House and Two ADU Condo on NE Multnomah

A novel condo project is nearing completion at 6909 NE Multnomah Street, where developer Neil Heller added two Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) next to a 1,234 square foot 1951-era home. This approach seems similar to other infill housing projects, but its focus on reducing city-paid fees and lessening infrastructure buildout should produce a more affordable product for buyers, according to Heller.

As a resident, living just blocks away from his worksite, making space for more neighbors without upsizing the cost of entry to home ownership in the community is important to Heller. “I live here in the neighborhood, and I take my daily walk or two over to the project. It’s about seven blocks away from where I live,” remarked Heller. He also mentioned his commitment to keeping the original house on the site, which had been the home to Robert and Suzanne Matney, longtime residents who were central to the surrounding community. “They were the original owners, from what I understand. The guy even planted that big cedar tree that’s on the corner. When you see how big it is, you realize that they’ve been there a long time. They raise their kids there, and I guess they were a staple in that part of the neighborhood,” said Heller. “People just loved them, and so when they heard that we weren’t going to tear the house down and we would take good care of it, they were happy about it.”

A blue house with a porch shaded by a large tree, surrounded by a small fence and green grass.
Original 1,234 square foot 1951-era home at 6909 NE Multnomah St with tall cedar tree

The existing home spanned several lots but was massed near the corner, leaving plenty of yard space for the two 800-square-foot detached ADUs. “We removed some sheds and gazebos,” recalled Heller. His Heller Development Company then followed the condo plat process to create a micro three-unit condo he is calling “Cedar Corner Cottages.” Each of the new homes the contractor created has two bedrooms and a full bathroom on the top level. The main floor has a kitchen, a living area, and a half bathroom. Heller explained that people may recognize the construction style from other area homes created by Rees Bettinger Properties. “Rees Bettinger is my general contractor on this, and sort of my development advisor.”

Heller says this is his maiden project in which all the homes on the property are intended for individual sale. “This is the first project where we are not using owner-occupied finance strategies. We have investment partners, and this is the first time we don’t have to live in the construction dust.” He is not new to the housing creation process. He has tested out his work at his own property. “I added a basement apartment and an ADU out back so we turned our single-family lot into three households,” Heller said. Additionally, he spends a considerable amount of his professional life thinking about housing supply and its impact on communities. “I have an urban planning consulting firm, and I work with cities around the country to update their zoning codes. I’m [also] faculty with the Incremental Development Alliance. It’s a national nonprofit. And we teach local people how to invest in real estate and contribute to their communities.”

Front view of a modern two-story blue house with a wooden fence and walkway.
Street facing unit has a zero-step entry with an accessible bathroom but the lack of a sidewalk creates a step at the property’s edge

This condo project is Heller’s way of bringing his philosophy and professional experience close to home. “It’s nice being able to invest into the neighborhood that I live in, bring more affordable, diverse housing options to help people looking for homes,” Heller admits that there is a limit to how much of his style of infill housing is possible in the area, but he is committed to local contributions to the housing market. “I would ideally like to stay in Montavilla and continue to contribute to the vitality here. But I know that’s not always possible because deals do pop up elsewhere.”

These new homes are designed to be naturally affordable, without income restrictions. Heller accomplished this by building the units as ADUs rather than using some of Portland’s modern lot-division tools that do not require a condo Home Owners Association (HOA). “I did consider the middle housing land division. We felt like the ADU was going to be a bit more cost-effective. Right now there’s an SDC (System Development Charges) vacation, but at the time [we started] there was not. To not have to pay those SDCs, $25,000 per unit, that’s a lot of savings. And when you permit ADUs, the [city won’t] require you to improve the right-of-way,” explained Heller. “That would have been cost-prohibitive, either requiring us to build larger homes and sell them for more, or potentially leading to a project that just wouldn’t even pencil.”

Exterior view of a blue two-story house with a covered porch, surrounded by a small garden and fence.
Back unit with large patio and yard space. Each ADU has a 44-square-foot storage room with external door

In the case of this property, NE Multnomah Street is not fully improved, with gravel parking lanes on both sides and no sidewalks. Adding that infrastructure and the rainwater management required when you fully pave a street would have significant financial consequences. “Stormwater could be a $150,000 cost, which these small projects can’t really support,” said Heller. The original home received updates to the kitchen and bathroom, but Heller said it was in great shape, just a little outdated, until crews refreshed it. It also retained its single-car garage for onsite vehicle parking.

This smaller infill project joins others on this block, both by developers and by existing property owners. That scale of housing development pleases Heller, as it aligns with what the Incremental Development Alliance teaches. “We say ‘nobody’s coming to save you.’ If you’ve ever looked at a building and said ‘you know what that could be…’ then you’re probably that person who needs to figure out how to make it become that thing,” said Heller. “The idea here is to embolden and strengthen a whole swarm of local small-scale developers that can invest in their neighborhoods.”


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District 3 Transportation Funding Open House

On Wednesday night, February 25th, community members and City representatives gathered in the cafeteria at Atkinson Elementary School for District 3’s local transportation funding open house. This is one in a series of four in-person events led by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to help inform the Portland City Council, which will consider new ways to fund the maintenance and operation of Portland’s streets. Mayor Keith Wilson spoke at the event, summarizing some of the alternative funding options under consideration. People interested in learning more and contributing their perspective can visit the online open house and take a post-open house survey.

Informational poster outlining structural funding challenges, highlighting restricted resources totaling $444 million and various revenue sources for transportation services.

The two-hour event at 5800 SE Division Street saw visitors drop in between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. as they moved through a self-guided arrangement of poster boards, with City staff available to ask questions and take notes. Portland transportation leaders have spent years warning the community and elected officials that its funding is overburdened by project-based restrictions, preventing 70% of PBOT’s budget from reducing a $6 billion maintenance backlog that impacts road conditions, sidewalks, bridges, signs, lights, and other infrastructure. Much of the funding sourced from Federal and Oregon State sources is for specific projects, such as new crossings or other safety infrastructure, and cannot directly fill potholes or repave roads. Even if a one-time grant were sourced to repair all of Portland’s transportation infrastructure to a “fair” condition, without an updated maintenance revenue source, PBOT assets would decline over the following decades, and a new generation of Portlanders would face the same systemic problem with infrastructure upkeep. In Wilson’s remarks, he painted a troubling picture of Portland’s $85 billion in street assets. “65% of our roads are in a state of not good repair. Most of the nation is above 50%, we are at 35% [for fair condition roads]. So we’re in trouble.”

A man in a blazer is engaging in conversation with a woman in a floral blouse at a social gathering. People can be seen in the background, and the setting appears casual.
Mayor Keith Wilson speaking to attendee at the February 25th transportation funding open house

The primary reason for the funding shortfall is inflation, with the presentation material noting that the costs of transportation, construction labor, and materials have increased rapidly while general funding sources have not kept pace. The mayor also pointed to the inequity and ineffective nature of a fixed gas tax that federal legislators have not increased since 1993. “I think we all know that fossil fuels and liquid fuels are going out of style. I drive an electric vehicle myself, and I don’t pay gas taxes. So when we think about paying our fair share, we have to think about the new generation, the new century, and not look to the last century for a failed taxing policy,” said Wilson. He explained the City is looking at “dozens of different options from around the country and the State” to evaluate for Portland transportation funding.

A workshop setting featuring informational posters about the Street Damage Restoration Fee, with details on damage recovery scenarios and comparisons with other cities. A person sitting at a table with a backpack is partially visible.

