From noon to 5 p.m. on October 12th, businesses on NE Glisan Street, from 70th to 74th Avenues, will host the inaugural “Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan,” featuring food, music, and retail specials. Over 15 vendors and four bands will join the collection of events sponsored by the local businesses as they welcome the community for a family-friendly fall event. People will find vendors in pop-up tents on both sides of NE Glisan Street between NE 71st and 72nd avenues, along with other promotions by area shops.
The businesses Wildcard Barber, Hinterland, and NightOwl Custom Apparel will present live music on the back patio behind the shops from 12:15 to 4:30 p.m., featuring Base Band, Tragic Lovers, and Diludead. Booth vendors on the sidewalk include Sam Pletcher Goods, Wolf Tea Creations, Yellow Heart Sunshine, Cat Around Stamp, The Way Home Shop, Smash Me Daddy (smashed burgers), Rose City Rec Room, Sister Garden PDX, Think Tank Woodworks, EAB Crafts (crocheted items), Pet Bloc Mutual Aid, Mending Bloc Mutual Aid, and People’s Free Library. Additionally, the majority of businesses on NE Glisan, from 70th to 74th avenues, will open for the event with fall specials on October 12th. Attendees will find other vendors providing face painting and tooth gems. Wildcard Barber will host a flash tattoo artist to offer permanent inking from a set library of artwork.
The NE Glisan business community hopes people will attend their Sunday afternoon inaugural “Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan.” They intend to keep this as a new tradition that attracts neighbors within walking distance and others in the wider community to visit this growing commercial corridor.
Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.
Painters recently covered the former O’Neills Tools & Equipment building at 7131 NE Glisan Street with a fresh coat of white paint as the new owners begin transforming the large corner building into a multi-tenant retail destination serving the community. The formerly barred and gated property now presents board-covered openings, as crews prepare it for storefront glazing, which will accommodate six to eight individual shops and a potential eatery.
NE Glisan Ave frontage of 7131 NE Glisan St, rendering courtesy EAO
Bill Neburka, Anthony Kell, and Michael Quinn formed the “BAM Collective” to shepherd this project from development through tenancy, with a long-term outlook centered on generational ownership and community investment. Project architect Bill Neburka owns Evident Architecture Office (EAO) located in a commercial building two blocks east at 7323 NE Glisan Street, and the other partners similarly invested in area properties. Quinn is the primary owner of Sparrow Salon’s building at 7243 NE Glisan Street. Anthony Kell explained that the group wants to preserve the charm of NE Glisan Street while rebuilding a commercial corridor for local Portlanders. “Our goal is to offer retail that will support the community and the neighborhood, making sure it [contains shops] that people can walk to and would be looking for. We’ll hopefully be homogeneous with the area. We’re not tearing it down and making this new ugly retail plus residential building. We’re going to be fairly picky about who we put in there and make sure that it is something that will support the community, so they don’t have to walk all the way over to Stark Street.”
Floor plan courtesy Evident Architecture Office (EAO)
Kell noted that business owners are already investing in restaurants, bars, and shops along the street, and he hopes that they will add to that momentum with space for more independent businesses. “It’s going to be micro-tenanting, smaller spaces for retail, and then possibly a wine bar and or restaurant,” said Kell. The remodeled building will offer spaces with exterior entrances on NE Glisan Street or NE 72nd Avenue, as well as some units that visitors can access from a shared central hallway. The designers have completed the subdivision plans; however, future business operators can work with the team to explore options. “We have a pretty good plan [for the layout], but there will be the ability for somebody to take two spaces or split one in half. We’ve got to demise in a way that is flexible for potential tenants,” explained Kell. The corner location adds a variety of arrangement options, including frontages on the quieter side of the structure. “There will be an entrance toward the back. That’s where the restaurant would most likely be, rear-accessed behind the building, so it’s kind of tucked away,” Kell said.
