TriMet is seeking proposals from qualified artists for a new art installation on the MAX train platform at the NE 82nd Avenue Station. The creative work will reside between an existing shelter and a new covered waiting area planned as part of the Blue Line Station Rehabilitation (BLSR) project. People have until August 12th to submit their application for a site-specific exterior sculpture with a design and fabrication budget of $70,000.
Street level elevator and stairs on the east side of NE 82nd Avenue
Crews working for TriMet are renovating 14 stations between Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave Transit Center and Cleveland Ave MAX Station in Gresham as part of the multi-year BLSR project. These improvements will update station appearance, improve safety, and aid staff with long-term maintenance. The NE 82nd Ave MAX Station’s platform is adjacent to Interstate 84 and accessible from the street-level TriMet bus stops via a single elevator and stairs on the east side of NE 82nd Avenue. This station is a frequently used connector for riders of the 72, 77, 287, and 292 bus lines transferring between Blue, Green, and Red MAX trains.
In addition to the second shelter and new sculpture, TriMet plans to install new site furnishings. BLSR project updates have included shelter rehabilitation, station lighting, paving repairs, E-Fare infrastructure, and staircase rehabilitation. Similar updates will likely occur at this station as workers install the new shelter and sculpture.
Illustration courtesy TriMet
Crews will install a circular 24-inch diameter concrete base that stands 24 inches tall to support the sculpture. Inground lighting pointing upward will illuminate the artwork, which should feature a strong vertical design. Its placement near the freeway will make this artwork visible to transit riders and motorists, creating a distinct sense of place in the community. TriMet asks that proposals consider the existing mural in their designs. Local artist Alex Chiu created the How They Grow mural in 2017, extending from the street level along the stairs towards the lower train platform. However, because murals are temporary, the sculpture must also be a self-contained expression that encourages connectivity between the transit system and the community.
MAX Station platform adjacent to I-84
TriMet will select the winning artist by the end of August, and the chosen creator will present a concept proposal in October. After refining the proposal, the artist will present the final design in January 2025. Program planners expect contractors to install the finished sculpture in November 2025. The artwork will be the first in a series planned for each future BLSR station upgrade. TriMet will post those opportunities separately in the future.
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The 11th Montavilla Street Fair had record attendance in 2024, with an estimated 25,000 people walking along SE Stark Street from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues. The day started overcast, keeping temperatures lower than the previous two years. However, by the afternoon, the skies were solid blue. Temperatures climbed over the remaining hours until the vendors broke down their booth at 6 p.m. After the fair, many attendees remained in the neighborhood, dining and drinking at local restaurants and bars.
Original Article published July 20, 2024.
On Sunday, July 28th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host the 11th annual Street Fair on SE Stark. Early that morning, crews will close the road from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues along with segments of side streets to allow the 150 booth operators to set up ahead of the 10 a.m. opening. This year’s event will run an hour later, allowing the anticipated 18,000 guests to stay until 6 p.m., with traffic returning to the street later that evening. Attendees will have access to four beer gardens and entertainment at four stages placed along the 1,400-foot-long community party.
On Wednesday, July 17th, sign installers placed the banner over SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue, announcing the Street Fair dates to everyone passing by. Although many people in the area already marked the date on their calendars, raising the banner represents Montavilla’s invitation to Portland. Thousands of visitors attend this neighborhood event annually, driving record sales to local businesses and introducing people to the historic Montavilla downtown.
This year, event organizers added a teen music stage on SE 80th Avenue and a pet cooling station sponsored by Noble Woof Dog Training. Younger fairgoers can gather for kids’ focused singer-songwriters performing on the SE 79th Avenue Plaza Stage. The two main stages will feature a diverse mix of local Portland music and national touring artists. Many past fair booth operators are returning alongside a crop of new makers, food vendors, and organizations. As an extended bonus, the Montavilla Farmers Market will open during its regular hours on the 28th, allowing attendees access to more booths and food options at SE 76th Avenue and Stark.
Sponsorship from Adventist Health Portland and a grant from the Portland Office of Events & Film help fund what has become one of the largest street fairs in Portland. Other local businesses, like Mr. Plywood, Washman Car Wash, and OnPoint Community Credit Union, are supporting this year’s street fair. People can find day-of-event updates and the full music lineup, including performance times, at the METBA website (metba.org).
