Matthew Jacobson, co-founder of Sizzle Pie, purchased a multi-building property at 7323 NE Glisan Street in August 2022. Months later, Jacobson purchased a second property on the block at the corner of NE 74th Avenue and Glisan, currently serving as the construction office for a neighboring affordable housing project. Over the last few months, a new anchor tenant in the Glisan Street frontage has reshaped the prominent space to serve as their architecture firm’s regional office, while other trades-related businesses occupy the building spaces located between NE 74th Avenue and NE 73rd Avenue.
Jacobson purchased the properties with other investors through his whimsically named companies Jackie Glisan LLC and Buford T Justice LLC. In a December 2022 interview with Montavilla News, Jacobson explained that it was a general investment in the property outside his other restaurant ventures. The popular local chain Sizzle Pie sold to Sortis Holdings several years ago, and Jacobson now only works as an employee of the organization. He remains active in other investments, including Wayfinder brewery. However, outside of possible storage space for those businesses, he had no active plans to extend those businesses to this site. Instead, Jacobson has recently focused on supporting other growing businesses by dividing the space into smaller units, including a personal office for himself.
The site’s most visible transformations will support a new tenant moving into one of the NE Glisan Street storefronts. Evident Architecture Office (EAO) has offices in Portland and Cleveland, Ohio. Owner Bill Neburka spent many years as one of the principal Architects at Works Progress Architecture, where that firm designed several distinctive buildings, including the Blackbird building on E Burnside Street. Crews are slowly removing the industrial cladding on the NE Glisan Street building to reveal the classic painted brick facade.
Google Earth image with real estate listing illustrations
Jacobson said he has around 11 tenants in the “T” shaped building, including EAO. There are plumbers, contractors, and people who create props for film and television, all of whom share the commercial building. He is happy with the mix of creative people working from the space. Jacobson hopes the upgrades to the building will add to the transformation at this intersection driven by the affordable housing buildings under construction. “I’m really interested to see how the development across the street is going to impact things. I think generally it’s probably gonna be good,” said Jacobson.
Crews will continue working on the building through the summer as they customize tenants’ spaces. Jacobson indicated that he plans to keep this investment for a while with an eye on enhanced future uses. For now, it will serve as another commercial complex suitable for a variety of businesses looking for flexible space.
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Last May, Rose City Reimagined purchased the 1925-era single-family residence at 604 SE 78th Avenue and the adjacent 50-foot by 50-foot lot that served as the home’s backyard. Development team Dallis Raynor and Antoine Dean began work to restore the original home, which had suffered years of neglect and damage from squatters. Crews will spend the next 45 days updating the 1,028-square-foot house as they prepare it for sale. The team will then create two new affordable homes on the unbuilt lot to the south.
Dallis Raynor explained that the house was in poor condition when they purchased the properties, and conditions at the site impacted area livability. “There was a lot of deferred maintenance, and it has been a real problem in the neighborhood for some years now. Portland police were present at the property pretty frequently. The squatters had taken over the home, and they’ve had ongoing problems with drug usage. It’s been a real nuisance for the community for quite some time now,” said Raynor. The previous owner left the site vacant for several years, allowing the corner lot to become overgrown and generating repeated Nuisance Complaints.
604 SE 78th Avenue before crews installed a new roof
Eventually, the previous owner contacted a real estate agent to help sell the property. The Realtor knew the owners of Rose City Reimagined and their experience rehabilitating similar properties. “We deal with a lot of homes that have been taken over by squatters or where owners have become somewhat of a hoarder,” said Raynor. That experience allowed the team to approach the project with an eye toward preservation. “I think a lot of people thought it was a likely teardown, but as bad as it looked on the outside, it actually was very straightforward with no real structural damage,” recalled Raynor. “But it was very gross. I mean, they’ve been living without water, sewer, or electricity in there for quite some time. We had a lot of cleanup to do.”
