Tag: NE Glisan

History, Property Sale November 14, 2022March 25, 2023

1909 Storefront for Sale on NE Glisan

The corner commercial property at 7341 NE Glisan Street is for sale. Since 1909, this 1,728-square-foot single-story structure has housed many grocery stores. Although changing hands often, the shop continued to sell food for 40 years. In those early days, most business operators lived on the property in attached housing. Based on the real estate listing, it has continued its tradition as a live/work environment and retained its attached living quarters.

*Images Yeast brothers from the Oregonian of December 29, 1918*

When constructed, the storefront had an address of 1877 East Glisan. An early proprietor of the property was J.S. Yeast, according to the Oregonian of December 29th, 1918. That publication’s WWI coverage recounted the story of the Yeast brother’s reunion in France on Armistice Day. The article noted that Ray and Ralph Yeast’s father lived at the Glisan Street storefront. In 1920, an ad identified C.D. Hageman as the grocery store owner. That Blue Ribbon Soda Wafers advertisement in the Oregon daily journal of August 20th lists the Glisan street grocery as a participating location for a toy airplane giveaway.

*Ad from The Oregon daily journal of August 20th, 1920*

In the 1930s, the store became the Evergreen Cash Grocery, and the location changed its address to 7341 NE Glisan Street following the great renumbering of Portland. In more recent history, this location served as the office for Bill Lawhorn Construction.

The 113-year-old building is available for $335,000, with some alternative financing options available. The buyer can finish an in-progress remodel or redevelop the site with a mixed-use building up to a four-stories tall. The current owner began renovating a one-bedroom apartment behind the office. The front area is move-in ready with a half bath, and the unfinished apartment features a completed full bathroom. The property includes two off-street parking spaces accessed from NE 74th Avenue. Interested buyers should contact the listing agent by phone at 503-288-3979 or by email.

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Construction, Infrastructure October 11, 2022March 25, 2023

Mosaic Mural at NE 82nd and Glisan

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.

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.

Property Sale September 9, 2022March 25, 2023

NE 93rd and Glisan Residential Property

This week, the owners of a vacant building at 9265 NE Glisan Street listed the property for sale. The 8,000 square foot corner lot is zoned Residential Multi-Dwelling 2 (RM2) and allows for three or four-story buildings with an urban scale. An existing single-family residence built in 1919 occupies the site. The old structure is currently boarded up and fenced off, preserving the 100-year-old interior.

The property is located in a prime area for medium-scale housing with a TriMet number 19 Bus Stop on the block. The site is within walking distance of the Gateway Transit Center, and future NE Glisan improvements intend to tame the heavy traffic in front of this property.

Although the home is in salvageable condition, the property’s redevelopment into a medium-scale multiunit dwelling would better fit the current zoning along NE Glisan and provide housing for up to 17 families. John L. Scott’s listing for the Glisan street home contains more information and pictures. Interested buyers should contact Beverly Moser to schedule a tour.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, New Residence August 31, 2022March 25, 2023

Affordable Housing Site Divides

On August 8th, Oregon Metro filed a Land Use Review application to re-plat the existing lots that currently comprise 432 NE 74th Avenue. This work will reshape the site to create distinct properties for each new low-income building planned for the site. Interested persons have until 5 p.m. on September 12th, 2022, to provide email comments to the Bureau of Development Services planner.

By early 2023, demolition crews will remove the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at the NE Glisan site. Once crews clear the old TV studio, the developer will begin constructing 137 units of affordable housing split between two four-story buildings. The development will contain a wide assortment of apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units. All housing created by this project will serve families and individuals earning 30% or 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).

*Site Map from re-plat application LU 22-128996 RP*

The smaller structure at the northwest corner of the site will offer 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) reserved for Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), seniors, and people experiencing homelessness. This structure will occupy Parcel 1 of the re-platted property and cover most of the 11,016 square foot lot. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants.

Parcel 2 will contain the larger “U” shaped building that provides the remaining 96 units of family-focused housing. Additionally, the 45,469 square feet lot will hold all site parking and courtyard amenities for the development. Management will reserve residences in this building for BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and intergenerational families. Homes will range in floor space from 400 square feet to 1,200 square feet, with rents ranging from $507 to $1,616 per month. Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) will provide resident services at the family housing property.

*Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing project’s site plan*

Although the site will function harmoniously to meet affordable housing goals, each building has a specific focus and management organization that needs autonomy from each other. Separating the site into multiple parcels allows each facility to operate as an individual organization. Parcel 1 will become 7450 NE Glisan, and Parcel 2 will have the address of 451 NE 75th Avenue. Construction of each building could begin independently once this property division is approved. Expect to see this Land Use Review application approved within the next few months, ahead of the anticipated project ground-breaking in early 2023. The City has a website for those interested in following the project’s progress, and public comments will remain open for another twelve days.

