Category: View of Montavilla

Infrastructure, Property Sale, View of Montavilla

Gateway Blocks for Sale or Development

The owner of 27 individual developable parcels in the Hazelwood neighborhood is seeking a buyer or development partner for what could become a dense, affordable housing project. The land sits at the Gateway Regional Center’s core, just north of E Burnside Street in what officials planned to be a second downtown on the Eastside of Portland. City agencies have made significant zoning changes in the last two decades and have built infrastructure projects designed to increase density and create economic opportunity. In nearly 25 years since planning for this area began, much of the market-rate housing and commercial storefronts expected in this area have not broken ground. However, these city blocks still offer walkable access to transit and resources, making it an ideal location for urban density.

Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations showing listed parcels in red

Joe Westerman began collecting properties in this area over a decade ago, having successfully created multi-family housing in Oregon and Washington, including housing in this area. The properties surround a new segment of NE Davis Street that PBOT will construct later this year. These properties are part of a Local Improvement District (LID) that will extend the city street grid to these parcels, creating smaller blocks with consistent pedestrian and vehicle access in what had once been long unconnected streets. Calling this area the Gateway Blocks, Westerman commissioned conceptual designs imagining what development could look like and waited for the infrastructure improvements.

Conceptional rendering of development including listed lots and properties not for sale (Courtesy NAI Elliott)

All lots in this area are Central Residential (RX) zoned with a Design overlay. RX offers the highest density of dwelling units for any residential zone. Buildings are generally Six to ten stories tall and have limited ground-floor retail uses. Design overlays only apply to the Central City, town centers, and the Gateway Regional Center. The minimum housing density for new structures built here is 87 units per acre. Portland planners envisioned downtown-level redevelopment at this site, but developers have not yet been able to secure the funding to build at that scale in this space, at least not for market-rate housing. Surrounding affordable housing projects are underway or recently completed with financial support from various government and nonprofit sources. That observation lead Westerman to explore affordable housing options for his properties.

Google Earth view of site area and surrounding properties

Despite having over 30 years of experience as a builder, Joe Westerman’s focus on market-rate development left him without the needed connections to create an affordable housing project on his own. Consequentially, he will consider offers to build these developments to suit a potential buyer or participate in a joint venture with a nonprofit looking to create affordable housing. Westerman will also consider land leasing or the sale of parcels individually or as packages. “It’s not exactly an easy market to get stuff done in right now,” explained the listing agent for these properties, Nick Ostroff of NAI Elliott. High interest rates and other market forces have kept these lots underutilized for too long. Still, Ostroff sees the support for affordable housing as a way to jump-start this area’s transformation.

Joe Westerman is not the only land owner in this area waiting for building opportunities. Andrew Baltz’s limited liability company, Baltz Family Holdings, possesses most of the land south of Westerman up to E Burnside Street. The concept drawings for the site show both owner’s properties along NE 97th Avenue, 99th Avenue, and 100th Avenue fully built out. This illustrated vision matches the city’s aspiration for the Gateway District but represents projects that are not currently feasible. Development at this scale is slow, and many people are waiting for others to make the first step. If one property redevelops in the LID area, it could be enough to start other developments, and Westerman is willing to see if his lots could contribute to that catalyst.

The Westerman properties will soon have several advantages for future builders. Through the LID, Phase II of the Gateway Street plan will continue work started on NE 97th Avenue in Phase I, with new streets, curbs, sidewalks, and green-strip landscaping. The city will vacate the vestigial sections of NE Davis and Couch Streets west of 97th Avenue, which no longer align with the new grid pattern. This returned right-of-way will free up that space for additional building amenities, as seen in the 2019 Portland Design Commission approved plans for a dormant project at this site. Buildings in this space are within walking distance from the Gateway Fred Meyer grocery store, medical services, and transit options. The lots are adjacent to the I-205 Multi-use Path with easy connectors to the Mall 205 retail area and Montavilla shops.