604 SE 78th Avenue after crews installed a new roof
After a deep cleaning, crews began restoring the nearly 100-year-old home. “We try to keep as much of the original finishes in the house as we can, so the floors will be refinished, and the floor plan will stay the same,” said Raynor. They will install new windows for higher heating efficiency and expect to replace the electrical panel in the home. Workers will completely refresh the bathroom and kitchen, modernizing the house in those critical spaces.
604 SE 78th Avenue seen from SE Washington Street
Raynor was impressed with the local support for this project. “The neighbors are really active in the community, and they’re thrilled that something is being done with the property.” Raynor said many people have visited the site to exchange information, offering to help keep an eye on the property until new residents move in. It seemed apparent to the developers that the community wanted this house alive again with active owners.
Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations. Blue box shows north property with original house. Red square shows site of future affordable homes.
In addition to new landscaping, crews will install a fence on SE Washington Street to give future residents some privacy from the active pedestrian walkway along that street. The development team will also erect a fence between the two lots, making space for a forthcoming housing project with modest density. “We’re hoping for two units, smaller, affordable starter homes that fit the landscape. We don’t want to overbuild on the area,” said Raynor. The team has not finalized any plans for the new homes; instead, they are concentrating on the restoration project. However, when that work is complete, they expect to begin the permitting process for the next development phase. Look for realtors to list the original home this summer and for construction crews to break ground on new homes in the near future.
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On May 22nd, City Noise Records relocated from a small storefront on NE Broadway Street to 7033 NE Glisan Street. Within a few weeks, a new beer and wine bar called Replicant will open next door to the punk and metal music shop, allowing customers of both establishments to commingle through a central passageway. These complementary businesses renovated the century-old storefront to create a complete experience for people to become immersed in music while enjoying their favorite drinks.
Lydia Crumbley and Gianpiero Milani co-own Replicant Beer & Wine PDX, creating the new bar as an extension of Milani’s other business, City Noise Records. The 810-square-foot bar’s name originates from the 1982 sci-fi movie Blade Runner. The film featured synthetic humans known as replicants, hunted in a futuristic Los Angeles. Milani is a fan of the film and will use it for some of the bar’s theming as it develops. The bar’s owners did not attempt to create an immersive movie experience but instead captured the Film Noir dim and focused lighting with pops of vibrant light spilling from the glass-fronted refrigerators. The dark-stained wood design supports over 40 guests at bar seating, group tables, and booths.
Replicant offers wine by the glass, draft beers, and non-alcoholic cocktails from the bar. They will sell a wide selection of canned beer and wine by the bottle for people to take home or drink on-premise. They will also have non-alcoholic beer but only in cans to start with. “We’ll gauge how interested people are in that before we get a keg,” remarked Crumbley. Soon after opening, they plan to offer cafe seating out front and will eventually complete a backyard gravel patio area accessed from a back door. That space is not yet clear of construction materials from building renovations underway in the apartments above the record shop. When completed, that outdoor space will extend the bar’s seating.
Customers at Replicant can enjoy a modest food menu to compliment the drink selection that includes pretzels from neighbor business Fressen Artisan Bakery and cheese boards with mostly vegan cheese, olives, and almonds. Crumbley, who eats a plant-based diet, explained that food options at other establishments often had little for her to enjoy. “I want to go to a wine bar and eat cheese, so that was part of the inspiration” for the vegan-friendly menu. The owners created a small commercial kitchen behind the bar and intend to grow the menu over time.
Replicant co-owners Lydia Crumbley (left) and Gianpiero Milani (right)
Several of the features planned for Replicant will come later this summer. Renovations took longer than expected due to contractor delays and an unanticipated need to refinish the concrete floors, which pushed the opening back. Consequentially, the team is focused on opening and will lean into all the finishing touches over the coming months. Crumbley and Milani anticipate a soft opening as soon as they receive the county health inspection paperwork, and they will host a grand opening for both businesses in July. By then, they want to have more theming and album listening stations ready. “In the near future, you can buy a record, buy a beer or glass of wine, and play the record. Listen with your headphones, drink your beer, and have a complete experience because drinks and records usually go together,” said Milani.
