Category: Demolition

Demolition, History, New Residence, Property Sale July 24, 2022December 6, 2023

1905 House Deconstruction on NE Glisan

The new owner of 7132 NE Glisan Street intends to deconstruct the house and detached shed to make way for a future housing development. DEZ Development bought the corner lot in late May and applied for a demolition permit earlier this month. Designers are currently working on plans for the replacement housing coming to this site.

When approved, demolition crews will clear the lot of all structures and fill the basement cavity. Although most buildings near this property are business-oriented, DEZ Development is committed to building housing at this location. Realtors had listed the hundred-year-old home as a fixer-up-er, and interior pictures of the house indicate significant neglect. Previous owners of the 1,568-square-foot home failed to upgrade or maintain the structure over its many years.

When constructed in 1905, the home had an address of 800 E. Glisan. By 1920, it was renumbered to 1834 East Glisan and owned by R. S. Wildemuth. The owner and his home were featured in an advertisement for Sibloco Pipeless Furnace in The Oregon daily journal of October 31st, 1920. This home changed to its current address after the Great Portland Renumbering in the early 1930s.

NE Glisan Street has significantly changed since 1905. Once the lifeblood of the neighborhood, the Montavilla streetcar running down its center ended service by the 1950s. Residences along the street gave way to businesses. Automotive traffic has increased significantly since then, making Glisan an arterial roadway. However, the neighborhood is changing again with a return of housing and small businesses catering to local residents. With luck, the replacement housing built on this site will accommodate a new generation of people calling NE Glisan their home.

*_{Framing removed from 7132 NE Glisan Street}*

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Demolition, New Residence July 15, 2022March 25, 2023

Twelve Townhouses Underway on SE 86th

Last April, demolition crews deconstructed the 1947-era single-family residence at 416 SE 86th Avenue. Now, heavy equipment is clearing the property, preparing the site to host twelve townhomes. City staff issued construction permits for the new density housing on June 28th, triggering this current work.

The total volume of buildable land becomes apparent with all trees and shrubbery cleared from the property. At 88 feet wide by 111 feet deep, this lot has just enough space to construct the two structures needed to hold twelve townhomes. The developers placed the units closer to the commercial building to the south, allowing for a slightly wider buffer zone between the single-family residence to the north.

All units are two stories tall and feature dual bedrooms with attached bathrooms. The main level utilizes an open floor plan with the kitchen centered between the dining area at the front of the residence and a living room towards the back. Designers placed a small ground-floor half-bathroom under the stairs and situated the laundry closet on the second floor between the two bedrooms. All units have a partially covered patio accessed from the living room through a sizeable three-panel sliding glass door.

When completed, each townhouse will receive an evenly-numbered unique address starting with 380 SE 86th Avenue and ending with 394 SE 86th Avenue. Residents will access ten of the twelve units from a shared center walkway, with the two westward homes having front doors opening onto the street. Crews will construct a shared trash enclosure and bike barn on the property’s eastern edge.

380 SE 86th Avenue
378 SE 86th Avenue
376 SE 86th Avenue
374 SE 86th Avenue
372 SE 86th Avenue
370 SE 86th Avenue

384 SE 86th Avenue
386 SE 86th Avenue
388 SE 86th Avenue
390 SE 86th Avenue
392 SE 86th Avenue
394 SE 86th Avenue

The size of this project is not unique to the area but is indicative of the changing density in the neighborhood. It is currently unknown if townhomes like this will assist with the general affordability of housing in Portland. However, units like these are often occupied soon after construction and fit a niche in the housing market.

Update August 14th, 2022: Crews assembled concrete forms for the souther building’s foundation.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, History, New Residence, Property Sale July 11, 2022March 25, 2023

7 Townhomes Proposed on NE 73rd near Glisan

Last week, the new owners of 432 NE 73rd Avenue submitted building permit applications to construct seven new townhomes on the property. This standard 50-foot wide lot abuts an apartment building to its rear and a parking lot to the north. The new residences will replace the 1924-era single-family home, garage, and shed on the site.

