Article update originally published September 28th, 2021
Work is starting to shift forward on the development located at 717 NE 93rd Ave. In February of this year, crews completed foundation work on the three-story residence situated at the back of the property. Now, the back home is nearly complete, and work is beginning on the front house. Both detached structures will share a single lot.
Original article published February 3rd, 2021
The foundation is complete for a three-story home located at 717 NE 93rd Ave. It is the first of two houses planned for this unconventional lot. The new structure sits at the wider back portion of the lot and shifts north towards the property line. Construction vehicle access dictates the back building must proceed ahead of the front structure on this tightly packed development.
The project proposed a year ago will host two detached houses. The back home is a three-bedroom, two and a half bathroom structure. Being accessible only by a walkway along the north property line, the house will not offer any onsite parking. Although being a secondary dwelling, it has many desirable features. The entire third floor is a master suite, and the main floor maximizes the limited space in an open floorplan.
When completed, the front unit will feature an attached garage and four bedrooms. It has two full bathrooms and two half bathrooms. As with the back building, this unit also spans three-stories, with its main floor on the second level. Another distinct feature is the position of the fourth bedroom on the ground floor. That room has both an interior and exterior entrance. A small half bathroom next to the bedroom provides some limited autonomy from the rest of the house. This extra bedroom would be an ideal home office for someone needing to see the occasional client.
Addressed as 713 NE 93rd Ave, the front house will span 20 of the 30-foot wide property frontage. For ease of construction, the back house must complete framing before the front house blocks truck access. Although progressing slowly, this project now seems to be moving forward at a faster pace. When completed, it will create a unique property that has built-in rental revenue for the owner.
March 2020
By
Jacob Loeb
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SE 82nd Avenue may soon have a new food cart pod near the popular SE Stark commercial area. A recent Early Assistance application revealed plans for the large corner property on SE 82nd Avenue at SE Ash Street. The new owner of 218 SE 82nd Avenue wants to demolish the existing Recreational Vehicle (RV) sales buildings and construct a food cart pod with an overhead canopy structure and other amenities.
B&U Properties bought the corner lot used by Budget RV Center in November of 2021. The same Limited Liability Company had recently acquired three lots adjacent to the RV sales property in June of 2021. B&U Properties is owned by Uday Seelam, who previously operated a food cart business and has experience in the food service industry.
The combined site owned by B&U Properties is 260 feet long and 100 feet deep, making it a sizable dining venue with space for parking and dozens of food carts. The proposal for the site includes adding water and sewer services to support the food carts, along with a shared trash enclosure. Crews will reconstruct the existing commercial driveway and add a pedestrian entrance from SE 82nd Avenue. They will also provide modular bathrooms on site, similar to the facilities installed at The Yard at Montavilla food cart pod.
This new food cart pod would be Montavilla’s second culinary collective opened in the last few years. The Yard at Montavilla greeted guests a year ago, just two blocks to the north. One month before the Yard’s grand opening, the Collective Oregon Eateries (CORE) at 3612 SE 82nd Avenue opened near SE Powell Blvd. If approved, this new pod could create a competitive marketplace for food cart operators seeking favorable rent while remaining in the same vicinity. This project is in the early stages of development and will likely not begin construction until sometime in 2023.
By
Jacob Loeb
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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.
800 E. Glisan Sanborn Map 1909
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.
1834 E Glisan Sanborn Map 1928
Framing removed from 7132 NE Glisan Street
By
Jacob Loeb
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The new owners of 811 NE 92nd Avenue recently proposed splitting the corner lot into three parcels. An existing house built in 1925 will remain on the property contained within a 3,417 square foot lot. The property line adjustments will create a full-sized lot fronted on NE Oregon Street with 4,455 square feet. A small 2,103 square foot lot proposed north of the existing house formerly housed a detached garage. Demolition crews removed that structure, leaving only a foundation wall and concrete slab.
Although these property line adjustments will make space for several new homes, the developers have not filed permit applications for additional work. The owners of this property have taken care to retain the nearly 100-year-old home while making use of the underdeveloped property. The site slopes to the northwest but is otherwise ideal for additional housing. After the City approves the proposed land division, expect to see building permit applications within the next six to twelve months.
