This November, crews will lay the foundation and begin framing a seven-unit townhouse project at NE Glisan Street and 72nd Avenue. This three-story building replaces a single-family home at 7132 NE Glisan Street, which workers demolished in the summer of 2022. Crews broke ground nearly a year after DEZ Development started the permitting process on this middle housing development, with construction expected to extend well into 2025.
Rendered view of the seven townhomes seen from NE 72nd Avenue. Courtesy DEZ Development
In late October, heavy equipment cleared and leveled the 4,097 square-foot parcel. The property’s Commercial Mixed Use 2 zoning allows structures up to four stories tall, similar to the affordable housing project under construction three blocks east of this site. This new housing project is in line with zoning goals for this area with minimum density requirements of one unit per 1,450 square feet of site area. That places it slightly above the minimum for NE Glisan’s prescribed density while still being built as a step up from the primarily two-story scale of surrounding buildings. Two units will face NE Glisan Street, with the remaining five having addresses on NE 72nd Avenue.
Each home will provide between 1,000 and 1,300 square feet of living space, split between three levels. Residents with vehicles will need to park in curbside spaces on NE 72nd Avenue or NE Glisan Street. The building is near the 60th Avenue MAX light-rail stop and on the TriMet 19 bus line. Bike commuters living here will have easy access to an established Portland Greenway that runs east-west on NE Davis Street. Housing density along commercial corridors like NE Glisan can create a symbiotic relationship between residents and businesses located within walking distance of the residences. This location is within blocks of the Fred Meyer grocery store at 6615 NE Glisan Street and has several dining options at restaurants, coffee shops, and bars within eyesight of the townhomes. When residents look for more resources close to homes near commercially zoned areas, more businesses tend to open to meet increased demand. Walking-oriented housing on NE Glisan may become the catalyst for reviving the once-thriving area first established when the streetcar tracks ran down its center.
Construction at this site will continue over the next several months, with completion expected in 2025.
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At the end of October, Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA Oregon) began using two buildings at Jessup University’s Multnomah Campus for its residential treatment for women with children. This partnership leverages surplus dormitory space at the faith-based higher education institution to support the behavioral health and recovery service provider. Thanks to the new partnership, students enrolled at Jessup will have an opportunity to expand social services, healthcare, and counseling internship activities with hands-on experience in a behavioral health setting on campus. Additionally, VOA Oregon will benefit from a modern facility in close proximity to its future campus east of the college.
VOA Oregon leased Memorial Hall and the Ambassador Apartments on the northwest corner of Jessup University’s campus at 8435 NE Glisan Street. Program operators will house participants in designated areas separated from academic buildings by a fence. VOA Oregon staff will have office spaces onsite, with additional rooms for therapy, counseling, and program-related group meetings. The center provides trauma-informed integrated chemical dependency and mental health services in a residential setting to women. Women and their young children can temporarily live at the facility, removed from triggering environments, so they can effectively receive individual and group counseling, medication management, naturopathic health care, and case management. Program participants will also have access to education, training, and other resources through this move to the Montavilla campus.
VOA’s future site rendering looking northwest, courtesy VOA Oregon created by Opsis Architecture
The partnership between the two institutions began with VOA Oregon utilizing Jessup’s catering services for lunch and dinner. Multnomah University experienced a declining student population in its dormitories for several years. When they joined Jessup University in 2023, new leadership looked for ways to effectively utilize school resources to fit the institution’s educational and social goals. That expanded from commercial kitchen capacity to hosting VOA Oregon’s woman-focused program. University food service will continue when program participants move to the campus, and the educational partnership will likely strengthen after VOA builds its facility on the neighboring block of NE Glisan Street.