NE 72nd Ave frontage of 7131 NE Glisan St showing restaurant, rendering courtesy EAO
Anthony Kell explained that the September code amendment recommendations, approved unanimously by the Portland City Council, could help this project move forward faster. The vote temporarily suspends specific rules that apply to projects that add to or alter existing development. The four changes reduce the need to add particular street improvements, such as sidewalks, curb ramps, and street trees, when the project exceeds a specific dollar amount. It also removes the requirement for a seismic evaluation report. The temporary exemptions will only apply to building permits that are currently in the permit or inspection process. This group of updates, effective starting October 24th, is a short-term construction stimulus package designed to expedite the completion of existing projects. Kell feels that this will help them create a better rehabilitation of the building without worrying about cutting costs to avoid triggering those improvement requirements that could halt the project due to excessive expenses.
O’Neills Tools & Equipment building pre-sale, January 2025
The BAM Collective team expects they are six months away from opening the space for tenants to move into what they have tentatively named the “Tool Building,” in reference to O’Neill’s Tools’ long-standing tenancy there. People may see a short-term renter using the space until construction picks up. Kell explained that the group is interested in keeping the building in their family and ensuring it is first a community asset, rather than a personal investment tool. “We’re kind of old school Portlanders that want to do things the way that they used to be done. People coming in that are creatives and makers.” The building’s new owners anticipate the project will take shape in 2026, and the developers are eager to find the right tenants soon.
Rendering of NE Glisan frontage of 7131 NE Glisan St showing shared entry to center hallway, rendering courtesy EAO
Renderings courtesy BAM Collective and Evident Architecture Office (EAO)
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On Monday, September 8th, representatives and planners from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) presented information on a repaving and lane reconfiguration project to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association. At the evening meeting, attendees learned about the planned NE Glisan Pave and Paint Project that will primarily take place in Summer 2026. That work will include repaving NE Glisan Street from NE 82nd to 92nd avenues, sidewalk corner reconstruction for accessibility, stormwater management improvements, and lane reconfiguration to support painted buffered-bike lanes.
PBOT planners anticipate that much of the in-road work will take place in the Summer of 2026, when crews use heavy equipment to grind down old asphalt and spread a new layer of aggregate bound with bitumen to create a smoother driving surface. Presenters explained that this planned maintenance presents an opportunity to save funds by reconfiguring the street from NE 80th to 92nd avenues during the required post-asphalt-work painting process. This stretch of NE Glisan will likely receive an Oregon Metro Regional Flexible Funds Allocation grant to add physically protected bike infrastructure sometime in 2030. The work included in the Northeast Glisan St: 82nd Avenue Multimodal Safety and Access project would require lane reconfiguration and repainting. By doing road marking work now in the new configuration, post-repaving, PBOT can save taxpayer funds by lessening the reconfiguration costs four years later.
The repainting and reconfiguration work extends west past the repaving project to connect with existing bike and pedestrian crossing infrastructure recently installed at NE 80th Avenue. This extension allows cyclists to better connect with this new pathway and creates better lane consistency on NE Glisan Street for motorists. The street west of NE 81st is a three-lane roadway with one travel lane in each direction and a center turn lane. This reconfiguration work in 2026 will extend that traffic pattern east to 92nd Avenue. PBOT planners said that NE Glisan’s usage currently dictates the updated pattern. The section of the street supports off-peak-hour curbside parking, which some vehicle owners do not use due to concerns about damage from motorist collisions. BPOT plans to remove the outer flex lane that is sometimes used for travel or parking and replace it with bike infrastructure. Initially, a double white line will create additional space between bikes traveling along the curb, as drivers pass them. Later, in 2030, hardscape concrete dividers and flex posts will add to cyclist protection.
This project will also add enhanced bike crossing protections at NE 87th Avenue, where a Neighborhood Greenway intersects NE Glisan Street. Crews will construct a raised center median, and cyclists should receive street-adjacent buttons to activate the existing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) at this crossing. After cement masons complete that work, northbound drivers on NE 87th Avenue will need to turn right at the intersection, and the infrastructure will limit left turns from westbound NE Glisan Street. Presenters at the meeting also indicated that the project would likely include new marked crosswalks at NE 84th and 90th avenues.
Although the repaving work will take place next summer, PBOT will begin work on enhanced stormwater management and updated sidewalk corners to include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps before that asphalt work takes place. Area residents will see other repaving work on NE 87th Avenue as part of another project underway, and this will connect with NE 82nd Avenue improvements planned at NE Davis and Glisan streets. Construction will begin later in 2025 and continue through summer 2026. People can subscribe to email updates or find contact information for project leaders at the PBOT project website.
Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.
Crews with the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) recently completed concrete work on sidewalk corner ramps along the west side of NE 87th Avenue from NE Hassalo Street to NE Glisan Street. These Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps create a mostly accessible path through a section of Montavilla with inconsistent pedestrian infrastructure. The northeast section of the neighborhood’s connectivity is further burdened by two freeways bordering it to the east and north. The heavy traffic of NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street surrounds the other edges of these blocks, creating challenges for people traveling in this area outside of a car.
Northeast corner NE Glisan St and 87th AveNorthwest corner NE Glisan St and 87th Ave
Cement masons reconstructed eight sidewalk corners along NE 87th Avenue and added a mid-block curb ramp on the south side of NE Glisan Street across from the northeast corner of 87th Avenue at the NE Glisan intersection. This project creates an opportunity for a near-continuously paved north-south pedestrian path between NE Hassalo Street and NE Glisan Street, intersecting with NE Pacific and Holladay Streets. However, missing paved sidewalks on the northern edges of 8631 and 8636 NE Holladay Street will require pedestrians to walk through the grassy lawns of these homes to connect from the new ADA curb ramps to the existing paved sidewalks. Future redevelopment of those properties could require the installation of new sidewalks, completing the pedestrian connection.
Image from Portland Maps showing planned paving of NE 87th Ave in purple
This corner work is taking place ahead of other planned street improvements. Portland Maps indicates PBOT intends to repave NE 87th Avenue from NE Flanders Street to NE Hassalo Street. That future work, along with the curb ramp improvements, will strengthen NE 87th Avenue in its role as a Neighborhood Greenway. It is one of the few crossings on NE Glisan Street in the neighborhood with a traffic signal light or Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) to help people cross the busy roadway. People traveling outside a car should now feel more comfortable using NE 87th Avenue to navigate the neighborhood, thanks to these transportation bureau investments.
NE 87th Ave at Pacific StNE 87th Ave at Holladay StNE 87th Ave at Hassalo St
Correction: An earlier version of this article had NE 87th Avenue noted as NE 78th Avenue in one location. That typo has been corrected.
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This weekend, Montavilla businesses will host two days of events along NE Glisan Street, featuring music, vendors, and activities. It starts on Saturday, May 31st, with the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association’s (METBA) 2025 Spring Block Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on NE 70th Avenue north of NE Glisan Street. Then, on Sunday, June 1st, Wildcard Barber and their adjacent businesses will host a Pride Month kickoff block party from noon to 5 p.m., with flash tattoos inked by Austin Fillmore and free gender-affirming hot towel face shaves.
The 2024 MEBA Spring Block Party booths
METBA’s event is part of its Spring Fling 2025 celebration and will create a mini street fair with three musicians scheduled by the street activation nonprofit Curbside Serenade. Seven vendors and activity booths will line the block party site, including many neighborhood establishments from around the district.
The May 31st music schedule starts at 10 a.m. with performer Jake Soffer, and then, at 11:15 p.m., Jet Black Pearl takes the stage area. Maeve Steir will close out the live performances with a set starting at 12:30 p.m. More information about the first block party can be found on the METBA.org page.
Wildcard Barber and NightOwl Custom Apparel recently took tenancy within the building that hosts Hinterland Coffee at 7112 NE Glisan Street. The three businesses are collaborating on a June Pride Month party to celebrate the global recognition of LGBTQ+ culture and identity.
Austin Fillmore posts previews of the flash tattoo options at the artist’s website, awwwsin.com. These pre-designed permanent body art designs speed up the inking process, allowing for walk-in service. This vendor is a fitting event for Wildcard Barber to host, as it recently took over the former Highway Tattoo storefront at 7110 NE Glisan Street.
The business owners on NE Glisan invite people to attend their block parties this weekend, marking the cultural start of summer in Montavilla.
On Friday, May 30th, two bands will play a benefit show at Replicant Beer & Wine to support the new NE Glisan bodega-style convenience store, How Convenient. The show features the performers Wedding Singer and Friends with Salad, who will play from 6 to 8 p.m. within the bar at 7033 NE Glisan Street. In addition to hearing the live performances, attendees will receive one raffle ticket for every $5 they donate, with prizes provided by local businesses to support the new neighborhood general store.
