Biketown maintenance staff recently removed the bike-share rack on SE 81st Avenue and E Burnside Street after it received significant damage. Around noon on February 19th, an older Toyota sedan drove over the rack bending all six lock-post. Lyft, the operator of Portland’s bike rental program, will replace the dock next week.
Biketown Station with car stuck on top
Biketown bike racks, referred to as stations, are placed on sidewalks or in the parking lane of streets. These designated spaces offer users a dependable location to find the iconic orange bikes. Although riders can lock the bike any place at the end of a trip, Biketown finically incentivizes people to return rented bikes to stations. Since its removal, this station no longer appears on the Biketown System Map. Riders looking to save the $1 fee charged for parking outside a station must travel to the nearest location on NE 78th and Glisan Street. Unlike the damaged unit, the bike-share operators placed that station on the sidewalk.
All bike spaces were empty when the crash occurred, and no injuries were reported. With only plastic delineator posts marking the station’s footprint, this type of collision could happen again. However, this is the first reported incident at this location since its installation 18 months ago. Expect a new station at SE 81st Avenue and E Burnside Street by March 10th.
Biketown Station Replaced on SE 81st AveBiketown Station on NE 78th Ave and NE Glisan St
By
Jacob Loeb
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Portland real estate investor Antoine Dean recently purchased a thin 24-foot-wide lot on the NE side of E Burnside Street. The site contains a detached garage used over the last several decades by residents of 4 NE 72nd Avenue. Later this year, after demolition crews remove the existing structure, the site will host a new two-story single-family residence fronted on E Burnside Street.
Antoine Dean is a Portland real estate agent and investor who often looks for unique development opportunities. When he discovered the 1904-built home on the market, Dean saw potential in the detached building. The single-car garage and attached shed were not part of the original home but joined the adjacent property later. The lots remained separate parcels over the years, and Dean was able to purchase the garage’s land independently from the house.
Image from Portland Maps
The site will require creativity in its construction, being one-foot skinner than most infill houses. “It is a relatively small lot compared to everything else,” remarked Dean. Residential buildings in this zone require a five-foot setback from the property line. Consequentially the architect had to take a standard 15-foot-wide split lot plan set and shave an extra foot from the design. This proposed house is 14′ wide by 38′ long. However, it fits many amenities in that 1016-square-foot space. Each of the two bedrooms has an attached bathroom. That leaves just enough room on the second floor for a stacked washer and dryer closet at the top of the stairs. The main floor features an open-plan living room, kitchen, and dining area. Under the staircase is a small main-floor powder room.
Floor Plan courtesy of Antoine Dean
This home targets the affordable side of the housing market. Dean explained that a home in a high-traffic location with a modest floor area is ideal for those working with a constrained budget. “Whoever purchases it is going to have to feel comfortable being right there on Burnside,” said Dean. He expects the single-family residence to list anywhere from $375,000 to $415,000, depending on the market conditions at the time of sale. Providing finically accessible housing is important to Dean. He sees it as one of the top challenges in the country, and he hopes his work will help mitigate the national housing shortage.
The demolition permit for the garage is approved, and work should begin soon after workers clear the property. Expect to see crews working the site throughout the summer. Dean hopes to keep to a tight building schedule and have the property listed before the end of the year.
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Update: Last week, crews poured new concrete sidewalks and curbs along E Burnside Street and NE 72nd Avenue. This walkway expansion work was required due to a recent lot division and the construction of a new single-family residence at 7171 E Burnside Street. Cement masons also reconstructed an existing curb cut on NE 72nd Avenue that now leads to the new home’s driveway. Workers will soon take down the construction barricades surrounding the two lots.
E Burnside Street looking westNE 72nd Ave looking north
Article originally published on October 25th
Sidewalk reconstruction work is currently underway along E Burnside Street and NE 72nd Avenue. A recent lot division, and subsequent construction of the new single-family residence at 7171 E Burnside Street, triggered the pedestrian zone upgrades. Workers will completely replace the sidewalk and expand curbside planter strips. Landscapers will plant five River Birch street trees in the curb strip with some additional sidewalk adjacent plantings on the private property.
