4 • The Southwest Portland Post
BUSINESS
December 2012
Construction of new Multnomah Safeway
supermarket on schedule
THE COUNTRY STORE
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
The old Safeway on Barbur Boule-
vard with the classic, curved roof is
gone. So are the parking lot and the
house directly behind the property.
A deep hole to house two new ce-
ment fittings is there instead. There
won’t be any underground parking.
Parking will be on surface lots at street
level.
This Safeway will utilize a new po-
dium style where the store is located
on the second floor with parking un-
derneath. Bike racks will be installed,
and of course, Portland bioswales will
be present.
The new store will even cater to
dogs; a drinking fountain for pooches
will be installed.
Eric Huth, Superintendent for Rob-
ertson and Olson Construction, says
everything is going smoothly. Approxi-
mately 20 construction workers are
now on site and expected to increase
by 80 after the holidays.
“Many items were recycled or are
being reused in the new facility,” stated
Huth. “Old 2x12s are being refitted,
concrete pulverized and the metal was
salvaged.”
Even the large wall clock and phar-
macy sign were donated to takers.
So far everything is going smoothly.
According to Huth, no complaints of
noise, traffic disruption or construction
issues have occurred.
While the project will not follow a
LEED certification, the building will
use natural light and reclaim rainwater.
“Visitors have been curious,” Huth
said. “All we ask is that you don’t
enter the fenced area. Safety is our
main goal.”
Huth will be putting his personal cell
phone number on the billboard facing
Barbur Boulevard.
“If anyone has concerns or ques-
tions, please call me. I’ll handle your
concerns as best I can.” Grand Opening
is slated for fall 2013.
Empty Pagenwood building
expected to be filled by February
Multnomah Villagers have been
wondering what is going on with
Tom Pagenstacher’s old woodwork-
ing shop at the corner of Southwest
Capitol Highway and 35 th Avenue in
Multnomah Village.
Speculation on everything from a
dance hall, to a sushi restaurant to a
pizza parlor has surfaced in discus-
sions on the recent First Friday.
Adam฀ Khawaja,฀ retail฀ broker฀ for฀
Urban Works Real Estate, reported
that the building will remain intact,
not adding any floors or expansion,
and could perhaps be divided in half.
“As you know, when you have the
City [of Portland] involved,” said
Footings are being installed for the new Safeway under construction at Barbur
Boulevard and Capitol Hill Road. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
Khawaja,฀ “there฀ are฀ lots฀ of฀ permits฀
involved and repairs that need to be
brought up to code.”
Urban Works has been fielding sev-
eral offers and hoping on delivery of
the new tenants in sixty days.
“We want to make sure it’s the best fit
for฀the฀community,”฀Khawaja฀replied.฀
Long-time resident Stu Ellis said he
hoped there would be a much needed
sushi bar and restaurant. A bartender
at O’Connor’s had heard it would be
a pizza parlor.
Thinker Toys co-owner Joan Stein-
bach said whoever the new tenants
would be, they would be a great addi-
tion to the village.
Once a grocery and later a Chevrolet
dealership, the building was home to
Pagenwood Restoration for decades.
Recently completed Barbur
Walgreens remains mysteriously
empty
The lights are on but nobody’s home.
The new Walgreens at the corner of
Southwest Barbur Boulevard and
Capitol Highway has been completed
since October but the store remains
empty and no one seems to want to
talk about it.
The corporate office said it was “un-
authorized” to make any comments
about the store and calls were directed
to the regional manager. After six un-
returned calls, a search for information
on the website came up empty.
“Hmmm, it’s quite strange,” replied
a clerk at another local Walgreens who
wished to remain anonymous.
“Normally these new projects need
time to place new items in the store, fill
up the shelves, etc.” said one Walgreens
manager. “It passed all the permits.”
A chain link fence secures the prop-
erty. Landscaping adorns the perimeter
and neon lights boldly display the
Walgreen logo.
If anyone has any additional infor-
mation, please contact The Post.