TriMet construction crews will close a 1.5-mile stretch of Interstate 84 in both directions near the Interstate 205 interchange this weekend. The closure will begin on Friday night at 10 p.m. and reopen at 4 a.m. Monday morning. Additionally, barricades will block access to the NE 102nd Avenue on-ramp to I-84 west and the I-84 east Exit 7 Halsey/99nd Avenue off-ramp. This work supports the A Better Red project currently underway near the Gateway Transit Center.
The closures of I-84 will facilitate the construction of the new MAX light rail track parallel to an existing single-track segment of the Red Line. During the weekend shutdown, crews will continue building a new light rail bridge over the freeway, connecting the northern section of Portland’s Gateway Green Park and the Gateway Transit Center. Once completed, the bridge’s tracks will allow simultaneous bidirectional MAX traffic through the Gateway area, helping to alleviate bottlenecks and improve reliability across the MAX system. Crews will also install a new multi-use path to the mountain bike park alongside the new tracks. This added access route will make the recreation area more accessible to a variety of users and increase amenities in the space.
Rendering of the new Red Line bridge crossing I-84.Image courtesy TriMet
Drivers expecting to use I-84 should plan an alternate route between the evening of September 23rd and the morning of September 26th. Commuters should also anticipate more congestion than usual on I-205 as people detour around the closure. Buses will run regular service while construction takes place and offer an effective alternate travel method during the closure. While the traffic disruption will not affect transit service, some trips may take longer due to other work on the MAX Blue Line in Gresham. Additional information is available on the TriMet website.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This month, the owners of Connery Place Apartments at 8130 SE Mill Street listed the property for sale. The 72-unit apartment complex sits in the center of a city block near SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street. Amenities for the twelve-building site include a swimming pool, secured parking, community building, and laundry facilities. Residents access their homes through a gated parking lot behind the Sushi Yummy & Chinese Restaurant.
Developers built this large housing project in 1977. In the last 20 years, the complex sold three times. Tall Pine Properties LLC bought the site in 2005 for $2,800,000 and sold it to CH Montavilla LLC for $3,875,000 in 2012. Euclid Associates LLC purchased the apartment buildings three years later for $7,100,000. In 2017, the current owners transferred the property to a new company with similar ownership, Connery Place Partners LLC. The current asking price for the 1.79-acre development is $13,800,000.
The apartment complex contains 19 one-bedroom and 53 two-bedroom units. The property owners recently refurbished four units after a fire in one of the southeast structures. Apartments 53-56 received new windows and other updates, including a new stairway and landing. According to the seller, the owners upgraded other select units with resurfaced counters, new cabinets, vinyl plank flooring, stainless steel appliances, and stainless-steel fixtures.
Image from Portland Maps
The sale of the property could present a downside for residents. The real estate listing for the property notes that “rents are below market rates, presenting immediate investment upside.” Although the new owner is ultimately responsible for determining rate adjustments after leases expire, investor financing for this real estate purchase could require an increase in renal revenue.
Commercial real estate can take months or years to sell. Residents of the Connery Place Apartments should not anticipate an immediate change in ownership or operations at the site. However, this site has an advantage over other housing in the area. These apartments are secluded in the center of a city block, providing a uniquely isolated living environment in an otherwise busy area of the neighborhood. Interested buyers should contact HFO Investment Real Estate at 503-241-5541.
By
Jacob Loeb
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TriMet will host a grand opening celebration for the new FX2-Division bus line this Saturday. Activities will span three festival locations in SE Portland and Gresham. Each site features entertainment, prize giveaways, and food vendors. Attendees can take unlimited free rides on the new articulated FX buses along the route between noon and 6 p.m. on September 17th. The new service begins regular operation on Sunday the 18th, offering high-capacity and fast bus service along Division Street. Montavilla residents should arrive to the event at the SE 82nd and Division stop near Portland Community College, located at 2305 SE 82nd Avenue.
Raimore Construction partnered with TriMet for this Grand Opening Celebration. The construction company is the prime contractor for TriMet’s Division Transit Project. As a minority-owned firm, this project represents the largest contract awarded to a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise in Oregon. It is a notable success for the City’s Inclusive Contracting initiatives.