In addition to promoting music appreciation, Replicant will feature a small gallery space in the back with track lighting to feature the hung artwork. By the grand opening, they’ll display work from Alexander Heir. The Brooklyn, New York, artist has produced many album covers and has a clothing line. The location is open to minors until 8 p.m., allowing visitors of any age to view the gallery in the bar area.
City Noise’s four employees are still unpacking in the new storefront. The Montavilla location is a dramatically larger space than the original spot that opened on NE Broadway in 2021. They are still expanding into the space, growing the selection of vinyl and cassette-based albums, books, magazines, jewelry, and apparel. One record store staff person has bartending experience and will work shifts at both businesses. Although linked through ownership and some employees, they are separate entities and will keep slightly different hours. Crews working on the renovation found an old barn door buried in the wall and repurposed it to close off access between the two storefronts when one is closed. However, Milani explained that most of the time, customers will feel that it is just one big connected space with the wide door fully open.
Soon, Replicant will serve guests from 3 to 10 p.m. every day except Mondays. City Noise Records is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and Noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. People should watch the Replicant Beer & Wine PDX’s Instagram page for updates about the soft opening date and other announcements.
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On December 19th, 2023, Portland Fire & Rescue crews responded to reports of smoke coming from within the MUV Fitness at 10414 SE Washington Street. Reports indicated smoke centered around the gym’s sauna room, where fire sprinklers activated. Damage from the event closed the pool and sauna for months, with staff unable to advise on a potential repair date. This month, the SE MUV Fitness fully reopened, allowing members access to swim and sauna services.
MUV Fitness pool after reopening, reader submitted
Many Montavilla residents began attending this MUV Fitness location after Cascade Athletic Clubs closed their neighborhood gym and pool, making this nearly three-month-long pool closure particularly inconvenient. Some gym members expressed frustration with MUV Fitness’s poor communication regarding the repair timeline. For over a month, the company failed to respond to customer inquiries and Montavilla News’ requests for information. The company website never mentioned the pool closure and continued advertising that amenity.
MUV Fitness sauna after reopening, reader submitted
Despite the delay in restoration, MUV Fitness members will appreciate having access to the pool and sauna again. Area residents have fewer choices for full-service fitness centers since Cascade Athletic Clubs and 24-Hour Fitness closed their Interstate 205 adjacent locations. Many area residents appreciate having the MUV Fitness location in the neighborhood due to its extended hours of operation and various amenities. Now, customers have regained access to all the gym services they have grown accustomed to using.
Photo by Jacob Loeb
Article by
Jacob Loeb
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On January 4th, Gregory Heights Library at 7921 NE Sandy Boulevard reopened after a five-month-long closure for renovations. The bond-funded work included new paint and carpets throughout the building’s interior. Other enhancements include increased book-handling efficiency through automation, faster internet service, and contemporary furniture. This branch is the first of 11 Multnomah County Library locations to complete the refresh process.
Gregory Heights Library kids section
Since Gregory Heights Library closed for updates on July 20th, Montavilla residents relied on the Belmont branch for services even though it was not the closest location. In December 2022, Multnomah County began significant renovation at the Midland and Holgate Libraries, keeping those locations closed to the public until summer 2024. Construction-related disruptions throughout the library system are inconvenient to patrons, but County officials feel the temporary hardship will ultimately provide better facilities ready to meet modern community needs.
Gregory Heights Library computer tables with faster connections
People returning to the Gregory Heights Library will see significant updates inside and out. Painters changed the red exterior to a gray base color on shingled walls with large Vintage Vessel blue painted segments on the building’s protrusions. Crews replaced the wood-shingled mansard roof with dark metal cladding. New interior paint and carpet modernized the library’s appearance, which the county had not updated since 1999. The staff replaced center bookshelves that once towered over the tallest visitors with shorter units that provide better sight lines across the main room.