Each of the seven townhomes will span two floors. A separate Site Development permit seeks to create shared walkways, landscaping, and other infrastructure for the future residents. The developer has yet to submit demolition permits for the home and detached garage. However, references to the impending deconstruction of the house are present in the other permit applications.

*1928 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street undeveloped*

The property’s existing home appears to predate its current location by 25 years. Maps from 1928 do not show any buildings at that location or the surrounding lots. Before 1928, E. 73rd Street ended north of E Glisan Street. 73rd started again south of E Stark Street. Consequently, most homes built on this segment of 73rd Avenue date back to the 1930s and 1940s. However, a plumbing permit from August 30th, 1949, indicates the owner of 432 NE 73rd Avenue relocated the structure to its current location from 320 NE 39th Avenue. The permit’s notation about the move explains the discrepancy between the map data and Portland’s official age of the home.

*1949 Plumbing Permit for 432 NE 73rd Ave*

Although past developers saved the nearly 100-year-old home once before, it now looks like its removal is needed to make way for new housing. The added density provided by the townhomes will dramatically increase the number of families living on the property, and better fit the growing density along NE Glisan. Expect demolition to occur this fall, with construction likely starting later in the year.

*1909 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street ending at E Glisan*

Update: On July 15th, the developer submitted the demolition permits for this project.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, Food and Drink, Montavilla, Renovation July 1, 2022March 25, 2023

NE 82nd and Glisan Gas Station and Market Work Underway

Last week, the Jacksons Food Store and Shell fueling station at 515 NE 82nd Avenue closed for renovations. Crews have removed gas pumps and enclosed the site with construction fencing. Demolition crews will remove the two structures on the property within the next few months. In 2020, the gas station’s owners purchased the neighboring vacant restaurant to the north. That acquisition doubles the property’s size, making room for a 4,452-square-foot convenience store.

The combined site at the northwest corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street will feature a large detached Jacksons Food Store in the center of the rectangular lot. The developers intend to construct a public plaza near the intersection with covered seating and landscaping. An updated fueling canopy and gas pumps will remain close to their current location.

Improvements to the property will trigger sidewalk reconstruction along both streets, creating wider and safer public walkways. The project designers will reposition vehicle entrances and reduce the number of crossings where pedestrians and drivers interact.

When completed, the new fueling station and store will have an address of 611 NE 82nd Avenue and occupy nearly a full acre. The building will site close to the 82nd Avenue sidewalk, allowing pedestrians to enter the store without walking through a parking lot, as previous customers once did. Designers plan parking access on the north and south sides of the convenience store.

*Site Plan as presented to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association by PM Design Group*

Soon demolition crews will begin removing the former Pizza Hut building and the existing small store. Then workers will construct the new structures, sidewalks, and plaza. Although the storefront is expanding, the fueling capacity will not dramatically increase. Look for work to continue at the site for the remainder of the year, with an expected reopening in 2023.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, History, New Residence May 23, 2022March 25, 2023

Demolition on NE Holladay Street

In March, Riverside Carpentry purchased 8225 NE Holladay Street and now plans to demolish the 100-year-old single-family residence. A second demolition permit seeks to remove the detached garage and shed simultaneously. The property is adjacent to the Don Pedro Mexican Food restaurant on 82nd Avenue and outside the residential section of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan Map. Consequentially, the permits are not subject to a 35-Day Demolition Delay.

In the early 1900s, the property housed a small cottage on the land with an original address of 2049 Holladay Ave. Ivan Swift purchased that home sometime after 1911. According to the Sunday Oregonian, the Swift family celebrated the birth of their daughter at that home on September 5th, 1918. Sometime late in the 1920s, the Swifts updated the house, installing a sewer line and running water.

*2049 East Holladay Ave Sanborn Maps 1924*

The two-bedroom, one bathroom, 489-square-foot home’s real estate listing shows very few updates over its 100 years. However, it has received at least one addition at the back of the building, expanding the structure. The property is now zoned Commercial Mixed Use 2 and could support a variety of medium-scale redevelopment. Projects in this zone generally support four stories, except in locations where bonuses allow up to five levels and offer a mixed commercial and residential use.