In the open house materials, PBOT has surfaced several proposals that may lay the groundwork for future street funding. Visitors read information about a possible “Street Damage Restoration Fee” that would be charged to utility companies, contractors, or other entities that excavate or trench in the public right-of-way, damaging streets and sidewalks. These crews, including other Portland bureaus, must repair the damage. However, that work often fails to adequately restore the full integrity of a street or sidewalk, and those assets can fail prematurely, a decade or decades earlier than expected.

Presentations also asked attendees to consider a “Transportation Utility Fee” as a funding source, as 31 other Oregon cities have implemented. It could be a monthly fee added to existing public utility bills, which residents and businesses pay. That money collected would support basic road maintenance, such as fixing potholes, and requested safety improvements. A “Retail Delivery Fee” concept would require major retailers to pay a fee for packages delivered to customers through the city’s transportation network. This would come from companies like Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and eBay. Colorado and Minnesota have programs like this, but Portland could be the first city to enact this if the City Council adopts this idea. This approach could cover prepared-food transportation in addition to, or in place of, packages with a “Third-Party Food Delivery Fee” similarly proposed.

Asset graphic courtesy PBOT

The open house materials also stressed accountability through audits and transparency. Mayor Wilson’s remarks also centered on shifting taxes rather than simply layering new revenue sources on residents. “The one that we’re gonna be talking about is the transportation utility fee that is going to be a replacement for a gas tax… It’s a real fair way that all houses and/or businesses will pay a portion. My promise to you is if council passes this, I will work to phase out your gas tax for fixing our streets because it’s just not fair, and we have to start rethinking how we’re gonna move our city forward.

Informational posters detailing the City of Portland's transportation funding crisis and challenges, including budget timelines and structural funding issues, set up in a community space.

PBOT encourages people to visit portland.gov/pbotfunding for more information and share feedback by noon on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026. After that date, extending into May, Portland City Council members will deliberate on the presented materials and community feedback.

Correction: Updated a percentage in Mayor Wilson’s quote clarifying a statement that most cities in the nation have more than 50% of streets in “fair” or “good” condition and Portland is at 35%.


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Montavilla History Questions Answered: Montavilla’s First Black Church

Q – What Was Montavilla’s First Black Church?

A – The Sunday edition of the May 7th, 1916, Oregonian, announced the formation of a Black church in Montavilla. By this time, the Black population of Montavilla had grown from only two in the 1900 U.S. Census to numbers large enough to warrant a mission church, that is, one by a larger religious organization. The Oregonian photograph shows a congregation of 40 men, women, and children. A few years later, Mission Church became Shiloh Baptist Church.

The 1916 Oregonian photo shows the Mission Church congregation standing in front of a brick wall. This is undoubtedly the east side of Scenic Theater, where services and Sunday school were held. The Scenic Theater — located at the northwest corner of Stark and 79th — was still an operating movie theater and also a meeting place for several Montavilla groups.

A historical group photo of residents from Montavilla, organized for a mission. The image features men, women, and children in formal and semi-formal attire, standing together in front of a brick building.
Photograph of the Montavilla Mission congregation Source: The Sunday Oregonian, May 7, 1916

The Oregonian credited George Gardner (1880-1937) and Ida Thompson (1872-1960) — misspelled “Thomas” — with founding the Mission Church for the sake of Montavilla children, who needed a local Sunday school. Mrs. Thompson already had experience operating a Sunday school. Before moving to Portland, she lived briefly in Denver, Colorado, and there supervised the Sunday school at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Once Shiloh Baptist church was established in a new location, she managed its kindergarten for many years and became known as the Mother of Shiloh.

In 1916, George Gardner was not yet a consecrated pastor. He was ordained in 1920 and served periodically as Shiloh Baptist’s pastor.

In 1916, the Montavilla Mission congregation hoped to build its own church. But by 1919, the congregation had dwindled to only nine. That’s when Mrs. Thompson and her friend, Mrs. Sarah James (1885-1953), sprang into action. Lacking funds for a new building, they purchased a house at the northwest corner of NE Everett and NE 76th, which they converted into Shiloh Baptist Church. (Coincidentally, this was just one block from today’s Highland Christian Center.)

Shiloh was and still is a popular name for Black Baptist churches throughout the U.S. This Hebrew name is associated with the New Testament Messiah. One famous example is the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Selma, Alabama, which was a stop on the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery.

Rev. Alexander E. Reynolds (1862-1923) was Montavilla’s Shiloh Baptist Church’s first minister. He was recruited from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Denver, where he had been pastor for 11 years. Perhaps he was recommended or recruited by Ida Thompson, his former parishioner and Sunday School supervisor. Perhaps Ida hoped Rev. Reynolds could perform the same miracles for the Montavilla church that he had done in Denver. In Denver, he had raised church membership from 12 to 125 and increased the church treasury from zero to an amount sufficient to buy two lots for a future church.

Unfortunately, the Montavilla congregation — despite repeated efforts — never had its own purpose-built church. The house on Everett remained its home until the 1950s. Despite the small space, the congregation grew. The Oregonian of July 19th, 1921, reported that the new church had “a large audience” of both Black and White churchgoers.

Rev. Reynolds left in 1921 to take a new position in Yakima. Later that year — the week of July 17th — Shiloh Baptist brought in an evangelist, Rev. Lowe of Cleveland, Ohio, to lead a revival. Did the Shiloh community need spiritual solace after learning of the recent horrible Tulsa massacre — one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history? Were they seeking to expand their congregation? Whatever the motivation, The Oregonian reported a large turnout of both Blacks and Whites.

In 1923, the church had a run of bad luck when the new pastor, Rev. Elijah Moseley, was arrested in a police moonshine raid. Rev. Moseley and two others were suspected of violating Oregon’s prohibition law. Rev. Moseley was accused of being disorderly and fined $10. The indiscretion was exposed in the October 11th and 13th editions of The Oregon Journal.

In 1924, Shiloh Baptist almost lost its property. But Rev. J. W. Anderson and Rev. W. D. Carter of the Northwest Coast Baptist Association came to its rescue. The Shiloh congregation publicly expressed its gratitude in The Advocate.

A vintage public notice from Shiloh Baptist Church expressing gratitude to Rev. J. W. Anderson and Rev. W. D. Carter for their assistance in saving the church property.
The Advocate, December 13, 1924

In 1926, George Gardner — now Reverend Gardner — returned to Montavilla Shiloh Baptist as an ordained minister. For the next couple of years, things seemed to go swimmingly for the church. It was enlivened by Christmas celebrations, guest speakers, plays, an athletic club, barbecues, street fairs, chitterling dinners, Halloween socials, a Freewill Workers’ club, and stirring sermons by Rev. Gardner. Sunday School attendance was also up, with regular attendance at 40.

A newspaper clipping from Shiloh Baptist Church highlighting a successful Chitterling supper and announcing an upcoming Hallowe'en social with contests for the best and worst dressed attendees.
The Advocate, October 15, 1927
Newspaper article snippet about Shiloh Church, mentioning a meeting of the Swift Foot Athletic Club and an upcoming barbecue and fair.
The Advocate, July 2, 1927

In November 1927, Rev. Gardner resigned, leaving a list of complaints published in the November 12th issue of The Advocate. He said he was not only the pastor. He was also the janitor, the woodchipper, the fire builder, the window washer, and the errand man. He regretted leaving the church without a pastor and a debt of $300, but he was tired of preaching mostly to his wife, since church members seemed to prefer going to movies or staying home. Still, he did not forget Shiloh Baptist. He returned to reminisce for the church’s 8th anniversary in February 1928.

A historical portrait of a man wearing a formal suit and white collar, with a serious expression.
Photo of Rev. Gardner. The Advocate, April 28, 1928

Despite repeated efforts to build its own church, the congregation continued to meet at the house on Everett until the 1950s. It was a convenient location for most of Montavilla’s Black residents who lived between Burnside and Glisan, from NE 74th to NE 79th.

