Heavy civil infrastructure contractor Stacy Witbeck recently replaced MAX tracks and adjacent road crossing panels where trains turn north from E Burnside Street to travel along Interstate 205. For years, westbound bicycle riders and sidewalk users have navigated the uneven surface in the bike lane and the at-grade pedestrian path at this crossing. Asphalt around the panels buckled with constant light-rail traffic shifting the track. The project repaired the automotive and bike lane rail-crossings but severed the north sidewalk connection with barricades blocking access. Instead, pedestrians will eventually cross the tracks from the nearby Interstate 205 Multiuse Path. Until the new rail crossing opens, people can cross E Burnside at the newly reconstructed 97th Avenue crosswalk and use the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street.
Developers made this redesigned crossing alignment public in a 2019 Design Commission Hearing for the 97th and Couch Apartments. The illustration includes a parklet at the intersection’s northwest corner, replacing the current I-205 Multiuse Path and leading people to a perpendicular track crossing from the sidewalk. The multi-family housing plans may have changed in the five years since they were approved. However, the pedestrian crossing panels installed by TriMet this month are in roughly the same location as the 2019 documents indicated. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) needs to realign the sidewalk on both sides of the track to connect with the updated crossing location. Diagrams for a Local Improvement District (LID) project planned for later this year include this new crossing realignment.
Site plan as presented to the Design Commission for the 97th and Couch Apartments (North is to the right)
When westbound E Burnside Street reopens later this month, cyclists and drivers will have a smoother crossing over the MAX tracks. Pedestrians will need to wait for PBOT to complete sidewalk connections to use the new safer crossing that allows pedestrians to cross in a location with better visibility to approaching light-rail trains. That minor inconvenience should allow for improved pedestrian routes and help Multiuse Path users connect to the southern segment across the I-205 Freeway overpass.
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Plans have changed again for the 35-foot wide lot at 8416 SE Clay Street. Provision Investments purchased the property in April 2021 after the previous owners split it from the parcel to the west. In early 2022, the new owners proposed a nine-unit, three-story-tall apartment building. By March 2023, the owners listed the property for sale with approved plans to develop the multi-family housing. On February 1st, Provision Construction changed course and filed building permit applications to construct four two-story townhouses at the site. Address changes to reflect the four residences are pending.
Image from Portland Maps
The four townhomes are planned for a gravel-covered, unimproved segment of SE Clay Street. Three homes will offer around 920 square feet of living space, with the remaining unit slightly larger at 1,000 square feet. A shared walkway will provide access to the back residences. The city has addressed the additional townhomes as 8418 SE Clay Street, 8420 SE Clay Street, and 8422 SE Clay Street. Permits have the development sharing a single property, but a Middle Housing Land Division filed after construction begins could create four distinct properties for each new home.
Unimproved segment of SE Clay Street, the property is located on the right side behind the taller hedge
These homes will not support attached garages, and the site lacks room for onsite parking. Its location near SE 82nd Avenue makes it a good location for transit riders, but the absence of sidewalks and paved roads makes it challenging for non-drivers. When permits are approved, construction could begin as early as this year. However, this site has taken years to develop, and it may take a few more years before new neighbors can move into the homes.
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This week, the two low-income buildings at NE 74th Avenue and Glisan Street became Montavilla’s tallest structures. Construction crews recently completed the roof framing atop the fourth floor, redefining the neighborhood’s skyline. Future residents of the upper floors will have unobstructed views of Mt. Tabor and the mostly low-slung streetscape surrounding this site. This development marks a change to area housing height and density with 137 new residences in a half-block site.
View South of Mt Tabor from Aldea unit
The two distinct apartment buildings under construction form Glisan Landing and serve different needs in the affordable housing market. Aldea is the larger of the two, spanning the entire width of a block between NE 74th and 75th Avenues in a “U” shape configuration. The building features 96 homes ranging in size from studios to four-bedroom units. Property managers will reserve 81 apartments for people making at or below the 60% median family income (MFI) level for Portland, with the remaining available to those earning 30% MFI. Beacon is a bar-shaped building on a quarter-acre lot carved out of the complex’s northwest corner. This building has 41 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units for those who were recently homeless or housing insecure. The structures encircle a center courtyard containing a play area and exercise loop.