Flipside Hats recently moved one door down within the same building, taking over 7848 SE Stark Street from a previous tenant. The hat company relocated to Montavilla from SE Belmont Street in November 2021 after an extensive remodel of the building. Endure Vintage Furniture rented the smaller retail space at the hat-maker-owned building in February 2023 but closed the business last April. Flipside Hats and its related brands moved their operations out of the building two years ago, relocating to Tucson, Arizona, while maintaining Portland-based production. Since then, the company only used the showroom space on SE Stark Street. Flipping storefronts in the building allowed the owners to rent to a new furniture company, Storied Vintage, which could use the expanded floor space as they increase capacity.
Kori Giudici and Jacob Wollner co-own Flipside Hats and have had strong ties to Portland. The couple bought the Montavilla building at the beginning of 2021 and renovated it to serve as a showroom, warehouse, and design shop. However, after a year, circumstances changed, and they needed to move out of the state. “We moved most of our operations like our offices and our warehouse and our design to Arizona,” explained Wollner, adding, “We still have our production in Portland.”
When the last tenant vacated, Giudici and Wollner had the opportunity to consider leasing out the smaller space again or switching locations based on interest from prospective tenants. They found Storied Vintage looking for dedicated showroom space with a backroom workspace, prompting the change in locations. Wollner said the last occupants left significant repair work, so they would have already needed to invest in that space, further incentivizing the storefront swap. They have also seen a decrease in foot traffic walking into the shop and saw this as a way to update operations.
Empty Flipside Hat space at 7850 SE Stark St and the future home of Storied Vintage
The new storefront space will have slightly reduced operating hours but offer an increased product selection. “We are planning to expand our specialty item offerings from the shop, making it more interesting and engaging for people based on what they want,” said Wollner. The store will carry more items produced by maker partners, offering jewelry, cards, and other small craft items complementary to the hats on display. Flipside Hats will also expand its apparel lines and have a specialty line of Portland hats. They expect these changes will bring more people into the shop and keep their four store employees busy with guests seeking the right accessory.
Flipside Hats is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Customers can shop for the current hat collections online or in the store. The shop has unique items that are not always available online.
Article and photos by
Jacob Loeb
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Hông Phát celebrated the opening of its new Supercenter at 4200 SE 82nd Avenue on Friday, July 26th, with firecrackers, lion dancers, and speakers lauding the anticipated community contribution of this grocery store. Store staff filled the former Walmart location in Eastport Plaza’s campus with many of the fresh produce and imported brands found in the local chain’s other three locations. However, the added shelf space of this significantly larger grocery allows for a broader selection of brands often found in national stores like the one it replaced. This product diversity signals the subtle shift of the traditionally Asian food retailer into its position as a neighborhood grocery store while retaining its culturally specific roots.
Business partners Brandon Wang (left) and Hoang Nguyen (right)
Opening ceremony attendees heard from the co-owners of the new 154,000-square-foot building, Brandon Wang and Dr. Hoang Nguyen. Wang, who started Hông Phát on NE Prescott Street in 2003, kept his remarks brief while Nguyen led the event. Oregon Representative Dr. Thuy Tran of District 45 spoke to the crowd about this store’s importance to the community as it will bring jobs and food resources back into an area abandoned by a national retailer. Religious leaders were in attendance alongside business supporters to cut the ribbon and welcome people into the store, led by lion dancers and followed by firecrackers.
The Hông Phát Supercenter supports several small businesses within the large building along the front of the store, with some unopened stores under construction along the rear wall. The prepared food vendor under the “Food Court” moniker, salon Wind Hair Design, and Ngoc Vi Jewelers sit between the Supercenter’s two front entrances. Inside the grocery area, local company Trazza Foods has a dedicated section offering its assortment of prepared and packaged traditional Lebanese dishes. DAT Furnishings – Harmony Decor’s shop at the back of the store is under construction, and Nguyen said they plan to add 20,000 square feet of additional tenant space.
Shoppers unfamiliar with many of the brands stocked in the Hông Phát Supercenter will still find foods found in non-Asian-focused markets. The store has a Vegan/Vegetarian and a Hispanic food section among other categories. People will discover Tillamook dairy products and other familiar domestic brands on the shelves throughout the store. However, guests will need to search for those products and explore less-known options to fill their pantries.