Leaders at Jessup University’s Multnomah Campus feel that VOA Oregon’s commitment to helping people reach their full potential aligns with their student’s values of service and compassion. The organizations believe everyone deserves access to health care, housing, and supportive services. This partnership also introduces VOA Oregon services to Montavilla, several years ahead of the organization’s expansion into the community on the group’s six-acre site at 8815 NE Glisan Street. Jessup staff created a frequently asked questions section on the University’s website. They plan to update this resource with new information to keep students and the community updated on the partnership. Both institutions expressed a commitment to being good neighbors and hope the expanded access to critical behavioral health services for women in recovery will positively impact participants’ lives and the greater community’s overall health.
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On October 30th, the Portland City Council approved six new Tax increment financing (TIF) districts that will set the stage for more than $2.5 billion in focused investment in those geographic areas over the next 30 years. Three of the approved districts encompass vast sections of East Portland, including most of 82nd Avenue and half of Montavilla. At the same session, the City Council passed a related Resolution to review Portland’s Set Aside Policy, which requires 45 percent of TIF funds to support affordable housing.
TIF is a funding tool for physical improvements to a specific geographic area. Although funding comes from people’s property tax payments in that District, it does not raise tax rates on its own. Instead, it freezes the portion of the taxes sent to the County and City general funds at its current level and then diverts any increases to a special fund that TIF districts can use for projects in the area where those funds were collected. Because of Ballot Measure 50 passed by voters in 1996, property tax increases are mostly capped at three percent annually unless the county reassesses a property due to construction or other upgrades. After the first five years, the City can issue bonds based on that expected three percent TIF district income, providing capital for projects in the district years ahead of collection. TIF offers the benefit of reserving a segment of tax dollars for use in the community where it’s collected instead of spreading tax funds across all areas of the City. Portland mandates 45 percent of TIF funds towards affordable housing, a policy that has led to 47 percent of Portland’s affordable housing units residing in former TIF districts.
A year ago, Prosper Portland began working with community members in the proposed areas to create new urban renewal districts in the Central City and East Portland. Prosper Portland focused its East Portland TIF Exploration on the Sumner-Parkrose-Argay-Columbia Corridor, East of 205 centers, and the 82nd Avenue area. During that year, group and community representatives participated in Steering Committees and Working Groups to shape the TIF plans to meet specific goals within the district. People attended numerous public meetings and submitted feedback through comments or surveys. The unanimous City Council vote on October 30th represents the final step in authorizing the TIF districts. Starting in 2025, Prosper Portland will begin forming the Community Leadership Committee (CLC) for each TIF district. CLC members will work on the first five-year Action Plan that uses the limited early funds to meet goals shaped by the working groups. As with many other modern TIF districts, early work in the 82nd Avenue district focuses on stabilizing vulnerable communities and preventing displacement. TIF districts receive relatively low funds during the first five years due to the incremental tax revenue growth that increases by around three percent a year. After five years, bonds can help even out spending in the district over the next quarter-century.
82nd Avenue District Map courtesy Prosper Portland
In October 2015, the Portland City Council approved Ordinance 187415 that amended the City’s 30 percent affordable housing Set Aside Policy to a citywide target of 45 percent within active TIF districts. During the October 30th, 2024, City Council discussions, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler recalled that the percentage increase was an estimate, and council members at the time expected a revaluation to occur after five years. Based on this past expectation of review and an expressed challenge to the percentage by Commissioner Rene Gonzalez, Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Carmen Rubio proposed a Resolution directing the City Administrator to review the current Set Aside Policy in collaboration with Prosper Portland and the Portland Housing Bureau. After working with public, private, and community stakeholders, the City Administrator’s review team will brief Prosper Portland’s Board of Commissioner and return to City Council with recommended amendments by November 30, 2026.
At the objection of Mayor Wheeler, City Council approved two amendments to the Set Aside Policy Review Resolution that elevated affordable home ownership. Commissioner Mingus Mapps’ amendment significantly altered the Resolution by dictating that recommended amendments will include affordable housing Set Aside Policy at “a minimum of 20% for affordable homeownership activities with a remaining 25% allocated to other affordable housing work” in the three East Portland TIF Districts. Mayor Wheeler’s objections centered on the prescriptive nature of this amendment, which could force reviewers to override input on affordable housing ratios in one part of the city. For East Portland residents critical of city leadership’s treatment of their community, this is another example of elected officials overriding their voices. A benefit of Commissioner Mapps’ amendment is it will secure the 45 percent affordable housing set aside minimum for the East Portland TIFs. Ultimately, the 2026 City Council will have the option to consider the proposed amendments with the understanding that the affordable homeownership ratio could be a disingenuous number.
