The notable four-unit townhouse development at 8511 SE Yamhill Street is nearing completion as crews install siding on the two-story homes. Only two units share an entire common wall in the center of the project, with the end structures built mostly free-standing. Crews have worked rapidly on these 1000-square-foot townhomes since the City of Portland approved building permits four months ago.
Unlike many rowhouse projects providing housing density in Portland, the front and back homes are mostly detached except for a three-foot wide refrigerator pocket that protrudes from each unit to create a mini-common wall. The small connector only attaches at the main level and satisfies the code-compliant connection needed to build this style of fourplex. It also allows the homes to have a six-foot gap between the units providing wall space for more windows in each living room and the required middle bedroom windows on the second floor.
Each home shares a similar layout with an open floor plan on the main level hosting a kitchen and living room area. A half bathroom tucks under the staircase with a stacked laundry closet next to it. The front unit’s powder room is larger and protrudes towards the street, providing the only front-facing window on the ground floor. The three back units are accessible by a walkway on the east side of the development with sliding glass doors on the west side. A code requirement for a street-facing doorway required that the frontmost unit have unique entries. The second story of each townhouse contains three bedrooms and a shared full bathroom.
Ernie Jette Construction has built modest-sized homes on this site with the capacity to fit a standard-sized family. Once landscapers plant trees along the western property line, the development should appear smaller thanks to the buildings’ orientation on the lot, which masks the number of units behind the frontmost home. These townhouses should be available for sale later this year.
Update – November 13, 2023: The four condo units are now complete and for sale. The listings show a Home Owners Association (HOA) fee of $50 per month and prices in the mid $300,000 range. The front most unit has a sale pending.
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