View of Parcel 1
Sanborn Map 1928, showing homes original address of 195 E 92nd Street N
View of Parcel 3
By
Jacob Loeb
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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.
By
Jacob Loeb
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This week, the owner of 1818 SE 82nd Avenue listed the 0.77-acre property for sale. Currently the home of Portland RV, the auto sales lot, sits at the southeast corner of SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street. The adjacent intersection recently received updated traffic control lights, new sidewalk corners, and improved multimodal access to Bridger School through the SE 80th and Mill LID.
SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street 1934. Portland Archives
A 3,768 square-foot 1964-era sales office with an attached five-bay maintenance shop is the only structure on the site. The property is completely fenced and paved. A new owner of this location will have over 400 feet of street frontage split along SE Mill Street and SE 82nd Avenue. The property can easily remain an automotive sales location or serve some other commercial use. However, its proximity to two public schools, a city park, and the Portland Community College Southeast campus would make it an ideal location for mixed residential and business development.
Groups interested in purchasing the property should contact Joe Kappler with Macadam Forbes at 503-972-7294 or joek@macadamforbes.com. More information on the site is available within the real estate flyer.
By
Jacob Loeb
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The owner of 8502-8504 SE Stark Street recently listed the property for sale. The multi-story building currently houses Unicorn Jiu Jitsu, Sanctuary Tattoo & Piercing, and one other tenant. Businesses in the building likely will remain at the location beyond the building’s sale.
The property contains two attached structures. A previous owner completed construction on the street-facing two-story building in 2004, while the original building dates back to 1922. First built as a two-and-a-half-story home, the property later featured a single-story office addition, constructed in 1962. All structures now interconnect to offer 4,128 square feet of office and retail space.
1962 plumbing permit showing new one-story office building
The current owner of the building, Base Line Properties, bought the location from Forbidden Body Art in 2018. Prior to that, the building housed DMS Electric and Dynamic Lighting. The site contains a paved parking lot with alley and street access. Other financial benefits to the property are listed in the real estate flyer.
1924 Sanborn map showing 2110 E Stark Street, the original address of the property
Commercial properties often take longer to sell than residential properties. However, this property could attract interested investors as a fully occupied building and find a new owner within a few months. Contact Cole Peterson with Windermere Community Commercial Realty at 503-319-4267 or GrahamColePeterson@gmail.com to learn more or make an offer.
By
Jacob Loeb
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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.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Update (March 28, 2022)- The Willamette Week published an article revealing that Mall 205’s new owners intend to renovate the interior shopping space and asked tenants to move out by the end of the month. Target and Home Depot, having already closed off their stores from the Mall portion of the building, should not suffer any disruption by this change. Many other small tenants are scrambling to find new retail locations, with some moving to Lloyd Center. Renovation plans are not yet known. However, the article references a plan to divide the traditional mall space between two new tenants.
This purchase is the buyer’s second commercial property acquisition in Portland. Last summer, Rhino Investments Group bought the shopping complex Powell Villa located at 3510-3544 SE 122nd Avenue. Both retail properties are of a similar age with high occupancy rates. Although somewhat popular during their first few decades, each shopping center has declined due to competition from newer retail destinations.
Mall 205 opened in September 1970 and maintained consistent operation until the turn of the century, when it began losing big-name stores. At that point, the mall refreshed its anchors with Home Depot and Target. In July 2014, Gerrity Group bought the property for $76.5 million. That purchase price included the Plaza 205 development across SE 96th Avenue from Mall 205.
1996 Plan for Mall 205 showing shops at the time
Despite the new high-traffic anchor stores, shops inside the mall struggled to find success, with Bed Bath & Beyond recently closing its doors. Rhino Investments Group’s involvement in Mall 205 could induce the improvements this location has needed for years. The new owners likely plan new developments at the site to increase the property’s value and generate a return on their investment. That work should create a better shopping environment and a more appealing complex.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Last Thursday, Elizabeth Guerrero and David Doyle finalized their purchase of the historic Taylor Court Grocery property. The pair own the La Osita PDX food cart located on 122nd Avenue near Market street. After renovating their newly acquired storefront at 1135 SE 80th Avenue, they will sell the cart and relocate their Mexican restaurant and coffee house to the Montavilla location.