How Convenient owner Nathan Carter behind the sales counter
How Convenient opened at 6016 NE Glisan Street in October 2024, just before the “slow time for retail,” as owner Nathan Carter recalled. Centered in the 1911-era storefront, the location appealed to Carter as a way to move on from a lifelong food service career into a rewarding community-serving business within walking distance of home. The shop is across the street from a gas station with its own market. However, Carter’s storefront offers a variety of products not seen in chain stores, better meeting area residents’ needs for walkable retail options. “I wanted all the things you expect; alcohol and nicotine are top sellers in stores like this. I’ll have those items and snacks and candy. But I also really love books, nail polish, greeting cards, and vintage clothes. So, I liked the idea of having a store that encapsulated all of that. It’s easy to pivot or add and subtract. The books aren’t money-makers, but people seem excited. I wasn’t sure if people would be excited by the sort of random stuff like books or makeup or tarot cards or whatever. They seem to like it, saying, ‘Oh, my God, you have everything.’ it feels validating,” explained Carter.
New and used books for sale at How Convenient
Vintage cloths for sale at How Convenient
Initially, Nathan Carter found it challenging to find vendors that would work with an independent convenience store, but that has led to some unique brands. “Reaching out to some places, you know, they wouldn’t even respond,” Carter said. However, he used his connections in the food service industry to find supportive suppliers, reached out to other less-carried products with their own following, and found companies that were receptive to expanding distribution. “I have some odd chip flavors that people seem to really gravitate towards, like the Gudetama Salted Egg Yolk Potato Chips, which I keep having to rebuy because they go so fast. The Canadian chip flavors have been popular. People have told me that they come here to find stuff that you can’t get at a gas station or Plaid Pantry,” Carter explained.
The sub-900-square-foot shop already has a decent assortment, but there is plenty more space where products could fit. “I really want to just pack this place full of things so there’s not an empty wall or an empty spot on a shelf, which is part of the bodega vision,” Carter said. The only inhibitor to buying more products is building up a larger customer base. He tried stocking perishable items but found insufficient demand to avoid spoilage, cutting into the operating budget. The early slower sales and Carter’s desire to grow the business prompted people to support the shop in other ways during the challenging retail establishment phase. “It was a bit of a struggle. So my two best friends wanted to help and started a GoFundMe,” recalled Carter. Now, his supporters are looking to help more with the May 30th benefit show.
For Carter, community support has been one of the most encouraging parts of the seven-month journey of building a convenience store. “One of my favorite parts so far has been connecting with the immediate neighborhood and community. I already have beloved regulars, which is really sweet. Honestly, even just the general customer populace that comes in here is really sweet, which makes me feel like I’m in the right spot,” remarked Carter.
With the Friday show and GoFundMe, people can help support this young, queer-owned business to ensure it remains in the neighborhood. However, shopping there is the best way to help How Convenient grow into the community-supporting store its owner envisions. Carter is currently the only person working at the shop, which is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. He welcomes requests for new items and wants to provide people living and working in the area with a welcoming shop full of gifts and necessities that enhance their lives.
On Sunday, May 4th, Wildcard Barber will host a grand opening celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. with food, refreshments, and discount tooth gems. Montavilla’s newest barber shop recently took over the former Highway Tattoo space at 7110 NE Glisan Street. Owner Danielle St. Pierre shares the two-station shop with established Portland barber Erik “Gator” Heglund.
St. Pierre is a Worcester, Massachusetts, native who relocated to Portland almost two years ago, bringing over a decade of barbering skills to the area. She has worked at many other locations across the city, feeling out the West Coast barber community and ensuring Portland was a good fit. “I was trying to figure out if this was a place I wanted to stay more long term,” recalled St. Pierre. “I’ve worked at collective salons where you’re just renting a chair and then at neighborhood barbershops. Neighborhood barbershops are my favorite. I like building a sense of community in a neighborhood area.” She heard that Hinterland had retail space available in its NE Glisan Street building and instantly appreciated the location as a place to create a people-focused barbershop. “I like that it’s very walkable. There are so many coffee shops, restaurants, and other small businesses that I’ve chatted with. It seems like they all work together on projects or little events, and I like the sense of community,” said St. Pierre.
