Some folks in the Eastmoreland neighborhood are pushing for a change in the city code that allows homes to be demolished without any prior notice under certain conditions. The Oregonian is trying to gauge opinions on this subject. Read more on this topic and weigh in here.
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In 1914, a group of Volga Germans purchased the lot at NE 9th and Fremont, and built a church for their newly formed congregation. Services at the Zion German Congregational Church were held in German until 1958. Over time, the younger generations, who did not understand German, began to move away in search of newer housing and English-language church services. During the 1960s, the church merged with other dwindling Volga German congregations and in 1972, they sold the building and moved to a new facility in outer east Portland.
In 2009, the Greater Gresham Baptist Church purchased the old Zion church, with plans to renovate the building and "change the lives of the people in this community." As they noted, the old building is "within a 3-mile radius of 250,000 people, ninety-five percent of whom are not actively involved in a church." When the renovation did not progress as quickly as planned, Greater Gresham formed a partnership with Door of Hope, a church that was seeking to establish a ministry in inner northeast Portland. Door of Hope is currently renovating the church and plans to open for Christmas Eve services. More details about the church history are available on volgagermans.net. A year ago, the old church at NE 8th and Failing was nearly sold to a developer who planned to demolish it and replace it with upscale houses. The deal fell through for financial reasons. Neighbors breathed a sigh of relief. A year later, the outlook for the historic building seems brighter. The new buyer, Hope Presbyterian Church, plans to preserve the building and use it for services, after the sale closes in late December.
The Portland Development Commission (PDC) voted last Wednesday to authorize the sale of a 2-acre lot at
the corner of NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and Alberta Street for $502,160 or $2.4 million less than its appraised value of $2.9 million. Once the deal closes, Majestic Realty Corp. will build a 20,000-square-foot Trader Joe's at the site. A group of concerned citizens gathered on Sunday to protest the decision which they believe "will further exacerbate gentrification in the neighborhoods of North and Northeast Portland." Protestors questioned the need for a taxpayer-subsidized grocery store when there is a Safeway a half mile north of the site and a New Seasons one mile south. The money could be better spent, they felt, to help attract grocery stores to east Portland, where residents have far fewer shopping options. They also noted that meetings with the developer were held in secret, without any public input. The citizens group expressed disappointment that PDC "failed to see the property as an opportunity to bring together neighbors and community members affected by gentrification" and urged the agency to operate with "more accountability, more transparency, and stronger focus on equity." Prior to Wednesday's vote, the Oregonian's editorial staff argued that the deal was not in the public's best interest because it doesn't provide significant economic or social value, and they urged the PDC to vote against it. In September, the King Neighborhood wrote a letter to the PDC, requesting that the public agency "seek new ways to engage the public in decisions about the direction of planning and developing neighborhoods" and offered to "partner with the PDC in constructing and maintaining robust, participatory democracy" in the interest of "developing innovative and creative changes to our neighborhood, through dialogue that is truly inclusive." From the Oregonian:
Portland's urban renewal agency this week will consider selling land at a $2 million-plus discount to ensure a new grocery store is built at the corner of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Alberta Street. The Portland Development Commission hasn't disclosed which grocer would move into the project, although a different development team proposed a Trader Joe's at the same location in 2010. The mystery tenant would anchor a new development featuring two buildings, space for retail shops and about 100 surface parking stalls on nearly 2 acres. In all, the $8 million project would transform one of the last big vacant lots along a commercial corridor where developers have remained skittish nearly 50 years after divisive race riots. Alan Silver, president of the King Neighborhood Association, said he heard rumblings about a revived project a few weeks ago and assumes it'll be a Trader Joe's. He said Monday that he's excited about the development potential but concerned about the lack of public involvement. He wants to make sure it includes locally run businesses so the project becomes more than just a car-centric grocery store for people looking to buy cheap but tasty cheese. He's also skeptical of the subsidy that taxpayers would provide. "It's stretching the definition of a food desert very thin," he said, "to say that this is worth $2 million.” Read the full article here and a follow-up article here. by Randy Ward Sabin Land Use and Transportation Committee The Portland City Council adopted the "Portland Plan" in 2012, which was developed to guide the city’s forward progress toward several challenges. One priority is to create a "healthy, connected city," in the form of higher density, service-accessible communities. Creating higher density in a city the size of Portland presents challenges that need creative solutions. The Portland Zoning Code permits the creation of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in all residential zones of the city. ADUs can be created in a variety of ways, including conversion of a portion of an existing house, addition to an existing house, conversion of a garage or the construction of an entirely new building. In essence, an additional living space is created on an already developed lot. The maximum size of an ADU may be no more than 75% of the living area of the house or 800 square feet, whichever is less. Additionally, for detached ADU's: maximum height is 18 feet; building coverage may not be larger than the building coverage of the house; and set back must be 60 feet from a front lot line or 6 feet behind the house. Some of the benefits provided by an ADU include possible rental income, accommodating growing families (think teen quarters), generational living (elderly parents or in-laws), or even downsizing for simpler living, while renting out your main house. The City has approved a 3-year extension for the System Development Charge (SDC) waiver for ADUs (conversions or new construction), previously set to expire in 2012. This waiver could save homeowners up to thousands of dollars in fees, making ADU construction even more appealing.
by Suzanne Clark
Wondering what’s happening with the burned out house at 3954 NE 18th? Well, here's the scoop. In June, we listed the property for sale as a short sale. The short sale process typically takes several months to complete. The lien holder (Bank of America) is in the process of completing a valuation known as a BPO (Broker’s Price Opinion) before they will allow me to submit any offers. I currently have 13 offers on the property from builders and investors who plan to tear down the existing structure and build a new home. I am in regular contact with the bank to try and speed the process along, and hope to have the sale completed by the end of November. Please contact Suzanne Clark at 503-806-9332 for more info.
Join us on Sunday, June 10th to help clean up the Sabin Triangle and begin planting flowers. Bring gloves, gardening tools and a large plastic garbage bag. The Triangle, located at NE 15th and Prescott, will be the site of several fun events over the summer, including the Sabin Community Potluck on August 7.
For more info, please contact Hector Roche at hrroche@q.com or call 503-516-6614. |
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