July 2016
NEWS / BUSINESS
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Ped, bike and road improvements will
accompany the new light rail line
SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
Last month, Metro project staff
released details about some of the
bicycle, pedestrian, and roadway
projects that could be part of the
Southwest Corridor Plan. In 2013,
leaders adopted a Shared Investment
Strategy which is a coordinated set of
projects intended to make it safer and
easier to get around in communities
in the corridor.
Several projects that have been
completed or are under construction
are bike lanes and sidewalks on
Southwest Spring Garden Street,
19th Avenue, and 22nd Avenue.
“Pedestrian crossing improvements
were recently completed at Southwest
Barbur Boulevard and Alice Street,”
said Noelle Dobson, senior public
affairs specialist at Metro. “These
included a new crosswalk, rapid flash
beacons, a pedestrian island, and new
[Americans with Disabilities Act]
ramps for sidewalks.”
In April, outreach staff from Metro,
the Bicycle Transportation Alliance,
and TriMet surveyed 134 transit riders
at various transit stops including
PCC Sylvania and the Barbur Transit
Center.
Survey questions assessed how
frequently riders currently use
transit. Eighty-three percent said they
frequently ride transit.
Seventy-five percent said they
walked to their bus stop while half
said they did not identify any needed
improvements to access their stop in
the corridor area. About 27 percent
of the riders said complete sidewalks
were needed to access their stop.
“A third of the riders had no concerns
about negative impacts,” reported
Dobson. “Twenty-eight percent chose
air quality as a priority impact, 21
percent chose impacts to homes, and
19 percent chose interfering with auto
traffic.”
Riders were also polled on high-
priority destinations that could
connect them to the new line via
local bus service. Respondents
identified a variety of locations where
improvements are needed.
These included Barbur Boulevard
from 30th Avenue to the Barbur Transit
Center; Bertha Boulevard, Iowa Street,
19th Avenue, Terwilliger Boulevard,
and the Hillsdale town center.
Then there were random concerns.
These have been mentioned at
Scenes like this – on Barbur Boulevard in Southwest Portland's Burlingame district – are
common along major streets in the Southwest Corridor. The Southwest Corridor Plan
could fix that by making biking and walking safer in the area in the coming years.
(Photo courtesy of Metro)
community forums, neighborhood
meetings, and in other surveys. Some
of these include eliminating current
local bus service, fewer lanes on
Barbur Boulevard, not having a direct
route, Interstate 5 noise issues, and
congestion at the Barbur Boulevard /
Capitol Highway intersection in West
Portland. Parking availability around
transit stations was another issue.
C h r i s Ly o n s , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n
committee chair for the Multnomah
Neighborhood Association, attended a
meeting with Metro project staff about
the area’s preference on MAX stations.
“We discussed the need for stations
at Fred Meyer Burlingame and
Safeway at Capitol Hill Road,” Lyons
reported. “We’re also looking at
stations at Spring Garden Street,
26th or 30th avenues, and the Barbur
Transit Center.
“Access to these stations is being
looked at as well,” Lyons said.
Nothing will be set in stone until a
full environmental study is completed.
The light rail line is expected
to cost around $2 billion. A more
certain amount will come after the
environmental review is completed.
The federal government could pay
(Continued on Page 6)
Residential Infill Project
“The city has paid developers to
sit on advisory committees while a
few token residents participate. You
send documents at the last minute,”
McCarthy continued.
“You’re taxing current residents
for future residents. We’re fine. Leave
us alone!”
Many people in the room took turns
commenting or asking questions.
“This would decrease affordability,”
stated one man, who introduced
himself as a developer. “I would not
want to develop in this town if we
are to create a prefabricated slum!”
One woman felt that 2,500 square
feet was too small and might even
discriminate against large families.
Another man told the crowd he
was a lawyer and demanded public
comments to go on record. “I ask for
a moratorium on any new policies,”
he said.
Wood explained that since this
wasn’t a legislative hearing, only
notes would be kept.
There were disagreements on the
city’s population trends projected for
Portland by 2035. The city claimed
they got their numbers from Metro
and that 123,000 new households
would be living here by then.
According to city staff, this is a
two-step process. Some audience
members took surveys on the
proposed guidelines while others
would take it online. There are
four more open houses scheduled
throughout the city in July. Wood
explained there would be more
details available after the public
comment period is over on Aug. 15.
Portlanders can fill out an online
questionnaire which can be found
at http://residentialinfill.participate.
online/. The full draft proposal can
be found at www.portlandoregon.
gov/bps/infill.
(Continued from Page 1)
Mella Kaufman and her two-year-old boy pose in front of the window at Multnomah
Marketplace. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
THE COUNTRY STORE
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
New vintage clothing store
Multnomah Marketplace opens
A new vintage and reclaimed clothing
store has opened in the east end of
Multnomah Village called Multnomah
Marketplace. The brainchild of Mella
Kaufman, a mother of two with a third
on the way, Kaufman opened The
Factory a few years back in the Alberta
neighborhood.
Kaufman, a psychotherapist, has been
in a private practice for ten years and
needed a hobby.
“Due to my pregnancy and the
distance between my home and the
shop,” Kaufmann said, “I closed it
down knowing I wanted to reopen a
store eventually.”
She saw the empty space once held by
Healthy Pets Northwest and created her
dream. She added a play area where her
children will be with her at work daily.
The clothing racks are made from
old pallets. Clothes are consigned,
vintage, or made out of vintage material
and made into new designs. Sus
Agustyn, one of the designers who had
a shop up the street for many years, has
created modern designs with vintage
material for kids.
“We also have a cutting and sewing
area set up for our designers to work
at the shop,” Kaufman said. “There is
also a vintage record section to entertain
all ages.”
Multnomah Marketplace is located at
7642 SW Capitol Hwy. and open Tuesday
through Saturday, 10 a.m—5 p.m.
Antoinette Antique and Estate
Jewelry returns to Multnomah
Village
Antoinette Antique and Estate
Jewelry is back in Multnomah Village
after being in northwest Portland for the
last five years. The business sells rare
estate jewelry ranging from the 1800s to
the 1950s specializing in antique hand-
cut diamonds and vintage engagement
rings.
(Continued on Page 6)
T h e p ro p o s e d c h a n g e s a l l o w
accessory dwelling units (guest
cottages) to be built on existing lots.
Cottage clusters could be considered
and allow duplexes on all lots and
triplexes on corner lots.
At the conclusion of the city’s
presentation, Wood thanked the
standing room only audience and
instructed everyone to mingle with
staff for additional questions.
But the event quickly turned
into a raucous town hall when
former Maplewood Neighborhood
Association chair Brynna Hurwitz
stood up.
“The audience has a variety of
questions,” Hurwitz said calmly,
“that need answering while you’re
up on stage.”
“This is not a town hall,” Wood
replied. “You can ask your questions
to the numerous staff standing by the
easels.”
Hurwitz continued her plea
as others shouted their pressing
concerns. After several attempts to
quell the crowd, Wood gave in but
limited questions to scale, housing
types, and narrow lots.
“We will not tackle other issues,”
she said sternly.
C a ro l M c C a r t h y, M u l t n o m a h
Neighborhood Association chair,
asked why there was no mention
of gardens, tree removal, or the
consideration for the environment.
“The comp plan requires citizen
involvement,” McCarthy said. “We
spent the last two years working
on the 2035 comp plan. It requires
citizen involvement. This is nothing
but a dog and pony show. You’re just
showing us what you already have
in mind.”