Sidewalk Illustration over plan-set by Thogerson Designs
As a condition of the redevelopment, both lots relinquished an additional four feet from the original property line. This land dedication to the City of Portland was necessary for an expanded public right-of-way that now meets current design standards. As a corner lot, the original 1900-era home at 7 NE 72nd Avenue forfeited more property when accommodating the new sidewalk and planting strip than the newly completed home. However, the century-old 880-square-foot building still sits comfortably back from the street and has an adequate yard.
When completed, this once-narrow walkway along a busy street will feel more comfortable for pedestrians. That extra space only extends for half the block, and it will take further redevelopment along E Burnside Street before whole segments of the pedestrian zone are rebuilt to modern standards.
TriMet repair crews will close the MAX Blue Line this weekend between Gateway Transit Center and East 122nd Avenue. Shuttle bus service will transport MAX riders around the closure as workers revitalize tracks between the two stations and a rail crossing at East 102nd Avenue and Burnside Street. Construction will begin on September 23rd and be complete on the 26th. However, the Blue Line disruption and shuttle service will only occur during the weekend on the 24th and 25th.
Operators will adjust the MAX system during the four-day project, running all trains every 20 minutes throughout most of the day. Riders are encouraged to plan their trip ahead of time and check the trains’ location in real-time on trimet.org. Drivers in the area may also anticipate some disruption due to construction on the tracks. During the rail line interruption, extra TriMet staff at select stations will assist riders in making connections. Additional information about this transit disruption is available on the TriMet website.
This week, crews began roadwork replacing corners and upgrading stormwater inlets at E Burnside Street and NE 92nd Place. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will create a curb extension at the northeast corner when reconstructing the sidewalk, increasing pedestrian visibility and shortening the travel distance across E Burnside Street. That design change required the relocation of an existing rainwater collector and the addition of a second inlet further west.
Northeast corner at E Burnside Street and NE 92nd Place before changes
Across the T intersection, on the south edge of E Burnside, workers will add a new curb ramp in alignment with the eastern crossing. That addition and the two corner improvements will provide a much-needed crosswalk for E Burnside Street. This segment of roadway allows drivers to travel from 82nd Avenue to 99th without stopping, creating a dangerous situation for pedestrians trying to cross.
New extended corner on NE 92nd Pl & NE Glisan St
Last week crews completed a similar project on the other end of NE 92nd Place at NE Glisan Street. Together, these projects create an accessible path from E Burnside Street to NE Glisan Street. However, NE 92nd Place lacks sidewalks or curbs, and its degraded street surface is a challenging path to navigate for people with limited mobility. With this recent investment by the City, this street is an ideal location for a future Local Improvement District (LID) or a City-funded sidewalk infill project. Look for construction to continue over the next few weeks with an occasional crosswalk closure.
UpdateSeptember 26th, 2022: Work on the two corners is near complete.
Next summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will begin a multi-year project to reconnect portions of the City’s street grid east of Interstate 205. This work will slice up several long blocks, opening the way for new housing developments emphasizing walking, Biking, and public transportation. The project will span from NE 94th Avenue to NE 100th Avenue, with work occurring in two phases.
PBOT intends to begin Phase 1 work in mid-2023, completing sidewalk infill on NE 97th Avenue. Previous developments and public works projects added modern road infrastructure to NE 97th from NE Glisan Street to NE Davis Street. Crews will continue that work south to E Burnside Street. That area currently lacks curbs and sidewalks. This phase will also improve conditions on E Burnside Street from 94th Avenue to 97th Avenue. Portions of the sidewalk and road surface have deteriorated, particularly near the TriMet Max tracks that cross the westbound lane.
E Burnside Street at 94th Avenue Looking east
Planned for the Summer of 2024, Phase 2 of the project has a greater impact on the local streetscape. This work will create new streets and require significant private land dedication to complete. PBOT crews will build new segments of NE Couch Street from NE 97th to 99th avenues and NE Davis Street from NE 97th to 100th avenues. The project’s scope includes new streets, sidewalks, and stormwater improvements.
NE 97th Avenue and NE Couch / Davis LIDs from Portland Maps
As a Local Improvement District (LID), property owners will supply funding for this $15 million project with tax increment financing (TIF) from the Gateway Urban Renewal Area and a transportation system development charge (TSDC). PBOT will cover overhead costs incurred by managing this project.
