Tag: McDonalds

Community, Construction, Demolition, New Business

Upcoming 82nd Ave County Shelter Meetings and Vote

On March 20th, the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) held its first widely attended public meeting regarding shelter plans for the Multnomah County-owned property at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The second County run meeting on April 3rd will continue the community conversation with JOHS staff, City of Portland representatives, and site operator Straightway Services in attendance. On April 8th, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) will dedicate a significant portion of its meeting to the  Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) for this site in cooperation with the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA). Then, on April 11th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners plans to vote on authorizing funds to demolish the existing RV sales office on the site and construct the required trash enclosure, plumbing, and electrical connections for the modular structures.

JOHS officials began working on a usage strategy for the shelter site in 2022, giving it the working title Montavilla Community Village. Multnomah County purchased the former RV sales lot and another site several blocks south to create shelter services along 82nd Avenue. Resident selection for Montavilla Community Village will prioritize unhoused individuals with passenger vehicles from the Montavilla area. Shelter operators will then accept people living unsheltered on the nearby streets, working with established services groups to locate potential residents with ties to the neighborhood. The site’s design provides space for 29 Pallet shelters, 33 onsite parking spaces, trash services, showers, restrooms, laundry, and a communal kitchenette. Montavilla Community Village could house up to 40 people with 24-hour wraparound support from Straightway Services staff.

KGW’s coverage of Multnomah County March 20th community meeting

At the March 20th meeting, Montavilla residents asked questions and voiced concerns. Comments focused on the proposed shelter’s location and effect on the surrounding blocks. Some attendees expressed support for the project, while the most vocal in the group asked for more consideration for the impact on neighboring businesses and residents. Leaders of JOHS and Straightway Services clarified some assumptions about the site operation, saying that they have no intention of bringing in new unhoused people to the neighborhood. They explained that they intend to support those people already living unsheltered in the area who want to come in from the streets. They recognize that not everyone wants to follow site rules or join the community. Instead, they will concentrate on people looking to change their current living situation by providing supportive services and access to stable housing opportunities.

Montavilla Community Village site rendering courtesy Multnomah County

The site is on SE 82nd Avenue next to a McDonald’s restaurant and a new day services provider. Six single-family homes share the block with the 333 SE 82nd Avenue property, and one of the homeowners in attendance at the March meeting expressed concern over site orientation with the trash enclosure abutting her property. The JOHS has not submitted permits for this project to the City of Portland, and they will provide an opportunity at the April 3rd meeting to hear suggestions for the final layout. Some community members asked questions to JOHS leaders on March 20th that did not have immediate answers. Staff notetakers at the meeting recorded those questions so presenters could provide answers at the April meeting or through the Montavilla Community Village Newsletter. People who want to attend the Wednesday, April 3rd meeting should RSVP. The in-person event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue.

The following Monday, April 8th, residents and business people can attend the MNA meeting to hear the latest information on the project and receive updates on the JOHS’s timeline. MNA leaders will provide an overview of GNA focus points already identified, and the community will have time to provide feedback. METBA members involved in the GNA joint committee will attend the meeting for the conversation. The Montavilla United Methodist Church will host this MNA meeting. Organizers plan to offer online access to the meeting, but they encourage in-person attendance.

Julia Brim-Edwards, Multnomah County Board Commissioner for District 3, speaking at March 20th Meeting

On December 7th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the two agenda items related to Montavilla Community Village, asking JOHS for more community engagement before breaking ground on the SE 82nd Avenue site. District 3 Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards endorsed the initial pause due to requests from her Montavilla constituents requesting better communications from JOHS. Four months and several meetings later, those agenda items are in front of the Board of Commissioners again. The county already owns the land but needs Board approval to spend money demolishing the 2,328-square-foot office building and constructing sufficient power, sewer, and water to support the new residents. The 29 shelter pods are surplus from a Creating Conscious Communities with People Outside (C3PO) site decommissioned in 2021. Each shed-style shelter has electricity, heating, and air-conditioning. Even with those project cost savings, the County staff need $2,273,611 to redevelop this site and will seek authorization for those funds at the April 11th Board meeting.