Century old Koken barber chairs
Converting the space took appreciable effort, with the team repainting the shop themselves and then bringing in electricians and plumbers to create the hair washing and two cut stations. St. Pierre is a fan of classic barber finishes, installing antique barber chairs and an electric spiral-striped pole. “These two chairs are over 100-year-old Kokens, which are the original [hydraulic barber chair makers] from St. Louis. And the barber pole is a [William] Marvy pole. I definitely want to continue to fill the space with antique memorabilia because I enjoy old-school barber stuff,” remarked St. Pierre.
Although the space is slender –having once been the alleyway between the century-old commercial storefronts on this street before being enclosed– it is the right size for the two-person shop. “I enjoy the two-chair space a lot. I like that it’s a quiet environment. We always have music, but there is also the feeling that you can have a personal conversation with your client. I’ve worked in other big spaces that can be a little overwhelming. I like that [our location] is a low-key neighborhood shop,” said St. Pierre. She hopes everyone will feel welcome coming in to receive cuts and shaves. “I’m queer, and I think having a queer-owned, women-owned business in this neighborhood is going to be cool. I really enjoy the sense of having a community here and being able to build both his clientele and my clientele.” Gator and St. Pierre worked together at a previous location, and she brought him into the new shop. Since the soft opening on April 8th, his established client list has reliably shown up at the new location. “I would say he’s very booked; he’s killing it. We’re just trying to keep growing here in this new space,” explained St. Pierre.
Although they priced haircuts for grown-ups, they can accommodate younger patrons if requested but anticipate mainly servicing teens and adults. Otherwise, they will see all types of customers, provided they need a style fitting their offerings. “It is a barbershop, definitely a little bit more androgynous as far as who we cut. It’s not necessarily short hair, but we lean shorter styles,” said St. Pierre. People can order haircuts, hot towel shaves, and beard services from the posted price list. They steer clear of coloring and other add-on services that are not traditionally part of a barbershop but have some restorative options. “We offer a shampoo and hot towel 10-minute service, a little relaxing thing, and we’ll do small cleanup stuff in between your bigger services. We wanted to keep it simple with our services and not get too expansive,” explained St. Pierre.
The name Wildcard Barber comes from a nickname St. Pierre received early on in her career for being good at switching between various styles –wildcards being a playing card that can substitute for any other card in a game. “I started in salons and would take all kinds of clients. It was just sort of the joke because I would cut all different people and types of hair, which I enjoy.”
Wildcard Barber is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Danielle St. Pierre and Gator invite people to attend the grand opening event on Sunday night. They anticipate serving pizza, soda, and some local pastries. They will sell logo merchandise and plan to have a raffle basket. Icy Fangs Tooth Gems will be at the shop from 6 to 8 p.m. during the opening to adhere some sparkle to people’s teeth at a discounted rate. If interested visitors miss the event, Danielle St. Pierre hopes to have regular events every other month, with the next one being a Pride Month event planned for June 1st. Follow the company’s Instagram page for more details.
Promotion:Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.
NightOwl Custom Apparel recently relocated its screen printing and embroidery business to 7114 NE Glisan Street and launched its first customer-facing storefront. Partners Shelly Hill and Paul Hill ran this business for 15 years as a home-based operation, creating wearable promotional items and custom apparel for local groups. Portlanders have likely seen their work worn by 82nd Avenue parade volunteers and community athletes. NightOwl’s owners expanded onto NE Glisan to better connect with their community of supportive customers and to find more people looking for unique apparel made quickly in Portland.
NightOwl started as a growing Hill family changed their priorities. “My partner’s been in the [printing] industry for over 35 years, and it’s part of my daily life for over 30. When we had our son, we decided it was time to be done working for someone else who just had the money but not the knowledge. So we started our own business to be able to put family first,” recalled Shelly Hill. She explained that their business has remained consistent in many ways over the last decade and a half, printing by hand with a personal touch. However, the source artwork has evolved, requiring more pre-printing support to translate it onto clothing. “With AI, we’re seeing a lot of artwork that can’t be used, but it looks fantastic on a computer screen. We’ll work with them to get the image they want that works on the particular piece of apparel they’re putting it on. Because what looks great on a business card doesn’t work on a hat,” said Hill.