Expect demolition crews onsite in the next few months. Workers will also remove the driveway’s curb cut, cap the sewer, and fill the basement cavity. Look for updates when the developer submits building permits for the replacement structure.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, New Residence May 20, 2022March 25, 2023

Three Townhouses on SE 93rd

This week Sunstone Homes submitted permit applications to construct three townhouses near SE Division Street and Interstate 205. The proposed townhouses will each contain four bedrooms and an attached single-car garage. Demolition crews will remove the existing 1944-era single-family home at 2421 SE 93rd Avenue to make room for the new two-story units.

The 63-by-75-foot lot has enough room to comfortably support the proposed homes, each with 1500 square feet of living space. The designers will provide two full bathrooms and one half-bath for each townhouse.

SE 93rd Avenue ends in a cul-de-sac near SE Division street, but pedestrians have access to the adjacent Division TriMet FX bus line. That express transit system starts service in September. Additionally, the I205 Multi-use-path is across the street from this property, making these homes the ideal location for commuters regardless of their chosen mode of transportation.

Over the last five years, this block has seen substantial redevelopment. The pandemic delayed some of the larger projects. However, this recent proposal indicates that this area will continue to develop with denser housing options. If approved, expect work to begin at the end of the year or sometime in 2023.

Jacob Loeb

Demolition, History May 14, 2022March 25, 2023

Deconstruction of 1900 Era House on NE 75th

The new owners of 319 NE 75th Avenue recently filed for a demolition permit to deconstruct the 122-year-old home. The dwelling retained some of its original design through several remodels but has suffered from neglect more recently.

In March of this year, Everett Custom Homes bought the property and requested permission to clear the land the following month. The permit application seeks to demolish the single-family residence and attached garage. Crews will fill in the basement cavity, break up the driveway, and remove the curb cut leading onto NE 75th Avenue. The developer’s post-demolition plans for the site are not yet public. However, removing the curb cut and driveway could indicate a planned multifamily use of the property that does not support onsite parking.

This property resides on the same block as the 137 unit 74th and Glisan affordable housing project, scheduled to begin construction next year. The area already supports many multi-unit buildings, and redevelopment of smaller homes is likely to continue in this vicinity.

*87 (formally 411) East 75th Street North, Sanborn Map from 1924.*

When constructed in 1900, the original dwelling was a modest single-story home with a basement. Over its first three decades, the City changed the house’s address two times. The building’s first address of 411 East 75th Street North was updated sometime after Portland annexed Montavilla in 1906. The house number changed from 411 to 87. Then Portland’s Great Renumbering of 1931-1933 changes the address again to its current designation. The Sunday Oregonian for May 27, 1917, notes that an early owner of the home, Mrs. E. A. Beals, was active within the community. As a Daughters of the American Revolution member, she was the featured speaker for the Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) event held at the Montavilla School.

Although this bungalow has many admirable characteristics, the listing photos for the property indicate previous owners had not updated the house over the years. If the new owners had opted to restore the house, it would likely have taken a significant investment and required reducing the habitable space. The demolition permit is pending the completion of a 35-day appeal period. That delay window ends at 4:30 p.m. on May 31. Starting next month, demolition crews can begin removing the structures and preparing the land for a new project.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, History, New Residence, Property Sale, Renovation April 10, 2022March 25, 2023

Two Townhomes Join 1925 House

The new owners of a 1925 era home at 400 NE 91st Avenue recently demolished a detached garage on the property, making way for two new townhomes. The 100-foot by 100-foot wide lot is across NE 91st Avenue from Columbia Christian School and abutting the campus’s northeast parking lot. Crews will remodel the original home during the site’s redevelopment.

*Google Maps view of 400 NE 91st Avenue*

The 1,328 square foot building at the site is part of the original four dwellings built on this block nearly a century ago. The single-story home wore the address of 102 East 91st Street N before Portland’s Great Renumbering of 1931-1933. The removed garage was not original to the property.

