Painters recently covered the former O’Neills Tools & Equipment building at 7131 NE Glisan Street with a fresh coat of white paint as the new owners begin transforming the large corner building into a multi-tenant retail destination serving the community. The formerly barred and gated property now presents board-covered openings, as crews prepare it for storefront glazing, which will accommodate six to eight individual shops and a potential eatery.
Bill Neburka, Anthony Kell, and Michael Quinn formed the “BAM Collective” to shepherd this project from development through tenancy, with a long-term outlook centered on generational ownership and community investment. Project architect Bill Neburka owns Evident Architecture Office (EAO) located in a commercial building two blocks east at 7323 NE Glisan Street, and the other partners similarly invested in area properties. Quinn is the primary owner of Sparrow Salon’s building at 7243 NE Glisan Street. Anthony Kell explained that the group wants to preserve the charm of NE Glisan Street while rebuilding a commercial corridor for local Portlanders. “Our goal is to offer retail that will support the community and the neighborhood, making sure it [contains shops] that people can walk to and would be looking for. We’ll hopefully be homogeneous with the area. We’re not tearing it down and making this new ugly retail plus residential building. We’re going to be fairly picky about who we put in there and make sure that it is something that will support the community, so they don’t have to walk all the way over to Stark Street.”
Kell noted that business owners are already investing in restaurants, bars, and shops along the street, and he hopes that they will add to that momentum with space for more independent businesses. “It’s going to be micro-tenanting, smaller spaces for retail, and then possibly a wine bar and or restaurant,” said Kell. The remodeled building will offer spaces with exterior entrances on NE Glisan Street or NE 72nd Avenue, as well as some units that visitors can access from a shared central hallway. The designers have completed the subdivision plans; however, future business operators can work with the team to explore options. “We have a pretty good plan [for the layout], but there will be the ability for somebody to take two spaces or split one in half. We’ve got to demise in a way that is flexible for potential tenants,” explained Kell. The corner location adds a variety of arrangement options, including frontages on the quieter side of the structure. “There will be an entrance toward the back. That’s where the restaurant would most likely be, rear-accessed behind the building, so it’s kind of tucked away,” Kell said.
Anthony Kell explained that the September code amendment recommendations, approved unanimously by the Portland City Council, could help this project move forward faster. The vote temporarily suspends specific rules that apply to projects that add to or alter existing development. The four changes reduce the need to add particular street improvements, such as sidewalks, curb ramps, and street trees, when the project exceeds a specific dollar amount. It also removes the requirement for a seismic evaluation report. The temporary exemptions will only apply to building permits that are currently in the permit or inspection process. This group of updates, effective starting October 24th, is a short-term construction stimulus package designed to expedite the completion of existing projects. Kell feels that this will help them create a better rehabilitation of the building without worrying about cutting costs to avoid triggering those improvement requirements that could halt the project due to excessive expenses.
The BAM Collective team expects they are six months away from opening the space for tenants to move into what they have tentatively named the “Tool Building,” in reference to O’Neill’s Tools’ long-standing tenancy there. People may see a short-term renter using the space until construction picks up. Kell explained that the group is interested in keeping the building in their family and ensuring it is first a community asset, rather than a personal investment tool. “We’re kind of old school Portlanders that want to do things the way that they used to be done. People coming in that are creatives and makers.” The building’s new owners anticipate the project will take shape in 2026, and the developers are eager to find the right tenants soon.
Renderings courtesy BAM Collective and Evident Architecture Office (EAO)
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