This past weekend, craftspeople began installing the long-anticipated mosaic tile mural at the Jacksons Gas station and Food Store. This artistic creation of Hector H. Hernandez will adorn a cinderblock wall placed behind the new pedestrian plaza at NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street. The corner community space and mural are part of a significant redevelopment project that rebuilt a Shell refueling station and created a substantially larger convenience store.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association members selected Hernandez for this project in the latter part of 2020. The artist met with neighborhood residents and Board members to gather inspiration for the project. Those conversations and his years of experience creating public art guided the creation of the mural’s design presented at the October 10th, 2022, meeting. His slide deck included work in a variety of mediums representing an array of subjects. The presentation also offered a look at the OPB segment featuring Hernandez’s work on the side of the Woodburn Independent newspaper building.
Hernandez worked for months cutting the individual tile pieces for this mural in his studio, adhering them to mesh backing for transportation to the site. Now, he and his support team are placing the mosaic panels together on the cinderblock wall and filling in the gaps with individual tiles before grouting. The tiles are small, and the work draws on ancient skills not regularly practiced by modern craftspeople.
Jacksons Food Stores funded this work as part of its commitment to community support in the areas in which it operates. Along with the plaza, work at this location included many improvements to the sidewalk infrastructure and expansion of the urban tree canopy. Completing this public art installation will mark the final phase of construction at this site, but the mural will become a lasting display of Montavilla’s history and diversity.
Disclosure: The Author of this article served on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association Board during the mural’s selection process.
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On June 22nd, the Jacksons Food Stores and Shell Gas Station reopened to customers on the corner of NE Glisan Street and 82nd Avenue. This multi-year project involved merging two properties and expanding the store’s footprint to accommodate an enhanced selection of edible items. The Jacksons design team implemented several retail and food service advancements throughout their new market, many of them firsts for the chain’s Oregon stores.
The redesigned Jacksons at 611 NE 82nd Avenue features a market-style store with prepared foods and grocery options, an eight-pump refueling station, and a corner pedestrian plaza with covered seating. The entire project added numerous new street trees and landscaping while retaining many of the preexisting mature trees. Later this year, a local artist will install a mosaic tile mural on the corner wall visible to all passing by the station.
The original gas station’s convenience store offered a modest selection of snacks and drinks in a confined space. According to Alex Romero-Chavez, District Manager for Jacksons, the structure itself had outlived its useful lifespan. He explained that the company would have needed to rebuild the store even without any expansion at this location. While looking at the site for improvements, Jacksons determined that an expanded store in this location would benefit the neighborhood. The group purchased an adjacent property to the north that once housed a Pizza Hut restaurant, merging the two properties into a 0.92-acre parcel.
Designers working with Jacksons used that expanded space to create a 4,452-square-foot convenience store with modern stone cladding. Customers can enter from the sidewalks or one of two parking lots to the north and south of the building. Gerard Aguilar, Regional Manager for Jacksons, anticipates store patrons will be impressed with the selection of food and drinks available at this location. Staff stocked the store with grocery essentials, including milk, eggs, and bacon. Shelves contain a wide assortment of chips, drinks, desserts, and other snacks. This location has an extensive selection of bottled wines and beer. A walk-in “beer cave” surrounds the shopper with a multitude of beer selections in self-fronting racks that always keep the brews visible to shoppers.
Walk-in “beer cave”
Prepared hot and cold food is another marquee feature of this store, and many new technologies help keep the food at peak taste throughout the day. It starts with an onsite kitchen in the back where precooked base ingredients are heated and assembled into the dishes available in the self-service displays. Hot food shelves use heated air curtains to keep the food at the optimal temperature until purchased. That retail technology works similarly to the cold air curtain used for open-faced refrigeration units. Even the pizza display utilizes new technology to better preserve the product. In addition to heating, it uses humidity controls to prevent the dough from drying out.
Hot dispensers use heated air-curtain similar to the cool air-curtain used for open-faced food storage
People looking for the staple of this type of store can use the brewed-to-order automated coffee machine. However, the cutting-edge automatic milkshake machine could see significantly more use, at least during summer. Customers can place a special ice cream cup into the machine and have it whip the frosty creation while they wait. Romero-Chavez explained that he has high hopes for serving the neighborhood. “This should be the destination for the whole community.” He envisions it replacing some grocery store trips for people in the community. The central location for the store has the potential to fill the gap left by last year’s closure of Sunny 82nd Market. Romero-Chavez is particularly excited to serve people who use the Montavilla Park and Community Center across the street that may need a take-and-go option.