The JOHS and MNA meetings are open to the public, and organizers encourage community members to participate in the GNA process. Anyone interested in watching the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners vote can view the live stream via the MultCoBoard YouTube channel. People intending to provide comments before the vote can testify in person or virtually by completing a request form. Even if County Commissioners approve the funding, residents will not move into Montavilla Community Village until late December, allowing months of continued work on the multi-party GNA.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the 82nd Avenue Business Association Board which will be an invited signer of the GNA

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

Business Closing, Food and Drink, New Business, Restaurant, View of Montavilla

Chipotle to Replace Baja Fresh at Mall 205

Earlier this year, Mexican-themed fast-casual restaurant Baja Fresh closed its 10090 SE Washington Street location at the outer edge of Mall 205. Last week, architects working for the Chipotle chain submitted building permits for a new store at the same address. Both brands position themselves in a similar space within the corporate foodservice marketplace. However, Chipotle offers a smaller menu of core items and substantially more locations than Baja Fresh.

Recently, all Baja Fresh franchise locations in Portland have ceased operations, including the Mall 205 store. Both of these fast-casual dining brands started in the early 1990s and attracted many of the same customers. Baja Fresh was first to the Portland market and established a strong presence. However, early investment from the McDonald’s corporation helped launch Chipotle into a national brand. McDonald’s divested financial interest in Chipotle by 2006, but by then, the restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos, and Mission burritos had already become well-known across the United States, outpacing many competitors.

Chipotle location map with MV News illustrations

The Mall 205 Chipotle is several months away from opening. Building permits for a new serving area, restrooms, office, commercial kitchen, and walk-in cooler are pending approval. Plans can change anytime and may not result in the store’s opening. However, this location fills a service gap for the company, situated between its Cascade Station and Clackamas Town Center stores. This Mall 205 Chipotle location would join another popular fast-food chain planned for this area. This month, Chick-fil-A received approval to construct a restaurant within the existing structure at 9950 SE Stark Street. Both these developments will increase traffic to the area during peak dining times. However, they will not offer drive-through service and both have on-site parking available, reducing the likelihood that lines will back up onto the street.

Update: This location will open on July 23rd.

Article and photos 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.

Construction, Food and Drink, Restaurant

Crash Damaged McDonald’s Repaired

Three months after a car collided with the McDonald’s restaurant at 8149 SE Stark Street, workers have begun to repair the damages. On May 4th, a vehicle jumped the curb and collided with the SE 82nd Avenue facing dining-room windows. Witness reports indicate the driver “was doing donuts” before crashing into the building.

Video of the post crash scene

Portland Police received the hit-and-run call at 9:43 p.m. A video posted on Instagram shows the store manager making the call. The vehicle entered the restaurant, destroying the aluminum framed storefront windows and the short wall underneath them. Fortunately, the dining room was vacant, and no one suffered injuries inside the restaurant. Crews have reconstructed the support wall and brick exterior, making way for the glazers to install replacement windows next week.

A similar crash occurred at this same restaurant last year. In both incidences, Police identified unsafe driving as the cause of the wrecks. The reoccurrence of damage at this location has not deterred the franchise owner from rebuilding. With luck, this will be the last restoration work at this location for a while.

Photo from May 5th 2022

Update August 18th: Glazers installed new windows in the repaired wall.

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.

Community

Car Collides with McDonald’s Again

Last night, a vehicle jumped the curb and collided with the McDonald’s restaurant at 8149 SE Stark Street. Portland Police received the hit and run report at 9:43 p.m. A KOIN 6 News report indicates the driver “was doing donuts” before crashing into the building.

Remnants of the TriMet-owned bench

The car missed a number 72 bus shelter along SE 82nd Avenue and avoided a nearby City trash can. However, the vehicle destroyed a TriMet-owned bench before traveling through the building’s wall. Tables and an interior support column prevented the car from crossing more than a few feet into the store. According to a McDonald’s employee, no staff working that night suffered injuries due to this incident.