Gregory Heights Library Teens section
Gregory Heights Library staff selected the building’s colors and furniture from several proposals. The remodel features enhanced youth activity areas with dedicated sections for teens and younger children. Larger library locations receiving updates will have dedicated rooms for each group. However, Gregory Heights could only accommodate dedicated sections. The Kid’s space is near the front entrance and features size-appropriate furniture, tactile education boards, and engaging colors. Designers placed the Teen section along the back wall with comfortable seating geared towards completing homework and hosting small group gatherings. In the center of the one-room library, a sea of books shares the space with public computers sitting atop new tables. Each station connects to the internet through a faster link provided through a City of Portland partnership.
Faster internet access is not the only technical improvement to Gregory Heights Library through this bond-funded work. Members can now check out books through automated kiosks, skipping the line and freeing librarians to concentrate on material questions. The classic book drop is fully automated in this new library. Borrowers insert returned items into a slot that reads the barcode while conveyors transport them to a four-way sort table. The item then drops into an appropriate bin based on whether it needs to be re-shelved, placed on the hold shelf for a waiting customer, or transferred to another location to fill a request. Books deposited after-hours can also run through the automated sorting process, fed from another conveyor in the back room.
Gregory Heights Library is now open from noon to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Eastside library users once again have this vital location available with its many enhancements. Later this year, Montavilla residents will have access to the expanded Midland location and the wholly rebuilt Holgate Library.
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On September 21st, My Voice Music (MVM) will host an open house event to welcome the community into the nonprofit organization’s permanent home. Supporters of the youth-oriented music and mentorship provider purchased the former bakery building at 8911 SE Stark Street in November 2017. Several setbacks, including the death of MVM’s founding Executive Director, slowed renovation plans. However, the property is nearly ready to provide music-based after-school programs serving people ages nine through 24.
Ian Mouser founded MVM in 2008 while working as a youth Treatment Counselor at a Residential Treatment center. He realized songwriting and musical expression connected with the children better than other methods. Mouser developed and expanded that idea beyond a single institution, working with organizations throughout Portland that supported young people experiencing mental health and behavioral challenges. The early program focused on houseless youth or those placed in foster care, residential treatment facilities, and juvenile detention centers. In 2014, the organization expanded its offerings to the public through a youth-centered performance space and recording studio. Since then, the program has relocated four times, prompting the group to seek a more stable location built for their specific needs.
Trent Finlay (left) and Amy Sabin (right) in My Voice Music’s new space under construction
Andra and Daniel Georges purchased the Montavilla property as part of their ongoing support of arts organizations. Initially, the building would have contained the pre-existing Classic Crust Cafe & Bakery in the front with a remodeled MVM studio space in the back. The organization needed to secure renovation funds before proceeding, delaying construction. That holdup bumped the schedule several years, and then COVID-19 closers shifted priorities. “Obviously, during the pandemic, our whole make music together model didn’t work very well,” explained MVM’s Executive Director Amy Sabin. The youth support organization worked around those barriers and adapted to safety protocols, but the organization’s new focus centered on keeping the program going and not building a facility. MVM received a $500,000 grant from The Lewis Prize for Music in 2020, reigniting the center’s construction. In 2021, efforts to raise additional money for the program led MVM’s founder, Ian Mouser, on a cross-country bike ride. That fundraiser ended tragically after a vehicle struck and killed him while riding through Arizona.