Speed of shopping is an integral part of this store’s redesign, and Jacksons has just begun to roll out self-checkout to improve the customer experience. Each payment terminal can flip over and become a cashier-free station for credit card paying patrons. Age-verified products and cash sales will require store staff to ring up the purchases, but customers can otherwise checkout independently without waiting in line. This process only recently graduated out of testing, making this one of the first locations in Oregon to implement this payment option.
Over the last month, new store staff have trained at other locations. Jacksons has filled thirteen of the sixteen positions, and those employees have spent the previous few days readying the shop. The store will open daily from 5 a.m. to midnight, with plans to transition to 24-hour service when business conditions warrant it. People working and living near this store should now have a new option for convenient access to a variety of food items.
By
Jacob Loeb
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Work on the Jacksons convenience store and gas station at 515 NE 82nd Avenue closed one lane on NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street as crews construct new sidewalks around two sides of the 40,250 square foot property. Construction of the new fueling station pumps and retail building is nearing completion, and now cement masons will build wider walkways around the site. The southbound TriMet 72 bus stop in front of the property is closed during this phase of the project. Riders can use the temporary stop across NE Glisan Street by Washman Auto Spa.
Over the following weeks, one southbound lane of NE 82nd Avenue and one westbound lane of NE Glisan Street are closed to traffic near the property. Sidewalks detour pedestrians onto the roadway to bypass the construction. However, until workers complete the new walkway, it is recommended that people use the opposite sidewalks while walking in this area. In addition to the expanded sidewalks with fewer curb cuts to navigate, pedestrians will soon have a corner public plaza to rest at.
Site Plan as presented to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association by PM Design Group, courtesy Jacksons.
This location will soon become safer for people thanks to an expanded pedestrian realm and a reduction in places where a vehicle crosses the sidewalk. Developers reduced curb cuts into this area in half, taking six entry points down to three and pushing them away from the corner crosswalk zone. The project designers also relocated the convenience store closer to the sidewalk so shoppers not traveling by car can have safe entry. Expect construction to continue into summer, with a store opening date later this year.
TriMet 72 bus stop temporary relocated on the south side of NE Glisan in front of Washman
By
Jacob Loeb
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Last night, at the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) meeting, the artist Hector H. Hernandez presented designs for a ceramic-tile mosaic coming to the corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street as part of the new Jackson’s convenience store and gas station currently under construction. The new public art is the backdrop to a public plaza on the refueling station’s property aimed at activating the pedestrian realm on the busy intersection and adding neighborhood identity. This pedestrian-focused enhancement is part of an extensive transformation of the area, including reorganizing the Washman property and reconstructing sidewalks along NE 82nd Avenue.
MNA members selected Hector H. Hernandez for this project in the latter part of 2020. The artist met with neighborhood residents and Board members to gather inspiration for the project. Those conversations and his years of experience creating public art guided the creation of the conceptual design presented at the October 10th, 2022, meeting. His slide deck included work in a variety of mediums representing an array of subjects. The presentation also offered a look at the OPB segment featuring Hernandez’s work on the side of the Woodburn Independent newspaper building.
Site Map courtesy Jacksons. Red line shows mural location on wall
The artwork will complement the covered benches and landscaping in the 22-foot-wide plaza. This space is in addition to another on-property seating area designated to support people waiting for the 72 TriMet bus. Trees and plaza amenities will partially obscure parts of the mural. Hernandez took this into account with his designs. He included intricate details for those near the wall but incorporated more prominent imagery visible through the environment’s clutter, allowing passing vehicles to experience the artwork.
The mural’s placement will occur toward the end of construction. Expect to see work progress at the site into 2023. By this time next year, the corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street should feel like a different place with an attractive plaza that reflects the neighborhood.
By
Jacob Loeb
Site rendering courtesy Jacksons. Mural image provided by Hector H. Hernandez.
Disclosure: The Author of this article served on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association Board during the mural’s selection process.
Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Last week, the Jacksons Food Store and Shell fueling station at 515 NE 82nd Avenue closed for renovations. Crews have removed gas pumps and enclosed the site with construction fencing. Demolition crews will remove the two structures on the property within the next few months. In 2020, the gas station’s owners purchased the neighboring vacant restaurant to the north. That acquisition doubles the property’s size, making room for a 4,452-square-foot convenience store.