Developer Joe Westerman and his companies own the majority of the affected properties in the LID. That concentrated ownership likely helped drive the City’s efforts to reconnect streets and will allow a significant change in road use. Although near the I205 Multi-use Path, this section of Portland is challenging to navigate outside of a car. Long blocks force pedestrians onto busy roadways and extend walking distances as people double back to reach a destination. Walkable and bike-able streets near public transit reduce the number of parking spaces needed, allowing for larger developments that maximize land usage and housing density.
NE 97th Avenue at NE Davis Street looking towards E Burnside
In 2019, this area received a surge in development interest, with one project at the corner of E Burnside Street and NE 97th Avenue receiving design approval. Other projects stalled in the Early Assistance phase of development, including a six-story building with 77 units. These planned improvements could help reignite developer interest in this area and spur a new wave of housing construction. Look for road crews to begin work next summer and prepare for new streets in 2024.
Construction crews are wrapping up work on a two-story single-family residence at 7171 E Burnside Street. The sizable infill-home features four bedrooms and a single-car garage accessed from the back of the property. At the builder’s current pace, the new home could become available for purchase this fall.
Original article published February 18th, 2022
This week, construction crews prepared a new flag lot on E Burnside for a forthcoming single-family residence. Located at a recently created address of 7171 E Burnside Street, the two-story home will feature four bedrooms and a single-car garage. Unlike most infill-homes with the garage door dominating the front of the structure, designers of this house placed the attached garage behind the home.
Plans for the home show a 27-foot wide home extending back 42 feet. The front door sits between a half-bathroom and a ground-floor bedroom at the front of the house. The floor opens up to a living room and dining room from the entryway. The open floor-plan creates a long 33-foot by 16-foot room, ending in a kitchen at the rear of the house. A ductless fireplace with TV hookups above the mantel is at the center of the main floor. A door from the dining room leads to the single-car garage positioned at the northeast corner of the structure and setback nine feet from the northern edge of the home. This recessed placement allows a vehicle to make the 90 degrees turn from the ally into the parking space.
Up a flight of stairs, a ten-foot by ten-foot bedroom and a shared bathroom occupy the front of the second floor. A large family room and another ten-foot by ten-foot bedroom take up the center portion of this level. At the back of the house, a bedroom suite fills the remainder of the floor. Inside that room, a walk-in closet over half the size of the standard bedrooms sits to the right. The 16-foot by 12-foot main bedroom features a tray ceiling with a suspended fan. The ensuite has a shower, spa tub, toilet room, and dual vanity.
The project’s layout and design adhere to contemporary higher-end home construction standards. However, limitations created by the site’s location moved the project towards a classical arrangement. For many years, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has asked developers to place new driveways on side streets, reducing possible collisions on arterial roads like E Burnside. That directive influenced the need for a driveway entrance from NE 72nd Avenue. The Developers took additional space from the original property at 7 NE 72nd Avenue and created an alleyway leading to the rear of the new property.
Portland Maps image of 7171 E Burnside
Before WWII, most homes hid parking behind the house. It was not until the 1950s that most new homes placed the garage prominently at the front of a residence. Over the decades, the width of a house’s garage door signaled the homeowner’s prosperity. That valuation has recently decreased with changing perceptions status symbols.
Although vehicle storage is no longer a key sign of wealth, many new infill homes still offer attached garages, often requiring two-thirds the width of a home. This layout pushes living space to the back of the building, sometimes isolating occupants from the activities in the community. Although this building’s design may not have intently looked to the pre-war designs of American architecture, the benefit of placing the parking at the rear should create a more attractive building and perhaps encourage other builders to reconsider a vehicle’s place in the home.
UpdateJune 27th, 2022 – Construction crews are wrapping up work on a three townhome project at 7424 E Burnside Street. The two-story multi-family development replaced a single-family home while retaining a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) built at the west edge of the lot.
UpdateMarch 15th, 2022 – Framing crews have completed work on the three townhomes currently under construction at 7424 E Burnside Street. The unit to the west features a steep gable roof similar in pitch to the neighboring accessory dwelling unit built in 2018. The other two homes share a low slop roof edged by a parapet.
Workers will next seal the two-story building from the elements with a roof system, windows, and siding. After that work completes, tradespeople will focus on the interior with the project’s expected completion later this year.