Glisan Landing Affordable Housing in Montavilla (Jacob Loeb)
The new wave of TIF districts, approved on October 30th, has the potential to invigorate development in their respective communities and expand the stock of affordable housing while working to reduce the displacement of residents and small businesses. The details of the TIF-funded projects will come from the five-year Action Plans crafted by CLC members and Prosper Portland staff in a co-creation process. Results will take years to materialize in each district. However, the funding mechanism needed for positive transformation can now begin collecting money in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. For 82nd Avenue and Montavilla, residents can expect increased funding towards improvements over the next three decades, with more affordable housing and infrastructure updates.
Disclosure: The author of this article served on the 82nd Avenue TIF Working group and voted in favor of forming the district.
Commissioners Rene Gonzalez, Carmen Rubio, Mingus Mapps are running for Portland Mayor. Commissioner Dan Ryan is running for City Council District 2. Montavilla News does not endorse candidates or ballot measures.
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The Secret Pizza Society opened its vegan restaurant on NE Glisan Street in 2019. The owners recently reopened the shop after a week-long interior update that has become an annual event to refresh the front-of-house experience and give staff time off. As the team wraps up its fifth year serving customers from the Montavilla storefront, they also mark a decade of creating unconventional plant-based pizzas that don’t break the bank.
JR Holland and Bryce Hooper started this business as a pizza wholesale and catering company nearly a decade ago. They met as line cooks preparing brunch at the Road Runner Cafe and became friends. Holland has always worked in food service, starting at McDonald’s when he was 15. That career followed him to Portland, where he worked in bakeries and, eventually, pizza restaurants. “I worked at It’s A Beautiful Pizza, which is no longer there. That was on Belmont; I did dough for them. I worked at Apizza Scholls for three years, made dough for them,” recalled Holland. That experience and a desire to build a business that would support his friends and growing family led Holland and Hooper to take a risk on a new venture. “Apizza Scholls, for all its flaws, was a well-run business, so I just thought pizza was the logical conclusion,” said Holland when describing how they decided what they would cook.
The partners did not want to mimic the pizza options already available to Portlanders. While still planning their menu, they would work on recipes and try to find a standout approach. “Bryce and I, while making brunch, just sat there and crafted ideas. We would try and come up with a different way to do pizza because there’s a hundred pizza joints. They are all good to varying degrees and basically do the same thing. You know your meat supreme, your veggie supreme, this, that, and the other,” explained Holland. They both enjoyed a vegan diet with varying levels of commitment and wanted to rethink how a plant-based pizza could surpass its traditional counterpart. The foundation of that approach was not to just replace dairy cheese with a vegan version and find meat alternatives. They looked to other dishes and flavors to create a product that was not just pretending to be something else. “You know, it’s funny because at least two or three of our pizzas are [based on] scrambles that we used to make for the brunch joint,” remarked Holland.
They started small without a dedicated location. “We used to make take-and-bake pizzas for bars and venues. We did a few VegFests as a good way to get our name out there and build a customer base before we open the doors,” recalled Holland. “Revolution Hall was a big help to us. That was our first big account. We used to make tons of take-and-bake pizzas for them, allowing us to quit our jobs.” Needing kitchen space for the business, they found space in North Portland under the North Star Ballroom. Papa G’s Vegan Organics made tofu alongside Portland Fresh and Shoofly Vegan Bakery in that space. Holland recalled tight quarters in the subterranean commercial kitchen, but they made it work for each of these growing Portland brands until the building sold. JR Holland knew Michael Freeston, whose company, Grocery Getter Organic, was about to close its warehouse space at the 7201 NE Glisan Street storefront. The displaced vegan collective decided to relocate to Montavilla and share the former Grocery Getter space.
