Category: Construction

Community, Construction, New Residence

PCC SE Campus Affordable Housing Meeting

On November 15th, Bora Architecture & Interiors will host an online meeting regarding the construction of affordable housing on the southwest corner of Portland Community College’s Montavilla campus. This project at 7705 SE Division Street will create 124 apartments contained in a four-story “H” shaped building. The development has space for 33 off-street parking stalls to the north of the building.

Our Just Future, formerly Human Solutions, will develop this housing project in partnership with APANO and Edlen & Co. Preliminary plans show the building massed towards SE Division Street with a green buffer zone along SE 77th Avenue. Apartments should range in size from studio units to three-bedroom family residences. All units are designated affordable and open to people outside the PCC student body.

Image courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors

In 2021, Portland Community College (PCC) applied to the City of Portland for Early Assistance on this housing project. PCC acquired the property from the German American Society in May 2010. Kaiser Permanente maintained a lease for the one-story building on the site until 2014. Midway through 2015, PCC began the process of demolishing the building and adding vehicle stalls to the existing parking lot. The area currently serves as auxiliary parking for the college and extended green space for the campus.

Image courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors

Tonight’s meeting will allow community members to learn more about the project and ask questions. People can attend the Zoom meeting via a computer or smartphone and by calling in with a standard phone. The one-hour gathering starts at 6 p.m. Connection details are at the Montavilla Neighborhood Association website.

By

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure

Reconstruction of SE 82nd and Ash

On November 13th, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began constructing six enhanced pedestrian crossings along 82nd Avenue. During this work, crews will reconstruct the intersection at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street with a traffic-diverting raised median and pedestrian crossing signal lights. This Montavilla-based portion of the project will also improve stormwater management and add additional street lighting.

Demolition crews will remove an existing pedestrian refuge island installed on this intersection’s south crossing seven years ago. A 250-foot raised median along SE 82nd Avenue will replace it, creating a safe midway space for pedestrians using the north and south crosswalks. The center median will prohibit vehicles from turning left at the intersection and prevent through traffic on SE Ash Street. PBOT will install a signal mast on the southwest corner to hang Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) over the southern crosswalk.

Existing pedestrian refuge island (photo by Jacob Loeb)

Intersection design documents show space for five median-planted street trees or other foliage and space for additional street lights. Several high-capacity curb inlet storm drains will accompany new in-street catch basins, mitigating the flooding problems that often occur in the roadway. This work has several minor expansions of the public Right of Way into the adjacent properties, allowing sufficient pedestrian space at the reconstructed sidewalk corners, each featuring new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps. The north and south crossings will receive high-visibility crosswalk markings, calling driver attention to the higher likelihood of pedestrian use.

PBOT provided design document

Business access will remain mostly unchanged except when traveling on SE Ash Street. However, crossing five lanes of traffic on Ash often required long waits or risky maneuvers. PBOT will remove around two parking spaces SE Ash at the northeast and southwest corners. This curbside parking reduction provides additional space for vehicles turning into and off SE Ash while improving visibility.

As part of this 18-month-long project, PBOT is also updating crosswalks on 82nd Avenue at NE Beech, NE Klickitat, NE Schuyler, SE Clinton, and SE Schiller streets. Many of these pedestrian safety enhancements are part of the 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes funded during the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT. Work on these intersections will occur at different times over several months. TriMet 72 bus line riders should check for service alerts as construction will temporarily affect some stops. Drivers should anticipate lane closures while crews work in the roadway or along the edge of the street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Main article image courtesy PBOT

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Construction, Infrastructure

New SE Washington Signal at 86th Ave

Over the last few weeks, crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) installed electrical conduit and signal pole mounting hardware on SE Washington Street at SE 86th Avenue. In the next phase of this project, cement masons will patch the sidewalk removed for conduit trench work. Then, workers will install traffic signal poles and equipment to support the new pedestrian and bicycle crossing infrastructure.

Electrical conduit and signal pole mounting hardware

This intersection is part of Portland’s bikeway network and a frequently used route to several parks and schools. A decade ago, SE Stark Street received similar safety enhancements at 86th Avenue. At that intersection, road crews installed a raised median that acts as a pedestrian refuge island and traffic diverter. Cutouts for bicycles allow for two-wheeled north-south travel while preventing cars from crossing SE Stark Street. SE Stark and Washington Streets are part of a one-way couplet that supports similar traffic levels, making this work a high priority for the transportation bureau.

