On January 27th, contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation laid new asphalt along a segment of SE 85th Avenue behind the Fubonn Shopping Center, temporarily closing the street to through traffic. This work is part of the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which created sidewalks from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard along SE 85th Avenue. This segment was previously only partially paved with a pot-hole-laden gravel shoulder. Now cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers have a consistently reliable north-south route away from the busy 82nd Avenue main street.
This repaving work between SE Clinton and Brooklyn Streets adds to previous work that created new sidewalks on SE Clinton Street from SE 84th to 87th Avenues, with crews converting the existing gravel road to a modern street surface from SE 84th Place to 87th Avenue. West of 82nd Avenue, SE Tibbetts Street is receiving sidewalk infill, with some blocks lacking consistent pedestrian pavement down to SE 78th Avenue. Most sidewalks in the project area will receive updated Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps.
40-unit Jade Apartments at 2905 SE 89th Avenue
The new street infrastructure connects to a secondary entrance to the Fubonn Shopping Center, which contractors constructed in April 2025, providing access to the east side of the grocery store and retail site from SE 85th Avenue. Designers located the new entrance on the northeastern corner of the shopping complex. These updates were part of a long-term plan to improve multimodal access in a section of Portland’s Jade District that has the capacity for significant housing development on large, underdeveloped properties. Crews are currently wrapping up external construction on the 40-unit Jade Apartments at 2905 SE 89th Avenue, and Oregon Metro recently purchased a 1.46-acre property at the intersection of SE 90th Place and SE 89th Avenue for housing development.
Crews laying new pavement along SE 85th Ave connecting the roadway between new sidewalks
Other developers are similarly looking to increase housing density in the area as private and public projects create the infrastructure needed to support the new people walking, driving, and rolling through this area bordered by SE Division Street, SE 82nd Avenue, SE Powell Boulevard, and Interstate-205. Look for work to be completed on SE 85th Avenue in the coming weeks, along with increased usage as people discover this improved route in the Jade District.
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Framing crews have made significant progress on the 40-unit complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. This joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will transform a 1.1-acre property into affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction will continue on The Jade apartments throughout the year, with an anticipated opening date in 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.
Fifteen units in the new apartment building will offer family-sized accommodations with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The developers will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats, each with a single bathroom. Residents can access various site amenities, including a bike room, package lockers, and resident services offices. People can also use a community room, two courtyards, and outdoor areas with a garden and play area for children. Larger apartments have in-unit washer and dryer appliances. The building offers laundry rooms on each floor for the rest of the residents.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
The developers will reserve all units in the three-story building for people earning 80% or below the median family income (MFI) for Portland. That commitment keeps rents from exceeding levels set annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations, but does not fit what people consider low-income housing. Based on 2023 numbers, one of the development’s three-bedroom apartments would cost up to $2,347 monthly. At those rates, these homes support the working families often priced out of modern apartments west of Interstate 205.
A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study of the Jade District identified the unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street as a prime redevelopment opportunity for sustainable housing and a new public park. APANO is the fiscal sponsor of the Jade District Neighborhood Prosperity Network (NPN) and used the 2018 data with community input to pursue development opportunities in this area. With the help of Gorman & Company’s nearly 40 years of experience creating housing, APANO will begin work on what was envisioned for this part of the Jade District seven years ago.
The Jade apartments Aug. 7th, 2025
This area contains a multitude of housing with buildings around the site ranging from farmhouses to multifamily buildings. The architect worked to create a design matching its environment while still providing the desired housing density. “The building will have a residential character, and we’ve subdivided the masses to be consistent with the other buildings in the neighborhood,” explained Kevin Kellogg, Gorman & Company’s Market President for the Pacific Northwest. People will access the apartment’s upper floors through a central stairway, and a courtyard facing an open-air walkway connects the units. “Each of the courtyards has a unique character. One of them, we call the living room courtyard, and the other one is the family room courtyard,” said Kellogg. The ground floor will house the site’s accessible units and its 32 on-site parking stalls, half of which are partially covered by solar panels.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
The developers are targeting a Net Zero certification for the building, making it environmentally friendly and resilient to changing weather conditions. “Our goal is for it to be as low maintenance and energy efficient as possible,” said Kellogg. The environmental goals also align with APANO’s goals for the Jade District. “We’re working to build the most climate-friendly, transit-rich, and affordable neighborhood we can. We feel this complements our work at PCC, Canton Grill, and the Orchards,” explained Duncan Hwang, Community Development Director at APANO.
Framers comple 3rd floor framing including a covered exterior hallway looking into a courtyard Sept. 15, 2025
This apartment complex will become the fourth housing project in the Jade District for APANO. The organization is interested in having a mixed-income neighborhood, and this project fits the need for workforce-priced housing. Other projects built by the organization or in development support lower-income renters. APANO often partners with other organizations in creating and managing developments. In this case, Gorman & Company will provide asset management and compliance, with APANO providing resident services.
