Category Archives: livability

Alberta Street Market to Revert to Original Owner, Liquor License Application Open for Public Comment

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The OLCC has received a liquor license application for the Alberta Street Market in the King neighborhood area and would like to know if you are aware of any concerns. Located at 909 NE Alberta Street, the original owner, Pil Jun Chung, aka “Jack” of the market has applied for a Limited Off-Premises sales license (which allows the sale of malt beverages, wine and cider for consumption off the premises). After the Market was torn down and rebuilt in 2005-06, Mr. Chung sold the business to the current operator but maintained ownership of the building. Now he is buying the market back.

There have long been complaints of issues at and in the vicinity of the market such as panhandling, youth loiterers, street drinking and drug activity. It is a high vehicle and pedestrian traffic location that lies in the Last Thursday on Alberta area. Crime Prevention Program Coordinator, Celeste Carey, recommends a Good Neighbor Agreement be negotiated between the Neighborhood Association and the owner to proactively address community concerns.

The proposed hours of operation are Sun – Sat – 8:00 am – 11:00 pm The license application incorrectly lists operating hours of 8:00 pm – 1:00 am. This issue should be clarified prior to approval of the license.

If you are aware of any existing problems or concerns at this location, please notify Theresa Marchetti at (503) 823-3092 by January 9, 2010. If you have concerns regarding this license, please list the concerns in writing and remember they must be related to crime, alcohol, alcohol related behavior or drugs. Traffic, parking and trash are not considered during the licensing process at OLCC.

If you have any questions, contact:
Dennis Paul LoGiudice
City of Portland | Office of Neighborhood Involvement
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 110
Portland, Oregon 97204
 Phone: (503) 865-2626
 Fax: (503) 823-3050
 Email: Dennis.LoGiudice@portlandoregon.gov
 Web: www.portlandonline.com/oni

Get King Selected for a Tree Inventory

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Walking around your neighborhood, do you see areas available for tree planting, street trees in need of maintenance, and neighbors who are concerned but don’t know where to begin? Urban Forestry is helping Portlanders take action to improve their community’s street trees by conducting tree inventories and creating Neighborhood Stewardship Plans.

Active community groups interested in the cause begin by gathering volunteers to help conduct a street tree inventory. Volunteers are guided by Urban Forestry staff, who provide training, tools, and event organization. Together, information is collected on tree species, size, health, site conditions, and available planting spaces. Data is analyzed by Urban Forestry staff, and findings are presented to neighborhood stakeholders. Achievable strategies are set by the collective body to improve existing trees, identify opportunities for an expanding tree canopy, and connect the neighborhood with city and non-profit resources. The result is a Neighborhood Stewardship Plan. The plan identifies the current status and health of neighborhood street trees and provides recommendations for neighborhood action. This final product serves as a catalyst for neighborhood implementation.

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PCRI Adds Neighbor Comment Form to Website

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Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, is a housing provider in King that became a hot topic for neighbors after a series of livability concerns this summer. PCRI has added an online reporting form to its website to permit it to keep informed of concerns of the increasing number of computer-literate residents. The form is at: http://www.pcrihome.org/contact_us.php

After the issues with PCRI managment were outlined in our blog, PCRI’s executive director, board members, and staff came to the KNA November meeting and pledged better cooperation and more open communication. At the December 8th meeting, PCRI’s Cyndi Natalello, Manager of Property Management, told KNA about the new tool for residents to keep on top of any problems.

Vanport Square III Proposal Forgoes Retail

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Rendering of the original plan for the "King Commercial Center"

Businesses in the Vanport Square development are concerned about plans under consideration to complete the project on the vacant block at Alberta and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. with an office and clinic instead of retail. Long envisioned as the cornerstone of the partly-built Vanport Square development, Phase 3 has suffered many delays. Originally intended to be anchored by a new grocery store or 24 Hour Fitness, the Portland Development Commission has struggled to attract a commitment to the project.

At one time, PDC tried to lure a call center to locate in Vanport as retailers shunned the site. Once again, PDC appears to be changing its plan for the project and looking to consider development even if it doesn’t result in retail-based neighborhood center that could bring life back to this stretch of King and survival to the isolated businesses already there.

According to KNA’s Alan Silver who attended the last PDC public meeting to mention the plan:

PDC has been approached by two development teams about Vanport phase 3. One proposal would include the Urban League, medical offices, and commercial; the other team includes Jeff Sackett (one of the developers of Vanport Square), and its proposal includes commercial real estate, including negotiations with an anchor tenant whose identity the team is “not disclosing publicly at this time.”

The PDC is ‘gathering information’ on these two proposals at present. It expects to have no funds available to aid developers of Vanport phase 3, who will have to rely entirely on private financing to complete construction.

Vanport Square, aka the King Commercial Center, is the keystone in the future of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in the King Neighborhood. Without the original long-term vision being realized, King’s center could be resigned to many years of low property values in a district that does not create a pedestrian friendly environment. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Vanport is caught in a “catch 22” situation where a lack of businesses fails to attact foot traffic. Lack of foot traffic fails to attract businesses. If a proposal is accepted that is not retail based at the street level, the long sought-after connection between the existing Vanport development and the Alberta corridor will not be fulfilled.

The Portland Development Commission has scheduled two informational meetings held December 21, 2010 for Vanport Project Advisory Committee (PAC) members and Vanport Square business owners. A morning meeting will be held to accommodate Vanport Square businesses and an evening meeting will be targeted to PAC members.

The purpose of the informational meetings is to outline the developer selection process and to clarify the role of the PAC in the selection process. As this meeting is scheduled only a few days after the developer’s submissions are due, PDC says they won’t be able to answer a lot of questions about the specific projects; however, they will schedule future meetings as their process develops.

Cell Towers in Residential Neighborhoods Meeting

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From Respect PDX:

Are you concerned about cell towers and wireless antennas going up near homes, schools, and parks in Portland? On November 15, a standing room only crowd attended a workshop on cell towers in Portland. The people attending made it clear that Portlanders want better oversight of cell tower siting in our neighborhoods.

Join us next Tuesday, December 7, for a short meeting to finalize a plan of action and set up working committees. Our goals include changing local ordinances and making sure health impacts are a part of City policy.
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