The MVM Board of Directors remained committed to continuing the organization’s trajectory even after losing its founder. Several months later, they brought on Amy Sabin as the new Executive Director to lead the organization. Sabin had experience leading nonprofit groups with expertise in managing capital campaigns and construction projects. Around that time, the bakery tenant at 8911 SE Stark Street decided to close her business, and the whole building became available. That required more financial support and a commitment from the board. Sabin’s experience with this type of development secured the group’s commitment to the larger space and an endorsement from the building’s owners, who remained committed to the building’s future use. “When our niece Benna introduced us to MVM, we knew they shared our belief in the power of art and music to transform lives and to build community. Ian hooked us with his passionate vision, and Amy brought her energy and experience to help us complete the very long process of planning, permitting, and funding,” remarked Andra and Daniel Georges.
Over the last six months, crews have been busy working on this project, transforming the property inside and out. Contractors removed most of the internal walls within the building, creating a half-dozen rooms designed for sound isolation and purpose-built for music production. Portland required the building’s owners to construct new sidewalks along SE 89th Avenue and SE Stark Street, where landscapers will plant six street trees. MVM removed the front parking lot and created an open courtyard topped with pavers leading to a new accessible ramp entrance.
Site Plan provided by MVM
Although construction is ongoing, MVM intends to open to students on October 9th, just after crews finish work. The MVM staff have waited for nearly half a decade for this facility and are dealing with the reality of moving forward quickly after holding back for years. “It’s been five years of ‘is it happening,’ ‘it’s almost happening.’ ‘No, wait, not yet.’ And now it’s actually starting next week,” said MVM’s Director of Communications Trent Finlay. The organization has a substantial amount of musical and recording equipment to move into the space this week. Local manufacturer Audix supplied microphones to the organization, and Universal Audio supplied new recording equipment. Many other groups have also donated to the studio space, but this larger facility could use more. “We had this really big list of things that we wanted to do to make this a top-notch recording studio. When COVID happened, that increased the price of lumber and all these other things. So we had to shift a lot of that budget over to just making the buildout happen. So we still have quite a large wish list,” explained Finlay.
As construction work completes, the focus will shift toward readying the space for the after-school programs. Classes are open to the public on a pay-what-you-can sliding scale. Although they offer group classes and individual lessons, the focus is on something other than musical proficiency. “I like to think of them more as mentorship sessions. The reason I say that is because it’s not really focused on ‘let’s come in and learn a skill today.’ It’s more about the creative process and being a space for whatever kids need. If you never really feel like going in and doing skills, you could just talk to the musician-mentor about your day and what you’re feeling, things like that. So it’s very different than a music lesson in that way,” said Sabin. The program also offers sliding-scale therapy for youth and their families, where music is not the primary tool of interaction. Age range is a significant aspect of how MVM operates. They include people up to 24 years old to ensure those who rely on MVM for community and support have access even as other youth-based services may end. However, a significant number of people who grew up attending MVM transition to mentors, leading the programs and offering their experience to the younger generation.
MVM welcomes the Montavilla community to visit the space from 5 to 7 p.m. on September 21st. They have implemented noise cancelation throughout the building to be good neighbors but will always welcome feedback because their work can be loud. The MVM website lists classes and suggested pricing for Rock Camps, sessions, and programs.
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On June 22nd, the Jacksons Food Stores and Shell Gas Station reopened to customers on the corner of NE Glisan Street and 82nd Avenue. This multi-year project involved merging two properties and expanding the store’s footprint to accommodate an enhanced selection of edible items. The Jacksons design team implemented several retail and food service advancements throughout their new market, many of them firsts for the chain’s Oregon stores.
The redesigned Jacksons at 611 NE 82nd Avenue features a market-style store with prepared foods and grocery options, an eight-pump refueling station, and a corner pedestrian plaza with covered seating. The entire project added numerous new street trees and landscaping while retaining many of the preexisting mature trees. Later this year, a local artist will install a mosaic tile mural on the corner wall visible to all passing by the station.
