432 NE 73rd – Montavilla News

A seven-townhome development is well underway on NE 73rd Avenue near NE Glisan Street. It replaces a 1924-era single-family home demolished last September. Each two-story unit offers over 1,000 square feet of living space. The residences share an access walkway along the north side of the property and a covered bike barn on the northeast corner. Each of the home’s two bedrooms has attached bathrooms and vaulted ceilings.

The architect of this project designed the main floors with an open layout. Only the powder-room lavatory under the stairs has separation from the main floor. People enter the homes in the dining room area and must walk through the kitchen to the living room in the back. A three-panel sliding door leads to a back patio in the 160-square-foot yard. An in-unit laundry closet is on the second floor, and some units have an indoor bike rack bay at the front door.

Now that crews finished principle framing, work will transition to internal projects. Expect construction to continue throughout the summer, with completion later in 2023. When finished, the new homes will have unique addresses of 482 NE 73rd Avenue, 480 NE 73rd Avenue, 478 NE 73rd Avenue, 476 NE 73rd Avenue, 474 NE 73rd Avenue, 472 NE 73rd Avenue, and 470 NE 73rd Avenue.

Jacob Loeb

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Last week, the new owners of 432 NE 73rd Avenue submitted building permit applications to construct seven new townhomes on the property. This standard 50-foot wide lot abuts an apartment building to its rear and a parking lot to the north. The new residences will replace the 1924-era single-family home, garage, and shed on the site.

Each of the seven townhomes will span two floors. A separate Site Development permit seeks to create shared walkways, landscaping, and other infrastructure for the future residents. The developer has yet to submit demolition permits for the home and detached garage. However, references to the impending deconstruction of the house are present in the other permit applications.

*1928 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street undeveloped*

The property’s existing home appears to predate its current location by 25 years. Maps from 1928 do not show any buildings at that location or the surrounding lots. Before 1928, E. 73rd Street ended north of E Glisan Street. 73rd started again south of E Stark Street. Consequently, most homes built on this segment of 73rd Avenue date back to the 1930s and 1940s. However, a plumbing permit from August 30th, 1949, indicates the owner of 432 NE 73rd Avenue relocated the structure to its current location from 320 NE 39th Avenue. The permit’s notation about the move explains the discrepancy between the map data and Portland’s official age of the home.

*1949 Plumbing Permit for 432 NE 73rd Ave*

Although past developers saved the nearly 100-year-old home once before, it now looks like its removal is needed to make way for new housing. The added density provided by the townhomes will dramatically increase the number of families living on the property, and better fit the growing density along NE Glisan. Expect demolition to occur this fall, with construction likely starting later in the year.

*1909 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street ending at E Glisan*

Update: On July 15th, the developer submitted the demolition permits for this project.

Jacob Loeb

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