NE 97th Ave looking north from E Burnside St (Jacob Loeb)

Future builders will have to overcome some ongoing project headwinds. Zoning for these blocks will hamper modest uses, dissuading some development options. Additionally, these lots are committed to the NE 97th Avenue and Couch/Davis Street LID, whose member property owners will provide a portion of the $15 million project cost. City staff calculates the amount of money contributed based on the street frontage of each lot, but Ostroff said that would be part of any sale negotiation. This underutilized area has also attracted many urban campers, leaving trash and damaged fencing. Street grid construction will clear roadside debris and reset the area with clean pavement. According to Nick Ostroff, to keep the area activated while waiting for construction to begin, it could host community garden space. Westerman is an avid organic farmer and often includes community gardens in his developments that can support it. He also made vacant land available for urban farming when crews were waiting to break ground. Those plans depend on who partners with Westerman or buys the property. “Everybody’s trying to get together and make something positive,” remarked Ostroff. At this point, the Real Estate team is looking to cast a wide net and see how to start the desired transformation in these blocks. Organizations interested in learning about options and pricing should contact the sales team at NAI Elliott.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, New Business, View of Montavilla

New Holgate Library Opens July 13

The replacement Holgate Library will reopen to the public on July 13th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and three days of events. The entirely new two-story mass timber facility at 7905 SE Holgate Boulevard replaces the former single-story Library and is the first new branch building constructed since 2010. The Multnomah County-run location hosts thousands of new books but also features many other community-supporting resources that help ensure all county residents have access to digital tools and young guests have dedicated areas to do more than read.

The Holgate Library is three times the size of the original building at this site, now offering 21,000 square feet, becoming one of the largest libraries in Multnomah County. The $27 million investment in this facility is part of a 2020 capital bond that supports a system-wide refresh of the previously undersized library system. In addition to added capacity, program designers have looked to enhance the resources provided to the public and adjust to meet shifting community needs. Recognizing that the Holgate Library supports one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region, Multnomah County leaders made this project a cornerstone of the system updates. It features the first fully enclosed Teen Room with Nintendo Switch-based gaming and video creation kits available for checkout. In addition to several community meeting spaces with multimedia connections and assistive technologies, one of the reservable spaces has a sink and splash-safe flooring that can work as a future maker space. Visitors can also access computer resources where they can print and scan. The upper floor features private booths for taking calls or other solitary work.

Teen Room with TV, gaming system, art supplies, media production kits and study space

The Library’s design resulted from extensive community and staff engagement with artwork wrapping the structure and anchoring walls. The green exterior and carpeting resulted from survey participant input, and the art selected in partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council represents the community. Two elevators ensure people can navigate the building smoothly, but a central stairway entices people to walk the naturally lit and decoratively screened steps. Recognizing the need for universal communications, signs in the building feature mostly icons instead of words. Many aspects of the Library respond to the diversity seen in its user base. Fourteen Community Design Advocates participated in a paid program designed to connect library designers to representatives from various communities, shaping this building’s functions and design.

The Saturday opening will begin with brief remarks from 9:30 to 10 a.m. The guests will then have the opportunity to experience performances by the White Lotus Dance Team, Two Generations of Hoops Dance, and Mulan Drum and Jade Dance Team throughout the day. A Traditional Vietnamese music performance with David Dahl concludes the first day’s schedule from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The two remaining event days will contain more afternoon programs representing various cultures and artistic performances. The Library’s information page offers a complete listing of events and times.