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Renovation August 24, 2022March 25, 2023

Washman Remodel Improves Facility and Sidewalks

Washman Car Wash in Montavilla will soon undergo a remodel designed to enhance the neighborhood’s walkability and expand the facility to meet demand. The auto spa company recently submitted a permit application to construct 31 new vacuum stations on the west side of the property. This expansion onto previously unused land allows for the decommissioning of thirteen vacuum units along NE 82nd Avenue, reducing the need for cars to cross the sidewalk for much of the block. Construction crews will also repair the worn sidewalk on NE 81st and 82nd Avenues.

Over the last 20 years, Washman purchased the adjacent lots west of its property at 315 NE 82nd Avenue. The cleared land has served as employee parking and storage in recent years. Now they will construct a new vacuum center on that undeveloped land and shift site operations west, away from the heavy traffic on NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The expanded area will eliminate the current congestion experienced on the property’s eastern edge, solving a long-standing annoyance for pedestrians walking around the business.

*Blue lines indicate site for new vacuum stations*. Image from Portland Maps

The Washman Car Wash is a busy location located on the corner of two well-traveled roads. Consequently, cars trying to enter or leave the property must do so quickly to match the flow of traffic. Cars tend to ignore the marked curb cuts and drive over the sidewalk to enter the business wherever space is available. Vehicles use alternative entry points so frequently that the sidewalk’s edge has deteriorated along most of the property’s frontage. This behavior creates a dangerous condition where drivers and pedestrians mix in unpredictable places, frustrating both parties. Washman’s location next door to Vestal Elementary School and kitty-corner to the Montavilla Park Community Center further intensifies this problem.

The need to improve the pedestrian realm around the site is a key part of Washman’s goals for this project. Although vehicles will still drive along the 82nd Avenue edge of the building to enter the car wash, removing the vacuums will provide extra space for the cars to queue up. The fence along the eastern property line will extend north, limiting vehicle access to only one curb cut on NE 82nd Avenue. Further adjustments will impose a right-turn-only limit on cars exiting onto NE Glisan Street. David Tarlow, Chief Financial Officer of Washman, explained that these changes should improve the conditions around this location, focusing on student wellbeing. “We believe this will result in less traffic near the school than there is now, and the SE 82nd sidewalk that borders our site will be less congested and safer with the removal of the vacuums.”

The permit calls for clearing some trees on the property near where crews will install the vacuum units. The project includes landscaping along the property’s west edge and paving the gravel areas. Permits for large commercial projects can take six to eighteen months for City staff to approve. Expect to see construction begin in 2023 unless there are unexpected delays. When this work is complete, the site should be safer for pedestrians and more convenient for customers to navigate.

*Gravel employee parking lot to be paved and used for vacuum stations*

Jacob Loeb

Construction, Infrastructure August 1, 2022March 25, 2023

Updated Crossings at NE 92nd Pl and Glisan

Road crews have one eastbound lane on NE Glisan Street blocked while reconstructing the corners at NE 92nd Place. Workers removed the old sidewalk infrastructure and have staked concrete forms into position. Last month they relocated stormwater inlets to handle drainage with the new curb configuration. Soon, masonry specialists will pour and finish the concrete at these corners before moving work across NE Glisan Street. When completed, pedestrian crossing at this intersection should be safer and more accessible.

Original article published February 23rd, 2022

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) plans to reconstruct two sidewalk corners and add curb ramps on NE Glisan Street at NE 92nd Place. In conjunction with a similar project to the south, this work prioritizes 92nd Place as a multi-modal connector between NE Glisan and E Burnside. Crews will expand the pedestrian zone by constructing a curb extension at the southeast corner and improving stormwater control with new street drain inlets. Across the T intersection, on the north edge of NE Glisan, workers will add two new curb ramps in alignment with the corners on the south side of the street.

Degraded sidewalks along this portion of NE Glisan Street often force pedestrians to cross flooded intersections with substandard ADA ramps. Both corners rebuilt during this project will add new stormwater inlets to NE 92nd Place and install a larger grated drain along NE Glisan’s sidewalk to the east. Last year, crews moved lines and equipment off a utility pole on the southeast corner, placing them onto a new pole installed five feet to the south. Workers will remove the now unused utility pole during construction, making for a clear pedestrian path on the sidewalk.

NE 92nd Place ends at NE Glisan in a T intersection. Consequentially, designers placed curb ramps on the north edge of Glisan mid-block. The TriMet 19 bus line currently stops within a few feet of where PBOT intends to install the new curb ramps. A TriMet spokesperson explained that PBOT staff have not communicated with the transit organization about this project. As of yet, they have no plans to close the stop during construction or relocate the stop outside the crosswalk zone. However, Trimet expects to coordinate with PBOT before construction begins.