The original gas station’s convenience store offered a modest selection of snacks and drinks in a confined space. According to Alex Romero-Chavez, District Manager for Jacksons, the structure itself had outlived its useful lifespan. He explained that the company would have needed to rebuild the store even without any expansion at this location. While looking at the site for improvements, Jacksons determined that an expanded store in this location would benefit the neighborhood. The group purchased an adjacent property to the north that once housed a Pizza Hut restaurant, merging the two properties into a 0.92-acre parcel.
Designers working with Jacksons used that expanded space to create a 4,452-square-foot convenience store with modern stone cladding. Customers can enter from the sidewalks or one of two parking lots to the north and south of the building. Gerard Aguilar, Regional Manager for Jacksons, anticipates store patrons will be impressed with the selection of food and drinks available at this location. Staff stocked the store with grocery essentials, including milk, eggs, and bacon. Shelves contain a wide assortment of chips, drinks, desserts, and other snacks. This location has an extensive selection of bottled wines and beer. A walk-in “beer cave” surrounds the shopper with a multitude of beer selections in self-fronting racks that always keep the brews visible to shoppers.
Walk-in “beer cave”
Prepared hot and cold food is another marquee feature of this store, and many new technologies help keep the food at peak taste throughout the day. It starts with an onsite kitchen in the back where precooked base ingredients are heated and assembled into the dishes available in the self-service displays. Hot food shelves use heated air curtains to keep the food at the optimal temperature until purchased. That retail technology works similarly to the cold air curtain used for open-faced refrigeration units. Even the pizza display utilizes new technology to better preserve the product. In addition to heating, it uses humidity controls to prevent the dough from drying out.
Hot dispensers use heated air-curtain similar to the cool air-curtain used for open-faced food storage
People looking for the staple of this type of store can use the brewed-to-order automated coffee machine. However, the cutting-edge automatic milkshake machine could see significantly more use, at least during summer. Customers can place a special ice cream cup into the machine and have it whip the frosty creation while they wait. Romero-Chavez explained that he has high hopes for serving the neighborhood. “This should be the destination for the whole community.” He envisions it replacing some grocery store trips for people in the community. The central location for the store has the potential to fill the gap left by last year’s closure of Sunny 82nd Market. Romero-Chavez is particularly excited to serve people who use the Montavilla Park and Community Center across the street that may need a take-and-go option.
Speed of shopping is an integral part of this store’s redesign, and Jacksons has just begun to roll out self-checkout to improve the customer experience. Each payment terminal can flip over and become a cashier-free station for credit card paying patrons. Age-verified products and cash sales will require store staff to ring up the purchases, but customers can otherwise checkout independently without waiting in line. This process only recently graduated out of testing, making this one of the first locations in Oregon to implement this payment option.
Over the last month, new store staff have trained at other locations. Jacksons has filled thirteen of the sixteen positions, and those employees have spent the previous few days readying the shop. The store will open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight, with plans to transition to 24-hour service when business conditions warrant it. People working and living near this store should now have a new option for convenient access to a variety of food items.
By
Jacob Loeb
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The 2023 Northwest Green Home Tour features two projects from Montavilla’s low-carbon designer Harka Architecture, with one of their featured projects located within the neighborhood at 7631 NE Glisan Street. Ticket holders will have an opportunity to view the environmentally friendly transformation of Harka’s headquarters, learning about all the innovative techniques that went into the 577-square-foot Art Deco structure’s remodel.
For 30 years, the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild has represented a community of professionals committed to ecological building in the Pacific Northwest. The Northwest Green Home Tour allows the interested public to learn about sustainable building practices from the people and businesses that support it. The 2023 tour will take place on April 29th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This year’s event features green building approaches that reduce energy usage, lowering a building’s carbon footprint and reducing operating costs for its owner. The featured structures boast a variety of green building certifications, including Passive House, Built Green, and Net-Zero.
