee issues or back problems.”
Image courtesy Maintain Yourself PDX
Beyond accessibility, street access will help facilitate exposure for the business and allow drop-in clients once a week. The storefront’s large front room is an ideal place for Maintain Yourself PDX staff to offer chair massages for casual clients. Sessions can last less than an hour and focus on just one area needing treatment.
Diane Barker intends to hire more staff soon, eventually having five massage therapists working at this new location. “I have one other person that I just brought on, and I’m actively hiring at the moment for the other positions,” explained Barker. The new space will become available in November, giving the Maintain Yourself PDX crew just a month to prepare everything for the move. All the work will happen while continuing to see clients at the original office.
The Stark Street location should open on December 3rd. Expect to see updates inside the office during November. Follow the Maintain Yourself PDX website and Instagram for updates.
Image courtesy Maintain Yourself PDX
By
Jacob Loeb
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PDX Nutrition will open at 6824 NE Glisan Street in the former DB Dessert Company location. The cafe is hosting a soft opening on Monday the 10th, beginning at 8 a.m. This supplement-focused shop marks the 20th such location started by owner Hiram Silva. The NE Glisan location is the first in Portland, but other restaurants are anticipated in the coming years.
Most menu items incorporate Herbalife products in the drinks and food options, although non-Herbalife shakes are available. The business positions products as meal replacement drinks or energy-boosting supplements to a regular diet. “Everything comes with protein, ” explained Silva. Even the coffee they serve at this location comes with a choice of added protein. Non-drink items include mango bowls, pineapple bowls, banana coconut bowls, protein waffles, and protein donuts. The donuts are smaller than the traditional dessert and intended as an add-on treat. The menu tries to keep the calorie count low. Meal replacement drinks are 200 to 350 calories depending on the toppings. Energy items are all less than 100 calories.
Silva plans to source ingredients locally when possible, buying the fruit and milk from nearby vendors. Those ingredients are important for customers not interested in consuming Herbalife products. “So some people don’t want to have protein smoothies, but they want to have a milk smoothie. We can always do the whole milk or almond milk with fruit, and basically that’s it.” Said Silva.
Herbalife is a Multi-level marketing company that distributes its products through a network of independent distributors and members. In 2016, the company agreed to “fundamentally restructure” its business as part of a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Shops like PDX Nutrition support the reorganization by providing a sales path for the products that do not include joining a membership or club. However, Silva will explain how someone can get involved in the business if asked. “If somebody ever asked me, ‘how you do this, is there any way that I can do it?’ I will show them, but nobody is obligated to sign up for anything.”
Silva assures his patrons that people do not need to participate with Herbalife to visit the shop. “They don’t have to ever sign up for anything because we are providing mainly the restaurant experience.” He also pointed to his own family’s health to assuage concerns surrounding Herbalife supplements. “I have seen people saying these will cause damage to your health. The only thing I can say is that we, my wife and I, are being consumers for the last 16 years, and my parents for more than 20 years. I have four kids that have been consuming these smoothies since they were little.”
Hiram, Diana, and NayeliSilva
Since 2010, Hiram Silva has opened many shops like PDX Nutrition in the Seattle area. However, he does not currently own most of them. He opens the cafes and trains people on how to manage the shop before selling the business. He explained it is “kind of like a franchise,” and in that way, it continues the MLM strategy of growing a participant’s profit by bringing in other people behind them. This expansion into Montavilla is only the start of what will be a new focus in Oregon. “Our goal is to open at least four locations in the next one to two years in the Portland area.” Said Silva. The first few locations will stay within the family, with his daughters running them after he trains the new staff.
PDX Nutrition is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. New customers receive $2.00 off when placing their first order. Look for a grand opening celebration after the first month in operation.
By
Jacob Loeb
Update: An entirely different Portland medical provider named PDX Nutrition is run by trained dietitians. That group organized in 2020, two years before the Glisan shop opened. “We are not affiliated with the storefront PDX Nutrition on Glisan,” explained Kate Webb, Registered Dietitian with PDX Nutrition.
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Neighborhood news site focused on buildings and changing businesses