La Osita PDX opened in a small food cart in January of 2018 after Guerrero and Doyle noticed a lack of a good breakfast location near their home in east Portland. The partners bought the cart from a friend and found space on 122nd in the parking lot of the Plaza 122 building. Combining a shared food service background and recipes inspired by Elizabeth Guerrero’s Mexican heritage, the partners brought Coffee and their unique brunch/lunch menu to an underserved area.
At first, the parking lot space was ill-equipped for carts, and they had to run their operation from a generator secured in a nearby cage. The location received strong community support, and business picked up throughout the year. However, before making their first anniversary, someone stole the generator and shut down the business. Fortunately, the building owners saw the value in the cart’s continued operation and allowed the installation of a dedicated electrical hookup.
Original cart Image courtesy La Osita PDX
Business continued to grow, and they eventually upgraded to a larger cart. Unfortunately, the theft of critical equipment continued, prompting the group to consider a more permanent solution and give up the cart life. “Being a cart in Portland is kind of a bummer. You’re really exposed, and people think nothing of just stealing whatever they can off your cart that’s critical to opening up your store each day,” explained David Doyle.
Doyle expressed that remaining in their current community was a primary goal for the move. “A lot of the businesses on [122nd Avenue] come for lunch, and that’s a big part of the business.” However, searching for a suitable small brick-and-mortar location near the cart proved challenging for Guerrero and Doyle. An expanded search surfaced the Taylor Court Grocery, and they instantly saw the potential in the 100-year-old retail space. Although three miles from the original location, they hope customers will follow them to SE 80th Avenue.
In December, Guerrero and Doyle applied for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan and worked through the challenging process of acquiring the Montavilla property. The deal includes both the storefront and single-family home on a shared lot. To make the finances work, the new owners will need to rent out the house on the property. They are considering many options, including a childcare facility.
The grocery store building will require substantial renovations to transition into a restaurant. It will start with some sizeable deferred maintenance projects. “The storefront, we just wanna get it stable,” said Doyle. “We don’t know the extent of damage, but it looks like the roof needs a repair or replacement.” Once crews repair the outer shell, work will focus on the inside of the building. Contractors will add a commercial kitchen to the back of the building and an ADA-compliant bathroom. The new owners expect a large number of customers will take their meals to go. Consequentially, they will use a counter-service layout for the restaurant with customer seating upfront.
Guerrero and Doyle plan to refresh the street-facing appearance of the storefront but maintain the historic appearance, including the Taylor Ct Grocery sign. “We love that sign. It almost feels like a shame to cover up the Taylor Court grocery part of it, but we’re thinking we’re going to refinish it,” said Doyle. After repairing and weatherizing the sign, they will repaint it with the restaurant’s name but maintain its original shape.
Image courtesy La Osita PDX
La Osita PDX offers an extensive menu from the cart, and the team does not feel they are missing many options. However, staff will grow the selection slightly after the move while keeping all of the favorite to-go friendly dishes. Guerrero plans to add Aguas Frescas and horchata to the drink offerings, with traditional Mexican pastries to balance out the savory options. Elizabeth Guerrero and her sister Maria Guerrero run the restaurant, with Maria playing a critical component in kitchen operations. They both are thrilled to move out of the cart and into the larger space. With the number of customers they serve and the size of the menu, space was always the constraining factor for La Osita PDX.
Much like the previous owners of Taylor Court Grocery, Mel Hafsos and Errol Carlson, La Osita PDX is a family business wanting to serve the community. Look for construction to begin within the next few months and check for updates on the company’s Instagram page. Until the restaurant opens later this year, Elizabeth Guerrero and David Doyle encourage you to visit the cart on 122nd Avenue to explore the menu.
By
Jacob Loeb
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