Kids room with large play area and reserved computers, alongside age-appropriate books

Library staff invites people to attend the three-day celebration or visit anytime during regular operating hours to experience the amenities not originally part of the former 6,400 square-foot space. People caring for young children should appreciate the large learning and play space on the ground floor. This branch also features the latest automated materials handling technology, allowing people to self-checkout and return borrowed items. A new Book Locker lets patrons pick up on hold without waiting for assistance. The automation already seen in many other library systems frees library staff to assist those with special requests and support the increased number of people expected to visit this location. Even those not wanting to come indoors can enjoy the outdoor plaza where community members can relax and connect. The Holgate Library is open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Entertainment, View of Montavilla

Personal Fireworks Still Banned

In March 2022, Portland City Council permanently banned the sale and use of all consumer fireworks. This restriction includes Independence Day celebrations, particularly with the hot and dry weather expected this holiday weekend. Portland Fire & Rescue (PP&R) encourages people to attend the professional fireworks displays presented throughout the region. Montavilla residents can often view the South Waterfront Blues Festival display from Mt. Tabor Park uphill from Reservoir Number 5.

Portland Maps image with MV News illustration

The consumer fireworks prohibition passed the Portland City Council unanimously in part due to a fatal fireworks fire the previous year and in reaction to the devastating Eagle Creek Fire in the gorge that started with the use of personal fireworks. Fire departments regularly see a spike in injuries, fires, and fatalities related to the fireworks season, which begins on June 23rd and runs through July 6th. People with pets also report significant stress inflicted on their animals during this time, with some dogs and cats becoming separated from their owners when they run away from the explosive sounds.

This holiday weekend’s predicted triple-digit heat and low humidity could contribute to an enhanced danger from fireworks. PF&R is already responding to increased grass, brush, and vegetation fires without the added spark provided by personal pyrotechnics. Fireworks are easy for people to obtain outside the Portland area, with many ignoring the ban. PF&R has seen a rise in Independence Day fires, surpassing pre-ban numbers last year. Officials ask the public to abide by City fireworks rules and help protect the community from harm.

Update: Today, July 2nd, the Fire Marshal issued a burn ban for the City of Portland due to forecasted high temperatures and ongoing dry conditions. Effective immediately, people must refrain from using recreational campfires, fire pits, or burring yard debris. Outdoor grills, smokers, and similar cooking appliances are allowed if they use clean, dry firewood, briquettes, wood chips, pellets, propane, natural gas, or similar fuels. Residents should exercise extreme caution when using the allowed outdoor cooking devices and place them at least ten feet away from anything combustible, such as siding, fences, or shrubbery. The burn ban will remain in effect throughout the summer weather season.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, Food and Drink, View of Montavilla

Free Lunch and Play Returns in 2024

When Portland Public Schools close for summer on June 14th, families will need a way to fill the gap left in their children’s daytime schedule. For many kids, school offers activities and services beyond education. Some students rely on school as their only structured playtime with peers and depend on the free lunch program for a midday meal. Thanks to funds provided by the 2020 voter-approved Parks Local Option Levy, the Free Lunch + Play program offers children 18 years old and younger weekday activities without registration or cost. From June 24th to August 16th, kids can show up at 22 parks citywide for recreational activities and a nutritious lunch.

Montavilla Park at 8219 NE Glisan Street, Gateway Discovery Park at 10520 NE Halsey Street, and Lents Park at SE 92 Avenue and SE Steele Street will host Free Lunch + Play activities for Montavilla area residents. The Monday through Friday parks program runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with meal service times shifting based on location. Parks employees will organize games and other group activities throughout the four-hour sessions. The program staff will take July 4th and 5th off in observance of the national holiday.

Portland Public Schools, Centennial School District, Parkrose School District, and David Douglas School District will provide all the meal packs that adhere to the USDA Federal Lunch Program regulations. Youth must attend in person to receive meals and eat all the food on-site. Foodservice occurs only during stated mealtimes. For Montavilla Park, that is from noon to 1:30 p.m. At Lents Park, food is available from 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. Gateway Discovery Park has a shorter mealtime window of 11 to 11:45 a.m. Staff will require everyone to wash their hands before receiving food.

Free Lunch + Play is part of Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Summer Free For All program. It also includes activities at PP&R outdoor pools, open from June 20th through August 23rd. Six outdoor pools will host a weekly free swim session in addition to regularly scheduled swim lessons, open play swims, and water fitness offerings. Montavilla’s pool offers free swim sessions on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. People will find a complete list of Summer Free For All’s inclusive and family-friendly activities on the PP&R website. The programming celebrates Portland’s diverse cultures and local artists while providing fitness, food, and entertainment opportunities.