Holland and Hooper took over Papa G’s Vegan Organics, running the restaurant on SE Division Street and its tofu business. Eventually, Shoofly Vegan Bakery needed to expand into a bigger storefront, which opened up space for customers on NE Glisan. The partners had always wanted to grow the pizza business into a restaurant. They opened the Secret Pizza Society on March 31st, 2019. The name is an adaptation of their company’s original name, GSMP, which stands for Great & Secret Motion Pizza. It is an homage to Clive Barker’s The Great and Secret Show and a celebration of film. The name officially morphed when they had a small space below the Chapel Theatre in Milwaukie, Oregon. Holland recalled people referring to it as a little secret pizza shop in the basement of the theater, and the owners thought that the Secret Pizza Society would sound like a band or a vigilante unit of superheroes.”
Secret Pizza Society had its first anniversary at the start of COVID. They were able to make pizza takeout work with dining restrictions but ended up closing Papa G’s restaurant. They transferred the tofu business to one of their employees, who still makes it at the NE Glisan Street location. JR Holland gave Papa G’s deli case to another business owner who recently closed his location and offered to return the case. That prompted Holland and Hooper to close the shop this October and rework the front counter to include the deli case. They also replaced the mechanical system for their walk-in refrigerator, rearranged dining-room seating, and made other adjustments before reopening last week.
The small storefront still hosts Portland Fresh’s production kitchen, and Holland says having his friends working together is one of his favorite parts of running Secret Pizza Society. “When people say ‘don’t hire your friends,’ I say ‘balderdash.’ Everyone that works here is a longtime friend of mine.” He feels that this is what makes this such a great place for customers to visit. People enjoy coming to work there, and they reflect that joy in how they interact with people. JR Holland is proud of the food they make for people, noting that it is a destination spot for vegans and pizza fans across Portland. He attributes that to the fresh ingredients and their competitive pricing. “You don’t have to spend $30 for an organic vegan pizza. I’ve done the research and looked at every pizza shop not named Domino’s or Pizza Hut. Our pizzas are easily the cheapest ten-inch personal pizza,” said Holland. They are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays. On weekends, they open from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The plant-based menu offers unique flavors that please vegans and carnivores equally. You can also order their pizzas at the Replicant bar down the street.
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Recently, crews with Faison Construction fenced off Berrydale Park at 9004 SE Taylor Street for a nearly year-long renovation. On October 24th, workers disassembled old play equipment so heavy equipment could regrade the site’s ground to prepare it for a new playground design and the installation of a skatepark at the southeast corner of the 1956-era park. Work will continue through Summer 2025, when Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) intends to unveil the new facilities, bordered by enhanced sidewalks and illuminated by new lighting.
Crews taking apart slide in Berrydale Park’s playground
During 2021 and 2022, PP&R staff worked with the community to select Berrydale Park’s new design. Parks department leaders identified this park as an ideal location for expanding skateboard facilities and designated funds collected from System Development Charges (SDC) for the park’s upgrade. This money is not part of the city’s general fund or the park’s operating budget. Developers pay into the fund when building new structures to support the creation or enhancement of public resources. It is a way to ensure that increased density does not come at the detriment of existing neighborhood infrastructure. During planning, the proposed budget doubled, with the then Parks Commissioner Carmen Rubio increasing allocated funds to $3.0 million from an original $1.5 million budget. This increased funding allowed for a significant playground update, with pathway and lighting enhancements throughout the park.
City staff used the proposed Berrydale Park project to investigate constructing adjacent sidewalks on SE Taylor Street and 89th Avenue. However, neighbor opposition to their required financial contribution to the project caused the city to focus sidewalk work on park frontages. In December 2022, the Portland City Council amended the SE 89th Ave and Taylor St Local Improvement District (LID) proposal, removing all but one private residence and significantly reducing the scope of infrastructure upgrades. The original LID included the construction of new curbs and sidewalks on both sides of SE 89th Avenue adjacent to Berrydale Park. The LID would have also added sidewalks on the south side of SE Taylor Street from 92nd Avenue to 89th Avenue.