Enhancing pedestrian crossings at this location is essential to making this area more accessible to those not traveling by car. Over a year ago, PBOT released an East Portland Arterial Streets Strategy for NE Glisan Street spanning 82nd to 102nd Avenues. If approved and funded, this plan could add protected bike lanes that would provide a buffer to pedestrians from adjacent traffic. Along with the improvements planned for this intersection, a bike lane buffer will make NE Glisan a more enjoyable place to walk. Look for work on this project to begin sometime later this year.

*Curb extension markings at the southeast corner*

Jacob Loeb

Business Relocating, Community, Construction, Property Sale July 29, 2022March 25, 2023

AYCO Seeks New Home on 82nd

African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO) is in the process of buying the Flex Building located at 2110 SE 82nd Avenue. The youth mentoring organization currently operates out of the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building on NE Glisan Street. Developers will soon transform the TBN site into affordable housing, prompting AYCO’s move to a new facility. However, the group needs to raise $5.5 million to purchase and renovate the new building.

In January 2021, AYCO relocated to 432 NE 74th Ave from SE 122nd Avenue. Although the group knowingly committed to a short-term lease for the property on NE 74th, they hoped to become a partner organization in the supportive housing planned for the site. Unfortunately, Metro did not select the development group they partnered with, making another move inevitable.

This week the developers submitted a type 2 Land Use Review for the first of two buildings planned for the Glisan and 74th housing project. That four-story wood-framed residential building will contain 41 units of permanent supportive housing above a ground floor commercial kitchen, cafe, and retail incubator space. Additional amenities include resident services, laundry rooms, bike parking, and a community room.

With the permitting process underway, securing a new home for AYCO takes on a new sense of urgency. The Flex building on SE 82nd Avenue is several years old but has never found a tenant. Constructed in

2017, the building’s owner anticipated demand for high-end office and commercial space on 82nd Avenue near SE Division Street. Lower demand and the pandemic kept the building vacant except for a short-term popup COVID testing site. Crews only constructed the basic shape of the space, waiting for tenants to dictate the placement of interior walls. This unfinished condition will add to AYCO’s overall costs for the project. “The building is a shell and needs huge construction [and] tenant improvements,” explained AYCO Executive Director Jamal Dar.

The Flex building will cost $3.6 million to purchase. AYCO staff have allocated the remaining $1.9 Million to cover construction and furnishings. Fortunately, they have already received commitments for $1.5 million from supporters. An additional $2.5 million is expected to come from Federal funds and contributions from the City of Portland. Now, AYCO is seeking donors at any level who can help bridge the $1.5 million gap. They must find those funds within six to ten months or incur debt from loans.

The Flex building offers many benefits to the AYCO community, and buying the building will provide the permanent home this group has sought for many years. Dar explained that the building is centrally located near the community his organization serves. He feels its proximity to several schools, shopping, and transit options will be an invaluable benefit to the immigrant and refugee community using this resource center.

At 18,682 square feet, the increased building size means AYCO will continue to offer all existing programs with room to expand. “[The building] will allow us to conduct all of our programs, including establishing early childhood education and many other programs we currently don’t have,” said Dar. Buying the Flex building has the potential to take AYCO to a new level and secure its space in the supportive services community.

People or groups interested in investing in AYCO’s future location on SE 82nd Avenue should visit the group’s website www.aycoworld.org and click this Donate Now button at the top of the page. Jamal Dar and his staff are available to talk to groups interested in large sponsorship opportunities.

Jacob Loeb

Demolition, History, New Residence, Property Sale July 24, 2022December 6, 2023

1905 House Deconstruction on NE Glisan

The new owner of 7132 NE Glisan Street intends to deconstruct the house and detached shed to make way for a future housing development. DEZ Development bought the corner lot in late May and applied for a demolition permit earlier this month. Designers are currently working on plans for the replacement housing coming to this site.

When approved, demolition crews will clear the lot of all structures and fill the basement cavity. Although most buildings near this property are business-oriented, DEZ Development is committed to building housing at this location. Realtors had listed the hundred-year-old home as a fixer-up-er, and interior pictures of the house indicate significant neglect. Previous owners of the 1,568-square-foot home failed to upgrade or maintain the structure over its many years.

When constructed in 1905, the home had an address of 800 E. Glisan. By 1920, it was renumbered to 1834 East Glisan and owned by R. S. Wildemuth. The owner and his home were featured in an advertisement for Sibloco Pipeless Furnace in The Oregon daily journal of October 31st, 1920. This home changed to its current address after the Great Portland Renumbering in the early 1930s.

NE Glisan Street has significantly changed since 1905. Once the lifeblood of the neighborhood, the Montavilla streetcar running down its center ended service by the 1950s. Residences along the street gave way to businesses. Automotive traffic has increased significantly since then, making Glisan an arterial roadway. However, the neighborhood is changing again with a return of housing and small businesses catering to local residents. With luck, the replacement housing built on this site will accommodate a new generation of people calling NE Glisan their home.

