4 • The Southwest Portland Post
BUSINESS
May 2013
Construction finally begins on Multnomah Village Green Street
THE COUNTRY STORE
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
While the Multnomah Village
Business Association met inside
O’Connor’s, about a dozen city work-
ers in orange vests milled around
outside.
With clipboards and coffee, city
crews were planning the first phases
of the stormwater and streetscape
project.
To the chagrin of the business own-
ers assembled, construction delays
have taken place due to permit and
insurance issues.
Work was originally supposed to
start in January then was pushed to
March.
According to Susan Terzo, public
works inspector for the Bureau of
Environmental Services, the new start
date was scheduled for April 8 and
even then, that date was delayed.
“Issues come up. We’re working
with a variety of contractors and
we need everything to be in place,”
explained Terzo.
As of this printing, gas company
work has been completed, sewer
work has begun, and large equipment
and fencing have been brought in.
Signs for additional parking were
delivered for posting courtesy of
Environmental Services. The City has
also placed ads in local newspapers
(including The Post) announcing the
green street project.
Village merchants are adamant
about parking availability. Customers
may park at the Multnomah Center’s
lower lot, a block and a half east.
“We’re asking all workers to park
across from Multnomah Boulevard,”
another City employee insisted.
Employees are encouraged to park
off main arteries or take public trans-
portation.
Merchants are holding “Construc-
tion Wednesdays” which will offer a
variety of discounts and promotions
every Wednesday until the project is
finished.
Completion is slated for June. “We
hope so,” said a business owner
whose sidewalk will be torn up
shortly.
Business owners Joan Steinbach of Thinker Toys and Michele Cassinelli of Village Beads
post the OPEN sign in Multnomah Village. (Photo courtesy of Anne Bocci)
“I will be on the construction site
most days,” Terzo stressed. “Please
speak with me if anything arises.”
Terzo can be reached at 503-823-6630
or susan.terzo@portlandoregon.gov.
Editor’s Note: The Green Street project
will include new street trees, benches and
wider sidewalks between Southwest 35th
and 36th avenues along Capitol High-
way. Parking will be reoriented.
Riversgate Church seeks
input on building to be
redeveloped
Riversgate Church officials are
planning to redevelop an existing
facility and are asking for the com-
munity’s participation.
Project coordinators re-
cently unveiled design plans
for their existing structure
located at 7630 SW Capi-
tol Hwy, at the east end of
Multnomah Village.
Purchased several years
ago, the now empty build-
ing is ready to be developed.
Construction is scheduled for
late spring or early summer
2014.
Riversgate has been con-
ducting services in the
Multnomah Center auditori-
um for the last ten years and
Brian Rainka, Tom Barker, and Curt Lemrick of Riv- envisions a multi-functional
ersgate Men's Group volunteer their Saturday on a de- space that would be shared
molishing assignment. (Photo courtesy of Tom Barker) with the community.
“We need to bring the
building up to code,” stated Pastor
Jeff Golden. “Now is the time for
individuals to weigh in on creating
spaces most useful for the commu-
nity’s needs.”
Preliminary plans call for a large
auditorium, several classrooms, full-
size commercial kitchen, multi-use
rooms, and lobby area.
Suggestions were offered to Rivers-
gate project coordinators at the April
meeting of the Multnomah Village
Business Association.
One idea was to have space dedi-
cated for authors to speak as Annie
Bloom’s Books is too small to hold a
sizable audience.
As in any construction project,
parking was brought up. Arrange-
ments are being made with Loaves
and Fishes according to church lead-
ers.
According to Multnomah histo-
rian Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen,
Additional parking is available at
this building used to be an old car
dealership in the 20s and has been
Multnomah Arts Center Lower West Lot.
most recently utilized as industrial
manufacturing.
“We are working with our design
Ad paid for by Environmental Services, City of Portland.
WS 1318
(Continued on Page 6)
Businesses are open
during construction.
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