Image courtesy Northwest EcoBuilding Guild
The seventeen tour locations are spread over the Pacific Northwest. However, people can selectively visit the locations that appeal to their interests. In addition to Harka Architecture’s Glisan Street location, the tour features another of their creations, Mason Studios. That Cully neighborhood development added two new residences and a large shop on a property with three existing homes. Tickets are available on the Northwest Green Home Tour website. People can register for free or choose to donate funds at several levels. This upcoming event is an excellent opportunity to visit an iconic Montavilla building and learn about its low-carbon renovation.
By
Jacob Loeb
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TriMet repair crews will close the MAX Blue Line this weekend between Gateway Transit Center and East 122nd Avenue. Shuttle bus service will transport MAX riders around the closure as workers revitalize tracks between the two stations and a rail crossing at East 102nd Avenue and Burnside Street. Construction will begin on September 23rd and be complete on the 26th. However, the Blue Line disruption and shuttle service will only occur during the weekend on the 24th and 25th.
Operators will adjust the MAX system during the four-day project, running all trains every 20 minutes throughout most of the day. Riders are encouraged to plan their trip ahead of time and check the trains’ location in real-time on trimet.org. Drivers in the area may also anticipate some disruption due to construction on the tracks. During the rail line interruption, extra TriMet staff at select stations will assist riders in making connections. Additional information about this transit disruption is available on the TriMet website.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Washman Car Wash in Montavilla will soon undergo a remodel designed to enhance the neighborhood’s walkability and expand the facility to meet demand. The auto spa company recently submitted a permit application to construct 31 new vacuum stations on the west side of the property. This expansion onto previously unused land allows for the decommissioning of thirteen vacuum units along NE 82nd Avenue, reducing the need for cars to cross the sidewalk for much of the block. Construction crews will also repair the worn sidewalk on NE 81st and 82nd Avenues.
Over the last 20 years, Washman purchased the adjacent lots west of its property at 315 NE 82nd Avenue. The cleared land has served as employee parking and storage in recent years. Now they will construct a new vacuum center on that undeveloped land and shift site operations west, away from the heavy traffic on NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The expanded area will eliminate the current congestion experienced on the property’s eastern edge, solving a long-standing annoyance for pedestrians walking around the business.
Blue lines indicate site for new vacuum stations. Image from Portland Maps
The Washman Car Wash is a busy location located on the corner of two well-traveled roads. Consequently, cars trying to enter or leave the property must do so quickly to match the flow of traffic. Cars tend to ignore the marked curb cuts and drive over the sidewalk to enter the business wherever space is available. Vehicles use alternative entry points so frequently that the sidewalk’s edge has deteriorated along most of the property’s frontage. This behavior creates a dangerous condition where drivers and pedestrians mix in unpredictable places, frustrating both parties. Washman’s location next door to Vestal Elementary School and kitty-corner to the Montavilla Park Community Center further intensifies this problem.
The need to improve the pedestrian realm around the site is a key part of Washman’s goals for this project. Although vehicles will still drive along the 82nd Avenue edge of the building to enter the car wash, removing the vacuums will provide extra space for the cars to queue up. The fence along the eastern property line will extend north, limiting vehicle access to only one curb cut on NE 82nd Avenue. Further adjustments will impose a right-turn-only limit on cars exiting onto NE Glisan Street. David Tarlow, Chief Financial Officer of Washman, explained that these changes should improve the conditions around this location, focusing on student wellbeing. “We believe this will result in less traffic near the school than there is now, and the SE 82nd sidewalk that borders our site will be less congested and safer with the removal of the vacuums.”
The permit calls for clearing some trees on the property near where crews will install the vacuum units. The project includes landscaping along the property’s west edge and paving the gravel areas. Permits for large commercial projects can take six to eighteen months for City staff to approve. Expect to see construction begin in 2023 unless there are unexpected delays. When this work is complete, the site should be safer for pedestrians and more convenient for customers to navigate.
Gravel employee parking lot to be paved and used for vacuum stations
By
Jacob Loeb
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Neighborhood news site focused on buildings and changing businesses