PBOT provide intersection design document MV News added red dots are signal request buttons

Unlike the SE Stark improvements, the SE Washington Street design will not prevent cross-traffic on SE 86th Avenue. Instead, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) will activate when a pedestrian or bike rider presses a button to request the signal. PBOT will mount the flashing beacons at the sides of SE Washington to alert eastbound drivers. Each sidewalk corner will have a button to activate the RRFB mounted at pedestrian height near the curb ramps. Two additional controls are placed at the curb’s edge so cyclists can start the flashing beacons without dismounting from their bikes. Traffic engineers positioned signal activation hardware on the right side of the road near the intersection for both north and southbound cyclists, allowing them to pull over just a few feet to press the button.

Design documents indicate painters will install green striped bike-crossing markings next to this intersection’s existing high visibility crosswalk. Additional street lighting infill is also part of the intersection design, making this heavily tree-covered area safer at night. This signal work is part of a larger project constructing traffic signals and adding streetlights across the city. Crews are already ahead of the posted schedule for this project. Work may slow down during the winter months. However, if the pace continues, PBOT could complete this crossing before the announced summer 2024 timeframe.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

Corner Reconstruction Along SE 92nd Ave at Yamhill

Soon, road crews will demolish the existing sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Ave at SE Yamhill Street and reconstruct them with improved curb ramps. The current crossing infrastructure no longer complies with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) design standards and is in poor condition. Work on this project will also allow for improved stormwater management.

Over the last two years, crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have updated many sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Avenue near Berrydale Park and the adjacent Portland Public School campus. PBOT prioritizes projects along school routes as those projects often receive dedicated funding, and the city’s transportation bureau must reconstruct a set number of non-ADA-compliant sidewalk corners yearly to meet the 2018 Curb Ramp Consent Decree requirements. 

As work progresses, SE 92nd Avenue will eventually become universally accessible to all pedestrians traveling from SE Stark to SE Division Street. Look for crews to begin demolition at the intersection within the next few weeks and continue work through the end of the year. Partial lane closures could be necessary as equipment operates at the road’s edge. Pedestrians may need to cross the street to avoid sidewalk detours.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Update: This article was updated with a new link to Consent Decree information.

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Construction, New Residence, Property Sale

SE Washington Duplex

This summer, Ernie Jette Construction purchased the standard-width lot previously attached to 8605 SE Washington Street. Now, the housing developer intends to construct a duplex on the property. These two-story homes join other modern housing projects on this block on several undeveloped parcels.

Image from Portland Maps with MV News labeling

The proposed homes at 8627 SE Washington Street and 8631 SE Washington Street will replace a somewhat overgrown side yard for the 1914-era corner house. Although used by the adjacent home, the vacant lot remained an independent parcel with its own property tax number. That allowed for a separate sale without requiring a land division. An alleyway offers vehicle access to the back of the property. However, the building permit application does not feature attached onsite vehicle storage.

2129 E. Washington later renumbered 8605 SE Washington from Sand born Maps 1924

City staff are reviewing the permit applications, and construction is unlikely to begin until 2024. This builder recently completed four townhomes on SE Yamhill Street and has worked on other projects in the neighborhood. Look for work to start next year after plan inspectors approve the project.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence

NE 74th Middle Housing Land Division

On October 25th, the owners of 34 NE 74th Avenue split their lot through a Middle Housing Land Division, creating space for the new two-story home with an attached garage under construction. The three-bedroom house will sit on the back third of the property, accessible by an existing driveway that once led to a now-demolished detached garage. At 1,500 square feet, the new home is nearly 400 square feet larger than the original 1921-era home that will remain on the front lot.

34 NE 74th Avenue site map from Land Use Notice of Decision LU 23-079716 MLDP

This development shares similarities with many infill Flag-Lot housing projects seen throughout Portland. With those types of L-shaped land divisions, two property line adjustments carve out the back portion of a traditional lot and create street access. In this case, the property owners proposed dividing this single parcel as a detached duplex using the Middle Housing Land Division process, resulting in each unit residing on its individual lots. This process has similar results as the older Flag-Lot process but requires fewer lot line adjustments and allows for a more straightforward easement process for shared utility access. If the rear house did not offer onsite parking, they could have divided the property without direct sidewalk access and used a walkway easement. Land division speed and flexibility are primary features touted in the Residential Infill Project – Part 2 (RIP2) updates enacted on June 30th, 2022.