Inside McDonald’s showing damaged column and sheared off table posts

A similar crash occurred at this same restaurant last year. As with that incident, Police identified unsafe driving as the cause of the wreck. Damage created by yesterday’s event appears to be less significant than the 2021 collision. However, the building will require extensive repairs. Expect to see crews mending the building within the next few months.

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.

Construction

McDonalds Post Crash Repairs

Masonry workers are actively repairing the damaged wall of the McDonalds located at 8149 SE Stark Street. On March 2nd, a silver 2003 Infiniti attempted to turn onto Stark Street from northbound 82nd Ave at an unsafe speed. The car lost control and collided with the fast-food restaurant, causing damage to a fence and the building. Last week, crews broke up the damaged concrete deck and replaced it.

Building repairs will restore the broken brick and tile on the building’s exterior. Portions of the wall shifted inwards in the collision, and crews must move it back into a vertical position. A new fence around the outdoor seating area is expected within the next few weeks, fully restoring the damage caused by the crash.

Damage the day after crash
Crews remove damaged concrete pad. Image by Weston Ruter
Repaired concrete pad
Completed building repairs

Construction

McDonald’s Damaged by Car Crash

Early Tuesday morning, a vehicle collided with McDonald’s on the corner of SE Stark Street and 82nd Ave. The silver 2003 Infiniti attempted to turn onto Stark Street from northbound 82nd Ave at an unsafe speed. The car lost control and collided with the fast-food restaurant, causing damage to a fence and the building. All occupants of the vehicle fled the accident, leaving the wrecked sedan and a loaded handgun behind.

Yesterday’s Oregonian detailed the events of the incidents that began around 2:55 AM Tuesday, March 2nd. Little is know about the people involved in the incident, other than the damage caused by their car. At the time of the article, Portland Police had yet to locate the occupants of the vehicle.

Damage to the McDonald’s building is contained to a small portion of the facade. An exterior metal fence received the brunt of the car’s impact, breaking up the concrete where anchors had once secured it to the ground. The four-foot-high barrier surrounded a slightly raised outdoor area that is mostly unused. The collision forced the building inwards, distorting the wall. Glass near the impact looks to be intact.

This McDonald’s is open 24 hours a day, with only drive-through service at night. The staff inside were likely alarmed by the incident but unharmed. Due to the damage, more substantive repairs may be necessary to restore the structure. Look for repair work to begin in the following months.

Infrastructure

Public Trash Can Expansion

In Montavilla Town, there are only two public trash cans. One sits next to the TriMet number 15 bus stop near McDonald’s. The other is a few blocks away on SE 79th. These two represent the highest density of public trash cans within Montavilla, but soon that could change. In 2016, Portland City Council expanded the city public trash can program into underserved areas. The expansion has been sporadic. However, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) expects it to reach Montavilla late in 2021.

To fund the public trash program, City Council adopted an increase to the solid waste commercial tonnage fee of $1.30. The first use of those collected funds happened in 2017, with a Jade District pilot distribution of new cans purchased from Securr. In the past few weeks, two of the new cans have arrived on NE Glisan near NE 97th Ave.

The Securr trash enclosures prevent misuse and dumping by design. These containers have locking doors and a small trash aperture that only allows individual items. Despite their availability, trash bags have already accumulated around one of the new cans. Outside of financial concerns over public trash collection, trash piled around cans has been the primary concern with public trash can programs.

Not all municipalities see expanded public trash cans are as an accepted solution to litter and dumping on city streets. In 2018, the Harlem neighborhood of New York systematically reduced trash cans. City staff viewed the misuse of the cans as a widespread failure of the program, with cans crammed full of trash bags and debris from homes and businesses. In that case, they removed abused cans and started fining residents for litter in front of their property. The city found it reduced the visible garbage on the street, but some residents felt that the Sanitation Department just shifted the burden onto them instead.