Update: Montavilla Pool will open later than other PP&R pools due to planned upgrades. It should open no later than July 22nd, 2024.

Disclosure: A family member of this article’s author works for PP&R as a seasonal employee in the Free Lunch + Play program.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Crime, View of Montavilla

Abandoned Vehicle Fire Near Gateway Green

Last week, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) crews responded to a vehicle fire near the northern entrance to Gateway Green Park between Interstate 84 and Interstate 205. Firefighters found a stack of cars and one boat ablaze. The rocky location beside railroad tracks kept the fire mostly contained until crews extinguished it. Workers with Union Pacific previously stacked the abandoned vehicles they found along the nearby railroad tracks to form an access road barricade.

Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations

Over the last few years, people have left a half-dozen cars and at least one boat next to the Union Pacific tracks that run between I-84 and I-205. During that time, miscreants vandalized the cars and stripped them for parts, leaving mostly scrap metal hulks behind. In an April cleanup, crews working for Union Pacific moved the scrapped vehicles from their respective locations and stacked them near a gravel access road that connects to the I-205 MultiUse Path. Union Pacific representative Meg Siffring explained the stacked vehicle wall was an uncommon measure to prevent more vehicles from entering their property. “We did a large clean up in this area, removing trash and debris. While not typical procedure, what you are seeing is a temporary measure to prevent trespassing on Union Pacific property,” said Siffring.

Scrap vehicle barricade from April 15th, 2024

On Friday evening, May 10th, PF&R received reports of cars on fire between the two freeways near Gateway Green Park. The boat and most non-metal parts on the vehicles burned or melted in the fire, leaving twisted remains that still block the access road. This debris on Union Pacific property does not affect the public multiuse path and Park access. Siffring said that Union Pacific is working on a long-term plan to restrict entry to their tracks. However, this area has struggled with encampments and unauthorized vehicles for years. People have cut fences, removed concrete barricades, or otherwise bypassed past attempts to keep this area clear. People should expect to see the burnt cars cleaned up after the railroad operator installs a permanent solution.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Demolition, View of Montavilla

Providence to Demolish Building A on NE Glisan Campus

After finding structural issues, Providence Portland Medical Center will soon raze a three-story building at 5251 NE Glisan Street. The brick-clad building features ground-floor parking on its main level, with two floors of medical office space above. Crews recently fenced off the building before demolition, blocking the sidewalk, curbside parking, and a southbound bike lane on NE 53rd Avenue.

Providence constructed the 11,808-square-foot building in 1988 and completed the neighboring Building B in 1990. The hospital owns the entire block and has active inquiries with the City regarding a NE 52nd Avenue street vacation that would remove public right-of-way along its frontage from NE Glisan to NE Hoyt Streets. A decades-old Master Plan for the hospital campus similarly calls for the City to cede NE Hoy Street to the organization between NE 52nd to 53rd Avenues. In a 2017 Early Assistance application, Providence campus designers explored creating five stories of medical offices with three or four levels of underground parking for 500 vehicles. The expansion is attached to the Providence Professional Plaza at 5050 NE Hoyt Street, which sits west of this current worksite. However, this recent change could make way for an expanded footprint. 

Although this building’s demolition would enable a full-block project, current work simply aims to remove an unfit building. “In recent building inspections, engineers noted structural issues with an exterior wall that required extensive repair. We relocated the few teams in the building to other Providence locations. After evaluating the cost and extent of the needed repair, the decision was made to demolish the building,” explained Providence Portland Medical Center representative Jean Marks.