Americans have imported almost every dominant food type from other countries and cultures. At points in history, Italian sauces and pasta were considered “exotic” foods. Time changes grocery store selections, and it is easy to forget that some items were not in every store until recently. Bagels are no longer the specialty of Jewish delicatessens but now found in the bread aisle of nearly every national food seller. Many shoppers think of the change as gradual mass acceptance of adopted items, but it can also occur from rapid demographic shifts. Regional chains like Hông Phát are a variation of an evolving American diet shaped by its people. Not only will they stock products to meet diverse community demands, but the community may also adapt to what food is close to home, blending ingredients less common to generations before with modified family recipes.
Hông Phát Supercenter is still developing, with new tenant spaces due to open later in the year. Some aisle signage is missing, and a busy opening weekend has left empty shelf spaces. However, there is more to view in this vast store than most will want to tackle in one trip. Shoppers should see more updates over the next few months while the new neighborhood grocery store adapts to meet customers’ tastes. They are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Hong Phat Supercenter will open to the public on July 26th after a 30-minute ceremony that begins at 9 a.m. The store owners invite shoppers and community members to tour the new grocery store and indoor mall shops starting at 9:30 a.m. This Eastport Plaza situated location is the company’s fourth store, which opened a Tigard location last year. The store’s owner, with a partner, purchased this 154,000-square-foot building at 4200 SE 82nd Avenue from Walmart at the end of 2023. It now stands as one of the largest stores of its kind in the region, offering food familiar to Montavilla residents who have shopped at the brand’s 101 SE 82nd Avenue location since 2013.
The expansive building has room for many store-within-a-store shopfronts, offering retail spaces for smaller businesses. Shops open at launch include a hair salon, jewelry store, insurance office, beauty and skincare supplier, and a clothing boutique. One of the building’s owners explained two established food brands will rent around 20,000 square feet of space within the Supercenter later this year, expanding the variety shoppers will find during their visits.
In 2006, Fubonn Shopping Center at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue pioneered this model of an anchor Asian grocery store on 82nd Avenue, sharing its property with retail tenants. Hong Phat emulated that design slightly by adding an adjacent multi-storefront building to its Montavilla store in 2015. In 2019, SF (Shun Fat) Supermarket opened in the former Foster Road Fred Meyer building less than a mile from this newest Hong Phat location. This continued expansion indicates a successful model for joint grocery and retail operations.
Although these newer grocery stores predominantly offer culturally specific foods and brands, their size could allow them to meet most households’ general food-buying needs. As many national grocery stores consolidate and reduce the number of stores in the area, these growing food retailers are filling the gap in communities looking for neighborhood resources. Area residents can start stocking their pantries at this new Hong Phat store beginning Friday.
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The owner of 27 individual developable parcels in the Hazelwood neighborhood is seeking a buyer or development partner for what could become a dense, affordable housing project. The land sits at the Gateway Regional Center’s core, just north of E Burnside Street in what officials planned to be a second downtown on the Eastside of Portland. City agencies have made significant zoning changes in the last two decades and have built infrastructure projects designed to increase density and create economic opportunity. In nearly 25 years since planning for this area began, much of the market-rate housing and commercial storefronts expected in this area have not broken ground. However, these city blocks still offer walkable access to transit and resources, making it an ideal location for urban density.
Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations showing listed parcels in red
Joe Westerman began collecting properties in this area over a decade ago, having successfully created multi-family housing in Oregon and Washington, including housing in this area. The properties surround a new segment of NE Davis Street that PBOT will construct later this year. These properties are part of a Local Improvement District (LID) that will extend the city street grid to these parcels, creating smaller blocks with consistent pedestrian and vehicle access in what had once been long unconnected streets. Calling this area the Gateway Blocks, Westerman commissioned conceptual designs imagining what development could look like and waited for the infrastructure improvements.
Conceptional rendering of development including listed lots and properties not for sale (Courtesy NAI Elliott)
All lots in this area are Central Residential (RX) zoned with a Design overlay. RX offers the highest density of dwelling units for any residential zone. Buildings are generally Six to ten stories tall and have limited ground-floor retail uses. Design overlays only apply to the Central City, town centers, and the Gateway Regional Center. The minimum housing density for new structures built here is 87 units per acre. Portland planners envisioned downtown-level redevelopment at this site, but developers have not yet been able to secure the funding to build at that scale in this space, at least not for market-rate housing. Surrounding affordable housing projects are underway or recently completed with financial support from various government and nonprofit sources. That observation lead Westerman to explore affordable housing options for his properties.