Fiber and textile arts studio
The architects of this project placed all housing above the ground floor. Two parking garages under the southern portion of Aldea at Glisan Landing offer 56 stalls. Vehicle access parking on NE 74th or 75th Avenues. The northeast corner of the building next to the NE 75th Avenue garage contains culturally specific building amenities. The building’s co-owner, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), will anchor Aldea’s community space with a fiber and textile art studio in the corner room looking out onto NE Glisan Street. Residents can also access an adjacent multicultural reading room, teen room, and property management office. Designers placed a gated open wall courtyard facing NE 75th Avenue. The green space is accessed through the lobby, providing residents a secluded outdoor space. Over half of the units in this building have multiple bedrooms, providing the family-sized apartments often overlooked in affordable housing.
Planners placed the main entrance to both structures off NE Glisan Street in the gap between the new buildings. Site operators intend to keep gates to the property open during daytime hours when staff are in the resident services office facing the entrance. Although separate projects, Related Northwest is the co-owner and development partner for both buildings. That relationship helps create a cohesive site plan with shared resources and a communal space.
Beacon at Glisan Landing is co-owned by Catholic Charities and features the only storefront space in the complex. Non-profit Stone Soup will offer a barista and culinary training program from the ground-floor shop with a cafe open to the public. The northwest corner will have bar seating against big windows looking onto NE Glisan with bistro seating outside. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants living on the three floors above the cafe. Each of the 41 studio apartments features tall ceilings and deep storage areas. The building provides a table, chairs, and a durable bed designed by Central City Concern in each unit. Beacon offers several Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant units accessed by an elevator, providing accessible housing for seniors and those with special mobility needs.
View from Stone Soup cafe
Completing the vertical structure of a building is a significant construction milestone. It is the beginning of a shift to interior work and lets the community see the new structure’s placement in the skyline. Although four stories is not tall for city-scale buildings, these new structures stand above all others in the neighborhood and signal a new high-water mark for development. Crews with LMC Construction have many months of work ahead of them as developers expect them to complete Beacon this year and open Aldea to residents in 2025.
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Sometime this spring, the joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will finalize a purchase of a 1.1-acre property at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. The group will create affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction of the 40-unit complex will begin in fall 2024, with an anticipated opening date in early 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.
Fifteen units in the new apartment building will offer family-sized accommodations with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The developers will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats, each with a single bathroom. Residents can access various site amenities, including a bike room, package lockers, and resident services offices. People can also use a community room, two courtyards, and outdoor areas with a garden and play area for children. Larger apartments have in-unit washer and dryer appliances. The building offers laundry rooms on each floor for the rest of the residents.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
The developers will reserve all units in the three-story building for people earning 80% or below the median family income (MFI) for Portland. That commitment keeps rents from exceeding levels set annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations but does not fit what people consider low-income housing. Based on 2023 numbers, one of the development’s three-bedroom apartments would cost up to $2,347 monthly. At those rates, these homes support the working families often priced out of modern apartments west of Interstate 205.
A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study of the Jade District identified the unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street as a prime redevelopment opportunity for sustainable housing and a new public park. APANO is the fiscal sponsor of the Jade District Neighborhood Prosperity Network (NPN) and used the 2018 data with community input to pursue development opportunities in this area. The land identified for a park is not currently on the market. However, APANO’s vision for family housing across the street from the future park could occur with the purchase of three lots owned by the Argonaut Group. With the help of Gorman & Company’s nearly 40 years of experience creating housing, APANO will begin work on what was envisioned for this part of the Jade District six years ago.
Image from Portland Maps
This area contains a multitude of housing with buildings around the site ranging from farmhouses to multifamily buildings. The architect worked to create a design matching its environment while still providing the desired housing density. “The building will have a residential character, and we’ve subdivided the masses to be consistent with the other buildings in the neighborhood,” explained Kevin Kellogg, Gorman & Company’s Market President for the Pacific Northwest. People will access the apartment’s upper floors through a central stairway, and a courtyard facing an open-air walkway connects the units. “Each of the courtyards has a unique character. One of them, we call the living room courtyard, and the other one is the family room courtyard,” said Kellogg. The ground floor will house the site’s accessible units and its 32 on-site parking stalls partially covered by solar panels.