The new home under construction at 94 NE 74th Avenue features an open main floor plan with a half-bathroom on the 1st floor. The Second floor has two bedrooms that share a full bathroom. The owner’s suite has an attached ensuite and walk-in closet. A second-floor flex spaced contains the laundry area with room for an entertainment center and access to a balcony shared by the owner’s suite.

This project adds a large family home behind a 100-year-old house without disrupting the street’s character. According to the site plan, crews will remove one tree during construction and fully rebuild the driveway. Look for work to continue at this property into 2024.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, New Residence

Triple the Housing on NE 71st

The owners of 1003 NE 71st Avenue plan to triple the housing density at this 1951-era property while retaining the original home. They recently applied for a Middle Housing Land Division, creating three parcels. Demolition crews have already removed a free-standing garage to make way for the two new single-family residences.

1003 NE 71st Ave seen with garage before demolition

The site’s new layout will use a cottage cluster arrangement, with Parcel 3 occupying the back third of the original lot. Developers centered Parcel 2 on the northern property line, extending 26 feet across the lot’s 45-foot width. Pedestrian access and utilities will route to each new two-story home through a doglegged private easement pathway that passes the existing house on Parcel 1 to the north and then cuts across the lot’s width to pass Parcel 2 on its south side. All properties will share a drywell for rainwater management.

Land division map from application

Cottage clusters became permissible in July 2022 as part of the Residential Infill Project 2 (RIP2) after Portland’s City Council adopted the zoning code changes. Homes do not need direct street access or a private road leading to the lots. All pedestrian access comes from easements, and residents share open space between the properties. This configuration creates an environment where more residences can populate a neighborhood without requiring the demolition of existing homes. Additionally, the new smaller houses are individual real estate, allowing people access to a more affordable entry point to home ownership.

Project managers submitted building permits months before the land division application so construction could proceed before officials separate the parcels. However, RIP2 expedited the land division process to increase homeownership options for middle housing. Look for construction to begin as soon as the city approves the building permits.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, New Residence

NE 74th Townhomes Underway

Cement masons recently completed foundation work on four townhomes under construction along NE 74th Avenue near NE Glisan Street. In January, demolition crews deconstructed the 100-year-old single-family residence at 423 NE 74th Avenue, making way for these new homes. The street-facing unit spans the building’s frontage with a full-width porch, making the development look like a large house.

This townhome development is located just south of the Mt Tabor Villas apartment building that opened in 2020 and across the street from the Glisan Landing affordable housing project under construction. Multifamily housing is already well-defined on this street, and this builder could have displayed the density without seeming out of place. However, the design of this two-story building should blend in with the single-family homes on the block. The front of the structure features a symmetric design with a walkway leading to the centered front door. The three other homes are accessed from a side-yard walkway and will remain mostly hidden from passersby.

Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations

The three back units all feature identical floor plans with an open first-floor layout. The kitchen at the back of the main level features a wrap-around counter, creating some separation between the Dining/Living Room areas. A powder room is tucked under the staircase leading up to the second floor. Designers placed two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a laundry closet on the top level. One of the bathrooms is hallway accessible, and the other is reserved as an ensuite.

Deconstruction of 100-year-old single-family residence at 423 NE 74th Avenue

The front unit shares mostly the same arrangement. However, its first floor has a larger half-bath and a more defined Living Room area. In addition to having a four-by-thirty-foot front porch, it offers residents 100 more square feet of living space.

Expect construction at this site to continue through the year’s end, with completion likely in early 2024. Onsite parking is not planned for this development, making these homes best suited for families using transit or other driving alternatives. Street parking on this block is limited based on its current configuration.

New Townhome addresses

  • 451 NE 74th Avenue
  • 453 NE 74th Avenue
  • 455 NE 74th Avenue
  • 457 NE 74th Avenue

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Construction, Crime, Infrastructure

Traffic Citation Cameras Coming to Montavilla

On October 5th, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced plans to install at least eight additional traffic cameras by the end of 2023. Program planners expect to add up to 12 more cameras next year that are currently in the design phase. Three of those possible 2024 additions are located in Montavilla along 82nd Avenue.