Google Earth view of site area and surrounding properties
Despite having over 30 years of experience as a builder, Joe Westerman’s focus on market-rate development left him without the needed connections to create an affordable housing project on his own. Consequentially, he will consider offers to build these developments to suit a potential buyer or participate in a joint venture with a nonprofit looking to create affordable housing. Westerman will also consider land leasing or the sale of parcels individually or as packages. “It’s not exactly an easy market to get stuff done in right now,” explained the listing agent for these properties, Nick Ostroff of NAI Elliott. High interest rates and other market forces have kept these lots underutilized for too long. Still, Ostroff sees the support for affordable housing as a way to jump-start this area’s transformation.
Joe Westerman is not the only land owner in this area waiting for building opportunities. Andrew Baltz’s limited liability company, Baltz Family Holdings, possesses most of the land south of Westerman up to E Burnside Street. The concept drawings for the site show both owner’s properties along NE 97th Avenue, 99th Avenue, and 100th Avenue fully built out. This illustrated vision matches the city’s aspiration for the Gateway District but represents projects that are not currently feasible. Development at this scale is slow, and many people are waiting for others to make the first step. If one property redevelops in the LID area, it could be enough to start other developments, and Westerman is willing to see if his lots could contribute to that catalyst.
The Westerman properties will soon have several advantages for future builders. Through the LID, Phase II of the Gateway Street plan will continue work started on NE 97th Avenue in Phase I, with new streets, curbs, sidewalks, and green-strip landscaping. The city will vacate the vestigial sections of NE Davis and Couch Streets west of 97th Avenue, which no longer align with the new grid pattern. This returned right-of-way will free up that space for additional building amenities, as seen in the 2019 Portland Design Commission approved plans for a dormant project at this site. Buildings in this space are within walking distance from the Gateway Fred Meyer grocery store, medical services, and transit options. The lots are adjacent to the I-205 Multi-use Path with easy connectors to the Mall 205 retail area and Montavilla shops.
NE 97th Ave looking north from E Burnside St (Jacob Loeb)
Future builders will have to overcome some ongoing project headwinds. Zoning for these blocks will hamper modest uses, dissuading some development options. Additionally, these lots are committed to the NE 97th Avenue and Couch/Davis Street LID, whose member property owners will provide a portion of the $15 million project cost. City staff calculates the amount of money contributed based on the street frontage of each lot, but Ostroff said that would be part of any sale negotiation. This underutilized area has also attracted many urban campers, leaving trash and damaged fencing. Street grid construction will clear roadside debris and reset the area with clean pavement. According to Nick Ostroff, to keep the area activated while waiting for construction to begin, it could host community garden space. Westerman is an avid organic farmer and often includes community gardens in his developments that can support it. He also made vacant land available for urban farming when crews were waiting to break ground. Those plans depend on who partners with Westerman or buys the property. “Everybody’s trying to get together and make something positive,” remarked Ostroff. At this point, the Real Estate team is looking to cast a wide net and see how to start the desired transformation in these blocks. Organizations interested in learning about options and pricing should contact the sales team at NAI Elliott.
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The newly renamed city agency Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) recently released a collection of pre-approved plan sets for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) that could save people time navigating the pre-construction process. Portland based its implementation on City of Eugene created plans and a program that works to remove barriers for people adding housing units to their properties. Four variations of a standard floor plan offer prospective builders free plans that are pre-approved for Life Safety and Structural requirements, reducing the building permit approval times that have increased over the last few years.
On July 1st, the Bureau of Development Services became PP&D as Portland works towards increasing permitting efficiencies and reducing costly delays for people looking to build in the city. The new name includes an organizational update that moves permitting staff under unified management, no longer forcing people to navigate multiple bureaus and processes to gain building approval. Simplifying bureaucracy and removing code hindrances are part of the reforms leaders have enacted to increase housing construction. Last year, a preliminary review process and subsequent survey of developers identified less critical requirements that were most likely to dissuade housing production. In February, the City Council approved the Housing Regulatory Relief Project, which officials hope will spur housing production by providing temporary waivers and permanent changes to zoning regulations.