The combined site at the northwest corner of NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street will feature a large detached Jacksons Food Store in the center of the rectangular lot. The developers intend to construct a public plaza near the intersection with covered seating and landscaping. An updated fueling canopy and gas pumps will remain close to their current location.
Improvements to the property will trigger sidewalk reconstruction along both streets, creating wider and safer public walkways. The project designers will reposition vehicle entrances and reduce the number of crossings where pedestrians and drivers interact.
When completed, the new fueling station and store will have an address of 611 NE 82nd Avenue and occupy nearly a full acre. The building will site close to the 82nd Avenue sidewalk, allowing pedestrians to enter the store without walking through a parking lot, as previous customers once did. Designers plan parking access on the north and south sides of the convenience store.
Site Plan as presented to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association by PM Design Group
Soon demolition crews will begin removing the former Pizza Hut building and the existing small store. Then workers will construct the new structures, sidewalks, and plaza. Although the storefront is expanding, the fueling capacity will not dramatically increase. Look for work to continue at the site for the remainder of the year, with an expected reopening in 2023.
By
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
A new mural is coming to the corner of 82nd Ave and NE Glisan as part of the Jacksons’ gas station redevelopment. Hector H. Hernandez will create the public artwork in the ceramic-tile mosaic style. However, community participation in guiding the mural project is needed.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) will host an online meeting to solicit public input regarding the art installation. The discussion is held via Zoom this Monday evening, November 30th, at 6:30 PM. Those unable to attend or who want to contribute in multiple ways can call 503-660-8659 or fill out an online form to provide written feedback. Callers leaving a voicemail should limit calls to 3 minutes.
Regardless of how community members choose to contribute to the project, MNA asks people first to visit the Land Use and Transportation page and read about the project and its chosen theme. As this project will be a visible marker of the neighborhood, it must reflect the diverse nature of Montavilla. Participation in this project will help all residents make a lasting mark on the local culture and its public perception.
Board members reviewed the works of artist Hector H Hernandez at the September 14th Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) meeting. Hernandez is the preferred candidate to create Montavilla’s newest piece of public art. MNA is working with Jacksons Food Stores to create a tile-mosaic as part of the new gas station and store at 515 NE 82nd Ave.
The mosaic will be part of a new Pedestrian Plaza at the southeast corner of the property. It will face the intersection of NE Glisan Street and 82nd Ave and create a barrier between the gas station and the plaza area. The task of finding an artist from the community, and working with Jacksons Food Stores to commission the project, is the responsibility of board member Adam Wilson. Wilson sought community input at previous MNA meetings and searched within the Portland art community. Hernandez became the preferred candidate, based on the project requirements and his portfolio.
The initial specification for the project calls for a four-foot by forty-foot mosaic. Jacksons Food Stores is willing to commit $10,000 towards the artwork. However, that may be insufficient for the size of the project. The artist estimates the costs closer to $20,000. MNA board members reviewed Hernandez’s work at the meeting and expressed a desire to find a solution to the funding gap.
Hector H Hernandez’s work includes many public murals in Oregon. Consequently, Hernandez has experience in creating artwork with direction from neighborhood associations and private businesses. In an email interview with Montavilla News, Hernandez described his approach to this type of project. Through a process of investigation and communication, Hernandez seeks to “creating an emblematic piece of artwork that will enhance the neighborhood aspirations and dreams.”
This piece of public art will last many years on a marquee corner, and its selection will comment on the neighborhood. As the selection process moves forward, there should be more public opportunities to view the design options. Follow the MNA Facebook for updates on this project and to share your opinions.
A replacement convenience store and gas station’s site plan reveals an attractive property with many new public spaces. At a Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) meeting earlier in the year, the architect for this project presented his designs. The presentation included a Site Plan and Implementation Plan for the new Jacksons convenience store and gas station located at 515 NE 82nd Ave. As part of the development, MNA will help select a mosaic-tile art installation facing the intersection of NE 82nd Ave and NE Glisan Street.
The mosaic will be part of a new Pedestrian Plaza at the southeast corner of the property. This area will include a 100 square foot covered area, 8′ long benches, and trash receptacles. In addition to trees and other plantings, concrete pavers and low-level yard lighting will further cultivate a mini parklike feeling at the plaza. It will provide ample space for those using the 72 bus stop or waiting to cross the busy intersection.