More changes came quickly, starting in 1928. Ida Thompson gave up kindergarten supervising and moved to her six-acre chicken farm in Barton, Clackamas County. Yet she continued to play a pivotal role at Shiloh Baptist to its bitter end.

A succession of pastors came and went between 1928 and 1929. By 1929, the church was finally out of debt and once again dreaming of building a church. Rev. Gardner returned once again in 1931.

Greater stability came in 1933 with a new pastor, Rev. Robert E. Donaldson (1885-1966), who was fresh out of Chicago’s Moody Bible Institute. He would serve Shiloh Baptist for 14 years, the longest period of pastoral stability in the church’s history.

Rev. Donaldson initiated several benevolent and outreach initiatives. For example, in 1938, he founded a retirement home for Black clergymen — the first of its kind in the Northwest. It was located across the street from the Church, in the 1890 house at 7524 NE Everett, which still exists.

Front view of a modern two-story house featuring a balcony, surrounded by trees and utility lines.
7524 NE Everett formerly the Pacific Coast Aged Ministers and Missionary Home. Photo by Jacob Loeb

Shiloh Baptist carried on — although not without problems — until 1961, when the last known pastor, Rev. Robert H. Anderson (1890-1963) retired. Beginning in 1943, the church’s name changed several times: People’s Community Baptist Church, then Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, then New Shiloh Baptist Church, and finally back to Shiloh Baptist Church.

These name changes occurred during a period of difficulties and discord, much of it stemming from the condition of the church facility. By the 1940s, it was in disrepair, and in 1948, the City of Portland condemned it. There were efforts to restore it or build a new church, which led to the congregation splitting into two factions: Ida Thompson, Sarah James, and Rev. Donaldson on one side, and congregants loyal to the current minister, Rev. Robert H. Anderson, on the other. The battle finally devolved into litigation.

Three of the main actors in the Church’s history died before the conflict could be resolved: Sarah James in 1953, Ida Thompson in 1960, and Reverend Anderson in 1963. The battle over how to sustain the church was over.

In 1965, the Crown Construction company tore down the house that had served the Shiloh Baptist congregation for over 40 years. It was replaced with a duplex that is still in use.

The story of Shiloh Baptist Church is remarkable, with many ups and downs, but it is also a story of persistence. The Church faltered at several points in its history, and yet it survived for over 40 years.

Someday, perhaps a plaque will mark the spot where Shiloh Baptist stood. For now, its memory is preserved in the National Register of Historic Places, as part of a multiple-property listing approved by the National Park Service in July, 2020.


This is part of Montavilla History Questions Answered, a series of history related articles. If you have questions about Montavilla’s past that you’d like answered, local historian Patricia Sanders will investigate your question. Please email your questions to history@montavilla.net and we may feature it alongside Patricia Sanders’ research in a future.

Secret Sauna is Social in Montavilla

Secret Sauna: The name is intriguing right off the bat. So what is it? It’s literally a sauna parked on the patio behind Montavilla’s Replicant Wine Bar (shared by Mudd Works Cafe in the mornings). It offers a place to relax, enjoy some drinks and food, sit around the fire pit, and have a sauna. And as of today, it is officially open.

I met with Sarah Mayo, the owner of the Secret Sauna, to learn more about the sauna and its connection to the businesses that are hosting it.

Sign indicating patio hours, stating 'Patio closes at 9 pm!' above a cardboard poster announcing 'Coming Soon... secret sauna' with an Instagram handle.
It’s a sign (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

Secret Sauna Overview

I’ll also add that this interview was a first for Bridgetown Bites: The majority of it took place in the sauna itself, wood fire happily burning in its stove. And yes, it was very relaxing.

Interior of a wooden sauna featuring a black stove with rocks and an open flame, surrounded by wooden benches.
Sauna, rocks, fire, and window inside the Secret Sauna (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

It’s a barrel-style sauna structure—but not perfectly round like most barrel saunas are. Think of it as a square with rounded corners. That means straighter sides, giving more space inside the sauna, adding to the comfort level. It is made of cedar wood, and produced by AC Forest Saunas in BC, Canada.

The sauna itself is warmed by a wood fire rather than by infrared technology. There is a bucket with water that you can use to ladle over the hot igneous rocks (the best kind of rocks for a sauna) to create steam.

There is room for about a dozen people inside the sauna (more, if people want to be closer to each other). There will be an area for cold showers (an easier setup than a cold plunge, while still providing contrast therapy), and there is also an outbuilding that holds four dressing rooms, a stack of rental towels and sandals, and a check-in desk.

Connection to Replicant and Mudd Works

I was curious to know what Sarah’s connection was to the Replicant/Mudd Works space. She’s a neighbor and a fan.

Interior view of a cozy cafe featuring a wooden bar with black stools, colorful artwork on the walls, plants, and warm lighting.
Replicant Wine Bar and Mudd Works Cafe space (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

“So I live in Montavilla and this is my favorite spot to just come and have a glass of wine,” she explained. “And I love the patio—I was here all summer last year. And there’s these big trees behind that I think are so unique for this space. We’re behind the building, have a little bit of privacy, and then these trees are just so great.”

Tall evergreen tree with dense green foliage viewed from below against a cloudy sky.
The tops of the trees by the Secret Sauna (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

Sara’s Previous Work

Before she got into the sauna business, she worked in investor relations for commercial real estate investment companies. “I was doing that full-time in-house for a few different companies up until 2023,” she explained. “At that time, it was venture capital instead of commercial real estate, but still in the investor relations field.”

She also worked with startups and did consulting for smaller companies in this same field for a couple years. But at one point, something changed.

“My values had been shifting a lot,” she explained. “And once I was not working on [investor] projects anymore and thinking more about what I was actually doing, I realized that it was making rich people richer.” It’s safe to say that she craved doing something that supported community rather than participating in something she considered to be destructive.

The Start of the Secret Sauna

So how did the Secret Sauna come to be? It began with COVID. “So this whole thing started in October,” Sarah said. “I had COVID twice back to back, and I was sitting at home for eight weeks, basically losing my mind. I knitted a hat, and then I’m like, ‘What do I do now?’”

The Sauna Business, and a Partnership

“I was looking for something new to do anyway, and I kind of always had this idea to do a sauna business—but I hadn’t seriously explored it,” said Sarah. While she was stuck at home with COVID she started building a financial model for the potential business, along with creating a business plan. “And then I thought, ‘This could actually work!’” she exclaimed.

As soon as she got a negative COVID test, she messaged the Instagram account for Replicant Wine Bar, which was her number one choice of location for the sauna.

“And so I messaged the Instagram account,” explained Sarah. “Mila [short for Gianpiero Milani, the owner of Replicant—and yes, it’s a “Blade Runner” reference] answered within five minutes. We didn’t know each other—he had probably seen me here, but we hadn’t met each other. I showed the idea to him and he said ‘That sounds really cool. And can you come in to talk?’” She came in the next day, and the rest is history.

She appreciates how collaborative he is and how he caught on to her vision so easily. “I didn’t even have to explain a whole lot about the idea,” she said. “He could just like see it, and was getting excited about it, too. He thought this was a great way to use the space.”

When Marco at Mudd Works heard about, he, too, was excited about it and wanted to support the project.

What Type of Sauna Is the Secret Sauna?

I wondered if she was going to encourage any specific type of sauna culture—the two that came to mind immediately were Finnish and Russian. She replied, “It’s a PNW-type of sauna, but I think that I’m kind of trying to emulate the Finnish style. I don’t have Finnish roots, so I’m not trying to like culturally appropriate it or anything. But I think that’s the style that a lot of people are familiar with.”