Raimore Construction President Jeff Moreland speaking, TriMet Interim General Manager Sam Desue, Jr and Division Transit Project Director Michael Kiser left. April 3, 2021
TriMet posted full schedules for each event location on its website. Guests are encouraged to take the bus between each celebration site at OMSI Station, PCC Station, and the Gresham Farmers’ Market. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to a giant “paint-by-numbers” mural project. Event coordinators placed sections of the mural project at each of the three event sites. Cascade Behavioral Health building on SE 42nd and Division will host the completed public art project.
Attendees should plan a long day exploring SE Division Street and experiencing the new FX bus service. Drivers in the area should anticipate a change in bus operation beginning tomorrow as the new extended transit platforms go into service with more frequent service. Bus riders not attending the events should plan for higher than usual usage of the number 2 bus route. However, the new higher-capacity vehicles should accommodate the surge in demand.
By
Jacob Loeb
Title images courtesy of TriMet
Disclosure: The author of this article servers on the Board for a group partnering with TriMet on this event.
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Robert E. Stacey, Montavilla’s elected representative on the Metro Council for over eight years, died September 8th at the age of 72. He resigned from his position a year ago due to further complications from a health condition. Metro Council appointed Duncan Hwang, a Director at the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), to the vacant 6th District seat in January. Councilor Hwang recently secured 68.7 percent of the vote during the 2022 primaries, allowing him to serve out the reaming years of Councilor Stacey’s term.
Bob Stacey came to Metro Council after a long career serving Oregon. His early work with 1000 Friends of Oregon secured the urban growth boundary, protecting farms and forests by limiting an endless suburban sprawl. He led Portland’s planning bureau from 1989 to 1993, and as an executive at TriMet, he helped plan the MAX Yellow and Red lines. Pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the MAX Orange Line at SE 14th Avenue do so via the Bob Stacey Overcrossing, named in his honor for decades of service to Portland. Stacey’s impact across the State was impressive, and the programs he supported within this neighborhood are ongoing.
Bob Stacey’s work with Metro touched many points within Montavilla. Most residents will associate his local efforts with the affordable housing project underway at 432 NE 74th Ave. However, councilor Duncan Hwang recounted several other impactful projects that his predecessor brought to the community. “Councilor Stacey did so much for livability for the entire region but also worked directly on projects in Montavilla, including advocating for the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Ave to the City of Portland, improving neighborhood connectivity through the Jade Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, and was a particular champion of the Jade District and APANO’s work in developing affordable housing and community spaces.”
Although holding an elected position, Bob Stacey focused more on his work for the community instead of building name recognition. Representative Earl Blumenauer expressed that sentiment after Stacey’s passing. “Oregon just lost the most important person that most people never heard of.” Despite the lack of public recognition for his work, those who continue his efforts recognize that they stand on his shoulders and vow to follow Stacy’s example of civic leadership. “Oregon lost a true leader, and I hope to carry on his vision for our region and legacy of public service as his successor at Metro,” stated Councilor Hwang.
By
Jacob Loeb
Images in this article are provided by Oregon Metro
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Fortune BBQ Noodle House opened this Friday, September 9th, at 18 SE 82nd Avenue. The restaurant occupies the once vacant storefront that previously housed Giant Gyros at the corner of E Burnside Street and SE 82nd Avenue. The first few days of operation brought in a steady volume of customers, depleting some of the menu items.
An article in Bridgetown Bites first identified Fortune BBQ Noodle House as the new tenet for this storefront last month. This new business continues over two decades of restaurant operations from this location. Before serving Chinese barbecue duck and pork, Giant Gyros offered Mediterranean food from 2017 until closing earlier this year. Subway sandwich shop occupied this space for many years prior to that, and plumbing permits indicate it was once an AM/PM convenience store.
Previous tenant Giant Gyros’ storefront
As a new venture for the owners, the restaurant is still building out its presence. However, the staff have years of food service experience, and early customer reviews indicate menu items are well prepared. They are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., making them a dependable choice for an impromptu meal.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This week, the owners of a vacant building at 9265 NE Glisan Street listed the property for sale. The 8,000 square foot corner lot is zoned Residential Multi-Dwelling 2 (RM2) and allows for three or four-story buildings with an urban scale. An existing single-family residence built in 1919 occupies the site. The old structure is currently boarded up and fenced off, preserving the 100-year-old interior.
