James Kosta – Montavilla News

BW Construction plans to add three sub-1,100-square-foot townhomes behind the small 1953-era home at 7820 SE Salmon Street. The father-daughter development and construction team purchased the 638-square-foot home in May 2023 and will create a four-home condominium property, preserving the original north-facing building. Each rear row home will face east, and residents will access the houses from a walkway running along the side of the tree-lined yard.

Jennifer Kosta Walsdorf is the registered owner of the property, and James Kosta’s BW Construction company manages building activities. Each new home will offer three bedrooms with a stacked laundry closet and a full bathroom on the second floor. The main level will contain a half-bathroom, along with an open-concept kitchen and living room. This project is similar to James Kosta’s other planned development for the 9144 SE Alder Street corner lot on SE 92nd Avenue.

*_{Overhead image of 7820 SE Salmon Street from Portland Maps}*

Seven years ago, Kosta’s daughter began working with him. Their company often utilizes Portland’s affordable housing program that offers builder tax abatement incentives to create new homes priced in the middle of the housing market. The developers will sell units to buyers earning at or below the median family income (MFI) level for a four-person household, which is $116,900 as of April 2024. The income restriction will adjust upward for larger families. The program also caps townhome prices at $455,000 as of 2024. However, units can sell for less based on market interest from qualifying home buyers. Income limits and the sale price cap adjust annually based on median home sales and Portland Metropolitan area income reports evaluated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Kosta anticipates construction starting in October, but schedules rely on permit processing times. The front single-bedroom home will remain much as it has for the last 70 years, while its ample backyard will support additional dwellings. People should expect the new housing to come on the market sometime in 2025.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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The new owner of a corner lot at 9144 SE Alder Street will construct three new townhomes on the backside of an existing 1947-era single-family residence. Each new townhouse will offer residents around 1,400 square feet of living space spanning three levels. The new homes will contain three bedrooms with two-and-a-half bathrooms. Units will face SE 92nd Avenue and receive addresses on that street.

The property’s owner, James Kosta, describes the new structures as two and a half stories tall, with the third bedroom in the standing-height attic area. Dormers looking out onto SE 92nd Avenue will provide additional upper-level floor space and scenic views. Kosta’s BW Construction company has built housing east of Interstate 205 for many years, and they are now expanding to areas west thanks to the zoning code changes implemented by Portland officials in the Residential Infill Project. That package of code updates allows additional housing on most lots in the City.

*_{Property frontage along SE 92nd Avenue}*

Kosta has spent the last 50 years building homes and is a proponent of affordable housing construction. His company often utilizes Portland’s program that offers builder tax abatement incentives to create new homes priced in the middle of the housing market. The three units will sell to buyers earning at or below the median family income (MFI) level for a four-person household, which is $116,900 as of April 2024. The income restriction will adjust upward for larger families. The program also caps townhome prices at $455,000 as of 2024. However, units can sell for less based on market interest from qualifying home buyers. Income limits and the sale price cap adjust annually based on median home sales and Portland Metropolitan area income reports evaluated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

*^{Existing 1947-era single-family residence}*

BW Construction is a family-owned company based in Oregon. James Kosta’s daughter is a partner in the housing development business. They do not plan on using Middle Housing Land division for this project at SE 92nd Avenue and Alder Street. The homes will sell as condominiums with a small Home Owners Association (HOA) covering shared property costs. Permit applications do not include additional on-site parking for this development, but the corner lot has curbside parking along both streets. Building permit approval timelines and other considerations will push the start of construction into 2025. When completed, the new homes will add family housing options just three blocks from a park and school while maintaining the existing house.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.