A wooden barrel sauna with a rounded roof, featuring a main door with circular windows, wooden benches on either side, and an orange bucket for supplies placed nearby.
Sauna room (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

The Secret Sauna Is Social

Sarah says she wants to create a sauna atmosphere that is social, a way for guests to connect. “The vibe that I really want to go for is making this more of a social experience,” she explained. “Not like at other saunas that I’ve been to, where you’re kind of sitting silently, everyone’s quiet, and you’re almost afraid to make noise.”

She continued, “The sauna experiences that I’ve liked the most are where strangers are talking to each other and maybe even making friends and plans for later. And that was part of the vision—if I could be in an environment that is already somewhat social (like a bar and bonus coffee shop), then that was what I was going for when I was envisioning this.”

However, she may consider creating some designated quiet hours, “so people can self-direct into the type of experience they want,” she said.

Managing Your Secret Sauna Session: Inside and Outside

During a sauna session, it usually involves breaks, which could be a cold plunge or simply sitting outside to cool down. Sarah has a number of chairs nearby to sit in, and there is a fire pit to sit around where you can also be social.

Outdoor seating area with orange wire chairs arranged around a black fire pit, surrounded by a wood stack and trees.
Fire pit outside sauna room (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

At this point in your sauna experience, you can enjoy a beverage—whether that’s a drink from Replicant or coffee from Mudd Works, or drinks (herbal tea, lemon water, electrolyte drink) that Sarah will provide.

They will also install some showers just to the south of the sauna structure. They want them to be heated as well as having cold water for contrast therapy.

So why a cold shower and not a cold plunge? It’s a practical choice. “Cold plunges in Portland are kind of hard to do ,” Sarah explained. “They’re classified as pools, so then you’re required to have all of the same level of filtration and circulation that a pool has.” This was more involved than her resources could handle. So instead of a cold plunge, you can do a cold shower if you want to. I’ve had this experience at other saunas, and it has been satisfying.

How To Dress in the Secret Sauna

A visit to the sauna during public hours will require you to be clothed (like in a swimsuit or athletic clothes—but not street clothes) but any private events can be clothing-optional. You’ll just need to wrap yourself in a towel when you step outside from the sauna. Next door to Replicant/Mudd Works/Secret Sauna is an auto shop, and there are private homes nearby.

A wooden structure with a rounded door featuring three circular windows, accompanied by an orange bucket labeled 'MORE DOING: FILL CHECK REPEAT' filled with sticks.
The sauna, seating, and the patio seating for Replicant/Mudd Works (Meg Cotner – Bridgetown Bites)

Additionally, this is a shared space among folks who are eating and drinking things from Replicant and Mudd Works who are not planning to sauna. There is no hard separation between the patio seating area for the two businesses and the sauna side, apart from the big sauna structure itself. That means anyone can stop by over near the sauna and use that seating. “We’re not keeping anything strictly segregated at all,” said Sarah.

Drinking and Eating Inside the Sauna

At this point here will be no food or drinks inside the sauna for a variety of reasons—of course there’s the potential mess from liquids and comestibles, as well as the risky warming of some food; any kind of glass itself could get quite hot, too.

As a solution to help guests keep track of their drinks from the wine bar or cafe, is that there will be set of racks with cubbies for storage.

Collabs With Replicant and Mudd Works

I was curious to see if there were any future collaborations with Replicant and/or Mudd Works on drinks or food. “I would love to like collab on that with them,” said Sarah. “My focus has just been on getting open.” This is fair.

She’d like to talk with them more about ideas they have regarding collaborations. One idea she had was to create promotions—discounts on drinks. or a combo of a sauna sesson and a drink. She has not nailed down any specifics on that quite yet.

Winter vs. Summer

I was curious to learn if the Secret Sauna will be available all year, or just during the winter/colder seasons. Summers can be hot so perhaps a sauna is less appealing then. “My plan initially was that I’d be closed during the summer,” said Sarah. “And Mila wants the backyard space fully back during the summer, so I am committed to moving this on out during the summer.”

In case it wasn’t obvious, the sauna is on wheels.

“And this is a trial year, so we’re going to see how this goes and then see what people want. If I’m still super busy in May, then maybe I would look for another place to be during the summer. I’m just not sure exactly yet.”

Pricing

A social session is $40 for a 75 minute session and $270 for a private session. She is also considering a multi punch pass where it’s like cheaper per visit if you buy multiple sessions ahead of time. She is also considering memberships, but that idea needs to be hashed out a bit first.  

Sauna Hours

Right now, she’s planning on having the sauna available to reserve starting at noon with the final slot at 7:40pm. She may adjust that in the future—for instance, she’d like to be open in the mornings, but it requires having enough staff.

They had a little bit of a soft opening last week, and now the places is open for booking!

Also note that the sauna is for those age 18 and older only.

What Sets the Secret Sauna Apart

First, it’s heated via wood-fire rather than infrared. Sarah has strong feelings about infrared saunas. She points out that the two heating elements work in different ways, and she prefers the traditional heat source—wood fire warms your body in a way that is easy and familiar.

Infrared heat has been around a fraction of the time (decades) compared to traditional wood fire (thousands of years). “I don’t think that they have the amount of longitudinal research [for infrared saunas] that exists for traditional saunas,” she said.

That said, she acknowledges that people will gravitate towards the type of experience that they want to have—whether it’s the way a sauna is heated, or the level of social interaction in a particular sauna. “I think the biggest differentiator here is this social vibe that we’re trying to cultivate, and how you can have like a beer or a glass of wine.” Also note there are some food options (pastries, pizza) to enjoy along with beverages in the back by the sauna.

She wants the accoutrements to a Secret Sauna experience to be solid, as well. That’s the hot herbal tea, lemon water, and electrolyte drink; secure changing rooms; a dry floor, secure hooks on the wall, and a shelf or cubby for your things. “We’ve thought through all of those little details,” she added.

This also includes the availability of towels and shoes for rent, swimsuits for sale, in case you find yourself at Replicant/Mudd Works and realize there is a sauna in the back, but you didn’t prepare yourself ahead of time.

Additional Details

Right now she is open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday. The sauna’s day off will include doing any cleaning that  needs to be done aside from what is done throughout the week, and a chance for Sarah to catch up on admin work and other projects for the sauna, too. And, to take a break.

You can book your sauna session on the Secret Sauna website.

This is a very interesting mix of sauna relaxation, access to food and drink, and an unconventional social opportunity, all in one place in the north section of the Montavilla neighborhood. Replicant/Mudd Works is cozy, the sauna is cozy, and it’s a nice place to hang out in.

Wishing Sarah all the best with the Secret Sauna!

Secret Sauna [opened January 29, 2026]
Behind Replicant Wine Bar and Mudd Works Cafe
7033 NE Glisan Street, Portland
Secret Sauna website | Instagram

This article originally published in Bridgetown Bites on January 29th, 2026. Montavilla News republished it with permission of the editor and author. All copyrights remain with the original publisher.

Meg Cotner lives in NE Portland and is the editor and publisher of the independent Portland food news website Bridgetown Bites. She is also an active editor and writer, and the author of “Food Lovers’ Guide to Queens” (2023, Globe Pequot Press)

Harrison Community Village Shelter Public Meeting Feb 26

As the Multnomah County Homeless Services Department (HSD) readies the Harrison Community Village Shelter at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue for future residents, they invite people to attend a Public Meeting on February 26th. Nonprofit provider Do Good Multnomah will operate the alternative shelter under a “clean and sober” model. Interested community members can attend the 6:30 p.m. in-person event this Thursday. Portland Community College will host the meeting in its Community Hall Annex at 7901 SE Division Street.