*_{Framing removed from 7132 NE Glisan Street}*

Jacob Loeb

Community, Infrastructure July 18, 2022March 25, 2023

New Bike-Share Stations Arrive

BIKETOWN staff recently relocated the NE Glisan bike-share docking station two blocks to the west. Less than a year ago, crews installed the dock on the south side of the roadway near NE 80th Avenue. That same docking station is now on the north side of the street near NE 78th Avenue. Its new location is near a marked crosswalk with a rapid flashing beacon. Placement close to that intersections should make the parked bikes easier to access from any side of NE Glisan.

This article originally published September 4th, 2021.

Yesterday, crews from BIKETOWN installed new bike-share stations on SE 81st Ave just south of E Burnside Street. Its construction follows another recently built unit on NE Glisan Street west of 80th Ave. When completed, the 81st Ave location will house docks for up to six e-bikes available to rent through the BIKETOWN mobile app.

Last June, a survey conducted by BIKETOWN gathered community input on where to place new electric bicycle (e-bike) docks as part of the program’s East Portland expansion. A few months later, that survey data and other factors are guiding the placement of these stations. The BIKETOWN bike finder map currently shows the new station on SE 81st Ave as available for use. However, no bikes are listed there, and the stand is missing the vertical sign that displays user instructions. This bike-share location is near Walgreens Pharmacy on the road behind Hong Phat. The station’s proximity to the number 20 and 72 TriMet bus lines should reduce excessive walking for riders not directly on the bus route.

*Station on NE Glisan Street showing user instructions.*

Several blocks north from the uncompleted station, BIKETOWN staff finished an identical installation on NE Glisan Street. Crews completed this location last week, and it is fully operational. Workers placed the docks on the sidewalk in front of Glisan Dental, away from traffic. The SE 81st Ave docks sit in the road’s parking lane, relying on white traffic delineator posts to protect the parked bikes.

BIKETOWN docking stations are simple installations that securely hold locked bikes. They do not provide any charging for e-bikes. Instead, BIKETOWN offers these locations as a reliable place for customers to find and return bikes. Throughout the week, staff redistributes bikes to these locations after collecting units left in remote areas. Each e-bike has a removable battery pack that employees can replace before putting them back out for use.

Since the expansion of the BIKETOWN network in late 2020, sightings of the iconic orange bikes throughout Montavilla and greater East Portland have increased. Often they are found secured to signposts and fences. The installation of more bike docking stations will transform the scattering of transportation options into a reliable network of mobility devices. Their new consistent location gives residents the confidence to bridge the transportation gap for short trips without a personal vehicle. Businesses near the docks should also see a boost in visitors, as patrons can expect to find a bike ready for them when they head home. Look for these docks next time you plan a short trip around Montavilla and see if an e-bike can enhance your mobility.

*Station on SE 81st Ave partially completed.*

Jacob Loeb

Correction – fixed typo of store name Hong Phat

Construction, Demolition, History, New Residence, Property Sale July 11, 2022March 25, 2023

7 Townhomes Proposed on NE 73rd near Glisan

Last week, the new owners of 432 NE 73rd Avenue submitted building permit applications to construct seven new townhomes on the property. This standard 50-foot wide lot abuts an apartment building to its rear and a parking lot to the north. The new residences will replace the 1924-era single-family home, garage, and shed on the site.

Each of the seven townhomes will span two floors. A separate Site Development permit seeks to create shared walkways, landscaping, and other infrastructure for the future residents. The developer has yet to submit demolition permits for the home and detached garage. However, references to the impending deconstruction of the house are present in the other permit applications.

*1928 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street undeveloped*

The property’s existing home appears to predate its current location by 25 years. Maps from 1928 do not show any buildings at that location or the surrounding lots. Before 1928, E. 73rd Street ended north of E Glisan Street. 73rd started again south of E Stark Street. Consequently, most homes built on this segment of 73rd Avenue date back to the 1930s and 1940s. However, a plumbing permit from August 30th, 1949, indicates the owner of 432 NE 73rd Avenue relocated the structure to its current location from 320 NE 39th Avenue. The permit’s notation about the move explains the discrepancy between the map data and Portland’s official age of the home.

*1949 Plumbing Permit for 432 NE 73rd Ave*

Although past developers saved the nearly 100-year-old home once before, it now looks like its removal is needed to make way for new housing. The added density provided by the townhomes will dramatically increase the number of families living on the property, and better fit the growing density along NE Glisan. Expect demolition to occur this fall, with construction likely starting later in the year.

*1909 Sanborn Map showing E 73rd Street ending at E Glisan*

Update: On July 15th, the developer submitted the demolition permits for this project.

Jacob Loeb

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