The developers are targeting a Net Zero certification for the building, making it environmentally friendly and resilient to changing weather conditions. “Our goal is for it to be as low maintenance and energy efficient as possible,” said Kellogg. The environmental goals also align with APANO’s goals for the Jade District. “We’re working to build the most climate-friendly, transit-rich, and affordable neighborhood we can. We feel this complements our work at PCC, Canton Grill, and the Orchards,” explained Duncan Hwang, Community Development Director at APANO.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
This apartment complex will become the fourth housing project in the Jade District for APANO. The organization is interested in having a mixed-income neighborhood, and this project fits the need for workforce-priced housing. Other projects built by the organization or in development support lower-income renters. APANO often partners with other organizations in creating and managing developments. In this case, Gorman & Company will provide asset management and compliance, with APANO providing resident services.
In addition to improving housing availability in the area, this project will create public right-of-way improvements. Towards the end of the project, crews will construct new sidewalks along the frontage and build a portion of the paved street. These infrastructure upgrades will move the area closer to completing a disconnected street and sidewalk network that inhibits travel along SE 89th Avenue. Walkable access is a primary feature of this building, which is blocks away from the Fubonn grocery store and frequent public transit. Look for construction to begin later this year, with more housing availability in 2026.
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On January 31st, Portland City Council voted to adopt updates to the City’s Inclusionary Housing Code that promote the financial viability of multifamily housing developments offering regulated units for people making at or below the 60% median family income (MFI). The new rules, going into effect on March 1st with Multnomah County’s approval, will expand deeper property tax exemptions for projects beyond Portland’s Central City and will now include Montavilla.
Portland’s Inclusionary Housing rules went into effect in 2017. This program requires the building to reserve a percentage of units for income-constrained residents when a new development offers more than 19 residences. Projects could accomplish this obligation by providing at least 20% of units at an affordable rate for renters earning 80% MFI or offering 10% of units at an affordable rate for renters earning 60% MFI. Based on 2023 numbers, a one-bedroom apartment would cost up to $1,269 monthly for a 60% MFI renter or $1,693 for an 80% MFI renter. This amount is adjusted annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations.
City of Portland graphic showing the expanded area for expanded incentives
To incentivize developers to choose the 60% MFI option, Portland offers a 10-year property tax exemption for affordable units targeting those renters. Additionally, builders in the Central City received a tax break on all units in the building if they reserve at least 10% for 60% MFI renters. City Council’s action will extend the Downtown tax incentive to higher-rent submarkets outside the Central City, such as Slabtown and the inner Eastside commercial corridors. Montavilla is the easternmost community to receive this expanded development incentive, and its inclusion could spur more mixed-income multifamily construction in the neighborhood.
Officials designed the ten-year property tax exemption to offset the lost revenue from Inclusionary Housing units, and the expanded discount for all housing units could be the catalyst to allow more buildings to break ground. Higher interest rates, expensive land, and rising construction costs have made numerous Portland developments financially unfeasible. A state-mandated Housing Needs Analysis identified the demand for approximately 120,000 more housing units in Portland over the next 20 years, but current conditions have slowed construction. This Inclusionary Housing update could be what the housing market needs to build more homes.
Slide from Portland City Council presentation of the proposed changes to Inclusionary Housing
Multnomah County has to agree to the additional loss of property tax revenue before the new rules can take effect. Developments in the building permit process or under construction can opt into this new rule after March 1st. Additionally, the City temporarily lifted its forgone property tax revenue cap for six years, allowing as many projects as possible to take advantage of this new rule and putting Portland back on track to meeting housing needs.
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Over the last two decades, Argonaut Group purchased four lots along an unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street. This month, the owners of the properties submitted an Early Assistance request to build a 40-unit residential building that would span three of those parcels totaling over an acre. The proposed courtyard housing complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue would provide 32 on-site parking stalls and a ground-floor community space.
Image from Portland Maps
The Early Assistance request proposes a three-story tall building with a single loaded corridor providing access to the residences. This planning process gives builders insight into what the City will require to approve the development. Plans for the project will likely change, and the property owners could elect not to proceed with the project. Road and sidewalk construction costs for developments on unimproved gravel roads like SE 89th Avenue will often impact the project’s financial viability. It is unknown to what degree the developer will have to update the street as part of this work, but the City will likely require some improvements.
Unimproved SE 89th Avenue looking north from SE Brooklyn Street
Housing density in this area has increased over the years. This section of East Portland is zoned Residential Multi-Dwelling 1 (RM1), and that designation supports low-scale multi-dwelling structures. Developments in this zone can support buildings up to three stories tall with frontage setbacks similar to residential neighborhoods. People often build duplexes, townhouses, courtyard housing, or small apartment buildings in the RM1 zones.