Shelter operators anticipate opening the facility in spring 2026 and have worked on a Good Neighbor Agreement with community and business stakeholders to lessen the impact of the Harrison Community Village Shelter on surrounding properties. Multnomah County purchased the former recreational vehicle dealership at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue in December 2022 for $2.015 million. This 34,000-square-foot parcel was the second Montavilla location the County bought that year for temporary shelter services. The other shelter, Oak Street Village at 333 SE 82nd Avenue, opened in February 2025 and is currently operating at full capacity. The Joint Office of Homeless Services — now renamed the Homeless Services Department — has held several community meetings, including one in April that announced that Do Good Multnomah would operate the site as a sober shelter. Presenters explained that residents and staff are subject to drug testing, and policy strictly prohibits the possession of non-prescribed intoxicants on the property. Selecting a sober format meets a specific need for people transitioning into stable housing who are in recovery from substance use disorder, and it better matches community desires for the site, which is near two Portland Public Schools.

HSD will contract with the operator to staff the alternative shelter site at all hours of the day. The adult residents will receive one of 38 private sleeping quarters, each with a shed-style pod design. Six converted shipping container units will provide office space for staff, participant services, hygiene facilities, kitchenette amenities, and laundry facilities. Residents and their pets will have on-site access to green space. The site will receive upgraded fencing with privacy inserts on all street sides and a wood fence between the adjacent residential property to the east. The site intends to offer more than short-term shelter. People in the program will have access to dedicated housing case management and abstinence-based recovery services to help with long-term substance use recovery and housing stability.

The HSD meeting organizers ask that people complete an online form at the Harrison Community Village Shelter website to attend the 90-minute public meeting on February 26th. Attendees can also review the draft Good Neighbor Agreement prior to the meeting to better understand the work created by the Agreement Parties, which include representatives from the 82nd Avenue Business Association, African Youth & Community Organization, APANO, Montavilla Neighborhood Association, Portland Community College, and Portland Public Schools.


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Montavilla History Questions Answered:Academy Theater Part 2

Montavilla’s Academy Theater had been in business since 1948, when, in 1966, it faced a new challenge: the Eastgate Cinema opened at SE 82nd and Harrison, just a few blocks away.

The Eastgate, created by the future movie mogul, Tom Moyer (1919-2014), was bigger and more luxurious than the Academy. It also used the latest cinema technology. The Eastgate opened with a two-auditorium theater, then added another, single-screen building. Altogether, the complex could seat 2,200. The Academy seated a little over 600. The Eastgate closed in 2001. Today, the buildings are home to the Slavic Church Emmanuel.

A promotional poster announcing the grand opening of a theatre on Wednesday, October 26, with showtimes at 6:45 and 7:00. It highlights the availability of two complete auditoriums within one theatre.
Ad for the grand opening of the first Eastgate Theatre. Source: Oregon Journal, October 25, 1966

Despite the Eastgate competition, the Academy managed to stay in business for several years. It had one advantage: cheaper tickets. While the Eastgate screened first-run movies, the Academy showed cheaper second-run — and sometimes even third-run — films.

Jim Teeny found other ways to stay in business. He reduced screenings from daily to weekends. On Sundays, attendance was light, so he invented Portland’s first “dollar night” movies: for $1, you could see a double feature and cartoon, and drink unlimited amounts of free Boyd’s coffee. Another gambit was to book a lot of Clint Eastwood movies, which earned the Academy a reputation as the “Clint Eastwood house” of Portland.

A rugged man with a beard wearing a cape, standing in a western-themed environment
Clint Eastwood in The Man with No Name (1964). Source: Wikipedia

Jim stopped managing the Academy in 1972 and devoted himself exclusively to his fly-fishing business. The Teenys sold the Academy to Warren Stanley “Sam” Crawford, who continued to operate it as a movie theater until 1974. For a brief time, Crawford also used it as a concert venue.

Sometime after 1974, Crawford remodeled the building to produce a “penny-saver” newspaper called Nickel Ads. The auditorium was gutted and flattened to make space for the big six-unit printing press. According to Andrew Hessel, former manager of Nickel Ads, this advertising newspaper was successful, but it relocated in 2001.

Exterior of a storefront labeled 'NICKEL ADS' with stone facade and cars parked in front.
Nickel Ads occupied the Academy Theater building from about 1975 to about 2001. Photo courtesy of Heyward Stewart.

The Academy Theater was once again empty and available. In 2002, Ty DuPuis, owner of the Flying Pie Pizzeria, bought the vacated Nickel Ads building, with the idea of reviving the Academy as a theater-pub, a model that had saved many a neighborhood theater.

In 2004, DuPuis partnered with Heyward and Julie Stewart. Together they put a team of architects, contractors, builders, and designers.

Stephanie Brown, a Portland interior designer, helped restore the theater as closely as possible to its original Streamline Moderne style while also creating a theater that meets current standards of comfort, convenience, and safety. All this on a limited budget.

But restore it to what? It was unclear what parts of the original theater looked like. Portions of the entrance and lobby remained, but the auditorium was a mystery since it had been gutted and flattened to meet the Nickel Ads’ needs. Moreover, there were only a few old photographs to guide the restoration.

Interior of a large, empty warehouse space with exposed walls and a staircase in the background. There is a blue workbench in the foreground and construction materials scattered on the floor.
The auditorium before renovation. Photo courtesy of Academy Theater

The theater’s auditorium seated over 600 people, but this was considered too large for second-run moviegoers. The solution: divide it into three small theaters.

Interior of a movie theater featuring red curtains, black seating, and a large blank screen.
One of the three theaters in the remodeled Academy. Photo courtesy of Academy Theater

Fortunately, the original curved walls and round ceiling-well of the lobby remained and simply needed restoration.

Interior view of a lobby featuring a curved ceiling, teal walls, and a reception desk. There are two sets of double doors leading outside, along with decorative lighting and a carpeted floor.
The restored lobby. Photo by Julio Brown

Besides restoring the theater to its 1940s look, it was also upgraded to seismic standards.

Photos of the original Academy building guided the restoration of the exterior. The rock facing added by Nickel Ads was removed. The original marquee design was restored, down to the theater’s name in curvy letters.

A side-by-side comparison of two theater facades: the left shows an older design with a yellow section and stone accents, while the right features a modern blue design with the word 'Academy' displayed prominently.
Left: Academy Theater building as Nickel Ads. Right: The restored Academy Theater. Photos courtesy of Academy Theater

But what was the exterior color? There were no old color photos or accounts to guide the designer. The deep blue of the Streamline Moderne Greyhound bus terminals was an appropriate choice for both period and style.

Exterior view of a vintage Greyhound bus terminal, featuring a blue and white art deco design with a prominent Greyhound sign.
Blytheville, Arkansas Greyhound Bus Station, built in 1937. Source: Wikipedia

Not every detail of the original Academy design could be restored. The original curving pattern of the lights on the underside of the marquee could not be replicated with available materials. The ticket booth of the original Academy was not restored; it was too small to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The original front doors had round windows, but these would exceed the renovation budget.

Although not every detail of the original Academy could be replicated, the design was so successful that in 2008 it won a Preservation in Action Award from the Architectural Heritage Center/Bosco-Milligan Foundation. It was one of 15 projects chosen by a panel of judges as outstanding examples of historic preservation created during the previous 20 years.

On March 11, 2006, the restored Academy opened to a sold-out crowd. The line stretched around the block an hour before opening. Old film buffs could choose the 1947 film “Tycoon” starring John Wayne, Laraine Day, and Cedric Hardwicke, the same movie featured on the Academy’s opening night in 1948.

The resurrected Academy Theater has become a Montavilla icon and a community favorite. In 2013, when Hollywood decided it was go-digital or die, a crowdsourcing campaign raised nearly $49,000 to buy the new projectors. The Academy was able to remain in business.

