Happy
Independence
Day!
INSIDE:
Celebrating 20 years of continuous Southwest news coverage!
Volume No. 21, Issue No. 9
www.swportlandpost.com
Portland, Oregon
Neighborhood coalition
honors volunteers at
Multnomah Arts Center
ceremony – Page 4
Complimentary
July 2013
Multnomah Village Greenstreet Project now scheduled for completion July 22
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
”Hanging in there“ seemed to be
the most common response from
many of the Multnomah Village
merchants when asked by The
Post how they were doing with
the ongoing street and sidewalk
improvements and tree plantings,
aka the Multnomah Village Green-
street Project.
“The end is near,” exclaimed
Michele Cassinelli, owner of Vil-
lage Beads and co-chair of the
Multnomah Village Business As-
sociation.
Kathleen Zorn, the owner of
Medley, said that this is the first
year of her business and can’t
compare her business to previous
years. “A group used to come in
regularly but haven’t seen them
in a while,” Zorn affirmed. She’s
hoping they come back.
Alisha, from Topanien, is look-
ing forward to the pedestrian
friendly sidewalks and shade trees.
According to Joe Annett, the
Bureau of Environmental Services
project community outreach spe-
cialist, the contractors are wrap-
ping up the week of July 22; just
a few weeks before the annual
Multnomah Days festival and pa-
rade.
For residents and shopkeepers,
contractors and visitors, the green
street transformation has been a
long time coming. For many, the
biggest issue has been parking.
Construction workers have been
asked to park on the south side of
Multnomah Boulevard. Employees
have been instructed to park away
from the prime spots or take public
transportation. (TriMet bus lines
#44 and #45 have several stops in
the village.)
“Parking is always going to be
an issue anywhere,” Cassinelli
explained. “There is parking under
the viaduct, at Key Bank on week-
ends and after bank hours, and at
the lower lot of the arts center.”
Construction begins on
Multnomah Arts Center
parking lot
To add to the mix, construction
has begun at the Multnomah Arts
Center parking lot.
“City contractors couldn’t wait,”
stated Randy Bonella, of the
Multnomah Business Association.
“Work has begun and is proceeding
smoothly.”
The storm water design will col-
lect rain runoff allowing pollutants
to settle before the water enters
Tryon Creek. According to BES
spokesman Linc Mann, the park-
ing lot remodel shouldn’t affect the
main are of the street construction.
“A few parking spots will be
temporarily closed near 34 th and
Moss due to pipe installation,”
Mann said. “The entire project will
completed by the end of August.”
Back to the green street project,
some were concerned about the
lack of electrical hookups to each
of the trees.
“There isn’t an issue,” retorted
Annett. “It wasn’t in the budget;
simple as that.”
Some would beg to differ. Jill
City contractors taking advantage of a dry day in June to pave one of the new sidewalks
in the village. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
Crecraft of Sip D’Vine put a conduit
in, followed all the city regula-
tions, got the proper permits but
still had flack from the city.
“It’s always something,” said
long-time resident Stu Ellis. “I grew
up in the village and have seen
many changes.”
He didn’t seem to mind the in-
convenience as he and his daugh-
ter slurped down frozen yogurts.
Merchants are hoping that with
the upcoming warmer and dryer
weather coming, customers will
come out in droves. “Hard Hat
Wednesdays”, “First Friday” and
weekend specials are times de-
voted to making it easier on the
visitor.
“Hanging in there,” the Annie
Blooms Books’ manager said. “The
visual is worse than it appears.”
They’ll be open every day even
as the construction moves to the
south side of the street.
And with that Molly Bloom,
the bookstore’s cat, stretched and
went back to sleep.
For information on the Multnomah
Village Greenstreet Project, please
contact Joe Annett, at 503-823-2934.
For information on the Multnomah
Arts Center parking lot project, please
contact Linc Mann, at 503-823-5328.
Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2.
The Southwest Portland Post
4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509
Portland, OR 97206
A city contractor works on the new bioswale at Southwest 36th and Capitol Highway in
front of ZoomCare. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)