This new gas station and store will occupy the current Shell Gas station site and a former Pizza Hut property. Earlier this year, both lots combined into a single property. The City of Portland is currently reviewing demolition permits for the existing gas station, convenience store, and Pizza Hut building. Their removal is necessary to make way for this new development.
Pedestrian access in this area will significantly improve as a result of this project. Sidewalks around the site will increase to meet the new width specified in the 2019 82nd Avenue Plan. Curb cuts for vehicle access will move away from the intersection, giving pedestrians defined areas where cars will travel through the sidewalk. Currently, a vehicle could cross the sidewalk at practically any point along the properties edge.
The new 4,452 square-foot connivance store is being constructed in the northern half property but close to the center. A new raised concrete walkway protects customers walking from Glisan Street to the store. It will run along the west side of the property and curve around to connect with NE 82nd Ave. Additionally, the walkway could help the walking public avoid all gas station traffic when traveling between Glisan and 82nd by safely cutting across the property.
Nine onsite spaces provide parking for the store, with one dedicated for accessible parking. Four parking spaces are positions on the south side of the building, and the remaining five are on the north side. The replacement fueling canopy and pumps are comparable in size to the existing station. Pumps will shift to the west by a few feet.
The site plan includes a significant number of trees around the parameter of the property. An esthetically pleasing change from the massive concrete lot that exists there today. This location will remain a car-centric establishment, but its many human-scale amenities help it blend into the area successfully. If built as proposed, this will be a positive example of the changing nature of 82nd Ave.
Two new demolition permits have been submitted for the corner of 82nd Ave and NE Glisan. Both demolition sites are part of a new combined lot at 611 NE 82nd Ave. The permits reference an alternative address of 621 NE 82nd Ave and could become the final address of the replacement gas station being built.
Application 20-152293 seeks to demolish a restaurant and remove surrounding concrete sidewalks, ramps, parking lot asphalt, and wheel stops. No basement is onsite, so minimal fill will be needed when removing the foundation. The site will be cleared of all debris and utilities will be capped. This location had most recently been a Pizza Hut restaurant.
The linked demolition permit, 20-152279, will demolish the Jacksons Food Stores and carwash. Removal of the Shell fuel canopy, with concrete dispenser islands and gas pump equipment, is part of this application. The 96 square foot trash enclosure, concrete sidewalks, ramps, parking lot asphalt, and wheel stops are all being removed from the site. Similar to the other demolition, the site will be cleared of all foundations and utilities will be capped.
Demolition and construction could have been worked on in phases for this project. However, it seems that the site will be cleared of all structures prior to construction. The replacement fueling station will have more pump stations and a new connivance store. The store will have walk-in refrigerators and freezes, as well as a kitchen. These features could indicate the connivance store will house an in-store restaurant.
When completed, this will be the largest gas station in Montavilla. It will reshape the corner, mostly along NE 82nd Ave. The change will likely be positive for the area. The new gas station placement could make for safer pedestrian use of sidewalks around the site. Currently people using the bus stop or crosswalks at this location, have to contend with vehicles crossing over the sidewalks in close proximity to where people stand. The longer lot will allow for vehicle access away from the heavily used corner, giving a buffer for pedestrians.
Construction at this site will also help modernize the sideways. Sidewalk width should be increase as part of the 82nd Ave walkability improvements, and is trigged by construction of this size.
Although this will still be a car centric project, pedestrians should see some benefit. If done well, the new gas stations should add to the general revival of NE Glisan as a walkable business district.
Work will soon begin on the expanded Shell gas station at the corner of NE 82nd and NE Glisan. The former Pizza Hut lot has been combined with with the existing gas station to form a massive single property, 611 NE 82nd Ave.
Building permits are already in review for construction of a “new convenience store with walk-in coolers and freezer, restrooms, kitchen.” Early Assistance documents were submitted when the address had been 515 NE 82nd Ave and indicated all structures, on the combined properties, would be replaced. “Scope of work includes removal of existing convenience store, fuel canopy, fuel dispenser islands and restaurant. Construction of a new convenience store, fuel canopy and 4 fuel dispenser islands, landscaping, curbs and paving. Existing underground storage tanks to remain.”
The Size of the new lot would allow for a phased construction schedule and it would be possible for the gas station to remain open during construction. However the actual project plans are not publicly known at this point. When done, this will change the appearance of the intersection, hopefully for the better.
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