Not only did the historic Academy survive, but it also helped, along with Ya Hala, Flying Pie, and Bipartisan Café, to revitalize Montavilla’s historic downtown.

A mural in progress on a white building wall featuring a large hand outline, with workers on a lift painting and a few people nearby. Several parked vehicles are visible in the foreground.
Olivia Knapp, “On the Other Hand,” mural creation on the west exterior wall of the Academy Theater Aug, 29 2015. Photo by Jacob Loeb

The Academy Theater received an upgrade in 2015, with a mural added to its west side. At that time, Seattle-based artist Olivia Knapp added a pen-and-ink style mural called “On the Other Hand” to the very wall that Jim Teeny helped to repaint every year.

A large black and white mural depicting an outstretched hand releasing a few drops of water, located on a white wall.
Olivia Knapp, “On the Other Hand,” mural on the west exterior wall of the Academy Theater Photo by Thomas Tilton

Acknowledgments:

For this article, I am grateful to the following people for the information they generously shared with me: Heyward Stewart, co-owner and manager of the Academy; Jim Teeny, son of the original owners of the Academy; Stephanie Brown, the interior designer who helped with the Academy restoration; and Andrew Hessel, a general manager of Nickel Ads.

If you want to know more:

On the remodeling, see an excellent article by Inara Verzemnieks, “Trickle up effect tips the momentum on Stark Street,” The Oregonian, April 6, 2006

For a time-lapse video of the creation of Olivia Knapp’s “Other Hand” on the west exterior wall of the Academy, go to http://www.oliviaknapp.com/other-hand/2015/9/16/olivia-knapp-mural-time-lapse-forest-for-the-trees-mural-project.

Title image: Academy Theater marquee in its renovated state Photo by Jacob Loeb

Event: The Academy Theater will celebrate 20 years since reopening on March 11th, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Read Part 1

Montavilla History Questions Answered:Academy Theater Part 1

I think most would agree that the Academy Theater on SE Stark is one of Montavilla’s most outstanding historical buildings. When it opened in 1948, it could claim to be the most modern building on Montavilla’s main street. How it came to be and how it survived is a story with many twists and turns.…


This is part of Montavilla History Questions Answered, a series of history related articles. If you have questions about Montavilla’s past that you’d like answered, local historian Patricia Sanders will investigate your question. Please email your questions to history@montavilla.net and we may feature it alongside Patricia Sanders’ research in a future.

Zwickelmania Brewery Shuttle Service Loops Through Montavilla on Feb 21st

On February 21st, Zwickelmania returns to Oregon, with two of Montavilla’s breweries joining more than 55 other craft beer makers from across the state. Host businesses offer attendees Zwickel tasting pours from the fermentation tanks and guided brewery tours. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street and Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue will again participate in this annual celebration of local beer makers. Event organizers will offer free sober transportation between sites via a network of shuttle buses, which should broaden participants’ exposure to Portland’s selection of independent brewers.

Zwickelmania is an annual celebration of Oregon craft beer during Oregon Craft Beer Month, organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Member breweries open their production facility to the public for a behind-the-scenes view of their operation and to offer unique sampling opportunities. The event’s name stems from the industry term Zwickel, describing the valve or sample port mounted outside a cask or tank. Brewers use those ports to test the product during fermentation, and this annual event allows people 21 years or older to taste beer from a producer’s perspective.

Promotional flyer for Montavilla Brew Works featuring event details for Zwickelmania on February 21st, including brewery tours, beer tastings, and giveaways.

The 2026 beer-centric program offers a safe way for event attendees to visit more breweries through a free shuttle service that transports them to 16 participating Portland establishments. Attendees can catch one of six vehicles driving on two routes throughout the Eastside. This service allows drinkers to experience the event in several neighborhoods without getting behind the wheel or losing time taking indirect public transit. The participating businesses want people to enjoy the experience without overindulging while learning about the region’s craft beer producers. “We have bags of pretzels we’ll probably put on the tables to keep people eating and keep them hydrated,” said Michael Kora of Montavilla Brew Works. “Because if you get on the bus and even hit half of one of these routes, that’s a party.” During the event hours of 11 a.m. through 5 p.m., buses will depart from each location approximately every 30 minutes. The two shuttle routes overlap at Migration Brewing on NE Glisan Street for riders to transfer. However, there are too many participating locations to reach them all via the bus service during the event timeline, so people must plan to visit their favorite locations first or decide to explore some new beer makers.

Interior view of a brewing facility, featuring stainless steel fermentation tanks, a staircase, and various brewing equipment.
Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street

Kora explained that Montavilla Brew Works has always made beer production front and center in its tap room, with the fermentation tanks only protected by a table-height wall and a roped-off entrance. “I think you can go to a lot of breweries and there’s a pub out front and there’s some stainless [tanks in the back]. I guess there’s a brewery back there, but we’ve always liked to have it showcased,” Kora said. “So on a day like[Zwickelmania], it’s even more fun because people can cross the line and go into our workspace and hang out with us.” The brewery will be open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday, with the last tour starting around 4:30 p.m. People on the tour can have free samples at the brewer’s discretion, but patrons must pay for anything ordered at the bar or from the Oi! The Sausage food vender working the event. Kora said he will release a new Scottish Porter at the event, adding to a line of brews he has created that honors his heritage. “My mom came here when she was eight years old with her family. Cruised into Ellis Island, signed papers, and moved to Michigan. My grandparents started a family and started a new life. So I get to be a first-generation American,” recalled Kora. “Scottish beers often are thought of as very heavy, big alcohol, dark, which is true in some of them. But the Scots drink a lot of lager, they drink IPAs, they drink porters. So we’re starting to look into more historical styles and bring them out. It’s a cool story to tell, and they’re really good beers.”

Threshold will open for brewery tours every hour starting at 11 a.m. People can also find special beer tappings, unique food menu items, a prize raffle, and a live DJ. The Threshold team also created an “Ultimate Zwickelmania Survival Kit” consisting of wearable snacks, hydration, energy boosts, Underberg digestif bitter, a shuttle map, and a glossary of brewhouse terms. These are offered on a first-come, first-served basis to Threshold visitors while supplies last.

Interior view of a brewery with a wooden bar displaying merchandise and drinks, two staff members behind the counter, and a chalkboard menu listing various beverages and events.
Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue

Zwickelmania’s organizers gear the event toward craft beer enthusiasts who can sample directly from the Zwickel port, find unique beer releases, take tours, and meet brewers who provide educational talks. Kora also stressed how important it is to reach a wider audience that may not know about the breweries in Montavilla. “Zwickelmania sometimes brings out people that are not as familiar with us, or the brand, or the neighborhood. And so that’s where I get really excited.” Some host locations will offer food and beer pairings or specials. This non-ticketed event will only cost the price of beer and food at each location. Designated drivers can also find non-alcoholic drinks at the event. Oi! The Sausage will start selling grilled single sausages on a bun at Montavilla Brew Works in the afternoon. People interested in attending should visit the Zwickelmania website for more information and an up-to-date list of participating brewers.