This project, if approved, would be an efficient use of land. In the place of two homes, the developer will provide 40 residences with on-site parking. Additionally, the site is within a few blocks of two frequent bus lines and Max light-rail service. If the property owners decide to proceed with this project after receiving the Early Assistance advice, they could apply for building permits sometime this year. However, construction could be over a year away.
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This week, NW Development Inc. began the Middle Housing Land Division process to create four distinct properties at 26 NE 73rd Avenue. Each of the three new two-story homes will receive a house number from 92 NE 73rd to 96 NE 73rd Avenues, with the existing 1940s-era house renumbered to 98 NE 73rd Avenue. The new homes are mostly hidden in the back of the property and only visible from certain angles. This development is an example of maximum detached single-family housing on a standard lot. Further housing density would require a larger multifamily building and rezoning. Look for realtors to list these units later this year.
Site map from Middle Housing Land Division Proposal LU 23-110265 MLDS
92 NE 73rd Ave – Lot 4
94 NE 73rd Ave – Lot 3
96 NE 73rd Ave – Lot 2
98 NE 73rd Ave – Lot 1
Article originally published on May 9, 2023
On April 28th, NW Development Inc. purchased the 1,500-square-foot single-family residence at 26 NE 73rd Avenue, and the new owner plans to construct three additional homes behind the existing 1940s-era house. Each new detached residence will stand two stories tall and contain just under 950 square feet of living space. Demolition crews will remove the freestanding single-car garage to the east of the home, allowing access to the back structures.
Owner of NW Development, Brett Barton, explained why this property was an ideal location to bring affordable middle housing to the neighborhood. “The house is in pretty good shape. It needs some updating but is overall a solid house. The prior owners took great care of it, the hardwoods are in phenomenal shape, and it hasn’t been chopped up a whole bunch of times.” The home’s placement at the front of the lot also added to this project’s viability, leaving over half the property open to development. The first new home will sit ten feet behind the original structure, facing south, and the other two houses will sit side by side at the back of the lot facing west.
Image from Portland Maps
Each new building will offer a similar floor plan with a great room, kitchen, and half-bath on the main floor. Upstairs, two bedrooms share a full bathroom and a side-by-side laundry. Each freestanding property will have its own lot without a Home Owners Association (HOA) fee, as many other similar developments previously required. “[They’ll be] sold as fee-simple ownership. There will not be condos or HOA or anything like that, and they’ll be on their own tax lots,” said Barton. He explained that Portland’s Residential Infill Project and House Bill 2001 paved the way for a more reasonable approach to this type of infill development. Before those changes, developers had to create an HOA system to manage shared access to units not adjacent to a city street. That adds monthly costs and can turn away buyers during the financing process. The new Middle Housing Land Division rules allow certain middle housing types to exist on an individual lot with separate ownership, but the lots do not require direct street access. Instead, an easement for utilities and a walkway ensure residents have the access they need to their property, even when it is behind several others.
Brett Barton explained that the driveway would remain during construction to provide equipment access to the site. However, after crews complete construction, they will rebuild the pathway to support pedestrian access to the other homes, and the driveway will not accommodate vehicle storage. “The City of Portland changed their attitude towards parking as we’ve had this housing crunch. The parking requirements have actually gone the opposite way. They’re not allowing garages on skinnier lots anymore,” said Barton. He feels that losing onsite parking and the utility of a garage can detract from a home’s functionality. Still, he accepts the tradeoff when creating homes accessible to first-time buyers. Each new home will sell below the affordable housing cap currently set at $455,000 or less. Although that Portland set cap could seem unaffordable, the program helps keep prices from spiking during high demand and can be the only way certain buyers are not priced out of good neighborhoods.
Barton said permit applications are taking over six months for approval. However, he may demolish the garage and begin upgrade work on the existing home before then. The 1948-built house will receive new paint, heating and cooling system upgrades, and full kitchen and bath modernization. Expect to see crews start that work in the coming months and construction of the new homes towards the end of 2023.
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Demolition crews recently removed the remnants of Hometown Buffet and Office Max at a retail plaza building east of Mall 205. This work makes way for Portland’s first 99 Ranch Market opening later this year. The 40,174 square foot grocery store at 10548 SE Washington Street will share frontage with three small tenants flanking the main entrance. Workers have altered the building’s facade to emphasize the new food store.