2265 E. Glisan Sanborn Map 1924
The property is located in a prime area for medium-scale housing with a TriMet number 19 Bus Stop on the block. The site is within walking distance of the Gateway Transit Center, and future NE Glisan improvements intend to tame the heavy traffic in front of this property.
9265 NE Glisan Portland Maps
Although the home is in salvageable condition, the property’s redevelopment into a medium-scale multiunit dwelling would better fit the current zoning along NE Glisan and provide housing for up to 17 families. John L. Scott’s listing for the Glisan street home contains more information and pictures. Interested buyers should contact Beverly Moser to schedule a tour.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This week, Rey Taco opened at 145 SE 82nd Avenue, replacing Su Casa Taqueria. This standalone food cart is a new venture offering “LA Street Food.” Although reusing the Su Casa Taqueria cart, Rey Taco staff upgraded interior kitchen elements ahead of opening. The owners demolished the preexisting outdoor seating area and created a new covered deck with tables. The black cart now has a colorful wrapper featuring LA skyline imagery and the restaurant’s logs.
Su Casa Taqueria opened in that location around 2007 as the lone food cart in the area. Based on filings with Oregon’s business registry, several people operated the cart over its sixteen years. The host business for the restaurant also changed during that time. When food service began from this site, Meineke Car Care Center operated out of the single-story service station building. Later, Trendsetters Truck and Auto upgraded vehicles from this location. Now, the mobile kitchen sits in the northwest corner of the parking lot for Max’s Auto Spa.
Old Su Casa Taqueria logo
Rey Taco serves an assortment of tacos, birria quesa tacos, machetes, tortas, mulitas, burritos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles. Consider visiting this new open-air dining destination and explore the extensive menu. The cart is open daily for lunch and dinner. There is a discrepancy between Facebook and Google Maps regarding the hours of operation. However, they should start serving guests by 11 a.m. and close sometime after 9 p.m.
New Rey Taco logo
By
Jacob Loeb
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The Montavilla business district will host the final free movie night of the season tomorrow evening. For all of August, the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) presented weekly group viewing events in the Montavilla Public Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. Local businesses sponsored one movie each Wednesday, with other area businesses offering special concession packages. The 1986 film Labyrinth by Jim Henson will close out the successful community entertainment series on September 7th.
Chantel Chinco of Redwood organized the evening events for METBA, growing the audience weekly. This year, movie nights shared the street space with another first-time Plaza program presented by Montavilla Farmers Market. The 79th Avenue square features an evening min-market on Thursday nights, running through September 29th. This public street venue is supported by the Vibrant Spaces Community Events Activation Fund grant from the City of Portland, in conjunction with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) Public Street Plaza Program.
For the second year, the Montavilla Public Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street has driven community engagement into the business district’s core with events like the movie night and market. Public support for these events will influence their return in subsequent seasons.
METBA invites the public to view David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly in the Labyrinth this Wednesday, September 7th. The Show begins at 8:30 p.m., and people are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to the showing.
Aug. 10th: The Sandlot (Mr.Plywood)
Aug. 3rd: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Natural Furniture)
Aug. 17th: Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead (Wink Vintage)
Aug. 24th: Dazed and Confused (The Observatory)
Aug. 31st: The Princess Bride (Redwood)
Sep. 7th: Labyrinth (Bonus Screening)
By
Jacob Loeb
Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the METBA Board.
Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
On August 8th, Oregon Metro filed a Land Use Review application to re-plat the existing lots that currently comprise 432 NE 74th Avenue. This work will reshape the site to create distinct properties for each new low-income building planned for the site. Interested persons have until 5 p.m. on September 12th, 2022, to provide email comments to the Bureau of Development Services planner.
By early 2023, demolition crews will remove the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at the NE Glisan site. Once crews clear the old TV studio, the developer will begin constructing 137 units of affordable housing split between two four-story buildings. The development will contain a wide assortment of apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units. All housing created by this project will serve families and individuals earning 30% or 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).
Site Map from re-plat application LU 22-128996 RP
The smaller structure at the northwest corner of the site will offer 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) reserved for Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), seniors, and people experiencing homelessness. This structure will occupy Parcel 1 of the re-platted property and cover most of the 11,016 square foot lot. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants.