Event flyer for Zwickelmania, an Oregon brewery tour, scheduled for Saturday, February 21 from 11 am to 5 pm, featuring a free shuttle service with buses departing approximately every 30 minutes. The map displays two routes with various breweries highlighted.
BreweryWhat They Offer
1188 Brewing CompanyFood and beer pairings, specials, vote for your favorite beer
Allgood Brewing CompanyTours, meet the brewer, $5 pint specials all day
Arch Rock BrewingBrewery tours, zwickel and/or other free samples
Away Days BrewingPin of cask ale for free samples and education about cask conditioned beers
Baerlic Brewing CompanyBrewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, pizza from Ranch Pizza
Barsideous BrewingGhost stories, guided theater and brewery tours, special beer releases, zwickel samples
Bevel Craft BrewingBrewery tours, zwickel samples, meet the brewer, special beer release
Binary Brewing Co.Brewery tours, special beer release, brewing education, zwickel samples
Boneyard BeerNew beer release, self-guided tours, zwickel samples, free pickles, food truck
Breakside Brewery – SlabtownSpecial beer release, brewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples
Buoy Beer CoState of Excitement beer for 25 cents from 5:00-5:15pm (1 per customer)
Claim 52 BrewingFinal Zwickelmania at original location, zwickel samples with brewers
Conversion BrewingBrewing and ingredient education, guided tasting, brewery tours
Cooper Mountain Ale WorksFood and beer pairing flights, brewery tours, meet the brewer, special release
Crooked Creek BreweryBrewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials, free coozies
Crux Fermentation ProjectSamples off barrels, special beer release, beer pairings
Deschutes Brewery – BendSelf-guided tours, samples of beers, NA brews, flavored malt beverages
Deschutes Brewery – PortlandBrewery tours (first come, first served), meet brewers, special releases, food specials
Double Mountain BrewingShort tours all day with small bites and zwickel samples, complimentary glass
Falling Sky BrewingBrewery tours and zwickel samples all day
Ferment Brewing CompanyBrewing process tours, zwickel samples, special beer release
Fort George BreweryFull production facility tour, meet the brewer, multiple zwickel samples
Gigantic Brewing CompanyBrewery tours, zwickel tastings, live music in Barrel Room, Flying Fish oysters and seafood
Grand Fir BrewingBrewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials
Ground Breaker BrewingGluten-free brewery tour with educational points, zwickel samples, food specials with Salvi PDX
Golden Valley BreweryGuided educational tours and samples at 12pm and 2pm
Heater Allen/Gold Dot BeerBrewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, beer & pretzel pairings
Hopworks Urban BreweryBrewery tours, pizza and beer pairings
Krauski’s Brewski’sNano brewery tours, samples from the source, meet the brewer, live music 6-9pm
Lazy Days BrewingBrewer tours, special beer release, pizza & food specials, zwickel samples
Leikam BrewingRecords with Tasha from Second Chance records, brewery tours, zwickel samples
Level BeerBrewer led tours, tank samples, free hop water for designated drivers
Living Haus Beer CoBrewery tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples
Lucky Lab BrewingBrewery tours and guided tastings
Migration Brewing Co.16th Anniversary celebration, collaborations with Upright and Threshold, tours, zwickel samples
***Montavilla Brew Works***Oi! The Sausage food cart, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, raffles, cask beer release, live music
Ninkasi BrewingSpecial beer release
Oakshire BrewingFood & beer specials, special flight, Hellshire XV barrel-aged blend release
Old Town BrewingBrewery tours, zwickel samples, guided tastings, pizza and beer pairings with Baby Doll Pizza
pFriem Family Brewers – Hood RiverExclusive brewery tours, complimentary beer tastings, small bites
pFriem Family Brewers – MilwaukieComplimentary beer tastings, small bites
Public CoastBrewery tours, guided tasting, zwickel samples
Root and Rye Hop Farm & BreweryFirst pint for $5, meet the brewery, tours and zwickel samples
Side A BrewingBrewery tours and samplings, Dead of Winter party
Sisu Brewing Co.Brewery tours and samples at 12pm and 1pm on historic theater stage
Spider City BrewingTime slots with head brewer Melanie Betti, brewery tour/history, guided tasting, food specials
Steeplejack Brewing Co.Brewery tours, special pin tapping, food and beer pairings
StormBreaker BrewingBrewery tours, guided tastings, zwickel samples, barrel-aged bottle ring toss, prize wheel, 12th anniversary
Sunriver BrewingBurlington Hazy IPA release, maple sugar primed cask, Vermont-themed food, ice cream float shots
Terranaut BeerBrewery tours, special beer release, meet the brewer, zwickel samples
***Threshold Brewery and Blending***Hourly tours, free shuttle every 30 min, Ultimate Zwickelmania Survival Pack™, food specials
Thunder Island Brewing CoBrewery tours, meet the brewer, guided tastings with small bites, zwickel samples
UPP LiquidsMeet the brewers, beer samples with Bavarian pretzel pairings, tours
Von Ebert BrewingBrewer led tours, zwickel samples, guided tastings, free bottle openers
Wayfinder BeerBrewery tours, guided tastings, meet the brewer, zwickel samples, food specials
Wild Ride BrewingGuided tours, meet the brewers, zwickel samples, complimentary beer & cookie pairings
Worthy BrewingMeet the brewer, brewer-led tours, zwickel samples, swag raffle, $5 pints, $3 fries, $6 pizza bites
Zoiglhaus BrewingBrewer lead tours, meet the brewer, zwickel samples

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Four Townhomes on E Burnside Street

Work is underway on four townhomes at 8426 E Burnside Street, built in clusters of two massings joined by a common trash room. The project is occupying a previously undeveloped parcel that once served as the extended yard of the adjacent home to the west of the property. Recently, cement masons erected the foundations for the new 1,000-square-foot homes. The two-story buildings will offer residents two-bedroom units with two and a half bathrooms, to be sold as condos without income restrictions.

Architectural drawing of the north (front) facade of a house, showing dimensions, materials, and design details including windows, doors, and roofing.
North elevation of 8426-8432 E Burnside St courtesy Leon Simms

Although all units are attached, project developer Leon Simms explained that he and the architect, Bayard Mentrum, worked together to create three outer walls for each unit. “The nice thing is we were able to split them so there’s no middle units,” said Simms. The residences function as two duplexes with a small one-story utility structure sitting between them. The sidewalk-adjacent unit faces East Burnside Street, while the other home’s doors face east, connecting to a walkway. The back of the units connects to a small yard via large double glass doors. The alignment of the buildings should obscure the true quantity of homes, so that most people passing the site will not immediately detect the housing density tucked behind.

Simms said that the builder, Martin Kehoe with Portland Leeds Living, will construct the main floor with nine-foot high ceilings, and people will access the homes through eight-foot tall doors. This feature helps make the homes feel larger and of high quality. Each bedroom will have its own attached ensuite bathroom on the second floor, with the other half restroom located on the first floor.

Architectural drawing of an east facade of two residential buildings, illustrating the layout, window placements, and structural details.
East elevation of 8426-8432 E Burnside St courtesy Leon Simms

This project will take advantage of temporary System Development Charge (SDC) exemptions enacted by the Portland City Council that apply to permits issued from August 15th, 2025, through September 30th, 2028. These fees are typically paid by developers to support public costs incurred as the city expands public infrastructure for sewer, water, parks, and transportation to accommodate the additional demand on those services by new residents in an area. City leaders hope removing those construction fees will help builders start projects and deliver more affordable products to the housing market. “We’re going to be one of the first to take advantage of the SDC waiver program, so that there’s not any income restriction,” said Simms. He explained that these types of homes often use the Homebuyer Opportunity Limited Tax Exemption (HOLTE) program to remove property taxes for up to ten years. It has a homebuyer income limit of 100 percent of the median family income for a family of four in the region. This and other affordability program restrictions can exclude people who would benefit from a lower entry point into home ownership, but are making just enough to not qualify. “A lot of people that want to buy these more affordable, small new homes but make a little bit too much money,” remarked Simms.

Construction site with concrete foundations laid for a new building, surrounded by a fence and trees.