UpdateOctober 19th, 2021 – Demolition crews are actively deconstructing the single-family residence at 7424 E Burnside Street. When the property is clear of the 1949 era single-story home, work will begin on three new townhomes at this site. Another detached residential building will remain on the west portion of the property. Consequentially, crews will cap shared utilities near the old foundation instead of at the sidewalk, maintaining services at the other structure during construction.
Original article published September 20th, 2021
East Burnside Street could gain three new Townhouses just west of SE 75th Ave. Developers plan to raze a 70-year-old signal family dwelling at 7424 E Burnside Street, clearing the way for three new homes. An existing accessory building will remain on the property.
Work on the project could begin next month. On October 6th, the thirty-five-day demolition hold will elapse for the existing single-story building. Once cleared, the property will be ready for further development.
Permits submitted last Friday seek to build a trio of two-story townhouses on the lot. New residents of these homes will rely on street parking and other transportation options. The limited space on the lot does not allow for the construction of garages. In 2018, the property owners constructed an accessory structure on the western edge of the lot. That building will remain, adding a 4th unit to the property.
This proposed development is possible thanks to zoning changes made this summer by the Residential Infill Project (RIP). Portland planners believe these changes will create smaller homes that are more affordable for residents. Regardless of the final price of each townhouse, the lot will soon have space for two extra families. Many supporters of RIP hopped that buildings would be added to properties and not cause excessive demolition. However, as with this project, creating housing density will require the sacrifice of some older buildings. Expect to see demolition crews at the site later in the year.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) plans to reconstruct curb ramps at NE 92nd Place and E Burnside Street. Crews will expand the pedestrian zone by constructing a curb extension at the northeast corner. Across the T intersection, on the south edge of E Burnside, workers will add a new curb ramp in alignment with the eastern crossing.
This sidewalk work will add safety infrastructure for both pedestrians and motorists. East Burnside allows drivers to travel from 82nd Avenue to 99th without stopping. Parked vehicles along E Burnside often obstruct intersection markers, giving the illusion of one continuous thoroughfare. The parking design creates a situation where drivers fail to observe pedestrians and cars attempting to enter the roadway. Curb extensions allow people to wait for a break in traffic beyond the edge of the parking lane and within sight of all vehicle operators. Additionally, the visible sidewalk extending beyond the parked cars will signal drivers that an intersection exists ahead where they may need to yield to others.
Image from the PEDSAFE guide produced for the US Highway Administration
Designers of the curb extension also expanded the stormwater management at the corner, adding a collection grate in two places. After reconstruction is complete, rainwater from NE 92nd Place will have a dedicated collection point separate from the other one along E Burnside Street. This intersection exists at a low point in the road, creating the potential for minor flooding. Many of the improvements in this project should eliminate issues with standing water on the road.
Northwest corner at NE 92nd Pl and Burnside
Expect to see crews working at this intersection in the coming months, with detours for pedestrians expected during construction. After work concludes, residents should see a safer junction with a more comfortable pedestrian crossing point on what has become a well-used street.
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) staff are in the midst of updating the City’s Freight Master Plan adopted by the Portland City Council in 2006. The 2040 Portland Freight Plan seeks to create a strategic road map for investing in urban freight infrastructure in Portland. This update allows the city to rebalance the commercial demands on the roads with the City’s Vision Zero and environmental goals. PBOT created a survey for Portlanders to help identify intersections, streets, curbs, bridges, ramps, and neighborhoods where people experience urban freight-related safety and mobility concerns.
Montavilla is a neighborhood surrounded and bisected by urban freight movement. The I84 and I205 freeways create its north and east borders, while 82nd Avenue, NE Glisan Street, SE Start/Washington Streets, and SE Division Street all carry substantial commercial traffic through the community. Businesses and residents in the neighborhood can provide unique perspectives to the survey, helping PBOT meet its goal of creating a safe, equitable, efficient, and sustainable urban freight system.
Participating in the PBOT survey is the public’s best opportunity to shape the next 20 years of freight activity in Portland. The results from the PBOT survey, along with extensive reports and analyses, will form the final Plan. Other guidance will come from the 2040Freight Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and multiple supporting documents developed throughout the planning process.
Title image courtesy of PBOT
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