Parcel 2 will contain the larger “U” shaped building that provides the remaining 96 units of family-focused housing. Additionally, the 45,469 square feet lot will hold all site parking and courtyard amenities for the development. Management will reserve residences in this building for BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and intergenerational families. Homes will range in floor space from 400 square feet to 1,200 square feet, with rents ranging from $507 to $1,616 per month. Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) will provide resident services at the family housing property.
Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing project’s site plan
Although the site will function harmoniously to meet affordable housing goals, each building has a specific focus and management organization that needs autonomy from each other. Separating the site into multiple parcels allows each facility to operate as an individual organization. Parcel 1 will become 7450 NE Glisan, and Parcel 2 will have the address of 451 NE 75th Avenue. Construction of each building could begin independently once this property division is approved. Expect to see this Land Use Review application approved within the next few months, ahead of the anticipated project ground-breaking in early 2023. The City has a website for those interested in following the project’s progress, and public comments will remain open for another twelve days.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This month, the Chick-fil-A development team continued their preliminary work on redeveloping 9950 SE Stark Street. Designers have modified the project from the Early Assistance meeting last May. The current Early Assistance no longer seeks to demolish the approximately 7,012 square foot building or construct a drive-thru lane on the property. Instead, crews will rehabilitate the existing structure to host the fast food restaurant with 98 indoor seats. Plans still include some outdoor seating.
Currently zoned as Central Commercial (CX), City planners expect new developments on this property to maximize density and encourage urban activities. The CX zone allows projects with tall buildings placed close together. Developers working in this zone should create pedestrian-oriented structures with a strong emphasis on a safe and attractive streetscape. The proposed project on SE Stark Street will be a nonconforming use of the existing site. Portland allows noncomplying use within a zone when the building predates the new standards and only expects zone compliance to occur when property owners significantly redevelop the site. The status of nonconforming structures is not affected by changes in ownership or tenant. The project’s initial demolition and drive-thru-oriented redevelopment plan would need to adhere to the CX standards. This new renovation plan will create a different Chick-fil-A than most of the restaurant’s other locations but retain its nonconforming status and maintain the usage pattern of previous tenants.
The single-story structure, first built in 1984, hosted a wide range of restaurants and entertainment venues over the years. Rax Roast Beef owned the property until 1990. Recent tenets included Tony Roma’s restaurant, Hooters, Mystic Gentlemen’s Club, and Venue Gentlemen’s Club. If approved, Chick-fil-A will shift this location’s use back towards general fast food and away from adult-orientated services. The lack of a drive-thru window will limit some of the traffic impact experienced by the change in use. However, based on other Chick-fil-A locations, this could become one of the most popular destinations in the surrounding blocks and attract additional vehicles to the area. The project is likely months away from approval and may fail to move beyond the planning phase. Look for permit applications sometime next year if the City approves this site’s reuse.
Article originally published May 13th, 2022.
A recent land-use Early Assistance application indicates Chick-fil-A may soon open a new restaurant on SE Stark Street. If approved, developers will demolish the 1984-era building and construct a new fast food restaurant with a drive-thru window. Located at 9950 SE Stark Street, the 36,590 square-foot half-block property currently houses an adult entertainment club and bar.
The Chick-fil-A development team intends to construct a 4,991 square foot building with 98 indoor seats for guests. Outdoor canopies and an outdoor eating area with 12 patio seats would surround the new building. The property sits between SE Stark and SE Washington Streets, aligned at SE 99th Avenue near Mall 205. The site offers a variety of vehicle access points and is near the number 15 TriMet bus line. Other Chick-fil-A restaurants tend to attract many visitors, sometimes with lines spilling onto the neighboring street. However, this proposed Chick-fil-A is just six miles from the Clackamas restaurant and seven miles from the Gresham location. That density of stores may reduce peak demand for the proposed eatery and avoid traffic issues sometimes seen at other Chick-fil-A sites.
Developers use Early Assistance applications during the pre-planning phase of a project. Many proposals do not continue past this stage, and this Chick-fil-A may never materialize in this location. However, the addition of a popular destination restaurant in the area could draw in more visitors and improve business for neighboring stores. Expect to see updates regarding building permits if this project moves forward.
By
Jacob Loeb
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