*1928 Sanborn Map – 102 East 91st Street N*

FX Homes bought this site in October of 2021. They now propose the construction of two single-story townhomes on the southern half of the property. The low-slung scope of the development will match the stature of surrounding homes in the area. Houses on this segment of NE 91st Ave are effectively situated within the Columbia Christian School campus, creating a unique residential atmosphere with street activities tied closely to the school’s schedule.

Although early in the process, redevelopment of this site appears to take queues from the existing architecture in the area and respect the scale of the neighboring properties. By retaining a classic Portland home, the developers should appease preservationists while adding more housing to the neighborhood. Look for increased construction work at this site later in the year and the creation of two new homes.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Demolition, New Residence, View of Montavilla March 15, 2022March 25, 2023

New Townhouses on Burnside

Update June 27th, 2022 – Construction crews are wrapping up work on a three townhome project at 7424 E Burnside Street. The two-story multi-family development replaced a single-family home while retaining a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) built at the west edge of the lot.

Update March 15th, 2022 – Framing crews have completed work on the three townhomes currently under construction at 7424 E Burnside Street. The unit to the west features a steep gable roof similar in pitch to the neighboring accessory dwelling unit built in 2018. The other two homes share a low slop roof edged by a parapet.

Workers will next seal the two-story building from the elements with a roof system, windows, and siding. After that work completes, tradespeople will focus on the interior with the project’s expected completion later this year.

Update October 19th, 2021 – Demolition crews are actively deconstructing the single-family residence at 7424 E Burnside Street. When the property is clear of the 1949 era single-story home, work will begin on three new townhomes at this site. Another detached residential building will remain on the west portion of the property. Consequentially, crews will cap shared utilities near the old foundation instead of at the sidewalk, maintaining services at the other structure during construction.

Original article published September 20th, 2021

East Burnside Street could gain three new Townhouses just west of SE 75th Ave. Developers plan to raze a 70-year-old signal family dwelling at 7424 E Burnside Street, clearing the way for three new homes. An existing accessory building will remain on the property.

Work on the project could begin next month. On October 6th, the thirty-five-day demolition hold will elapse for the existing single-story building. Once cleared, the property will be ready for further development.

Permits submitted last Friday seek to build a trio of two-story townhouses on the lot. New residents of these homes will rely on street parking and other transportation options. The limited space on the lot does not allow for the construction of garages. In 2018, the property owners constructed an accessory structure on the western edge of the lot. That building will remain, adding a 4th unit to the property.

This proposed development is possible thanks to zoning changes made this summer by the Residential Infill Project (RIP). Portland planners believe these changes will create smaller homes that are more affordable for residents. Regardless of the final price of each townhouse, the lot will soon have space for two extra families. Many supporters of RIP hopped that buildings would be added to properties and not cause excessive demolition. However, as with this project, creating housing density will require the sacrifice of some older buildings. Expect to see demolition crews at the site later in the year.

Jacob Loeb

Demolition October 4, 2021January 9, 2025

Park Picnic Shelter Demolished

Last week, demolition crews removed the picnic shelter and wading pool at Montavilla Park. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) decommissioned both structures years ago due to health and safety concerns. This recent work clears the way for constructing a new open-air building of similar size. Construction crews expect to begin that project later this Fall.

Funds for removal and reconstruction of the picnic shelter only recently became available, thanks to voters approving Measure 26-213 last November. City staff granted permits for this project in October of 2020, but pandemic-related restraints pushed back the project. Even with new levy funds secured earlier this year, PP&R could not schedule work immediately due to the substantial backlog of other work ahead of this one. However, now that work has begun, the site should transform quickly.

The deconstructed picnic shelter’s “H” configuration will be replaced by an 86-foot by 28-foot reticular covering. The new structure will feature a metal roof and have exposed wood rafters. Open gable ends, and a 23-foot high cathedral ceiling will provide ample natural light into the shelter. A stark contrast to the dark low-slung building now demolished. When completed, the area around the new structure will contain more green space and less pavement.

*_{Plan detail courtesy City of Portland}*

Expect to see construction crews onsite in the following months building the replacement picnic shelter. If PP&R can keep to their schedule, users of the park will have covered space available during the cold and damp winter season.

Jacob Loeb

Photos in this article by Weston Ruter

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