The Berrydale Park Improvement Project’s progress can be followed at the PP&R website. Most construction activity will occur along SE 92nd Avenue, but work extends across most of the park. By next summer, the new park should reopen with modern and desirable amenities to meet community needs.
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The Midland Public Library at 805 SE 122nd Avenue will reopen on October 26th after nearly two years of renovations. The expanded and modernized building features many unique qualities that support community needs beyond book lending. New amenities include ten meeting spaces, new checkout technology, and dedicated youth-focused areas with indoor-outdoor play spaces. To celebrate the project’s completion, library staff will host a grand opening weekend full of music and engaging activities.
Before its temporary closures in 2022, the Midland branch was one of the most used locations in the Multnomah County Library system. As a centrally located branch in East Portland, it serves one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region. Ahead of redevelopment, project leaders conducted extensive community engagement to ensure the building would reflect the people it serves. “We have folks from Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish communities, and we are making sure that they feel welcomed and represented when they come in,” said Liz Sauer, the Communications Manager with Multnomah County Library. During that preliminary work, outreach coordinators collected over 6,000 comments from engagement event participants, allowing community members to shape the project in many areas, down to the colors used. They asked people to bring in culturally significant images that artists incorporated into designs etched on panels that crews attached to the building’s exterior. Those images also guided the artist team HYBYCOZO in designing an illuminated outdoor sculpture series. They created geometric shapes with perforated metal panels that reference the etched pattern. The sculpture stacks descend in height from SE 122nd Avenue, providing a visual marker of the library’s location and replacing the iconic clock tower removed during the renovation.
Ceiling mural by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz, next to HYBYCOZO designed sculpture series
Crews expanded the Midland library by nearly 6,000 square feet, pushing the front of the building south and repositioning the entrance at the center of the bar-shaped single-story building. A long covered walkway guides pedestrians to the front doors from the sidewalk under a ceiling mural created by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz. Long-time visitors to this branch will recognize elements of the original space, including the large painting at the east end of the main room. However, lower bookshelves now let visitors see across the expansive stacks, changing the perceived scale of the facility. New lower-hung lighting and an updated color palette make the space both bright and warm. Rooms of various sizes and uses surround the building’s towering core, letting people move to semi-secluded spaces when the central section becomes too active.
The updated branch is more inclusive of the varied needs of its guests than before and aims to support all age groups. Young children have an educational play area off the main stacks with age-appropriate books and play equipment. A nearby exit leads to an outdoor fenced play space with a soft rubber surface. If people need to transition out of an over-stimulating space, Midland offers the library system’s first sensory room that provides a calm, quiet area. Users can adjust room lighting and other interactive elements to meet their needs. The room features a mirrored bubble tube, tactile panels, and a fiber optic tunnel.
Tactile panels and marble light board in sensory room
Tactile board and mirrored bubble tube in sensory room
Young reader’s area
Educational play area
Outdoor play area
Midland has a quiet room across from the young reader’s area where people can sit in chairs or at tables away from the active main room. Teenage visitors also have a dedicated and fully enclosed space with access to video games and media resources, including computers geared towards digital creators. Library visitors can use a computer at a fixed workstation or check out a laptop from a kiosk for use throughout the building. The Multnomah County Library system is pairing these building renovations with a broader effort to adapt their services to the modern needs of the community. Just as public libraries provided equitable access to written knowledge for 200 years, these expansions intend to provide equitable access to technology and digital tools. Access can take many forms, from printing documents to participating in a video interview or creating an animated video. The spaces and equipment available after this renovation should keep the library relevant as a community resource hub for decades.