Floor plan courtesy Portland Permitting & Development
These changes to the permitting process will take time to improve efficiency and simplify the process. That is why PP&D pursued a method to hasten ADU construction through the pre-approved plan program. This process also has roots in an effort to increase housing equity with program improvements planned to make free resources available for people who may lack access to paid design professionals or the experience needed when navigating the permitting process. Adding housing to a property is a recognized way for people to stabilize rising housing costs through additional revenue, accommodate multi-generational households, or offer age-in-place options where people can live in an ADU while renting their family-sized home.
Renderings courtesy Portland Permitting & Development (for representational purposes only)
The current plans offer designs with a shed or gable roof that people can build on a concrete slab foundation or wood-framed floor. Due to its studio-style layout, the single floor plan option will not work for all living situations. The shed roof option or gabled roof versions with a covered front porch will not meet ADU size limits when built within side and rear setbacks. Many other site considerations and potential hindrances to receiving a permit with the pre-approved plans exist. However, it is one step further to making the ADU process faster and more approachable.
People considering this option must account for the considerable building expense they will incur. Even with owner-supplied labor offsetting some work, an ADU of this size could cost over $100,000. Some estimates would put that closer to double that number. The city will charge building permit fees, water service fees, and System Development Charges (SDCs), adding to the overall project costs. Consequently, free pre-approved plans will not be enough incentive for many homeowners considering an ADU. Still, it may help speed up the process for people who have already chosen to add housing density to their property and serve as a tool for builders interested in packaging ADU projects at a standard rate. The PP&D website has additional information about ADUs and important details regarding further costs and restrictions.
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Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its newest location at 10090 SE Washington Street on July 23rd. Located at the outer northern edge of Mall 205, this rapidly expanding chain restaurant is replacing another Mexican-themed fast-casual restaurant, Baja Fresh. This brand shuffle is part of a growing reinvestment in this area that includes redeveloping older mall properties and the return of headliner chain eateries like Chick-fil-A.
Chipotle Mexican Grill began in Colorado on July 13th, 1993. Over 30 years, it expanded to 3,200 locations, all featuring a simple menu specializing in assembled-to-order bowls, tacos, and Mission-style burritos. It has become a ubiquitous fast food destination across the country and remains popular while other chain restaurants struggle to stay relevant, particularly for the brand this SE Washington Street location replaces.
This store’s opening is directly representative of a fast-casual feud that started in 2002 when Wendy’s International purchased Baja Fresh to compete with the rising success of Chipotle. However, that purchase resulted in substantial losses due to either mismanagement or customer drift towards the competition. In 2006, Wendy’s sold its stake in the Baja Fresh chain for a fraction of what it paid four years prior. The new Baja Fresh owners kept the chain afloat, but the brand’s decline progressed across the company, with few locations surviving. Chipotle’s opening in a former Baja Fresh storefront indicates its dominance in the Mexican-themed fast-casual restaurant arena.
10090 SE Washington Street Suite 100 when it was Baja Fresh location
Chipotle fans will appreciate the company’s new interest in East Portland. Previously, customers had no options east of 82nd Avenue without crossing Portland city limits or going to the airport. At the same time as crews created the SE Washington Street store, other workers transformed a former Arby’s at 12035 NE Halsey Street into another Chipotle restaurant. These new locations opening this month are less than two miles apart but serve different business corridors. The NE Halsey Street store is adjacent to NE 122nd Avenue, and the SE Washington Street location is Interstate 205 accessible. By the end of the month, East Portlanders will have two new Chipotle options, where they had none before. For many, this will improve the lunch and dinner options in the area. Chipotle Mexican Grill locations open from 10:45 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Update: The 122nd and Halsey restaurant at 12035 NE Halsey Street will open on August 8th. That location features a drive-thru pickup lane for guests to collect orders placed online or through the Chipotle app without exiting their cars.
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In 2022, a California-headquartered real estate investment and management company purchased the Plaza 205 retail complex east of Mall 205. For over a decade, the struggling retail destination at SE 103rd and Washington Street followed the shopping mall decline seen across the country with prolonged vacancies and empty parking lots. Since taking ownership, Red Mountain Group has leveraged its relationship with the Asian supermarket chain 99 Ranch Market to become a new anchor store for this property. Many complimentary businesses have signed leases to fill most of the vacant space. The property owners have plans to expand the retail footprint by constructing sidewalk-accessible additions on the northern edge of the ample parking lot.