Screen print t-shirt carousel
Shelly Hill was raised in a southern Illinois union household and supports people making a living wage wherever they work. That perspective guides the products they produce for clients. “We try to get U.S. made, but we have to be competitive. So we work through a local U.S. company that has their own [supply channel], generally in Honduras. They pay all their employees [fairly] wherever they are, and they take care of them,” explained Hill. She is also adamant that printing services remain in-house with a few exceptions. “As a general rule, when you’re in control of the production, you’re in control of the quality,” remarked Hill. People can work with them to create custom tablecloths, banners, signage, patches, travel mugs, and nearly any promotional items. They can also help with stickers through a local partner.
Most longtime clients value their quick turnaround time and focus on supporting local groups. “We work with Columbia Christian [School]. They called on Monday with a soccer camp starting on Wednesday, and we got the shirts done. We tell people it takes 10 to 12 business days, but we almost never take that long, and we understand small businesses don’t need 200 t-shirts at once. We’d love it if people would order at least 24 because it takes time and materials to set up. However, we did one shirt for someone kicking off their business just this week that needed something,” recalled Hill. “We try to support our community every way we can. We make Street Roots stuff at cost. We don’t charge them, and we don’t charge Columbia Slough.”
NightOwl Custom Apparel held its grand opening on April 27th after working from the space during the build-out process. They are excited to meet new customers and anyone looking for gift items at their shop. People can visit the storefront from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays or call/text them at (815) 848-2216. For examples of their work, visit the company’s Instagram page, showroom, or the Hinterland Coffee & Clothing shop next door, which uses them for many of its apparel products.
The City of Portland recently shared information about six projects under consideration by Oregon Metro to receive its Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA). The regional government will distribute federally sourced funds through a competitive grant process for transportation projects across the greater Portland area. One project under consideration would reorganize travel lanes on NE Glisan Street from NE 82nd Avenue to Interstate 205, promoting better safety and comfort for non-motorized street users by adding protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and enhanced crossings.
As the project sponsor, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) requested $7,732,932 from Metro’s distribution of Federal funds to cover a majority of the NE Glisan Street improvement costs totaling $8,618,000. The proposed project, Northeast Glisan St: 82nd Avenue Multimodal Safety and Access, plans to construct new separated bicycle lanes from 80th Avenue to 102nd Avenue along NE Glisan Street while building enhanced crossings at NE 84th, 90th, and 92nd Avenues. Funds would also cover Glisan sidewalk widening from 92nd Avenue to the I-205 overpass. The project would upgrade the existing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) protected crossing at NE 87th Avenue and create better configurations around the freeway entrances to protect people walking and rolling past those conflict points. Not only could this work reduce dangerous driving on a High Crash Corridor, but it also intends to improve transit flow when approaching 82nd Avenue.
Designs for these proposed updates to NE Glisan came from work started years ago creating the East Portland Arterial Streets Strategy (EPASS) report, where staff conducted a safety analysis of the major roadways east of 82nd Avenue and examined how changes to street design could positively impact safety for all people using those routes. Work east of I-205 is already underway and near completion as part of the East Glisan Street Update: NE 102nd to 162nd Avenues project. If Metro awards funding, this new work will address many safety deficiencies on NE Glisan Street west of the freeway that PBOT identified in EPASS. It would also better align with the travel lane configuration on this street west of NE 80th Avenue, which reduces to a lane in each direction with a center turn lane. The primary difference is the addition of dedicated bicycle space on the outer edges of the street east of NE 80th Avenue. This space currently has street parking on both sides in specific sections that double as additional travel lanes at certain times of the day. That outer lane’s modal switch from parking to travel often discourages people from parking there, fearing damage caused by an inattentive driver missing the change and colliding with their parked vehicle. Simplifying traffic patterns here could also help people crossing NE Glisan who currently must wait for five vehicle lanes to stop before crossing, often with obscured views from the hilly terrain.