New York has a history of experimenting with trash can reduction to reduce trash. Between 2011 and 2015, New York City removed trash receptacles from select subway stations. Early success in the program demonstrated that garbage did not pile up in areas that had been a problem before removing trash bins. Critics dismissed the successes, pointing to an increase in collection efforts for the remaining cans during the testing period. The test did not accomplish the goals of lowering the garbage collected, just redistributed the volume to other areas. Ultimately they observed a 33 percent increase in track fires due to litter falling off the platform, and the test ended without any permanent changes.

New York is not alone in studying the efficacy of trash can placement on litter reduction. During 2017-2018, the City of Philadelphia conducted a study to test the principals of trash can reduction. In general, liter went up as they reduced the number of waste bins. The report recommended increasing the number of publicly accessible waste receptacles across many city spaces such as commercial corridors, parks, recreation centers, and highly trafficked streets.

Studies like the one done by Philadelphia may seem pointless, as people fell more cans will always reduce litter. However, they can help keep programs like Portlands expansion funded by reinforcing the need for public garbage cans through real numbers. BPS plans to conduct a review of Jade District trash receptacle placement, and study if trash can availability caused a reduction in litter. “With the large expansion of the trash can program into East Portland, we are beginning to plan for reviews of various aspects of the program, including placement and litter reduction.” Said a BPS official, communicating through Christine Llobregat, with BPS Communications.

However, Portland’s BPS doesn’t require a study to proceed with the expanded public trash can program. The Montavilla neighborhood should see new units on the street in November of 2021. BPS expects the citywide deployment to complete in August of 2022. 

Exact garbage can placement in our area is undetermined, waiting on community input. BPS has no existing procedure for involving the public in the can placement process, requiring them to develop that process now.

“We are currently in the process of developing the procedure for how to best gather community input for trash can placement. We will seek feedback and input from a broad array of community members, including neighborhood associations, business associations, non-profit organizations, faith communities, and individuals, with a priority focus on BIPOC communities.”

Louise Hoff of the Montavilla Neighborhood Association expressed interest in participating in trash can placement. Hoff already had a shortlist of locations that were known litter areas that could benefit from the addition of new trash receptacles.

Wide trash can distribution in Montavilla is not a certainty. Allocation happens at the city quadrant level, SE/NE/N/SW. This program should help Montavilla, but it is not the only source of public trash receptacles. TriMet maintains a limited number of cans near bus stops. Local businesses or community groups do sponsor some bus stop trash containers. Otherwise, it is up to TriMet to determine the best placement. Montavilla has a few TriMet maintained cans.

The BPS expansion is an excellent start for increasing the availability of public trash cans. If successful and supported by the public, the program could expand. Early community involvement is a way to signal to BPS that the service is wanted. Like all cities, Portland struggles to keep clean. BPS hopes this program will help reduce litter measurably. The mark of success will be cleaner streets.

Cover image Courtesy of City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. All others are copyright Montavilla News 2020.

Construction, Food and Drink

McDonald’s Minor Renovation

The Montavilla McDonald’s at 8149 SE Stark Street is getting interior updates. It was not too long ago, back in Mind 2017, when the outside of the fast food restaurant was completely refaced. At that same time the interior was updated to a new esthetic. They even brought in a self service kiosks for placing orders.

Apparently there’s more to do as a new permit was issues 2/28/20 to provide a “new service counter, menu boards, new partition wall to separate service counter from seating.” The project is only set to cost $20,000 and it will look more like a reconfiguration. The wall behind the three casheregistars will move forward and the equipment behind the counter will be moved back into the kitchen area.

They will reduce the chashregistars down by one, to have only two human manned stations. Plans indicate that they will add two double sided self service Kiosks across from the cash wrap. The conversion to kiosk based ordering at McDonald’s is happening across the nation, and it has now hit our local McDonald’s.

There is no indication whether the work can be accomplished during the evening, when the dining room is closed, or if there will be some daytime closures of the interior.