Storefronts at Plaza 205 awaiting tenant buildout. Post subdivision and 99 Ranch entrance updates
The 30-year-old Red Mountain Group owns just over 120 properties across 20 states, most of which are in Arizona and California. The privately owned company has an in-house group that works strategically to fill properties like Plaza 205 in various markets. “The leasing team that is working on this property is really the force behind it. They have a great relationship with 99 Ranch Market, and we have other properties where they have been our tenant. So with this property [we determined] that they would be a great tenant for it and partnered with them to revitalize the shopping center, bring in other tenants that would be great Co-tenants,” said Red Mountain Group representative Lisa Gray.
Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations. Red outline indicates Plaza 205 property
Earlier this year, crews divided the future 99 Ranch Market space to allow for the construction of three smaller storefronts sharing the grocery store’s frontage. This renovation allowed the anchor store to take over two spaces formerly used by Hometown Buffet and Office Max. The food retailer needed a significant footprint inside the store but only an modest entrance. That allowed for several shallow retail spaces at the front. However, shell construction delayed the speed at which new tenants could move in. Gray explained that Red Mountain Group’s leasing team often works ahead of acquisition to fill new properties. “Usually, we buy a property, and we can pre-lease. We really get leases done very quickly,” said Gray. In this case, most of the new stores moving into this shopping center will need to wait until early 2025 to open, and construction crews will take over a year before adding new structures at the complex.
Former Big Lots storefront at 10548 SE Washington Street, future location of Teso Life
Despite leasing delays due to buildout time, Red Mountain Group has secured tenants for all but one 2,401-square-foot retail space. Tea brand The Alley will take a space at 10542 SE Washington Street to the west of 99 Ranch Market at 10544 SE Washington Street. East of the grocery store, specialty restaurant chain Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle will open an eatery at 10546 SE Washington Street. Recently, Japanese department store Teso Life signed a lease for the 23,200 square foot former Big Lots location at 10548 SE Washington Street.
Inside 10548 SE Washington Street, future location of Teso Life
Having a high-profile tenant like 99 Ranch Market helped Red Mountain Group shift the direction of this shopping center away from decline and office tenants back to a growing retail segment. “We’re very excited about the future because of the tenants that are going in, including 99 Ranch. We have these concepts down [in California] where there is a great mix of tenants that are symbiotic; they really flow well with each other’s customer base,” explained Gray. Plaza 205 is the first Oregon property where Red Mountain Group applied that proven model. If it works well for them, they will look at repeating the process at other shopping centers in the area.
Homogenized big-box commerce is still on the decline across the country. However, culturally specific business clusters are rapidly filling that gap in American shopping centers. This shift presents an opportunity for retail landlords to rework investments with a greater variety of storefront sizes and to consider underserved communities when leasing. People should expect to see a more active shopping experience at Plaza 205 in 2025 as tenants complete their buildouts and customers start visiting these new businesses.
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On July 18th, from 4 to 8 p.m., the Montavilla Farmers Market will host a Berry Bash Summer Celebration in the Montavilla Plaza on SE 79th Avenue at SE Stark Street. Attendees can receive free berry recipe tastings and make shortcake treats. The event will feature live music and berry sales from market vendors. Threshold Brewery will host a beer garden at the plaza during the celebration. As an extension of the event, Redwood restaurant will host a Strawberry Social happy hour featuring on-theme cocktails and desserts a few doors down the street at 7915 SE Stark Street.
Funding from Prosper Portland and Portland Events and Film helped create this Plaza activity as part of the reimagined Thursdays on the Plaza summertime programming. Berry Bash is an interactive event that celebrates locally grown Oregon berries. The Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) coordinates 79th Avenue Plaza activities with summer events like this, Montavilla Movie Nights, and many other family-friendly activities to bring people together in the seasonally comfortable weather. Later this month, METBA will host the 11th Street Fair on Sunday, July 28th. The well-attended event closes SE Stark Street from 82nd to 76th Avenues and offers food, music, beer gardens, and vendors. This year’s street fair lasts an hour longer, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
People looking for a mid-week activity should consider attending the Berry Bash Summer Celebration this Thursday and keeping an eye on the METBA calendar for future Plaza events. The Firsts Montavilla Movie Nights starts at 8 p.m. on August 8th with Ghostbusters Frozen Empire. People can attend Rock’ N Roll High School on August 15th and Cloak & Dagger on August 22nd.
Article and photos by
Jacob Loeb
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