In addition to improving housing availability in the area, this project will create public right-of-way improvements. Towards the end of the project, crews will construct new sidewalks along the frontage and build a portion of the paved street. These infrastructure upgrades will move the area closer to completing a disconnected street and sidewalk network that inhibits travel along SE 89th Avenue. Walkable access is a primary feature of this building, which is blocks away from the Fubonn grocery store and frequent public transit. Look for continued improvements to this area as work progresses on The Jade apartments.
Sometime this spring, the joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will finalize a purchase of a 1.1-acre property at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. The group will create affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction of the 40-unit complex will begin in fall 2024, with an anticipated opening date in early 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.
Fifteen units in the new apartment building will offer family-sized accommodations with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The developers will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats, each with a single bathroom. Residents can access various site amenities, including a bike room, package lockers, and resident services offices. People can also use a community room, two courtyards, and outdoor areas with a garden and play area for children. Larger apartments have in-unit washer and dryer appliances. The building offers laundry rooms on each floor for the rest of the residents.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
The developers will reserve all units in the three-story building for people earning 80% or below the median family income (MFI) for Portland. That commitment keeps rents from exceeding levels set annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations but does not fit what people consider low-income housing. Based on 2023 numbers, one of the development’s three-bedroom apartments would cost up to $2,347 monthly. At those rates, these homes support the working families often priced out of modern apartments west of Interstate 205.
A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study of the Jade District identified the unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street as a prime redevelopment opportunity for sustainable housing and a new public park. APANO is the fiscal sponsor of the Jade District Neighborhood Prosperity Network (NPN) and used the 2018 data with community input to pursue development opportunities in this area. The land identified for a park is not currently on the market. However, APANO’s vision for family housing across the street from the future park could occur with the purchase of three lots owned by the Argonaut Group. With the help of Gorman & Company’s nearly 40 years of experience creating housing, APANO will begin work on what was envisioned for this part of the Jade District six years ago.
Image from Portland Maps
This area contains a multitude of housing with buildings around the site ranging from farmhouses to multifamily buildings. The architect worked to create a design matching its environment while still providing the desired housing density. “The building will have a residential character, and we’ve subdivided the masses to be consistent with the other buildings in the neighborhood,” explained Kevin Kellogg, Gorman & Company’s Market President for the Pacific Northwest. People will access the apartment’s upper floors through a central stairway, and a courtyard facing an open-air walkway connects the units. “Each of the courtyards has a unique character. One of them, we call the living room courtyard, and the other one is the family room courtyard,” said Kellogg. The ground floor will house the site’s accessible units and its 32 on-site parking stalls partially covered by solar panels.
The developers are targeting a Net Zero certification for the building, making it environmentally friendly and resilient to changing weather conditions. “Our goal is for it to be as low maintenance and energy efficient as possible,” said Kellogg. The environmental goals also align with APANO’s goals for the Jade District. “We’re working to build the most climate-friendly, transit-rich, and affordable neighborhood we can. We feel this complements our work at PCC, Canton Grill, and the Orchards,” explained Duncan Hwang, Community Development Director at APANO.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co
This apartment complex will become the fourth housing project in the Jade District for APANO. The organization is interested in having a mixed-income neighborhood, and this project fits the need for workforce-priced housing. Other projects built by the organization or in development support lower-income renters. APANO often partners with other organizations in creating and managing developments. In this case, Gorman & Company will provide asset management and compliance, with APANO providing resident services.
In addition to improving housing availability in the area, this project will create public right-of-way improvements. Towards the end of the project, crews will construct new sidewalks along the frontage and build a portion of the paved street. These infrastructure upgrades will move the area closer to completing a disconnected street and sidewalk network that inhibits travel along SE 89th Avenue. Walkable access is a primary feature of this building, which is blocks away from the Fubonn grocery store and frequent public transit. Look for construction to begin later this year, with more housing availability in 2026.
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Over the last two decades, Argonaut Group purchased four lots along an unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street. This month, the owners of the properties submitted an Early Assistance request to build a 40-unit residential building that would span three of those parcels totaling over an acre. The proposed courtyard housing complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue would provide 32 on-site parking stalls and a ground-floor community space.
Image from Portland Maps
The Early Assistance request proposes a three-story tall building with a single loaded corridor providing access to the residences. This planning process gives builders insight into what the City will require to approve the development. Plans for the project will likely change, and the property owners could elect not to proceed with the project. Road and sidewalk construction costs for developments on unimproved gravel roads like SE 89th Avenue will often impact the project’s financial viability. It is unknown to what degree the developer will have to update the street as part of this work, but the City will likely require some improvements.
Unimproved SE 89th Avenue looking north from SE Brooklyn Street
Housing density in this area has increased over the years. This section of East Portland is zoned Residential Multi-Dwelling 1 (RM1), and that designation supports low-scale multi-dwelling structures. Developments in this zone can support buildings up to three stories tall with frontage setbacks similar to residential neighborhoods. People often build duplexes, townhouses, courtyard housing, or small apartment buildings in the RM1 zones.
This project, if approved, would be an efficient use of land. In the place of two homes, the developer will provide 40 residences with on-site parking. Additionally, the site is within a few blocks of two frequent bus lines and Max light-rail service. If the property owners decide to proceed with this project after receiving the Early Assistance advice, they could apply for building permits sometime this year. However, construction could be over a year away.
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.
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