Shorter bookcases with integrated LED lighting
Outdoor gathering circle
Indoor gathering circle
Teen room
Quiet room
In response to the community’s desire for gathering space, Midland features ten meeting rooms that people can reserve for free. Designers configured the entrance with a retractible separator that allows meeting room access even when the staff closes the library portion of the building, facilitating later meeting times. A panel system designed for art exhibits lines the meeting room hallway across from display cases ready to show art created at the library. The larger meeting rooms at the front of the building have assistive hearing equipment integrated into the presentation system, and conference equipment aids groups holding hybrid meetings. With designed insights from Indigenous communities, Midland contains several gathering circle areas inside and outside the library, geared towards conversations without a central speaker. A core component of this update, and a large percentage of new square footage added to the building, focuses on supporting community groups and creating opportunities for connections.
Large meeting room
Computer workstations
Projector and conferencing system for meetings
Laptop checkout kiosk
The Multnomah County Library invites people to the grand opening weekend celebration, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 26th. The White Lotus Dragon & Lion Dance Team will start off the entertainment at 9:45 a.m., followed by a day filled with family-friendly activities and music. The first day wraps up at 5 p.m. but continues at noon on the following Sunday, October 27th. Those activities extend through 5:30 p.m. with Hawaiian Hula, Bollywood Dance, Hoop Dance, and other culturally rich activities. After the grand reopening, the Midland branch will serve the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sundays, they open from noon to 6 p.m. The schedule shifts two hours later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 8 p.m.
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During weekends in October, the area’s only Samoan restaurant eased into opening at 6824 NE Glisan Street. However, enthusiastic customer response soon attracted attention from social media, and Tusi’s Deli Creation experienced its first back-to-back sellout days. The wife and husband team are enjoying the warm reception from the community, which has countered negative feelings caused by a pre-launch burglary that nearly stopped them from opening their doors.
Family tradition and cultural identity shape the Samoan menu served in Tusi’s Deli Creation. Restaurant owner Roshina Wilson-Kerisiano explained that her father’s passion for cooking propagated to her seven siblings. Tusigaigoa Wilson worked as a carpenter in American Samoa but honed his culinary skills by cooking for community events. Wilson-Kerisiano recalls he had high standards for what he would serve at his table, throwing out expensive food rather than dishing something of poor quality. “My dad always says, ‘If you can’t eat it, don’t serve it. If it doesn’t look pretty like you, don’t even give it out.'”
By the time Roshina Wilson-Kerisiano’s father, Tusigaigoa “Tusi” Wilson, passed away in 2020, most of the family had relocated to Washington State. Wilson-Kerisiano needed to take over catering her father’s funeral because COVID-19 closures prevented the family from finding a vendor for the extensive Samoan food service that is part of their traditional mourning process and funerals. After the community discovered that her father’s cooking skills were alive in Wilson-Kerisiano, she and some family members began receiving requests to cater other community events. That grew their cooking business, taking on several forms over the years, but things changed after another family loss. “Then our mother passed, and we kind of gave up on the dream.”
In February 2024, Roshina Wilson-Kerisiano, her husband Natanielu Kerisiano, and sister Christina Wilson-Pini moved down to the Portland area with the idea of restarting their food service ambitions. They found the affordable commercial space on NE Glisan Street and committed to the former juice bar storefront on a significant anniversary. “The lease was signed on May 18th, which was the date my father passed,” said Wilson-Kerisiano. They began earning money for the shop’s buildout by cooking items for resale at area stores with a focus on their baked goods and drinks.
Spam Musubi
Christina Wilson-Pini had become an accomplished baker, while her sister had focused on learning her father’s cooking style. The early opportunity for Wilson-Pini to practice baking came after a storm took away much of what the community had. “I remembered we grew up with one of those kerosene stoves; every Islander had one. Then, there was a hurricane, FEMA came in, and they funded the families. That’s when we bought our first oven, and then all the baking came alive during those times of our lives,” recalled Wilson-Kerisiano. Wilson-Pini developed a lengthy recipe book, and sales of her baked creations helped furnish the shop with the supplies they would need to open the restaurant. The extended family also chipped in to support the restaurant’s opening. “My siblings in Washington, my nieces, and nephew all helped during the summer months to fundraise for the shop,” said Wilson-Kerisiano.