Crews plan to demolish the building this June. As the building is dismantled, people should expect some minor disruption in the area, and pedestrians and cyclists will need to take detours around the work site. Providence has yet to finalize plans for future use of the cleared land, and that project could eventually require additional demolition to prepare the site.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

60s Greenway Fall Construction

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) plans to break ground this Fall on a new 60s Greenway exiting Mt. Tabor Park and leading south until SE Harney Street. The new route, which prioritizes pedestrians and cyclists, will feature traffic calming elements and enhanced intersection improvements at five crossings. Neighborhood greenways offer a low-stress path for people traveling outside automobiles and are a critical part of Portland’s Safe Routes to School network. 

Greenway Map Courtesy PBOT

This project takes advantage of two other projects along its route to enhance safety while reducing cost. The recently completed Portland Parks & Recreation path and multiuse trail leading to Mt. Tabor Park from SE 64th Avenue and SE Division Street provides the northern segment of the Greenway. TriMet’s Powell-Division Safety and Access to Transit project offers tentative plans to improve the SE Division Street at SE 64th Avenue crossing. A temporary pedestrian refuge island and marked crosswalk at this intersection currently helps people cross this busy street until crew build the TriMet funded enhancements.  

Temporary pedestrian refuge island and marked crosswalk at SE 64th and SE Division

PBOT crews will install signage and striped crossings while improving visibility by removing on-street parking near corners at SE Foster at SE 67th Avenue, SE Harold at 67th Avenue, SE Woodstock at 67th Avenue, SE Duke at 67th Avenue, and SE Flavel at SE 68th Avenue. Engineers will only recommend parking removal where stored vehicles could inhibit visibility at sidewalk corners. Along the entire Greenway, workers will install speed bumps and painted bike direction markers called sharrows.

sharrow example

The 60s Neighborhood Greenway will contribute around four miles to Portland’s more than 100 miles of low-traffic and low-speed streets where people walking, bicycling, and rolling have priority. This project delivers on a long-requested north-south connector for people living in the South Tabor, Mt. Scott-Arletta, and Foster-Powell neighborhoods. Look for work to began later this year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, View of Montavilla

Pacific Market Fire Complete Loss

Just before 2 a.m. on March 26th, emergency dispatchers sent Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) crews to the Pacific Market complex at 6750 NE Broadway. Arriving firefighters reported smoke visible from the structure’s roof above the closed Thai Binh restaurant storefront occupying a third of the 20,120 square foot strip mall. Before long, the fire spread through the roof and into the adjoining Pacific Market grocery store. The fire expanded throughout the building, prompting a three-alarm response. PF&R crews extinguished the fire, protecting the surrounding homes and a neighboring storage facility. However, the building and its contents are likely a complete loss.

Image from Portland Maps

The family-owned Asian grocery opened in the late 1990s to become a place for people “to stop and shop for their traditional foods and groceries all in one place,” according to a now offline company website. Situated between NE Halsey Street and NE Broadway, the store was an early provider of culturally specific imported foods in this area. It also provided convenient grocery access for many people living around the Rose City Golf Course. Residents in the neighborhood will instead need to travel to the Fred Meyer store at 6615 NE Glisan Street for basic needs.

The building, restaurant, and grocery store shared similar ownership, leading to the possibility of rebuilding. Google Maps only lists the Pacific Market as temporarily closed. However, the level of damage indicates this location will be unusable for a significant length of time. Additionally, the owners may decide not to rebuild and instead look to sell the property for development. The building shares the block with a new self-storage facility completed in 2022, and at nearly an acre, this site could attract interest from builders. Losing a neighborhood grocery is a detriment to the community. Fortunately, PF&R reported no injuries during this incident, and firefighters managed to confine all damage to the one building. Expect to see fencing around the site and the eventual arrival of demolition crews to remove all or part of the building within the coming months.

Firefighter continuing to dowse building 12 hours after fire broke out

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Demolition, Infrastructure, View of Montavilla

City to Demolish House for New Street

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will demolish a 1951-era single-family residence to build a new segment of NE Davis Street. The city purchased the 700-square-foot single-story home at 205 NE 100th Avenue and three other vacant lots to construct a two-block street between NE 97th and 100th Avenues. This work is part of a Local Improvement District (LID) set to rebuild roads and add sidewalks ahead of redevelopment in the Gateway District.