Leon Simms is a fan of infill housing but has only recently started working on projects east of the Willamette River. “I’ve always been a Westside guy. I’ve been in the new home sales business for almost 40 years, but I’ve been 99% Westside,” Simms said. He likes this area and thinks these homes will be a “cute” addition to the neighborhood. They are walking distance from the historic Montavilla Downtown on SE Stark Street and near transit options. This section of East Burnside Street has curbside parking only on the north side, across the street from the development. However, it is often underutilized and buffered from passing traffic by a bike lane, making it a suitable place for residents to park. Work on the units is moving quickly, and people should expect to see them take shape over the next few months.

  • 8426 E Burnside Street
  • 8428 E Burnside Street
  • 8430 E Burnside Street
  • 8432 E Burnside Street

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Two-month Westbound NE Halsey Detour at I-84

Starting Monday, February 16th, westbound motorists on NE Halsey Street need to take a detour to NE 82nd Avenue during the next two months of construction on a new mini-roundabout. Eastbound travelers should not experience any significant disruption, but northbound users of NE 80th and NE 81st Avenues will continue to experience local-access restrictions from NE Clackamas Street to NE Halsey Street.

Crews recently completed half of a new mini-roundabout along NE Halsey Street as contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation install street-level bike and pedestrian safety infrastructure, along with upgraded underground stormwater management pipes that connect with relocated catch basins. This street reconfiguration includes reconstructed sidewalks and curbs on sections of NE Halsey at notoriously challenging intersections with multimodal conflict points.

A map illustrating traffic directions for westbound NE Halsey St, highlighting required use of the I-84 onramp after NE 84th Ave. Features green arrows for bidirectional traffic and orange arrows indicating temporary one-way traffic.
Portland Maps image with MV News illustrations

This work is part of the NE Halsey Street (68th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project. It builds on substantial street safety improvements undertaken in 2024, when roadwork reconfigured NE Halsey Street between 68th and 81st Avenues, removing a lane in each direction while adding painted buffered bike lanes and a center turn lane. In this section of the project, the new mini-roundabout at NE 80th Avenue and Halsey Street will address a confusing intersection, located just before one of the three NE Halsey Street freeway overpasses. Renderings posted show that people will have access to high-visibility pedestrian and bike crossings. Rebuilt and extended corners will also shorten the crossing distance, and new sidewalk segments will guide users to pathways that lead to transit connections. When contractors complete work at NE 81st Avenue, cyclists will have access to a bi-directional buffered bike track on the south side of NE Halsey Street, extending up to NE 92nd Avenue.

Map of a roundabout intersection featuring NE Halsey Street, NE 80th Street, and NE 81st Street, alongside the I-84 Eastbound off-ramp.
PBOT provided illustration showing the NE Halsey, NE 80th, and 81st junction with mini roundabout

PBOT chose this intersection design to reduce crashes while keeping traffic flowing. The roundabout will slow drivers and reduce conflict points, without requiring drivers to come to a complete stop unless a cyclist, pedestrian, or other vehicle has the right of way. The infrastructure should have a lower lifecycle cost because it does not rely on electric traffic signal equipment. Buses and fire trucks can easily drive through the center of the roundabout to make tight turns when needed, improving safety without impacting critical travel routes.

The next phase of work will focus on the northern half of the mini-roundabout, following the recent completion of the southern portion. Crews will continue to work at the site from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. All driveways on these blocks will remain open for people traveling to or from the worksite. However, street users should anticipate additional detours and follow all instructions from crews working in the area.


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TriMet Moves Forward with Nearly 7 Miles of Transit-Priority Lanes on 82nd Ave

On Friday, February 13th, TriMet leadership instructed the 82nd Avenue Transit Project designers to work toward creating 7 miles of Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes along most of Portland’s portion of 82nd Avenue. The transformative project would convert the 72 bus line into a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system under TriMet’s FX (Frequent Express) moniker, with high-capacity vehicles, modern stations, traffic signal priority, and, now, transit priority on the outer lanes of 82nd Avenue. This updated project scope will increase the current project’s proposed $350 million budget by at least $8 million, and the project partners are depending on yet-unawarded $150 million in federal funding.

TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. made the directive to advance the incorporation of significant BAT lane allocation in the design at the project’s Policy & Budget Committee meeting. This follows months of public dispute over restricting a lane of automotive travel in each direction on a busy north/south connector road that was formerly a state highway until transferring to Portland’s ownership in 2022. BAT lanes serve two primary functions in a transportation network. They are focused on providing local access for vehicles on congested streets and on providing transit systems with a less encumbered lane to move more reliably between stops. Advocates for the design note that driving to a business’s parking lot entrance on a busy road requires a visitor to wait in rush-hour congestion even if they turn onto the street a block away. In those conditions, it can also take a significant time for a motorist leaving a driveway to exit and merge into traffic. BAT lanes can help address those situations by requiring all outer-lane travelers in private vehicles to turn right within a block. Supporters also tout the BAT lanes used by emergency vehicles, which can speed through congestion when time matters.

A green public transit bus stopped at a modern bus station with a clear shelter and seating area, surrounded by bike lanes and pedestrian pathways.

BAT lanes are strongly supported by surveyed residents who favor a faster, more effective BRT system on 82nd Avenue. People who spoke in support at the 82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meetings also appreciated the anticipated reduced speed of BAT lanes on the curb adjacent portion of the road. 82nd Avenue once had parking along its outer edges that later became travel lanes, leaving pedestrians and fast-moving vehicles inches apart. However, many businesses are concerned about the economic impact of a sudden change in vehicle throughput. Although 82nd Avenue is not at capacity at all times of day, it does often become congested, and transportation models indicate that introducing this level of BAT lanes will divert 20 to 25 percent of traffic to other routes during peak times. Local businesses that started their ventures on a state highway years ago worry that this change will force them to relocate or close as their customers take a different route to avoid heightened congestion. People advocating for 82nd Avenue to transform into a more pedestrian-forward design say that new shoppers will come by foot and by bus, but that mode shift can take years, and many of the small businesses that have made up 82nd Avenue’s culture say they cannot survive the transition timeline, which is far from certain.

Map showing city/county limits with SE Clatsop St and NE Lombard St, intersecting streets including SE Powell Blvd and SE Foster Rd, and I-84 orientation.
Feb 13 Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes graphic courtesy TriMet with MV News directional notation

The TriMet adopted design for BAT lanes closely represents the community-supported design, and the project 82nd Avenue Transit Project CAC endorsed design, referred to as the “More BAT Lanes” option, with one notable exception. The nearly seven miles of transit-priority updates will stop before and resume after SE Powell Boulevard. During the January 28th CAC meeting, presenters explained that because that cross street is still a state highway, the Oregon Department of Transportation would require significant improvements at that intersection and on SE 92nd Avenue to accommodate the agency’s design standards for vehicle throughput. They explained that it would dramatically increase project costs or significantly delay the design process, seeking exemptions.

The project is targeting a 72 FX Line opening in 2029 and still has many milestones to meet before construction can begin. Planners need to find additional funds for the BAT lane portion of the project and secure federal funding in a challenging time for states seeking support from national leaders. TriMet says the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) gave the project a Medium-High rating, a strong indicator that it could receive those funds. Proponents of the BRT investment point to this corridor as an essential focus for efforts. TriMet’s Line 72 bus provides nearly 66,000 rides each week and is the busiest bus line in TriMet’s system. It also represents the highest-ridership bus line in all of Oregon, making it an ideal candidate for upsizing to strengthen the network’s backbone. Many riders use this route along 82nd Avenue to the Clackamas Town Center to connect with other lines. Transit designers say reliable and timely performance is essential to improving the network and reducing future congestion by getting more people out of personal vehicles for daily commutes. People can provide comments and learn more at the project website (trimet.org/82nd/).

Disclosure: The author of this article previously served on the 82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee (CAC).


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