With the storefront full of supplies and the team close to opening, things turned for the worse. “In August, we were busy vending and trying to earn money for the shop, and we were broken into,” said Wilson-Kerisiano. Then, on the Tuesday after the weekend burglary, Christina Wilson-Pini passed away. “I wanted to give it all up because we lost all of our life savings. They took everything that we needed,” recalled Wilson-Kerisiano. With another family death and needing to start over on the restaurant, it was almost too much to overcome.
Roshina Wilson-Kerisiano and Natanielu Kerisiano developed a solid connection to the Samoan community in Washington State, providing food at many celebrations and becoming central to numerous events. That integration into the community led to Wilson-Kerisiano publishing the State’s first Samoan newspaper, the Samoa Northern Star. They were fixtures at cricket matches and charity drives. After the setback in Portland, they found that strong community bonds had not dissolved after moving to Oregon. The support network mobilized and came to their aid, helping them fund the purchase of used equipment to replace the stolen items. Christina Wilson-Pini’s daughter gifted her mother’s cookbook to Roshina Wilson-Kerisiano so she could keep baking her sister’s pies and pastries at the shop, and the couple quietly opened Tusi’s Deli Creation.
Turkey-tail
Due to weekday obligations providing stores with packaged items, the restaurant is currently only open on weekends. On November 9th, they will begin regular service from Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The menu features traditional Polynesian island food with unique Samoan twists like green bananas and the popular turkey-tail. Selections change regularly, and they are open to hearing requests from customers. People who have experienced Hawaiian food will feel comfortable ordering at Tusi’s Deli Creation. However, most guests will encounter some items not often found in Portland. The shop owners encourage everyone to experience Samoan culture through food and family traditions. “My dream is [creating] a place where they have everything I ate growing up,” said Wilson-Kerisiano.
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Montavilla businesses will celebrate the Fall season with two district-wide events this month. On October 26th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) invites everyone to the district for the annual Fall Crawl, and on October 27th, families can enjoy Trick or Treat Montavilla.
The idea of a Montavilla pub crawl grew in popularity in 2019 when Threshold opened the neighborhood’s second brewery in the historic SE Stark Street downtown. The concept grew into a more formalized event as part of METBA’s Harvest Festival and now includes a variety of activities, including a week-long shopping event for a chance to win a prize. People can pick up a passport and shop at 22 participating businesses from October 20th through October 26th. Customers turn in their passports on the 26th to enter a raffle. Additionally, bars and restaurants may offer participants special menu items and discounts.
Images courtesy METBA
On Sunday, October 27th, participating Montavilla businesses will open their doors for neighborhood trick-or-treating. The kid-friendly activity spans NE Glisan Street and SE Stark Street, allowing families to participate close to home. The METBA website offers a complete list of participating businesses and hours. Event times vary by location.
There is a chance of rain this weekend, but that rarely stops the people of Montavilla from heading out to enjoy the height of the Fall season. Consider looking for a break in the clouds or grab the raincoat and head out for Autumn fun in the neighborhood.
On Thursday, October 17th, TriMet leaders and members of Oregon’s congressional delegation gathered in a warehouse on NE Columbia Boulevard to address attendees. This celebratory event marked the $69 million public investment that will transform a former industrial site into a hub for hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses that will serve 82nd Avenue. Federal funds will help TriMet purchase the organization’s first zero-emissions buses powered by hydrogen and build the support infrastructure needed to operate the environmentally friendly fleet.
The Columbia Operations Facility is a vital component of TriMet’s transition to a zero-emissions bus fleet with a capacity for 250 buses. With a targeted completion date of 2030, the former Caterpillar Power Systems dealership site will play an essential role in meeting state and regional climate goals. The public transportation provider intends to replace its diesel vehicles over the next 15 years as it strives to operate an entirely zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. In 2022, TriMet switched to renewable diesel for all fixed-route buses and WES vehicles. Earlier this year, they began taking delivery of new battery electric buses.