PBOT already has 20 cameras in Portland issuing citations or warnings in an effort to curb high traffic injuries and reckless vehicle operation. Contractors are mounting speed safety cameras to poles, targeting motorists traveling in a specific direction. These types of systems encourage safe driving, similar to the speed warning signs installed in the area at the beginning of the year, but with a hefty fine sent to those who do not adjust their behavior. These crews will also install intersection safety cameras to enforce both speed limits and red-light compliance. Those are the types of citation infrastructure planned for Montavilla.

Next year, road users could see new cameras watching two intersections in the neighborhood. Plans are underway to monitor southbound traffic at E Burnside Street and SE 82nd Avenue for vehicles running red lights and speeding. PBOT plans to install similar devices at NE Glisan Street and 82nd Avenue. Those would focus on traffic traveling northbound and westbound. PBOT intends to add several more camera locations north of Montavilla along 82nd Avenue and east on SE Stark Street. A complete list of cameras is available on the city’s Vision-Zero website with other project details.

Illustration courtesy PBOT

This expanded program is part of PBOT’s commitment to using the various tools available to reduce traffic fatalities. Although fines generate revenue, PBOT explained that Oregon law directs about 70% of the net income from automated citations to the State, funding the Criminal Fine Account. The speed camera enforcement program has not generated revenue for PBOT since it began seven years ago. Portland retained fines currently paid for installing and operating the cameras. The city is required to spend any future earnings from this automated citation system on traffic safety programs or improvements and will not help with PBOT’s $32 million budget shortfall.

Camera citations are not the only solution needed for safer streets. However, a majority of surveyed Portland residents support the expanded use of traffic cameras. Not only can they incentivize better driving in certain areas, but they can also reduce the need for traffic stops by the Police, which can be dangerous for both the officer and driver. Expect to see this program expand over the next few years and look for signage ahead of all speed safety cameras. At first, drivers will receive warnings from the new cameras, but soon after, the Portland Police Bureau will issue citations from $170 to $440 for speeding and a $265 fine when running a red light.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

Weekend I-84 Closure at I-205

This weekend, crews working on the TriMet A Better Red project will close Interstate 84 in both directions near the Interstate 205 junction. Starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, October 6th, drivers must use an alternate route to bypass the freeway closure. The disruption will last through the weekend, reopening at 5 a.m. on Monday, October 9th.

The closure allows TriMet crews working over the freeway to remove protective wood decking added to a new rail bridge during previous concrete pours. As construction nears completion on the MAX Red Line rail expansion project, these temporary platforms are no longer needed. TriMet representative Tyler Graf explained that crews will work near the roadway and perform work above it, causing a potential safety hazard. Out of concern for drivers and workers, it is necessary to close the freeway.

TriMet’s A Better Red project impacts multiple locations in the Portland Metro area, extending the MAX Red Line west to serve ten more stations and improving schedule reliability by adding tracks where the system currently uses shared single tracks for bidirectional travel. This portion of the project completes a second freeway overpass that will create a dedicated southbound light-rail path. Until this point, light-rail traffic on this segment needed to wait for a single track to clear of opposing trains before proceeding, causing systemwide delays. This new bridge also features a multi-use path that leads to the south entrance of the Gateway Green bike park.

Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations. Red Line shows I-84 East Bypass. Blue Line shows I-84 West Bypass.

During the closure, Westbound I-84 drivers should use the I-205 South exit and then merge back onto I-84 West. Eastbound I-84 Drivers can use the I-205 South / NE Glisan Street exit and then travel east on NE Glisan to NE 122nd Avenue. Turn left onto northbound 122nd and then use the I-84 East onramp. Drivers should plan for delays, and TriMet encourages motorists to use TripCheck.com for real-time traffic information.

Some decking already removed showing the bridge’s finished edge

This weekend’s disruption should be the last I-84 closure related to TriMet’s A Better Red project. Several months of additional work are needed before the new rail infrastructure is ready for use. However, this marks a significant milestone in the project and signals that the Max Red Line will likely reopen on schedule. Since June 18th, TriMet has suspended MAX Red Line service from the Gateway Transit Center to the Portland International Airport (PDX). Riders have relied on shuttle buses to fill in the gap in service. However, that segment should reopen on October 21st, 2023. 

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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