Illustration of the existing four travel and one turn lane over proposed configuration from PBOT’s NE Glisan St – 82nd Avenue Multimodal Safety and Access 2028-2030 RFFA Project Factsheet. Courtesy Oregon Metro
During this cycle of grants, Metro received 24 applications requesting a little over $140 million in total. The PBOT application for NE Glisan Street is among 19 projects requesting federal funds to support construction between 2028 and 2030. However, available funds are limited to around $42 million, so not all project teams will receive the money they requested. To help decide what projects are a priority for residents, Metro is accepting feedback through Wednesday, April 30th. People interested in commenting can go online to the Metro Survey. Respondents can read each project’s factsheet and add comments in the Step 2 Survey (English or Spanish). It is a map-based interface where users can zoom into their area to select applicable projects or use the left-hand navigation to search by county for projects of interest. People add comments to a project by clicking on the chat-bubble icon below the project description or the blue button at the bottom left of the page.
By
Jacob Loeb
Update: This article was updated with additional links and more information about providing comment.
Starting this December, the Montavilla business community will launch into a month-long celebration of the Winter holidays. Businesses and organizations will offer a mix of giving opportunities while encouraging people to support their community through shopping locally. Even without spending money, people can participate through two free events offered on SE Stark Street to get into the seasonal mood with friends and neighbors.
Next Saturday, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host its Tree Lighting in the public plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. The tree lighting ceremony will take place on December 7th from 4 to 6 p.m. Organizers will light up the Montavilla holiday tree at 5 p.m. and serve hot cocoa while supplies last. Participants can enjoy community cheer and seasonal music as they start the countdown to the new year.
A week later, on December 14th, people can gather for a free Santa picture event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Board Bard Games. The gaming shop at 7960 SE Stark Street will offer an opportunity to take a seasonal family picture with Santa. People waiting for their turn to pose with the jolly icon can partake in hot cocoa and other treats. The organizers remind people to bring their own cameras to capture the moment.
Shopping locally is essential to maintaining a strong community, and METBA wants to reward those who help keep Montavilla thriving. From December 1st through the 21st, people who eat, drink, shop, and recreate at participating businesses will earn raffle entries through completed passports. Every qualifying purchase of $5 or more from the list of locations earns a sticker to go inside a passport. Participating businesses will have passports to get people started, and collecting six stickers completes a passport. Each entry increases your odds of winning the raffle, and there is no limit to the number of passports a person can complete. To enter, drop off completed passports at Redwood at 7915 SE Stark Street or Arbor Hall at 7907 SE Stark Street by the close of business on December 21st.
Graphic courtesy METBA
As a bonus, purchases made during the Merry Montavilla Soiree on December 21st earn participants two stickers for their passports. The Soiree is a one-day event full of special offers and discounts to help last-minute shoppers and Portlanders looking for a special night out.
Many Montavilla shops are embracing the giving season with a donation drive. Participating businesses will collect Adult-sized jackets or coats, warm hats, gloves, scarves, hand warmers, and sleeping bags for Rahab’s Sisters. The organization’s beneficiaries will appreciate those new and gently used items during the cold weather. Rahab’s Sisters have a particular need for plus-size or extended-size donations. Participating locations are listed on the METBA website.
Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street will host a special Giving Tuesday event on December 3rd, supporting Cultivate Initiatives. Giving Tuesday follows the busy seasonal shopping days and encourages people to support local organizations supporting positive change in their communities. Michael Kora from Montavilla Brew Works explained that his company has a long relationship with Cultivate Initiatives’ leadership, which has grown into the brewery’s expanded support of the group’s efforts. “Over the years, we’ve spearheaded a winter clothing donation drive in the neighborhood that directly supports the more marginalized people in our neighborhood and beyond. With its success during the winter season, we eventually just made it an all-year-long donation drive.”
Graphic courtesy Montavilla Brew Works
Montavilla Brew Works’ Giving Tuesday event runs from 5 to 8 p.m., and donators will receive $1 off their first beverage. People should bring new or gently used warm clothing. They will also accept new underwear, socks, pet food, and hygiene products. Briel’s Barbecue popup will sell food at the event, but Kora noted the BBQ food often sells out and recommends people stop by early. This event is limited to people 21 or older, and organizers hope people will have a good time while supporting a cause they care about.
Once again, Montavilla businesses are doing what they can to celebrate the winter through giving and creating a space for people to enjoy the company of their community.
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