Crews have completed raising the ornamental cornice above the doorway by four feet, establishing 99 Ranch Market as the new anchor business in the shopping complex. Visitors could miss this subtle change, but at a distance, people driving into the vast parking lot will pick up on the cue. The grocery store’s entrance is only 60 feet wide but expands by 100 feet once visitors walk 65 feet in. The three small shop spaces sharing the frontage with 99 Ranch range in size from 1,500 to 2,400 square feet. Their presence should create an active retail environment while providing ample room for the Asian grocery store. During demolition, crews removed the old aluminum and glass storefronts to replace the units with newly configured panels that increase the transparency of the front walls.
New 99 Ranch Market location before construction
This Portland addition is a highly anticipated expansion for the California-based grocery store chain that operates nearly 60 other locations. 99 Ranch Market started in 1984 but only recently moved into Oregon. In 2017, they opened a Beaverton store at 8155 SW Hall Boulevard. That grocery proved popular, continually attracting Westside customers. Expanding across the Willamette River allows the company to tap into another cluster of shoppers. However, they face competition from similar stores with an established foothold in Portland. Montavilla has Hong Phat Food Center at 82nd Avenue and E Burnside Street. Further south on SE 82nd Avenue, people can shop at Fubonn Shopping Center, Shun Fat Supermarket, and soon a larger Hong Phat Food Center planned for the former Walmart location on SE 82nd Avenue.
New 99 Ranch Market location during construction
This 99 Ranch Market location is months away from opening. Crews have yet to begin interior work that will shape the store’s retail isles, bakeries, and onsite kitchen. Grocery stores, aside from the food preparation and storage areas, are often modular and assemble quickly. Expect to see more updates later this year as work nears completion.
May 2024 Update: Crews completed the storefront upgrades and divided the space with room for three smaller tenants to share the frontage. Work is paused at the moment waiting internal construction.
June 2024 Update: People representing the shopping complex’s property management estimate an early 2025 opening of this 99 Ranch Market location.
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On Monday, January 22nd, crews working along SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue installed rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) to aid pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the busy road. Recently, technicians installed RRFB signals mounted to new light poles located one block over on SE Washington Street. This work is part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, which is nearing completion after a year of work.
Crews placed the four RRFB mounting poles on the sidewalk in alignment with SE 80th Avenue’s western crosswalk. Pedestrians and bike riders have separate signal request buttons at these intersections. Cyclists can use buttons mounted on short poles at the curb’s edge, allowing people to activate the flashing lights without dismounting from their bikes. Users traveling on the sidewalk can press buttons mounted near the curb ramp.
Engineers working on the Greenway project implemented extra safety enhancements to the SE Washington Street crossing. In addition to RRFB signals, new pedestrian scale lamp posts will illuminate people waiting to cross at SE 80th Avenue. These lights take the place of the plain metal poles often used for mounting signal hardware. The black powder-coated pole is wider and features a decorative shade placed at a height intended to brighten the sidewalk. Most street lighting in East Portland focuses on illuminating the road surface, often leaving pedestrians in the shadows until they cross. The new lighting on SE Washington Street should make people visible before they exit the sidewalk zone. This lighting upgrade is critical for this intersection because SE Washington is darker than SE Stark Street without the added lights from active businesses.
Crews have not yet activated the RRFBs at both intersections. Electricians must finish connecting the equipment through the underground conduit installed earlier in the project. Until then, pedestrians and cyclists should continue to use extreme caution at these intersections, mainly because they lack high-visibility crosswalk markings and drivers often fail to yield. Look for work on the safer crossing to continue over the coming weeks.
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Crews working for NW Natural Gas closed SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue this week as they service underground utilities. During this project, traffic cones and flaggers also reduced travel lanes on SE 82nd Avenue as crews operated in the active roadway. The open-trench work comes ahead of more substantial improvements to the protected pedestrian crossing at this intersection.
The 82nd Avenue crossing at SE Ash Street currently has a single pedestrian refuge island at the south crossing. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will replace that older infrastructure with a larger raised median that contains space for street trees or other plantings. This mid-street structure will have cutouts for at-grade pedestrian crossings from both corners of SE Ash Street, but it will prevent automotive through traffic and left turns.
PBOT provided design document
Because this project will impact future underground access and require reconstruction of the sidewalk corners, all subterranean service work needs to occur before paving crews complete the above-ground work. Expect continued construction in this area as various crews come through this intersection to work on their part of the larger project.
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