Conceptual rendering of TriMet’s Columbia Operations Facility
TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. explained that the transition to zero-emissions technology will significantly impact the region’s climate goals due to the region’s sizable transit usage. “Where home to more than 1.6 million people. Our region is the 23rd largest metro area in the country and the 13th highest transit ridership,” said Desue. “As Oregon’s largest consumer of diesel, TriMet’s switch to renewable diesel made the state’s transportation industry greener. And now, with TriMet adding hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses to our zero emissions bus fleet, we will help create demand for green hydrogen hubs here in the Pacific Northwest.”
Eighty-second Avenue will become an early user of the hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses as TriMet works to convert its highest ridership, line 72, to a faster system. “The federal funding we’ve received will also help purchase TriMet’s first hydrogen-powered buses that will run along our future FX or Frequent Express bus rapid transit line, which will be coming at 82nd Avenue in the years ahead. These buses will be powered by cutting-edge hydrogen technology that will emit zero pollution into the communities that we serve,” explained Desue.
Event Speakers. Left to right: TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr., U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer, and U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici
As a longtime advocate for improving 82nd Avenue, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer’s remarks focused on the opportunities these investments will bring to a transforming district. He noted the road’s history as a freight and private vehicle conduit has caused harm to the surrounding communities, but this project can make needed repairs. “Legacy highways have played a critical role in Oregon and around the country but no longer serve that purpose. They don’t work well, they’re dangerous, and they don’t invite development,” said Blumenauer. “I think we have an opportunity to transform a street that divides the region into a corridor that’s going to unite us.”
Event Speakers. Left to right: TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr., U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici, and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer
Funds for TriMet’s Columbia operation facility upgrades and the hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses come from multiple sources. A U.S. Department of Transportation grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program provided $25 million, with another $5 million from community-initiated programs and the federal budget. However, a $39 million Federal Transit Administration contribution from its Low or No Emission Grant Program provided the bulk of the $69 million public investment. U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici celebrated the joint effort of the Oregon Congressional Delegation in obtaining this level of federal funding for a regional transportation project. “I understand and appreciate that it is the responsibility of the federal government to provide resources when projects are so big and so critical, and the local jurisdictions just can’t do it on their own. So that’s part of our role,” said Bonamici.
Conceptual rendering of TriMet’s Columbia Operations Facility
Closing remarks at the event recognized the enormous collection of people who contributed to this milestone and celebrated the green jobs created by this project at the Columbia facility. “We will train more operators, more mechanics at this location. This site will support hundreds of family wage union jobs,” exclaimed Desue. The site will look significantly different as new buildings replace the industrial landscape with environmentally supportive infrastructure that can improve communities across the Portland Metro area. Already, road users are seeing crews building new sidewalks, traffic signals, and road improvements in front of the TriMet facility at 4421 NE Columbia Boulevard. As TriMet readies for a hydrogen-powered future, work will continue on the NE Columbia Boulevard facility and eventually along 82nd Avenue.
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Montavilla houses two higher education institutions within the neighborhood boundary, giving many residents quick access to expanded learning opportunities. Thanks to an August 25th service update from TriMet, residents have another option available to them. Riders can now take the Line 25 (Glisan/Troutdale Rd) bus from Gateway Transit Center directly to Mount Hood Community College.
TriMet Line 25 after August 2024 update
TriMet Line 25 before August 2024 update
Line 25 now offers daily service, with buses arriving every 30 minutes most of the day. TriMet extended the bus route as part of its ongoing Forward Together Revised Service Concept. This update nearly doubles the eastward reach of Line 25, serving student transit needs for Reynolds High School and Mt. Hood Community College, where the line terminates. The on-campus bus stop makes public transit a more straightforward solution for many community college students, and its connection to the MAX light rail system at the Gateway Transit Center ensures that many other people can take advantage of this commuting option.
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
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