Portland Maps illustration showing street improvements and property boundaries

The LID work will take place in two phases beginning in Fall 2024. Most improvements will occur on NE 97th Avenue north of E Burnside Street. Crews will repave the street and add sidewalks to this currently curbless segment of roadway. Cement masons will install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps at each new intersection, and lighting crews will install new street lights along the updated sections of NE 97th Avenue, NE Couch Street, and NE Davis Street. During the first construction phase, PBOT will build one block of NE Davis Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue. In Spring 2025, crews will begin the second phase of construction, extending NE Davis Street from NE 99th to 100th Avenue and creating a new one-block segment of NE Couch Street from NE 97th to 99th Avenue.

Funding for the LID comes from adjacent property owners and other government sources. At formation, the total budget was $14,585,083. LID funding accounted for $9,770,408. PBOT provided $2 million from collected System Development Charges and $800,000 from other PBOT budgets. Prosper Portland contributed the remaining $2 million. PBOT paid $2,336,712 for the four lots that will become NE Davis Street. Land left over from those lots not used for road construction will revert to the adjacent property owners.

PBOT provided graphic

PBOT will construct these new streets to modern standards with roadways that are 36 feet wide and sidewalks on both sides of the street. The pedestrian area will offer a 6-foot wide through zone and a 4-foot planting strip between the sidewalk and curb. The LID will also create a new marked crosswalk on E Burnside Street across Interstate 205. This crossing will help pedestrians and cyclists travel across E Burnside Street to connect with the I-205 Multiuse Path. BPOT intends to reconstruct the traffic signal at NE 97th Avenue and E Burnside Street, including new crosswalks.

PBOT does not often create new streets in an established neighborhood. Housing developments like those planned for this area often use private driveways and parking lots to grant residents access. Private streetscapes are not always designed with adequate sidewalks and are not open for public use. This extension of these streets will repair the grid and offer Portlanders better east/west access by all modes of travel. The developments within these newly defined blocks will benefit from the new streets, as will everyone traveling through this area. Look for work to begin later this year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant, View of Montavilla

Happy Lemon Opening in Fubonn

A new Happy Lemon tea shop will open in the Fubonn Shopping Center within the next few months. The former insurance agency storefront at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue, Suite 8, will transform into a brightly colored tea and bubble waffle restaurant offering dine-in tables and counter service. When it opens, it will be the fourth store in the Portland Metro area and the only location on the east side of the Willamette River.

Rendering of Happy Lemon store courtesy Jian Xu

Happy Lemon franchise owner Jian Xu became a fan of the brand after discovering their Bridgeport Village location during a search for flavors from Xu’s childhood. “Lemon tea is one of the most popular drinks in China because it’s tasty and refreshing. Growing up in China, my friends and I would always grab a lemon tea after school. The drink would make us feel energized and cool us down in the hot weather. When I moved here, I couldn’t find good lemon tea until I found out about Happy Lemon,” explained Xu. In addition to its Fresh Lemon line of tea flavors, Happy Lemon is known for its Salted Cheese tea and hexagon-shaped bubble waffles. The company also features classic milk tea with boba variants.

Rendering of Happy Lemon store courtesy Jian Xu

Since 2006, Happy Lemon has grown its network of franchise locations across Taiwan, Mainland China, and Hong Kong. By 2014, they expanded globally with stores in 21 countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, Dubai, and the United States. Xu decided to open this new Happy Lemon at Fubonn because it is centrally located and well-known by the community. “I want to bring it closer and share it with everyone here in Portland,” remarked Xu.

The new Happy Lemon sits in an externally accessed storefront to the right of the main Fubonn entrance. Xu expects to open by late April. However, it is still under construction, and buildout delays could shift that date. When ready, the Fubonn Happy Lemon location will greet guests daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Expect to see updates about the official opening date in April.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.