Central Eastside News

[maccoinnich]

More images of Modera Belmont:

[urbanlife]

It's looking better.

[maccoinnich]

SE 11th & Main offices by YBA Architects / Potestio Studio.

[maccoinnich]

This Majestically Decayed Warehouse Is Incubating New Ideas in Food and Business

Could Ecotrust’s new project be a new asset for Portland’s gastro-entrepreneurs and an example of enlightened capitalism?

Published Feb 2, 2015, 8:00am
By Benjamin Tepler



Right now, the dilapidated warehouse stretching a full city block on SE Salmon Street is simply the skeleton of a 96-year-old ironworks, neglected for decades. In 2016, however, the environmental nonprofit Ecotrust plans to turn this cavernous Central Eastside space into an incubator for artisan food businesses, where Oregon-grown crops become new products devised by Portland start-ups sharing production, storage, and distribution facilities.

As of now, “The Redd on Salmon Street”—the new name refers to the nesting grounds of actual salmon—is largely empty, except for an antique industrial press. As a concept, however, the building and Ecotrust’s dreams for it come laden with promise as a new asset for Portland’s gastro-entrepreneurs and an example of enlightened capitalism. The plan is to execute a sustainability-focused renovation, then seed the facility with businesses that strengthen Portland’s local food sector and its connection to the region’s farmers.

...continues at Portland Monthly.

[NESteve]

This is interesting....

http://www.portlandchronicle.com/udg-applies-six-stories-80-units-inner-southeast/

This site deserves something more iconic than another UDG building, but at least it will shield the view of the Linden.

[soleri]

Originally Posted by NESteve

This is interesting....

http://www.portlandchronicle.com/udg-applies-six-stories-80-units-inner-southeast/

This site deserves something more iconic than another UDG building, but at least it will shield the view of the Linden.

Sandy could be such a great street. How did the Linden get by Design Review? It's not exactly The Worst Building in Portland but it radiates cheapness and despair. I avert my eyes when I jog by it but I still know it's there, poisoning the vibe of Buckman for decades yet to come. UDG? Sigh.....

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by soleri

Sandy could be such a great street. How did the Linden get by Design Review? It's not exactly The Worst Building in Portland but it radiates cheapness and despair. I avert my eyes when I jog by it but I still know it's there, poisoning the vibe of Buckman for decades yet to come. UDG? Sigh.....

It didn't have to go through Design Review. The site has no design overlay, so it only had to comply with the minimum requirements of the Commercial Storefront zone.

I think the way Design Review is applied to sites in Portland is pretty arbitrary. Why is Design Review at 19th & Overton done by the Design Commission; at NW 19th & Johnson by the Historic Landmarks Commission; at N Williams and NE Mason by the Bureau of Development Services; and at SE Division & 37th by no one at all?

[Abide]

Hmm, so the Michael's building would apparently survive then. I was wondering about that. So glad to see development happening there. According to pictures on the Vintage Portland site, the north half of that block has been a parking lot since at least the late 20's!

[urbanlife]

Something iconic there would be nice, but at the same time, I am cool with that whole area filling up with 6 story buildings and giving it a more European feel. Though if I could see anything happen, that whole intersection should be home to mixed use towers.

[PDXDENSITY]

I don't even know how that deli survives. I've heard complaints from customers and past employees. I went once and the food was gross and the service ornery and slow.

[Abide]

Haha, funny you should say that, PDXDENSITY. I've had the exact same experience there. Tried it once and never again.

[Derek]

Kind of off topic, but I was looking at aerial view of the area and I noticed that Sandy used to continue through Burnside. When did they close that section of the street? Why did they close it in the first place? Now it's just an awkward 2 block slab of concrete.

[bvpcvm]

It was just a couple years ago - they changed it when they turned Burnside and Couch into a couplet.

[Derek]

But why did they do that? It just seems kind of weird.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by Derek

But why did they do that? It just seems kind of weird.

That area was in desperate need of being restructured traffic wise. It makes the double block a great site for a potential redevelopment.

[maccoinnich]

What's weird is that the Sandy Blvd right of way still diagonally bisects that block. (The orange lines below are property lines). I'm surprised that the adjacent property owners haven't applied to have the street vacated.

[PDXDENSITY]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

What's weird is that the Sandy Blvd right of way still diagonally bisects that block. (The orange lines below are property lines). I'm surprised that the adjacent property owners haven't applied to have the street vacated.

So the city owns that triangle that used to be Sandy? Why don't we turn it into a city-run bike share facility? Super centralized!

[Abide]

The Kerns neighborhood newsletter from August says a consultant for Joe Weston was working on a street vacation application for that section with the city. You'll have to scroll down towards the bottom of the "Neighborhood Notes" section.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs127/1101439544621/archive/1117947235770.html

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

What's weird is that the Sandy Blvd right of way still diagonally bisects that block. (The orange lines below are property lines). I'm surprised that the adjacent property owners haven't applied to have the street vacated.

I had thought the city owned this block, but it looks like Weston actually owns it. My guess is it is an odd shaped block because Weston doesn't want to pay the taxes on the portion that use to be Sandy. More than likely what will happen is that either Weston will offer to buy that piece of land when they are ready to build an apartment building on that site or the city will hold onto it and turn it into a plaza or something outside of the apartment building Weston would probably build.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by Abide

The Kerns neighborhood newsletter from August says a consultant for Joe Weston was working on a street vacation application for that section with the city. You'll have to scroll down towards the bottom of the "Neighborhood Notes" section.
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs127/1101439544621/archive/1117947235770.html

Good catch.

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I had thought the city owned this block, but it looks like Weston actually owns it. My guess is it is an odd shaped block because Weston doesn't want to pay the taxes on the portion that use to be Sandy. More than likely what will happen is that either Weston will offer to buy that piece of land when they are ready to build an apartment building on that site or the city will hold onto it and turn it into a plaza or something outside of the apartment building Weston would probably build.

I'm reasonably sure that he wouldn't have to buy the land, and the City would give it to him at no cost, beyond the fees associated with processing the vacation. While I Am Not A Lawyer, the legal principal as the streets were an exaction on the original property owned and imposed by the City. If the City doesn't need the streets anymore for a transportation or utility use, the property owner has a right to get them back.