INA Market to Open in Cascade Square

Chong Ball, the new owner of the Cascade Square storefronts at 8th and Killingsworth, contacted the King Neighborhood Association recently to introduce herself, solicit neighbor concerns, and assure that under her ownership the strip will be much improved. She detailed the investments she is making in the building such as addressing maintenance items that had been deferred for many years, upgrading the electrical systems, adding security cameras and removing bars from the windows in favor of roll down security doors to be used at night. There will be new lighting and signage.

Cascade Square was the former location of the infamous Boston Market corner store which Ms. Ball said she evicted for non-payment of rent. She is opening her own store, the INA Market in the former Boston Market space. She explained that she has run a successful market in the SW suburbs and has recently sold that business to invest in NE. A few years ago she would not have purchased there, she said, but now the area appears to her to have potential. That potential is also apparent to Rodney Muirhead who moved his popular Podnah’s Pit restaurant to a large space just eight blocks east.

Friends of Last Thursday Prepares to Take Reins

Town Hall Meeting on Last Thursday | hosted by Friends of Last Thursday
From the Office of Neighborhood Involvement:

In partnership with Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement, a group of dedicated volunteers has spent the last year preparing to assume a stewardship role of the popular arts festival, Last Thursday on Alberta. Friends of Last Thursday’s (FOLT) mission states, “FOLT is committed to facilitating a fun, safe, and sustainable monthly public arts festival that culturally enriches the community while fostering neighborhood respect.”

FOLT will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting Saturday, April 2, 2011, 2-4 PM, at St. Andrews Church Community Hall, NE 9th and Alberta Street, to formally unveil the proposed strategy, the most vital component of which will be the participation of the larger community.

FOLT has a website at: http://www.lastthursdayonalberta.com/and a Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/LastThursday

As for who the members of FoLT are and what their leadership structure is, their information on the web and the staff at NECN could not provide this answer. Hopefully this will be cleared up at the meeting.

Safeway Remodel Nearing Completion

Safeway’s investment in upgrading their Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. store is a vote of confidence in the store’s potential to attract shoppers who desire more organic items at a decent price and want to shop locally without having to travel out of the King Neighborhood. At the King Neighborhood Association’s request, Safeway has improved bike parking at the store and will make a donation to Friends of Trees to help lower income homeowners plant street trees. The landscaping at the store will be restored and the variety of products will be adjusted to offer more organic and “natural” items. The MLK store which has historically lagged behind other Safeways in Portland in being updated now seems to be on track to keep pace. I’ll see you there on shopping day!

City Holds Alberta Bar Summit to Address Issues

In an attempt to find solutions to conflicts between bar patrons and neighborhood livability on Alberta and city wide, the mayor’s office is holding a series of bar summits between bar owners, police, OLCC, and other city officials to find solutions to persistent problems.

The summit concerning Alberta Street was held on March 16th at St. Andrew. Numerous alcohol-related concerns were the focus of a letter from KNA to the Mayor and City Council regarding Last Thursday.

According to Oregon Liquor Control Commission Regulatory Services Director Linda Ignowski, there are 53 liquor licenses from 9th to 39th and Alberta Street, which includes both 46 on and seven off premise licenses.

Read the press release and leave a comment here.

As we learn more about the outcome of this process, we will keep you updated.

Vision Zero action plan to target neighborhood danger spots.

From Vision Zero:

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee (StAC) for Vision Zero Oregon’s King/Humboldt/Boise’s Roadway Safety Action Plan will begin looking at neighborhood road problems. These problems were collected through stakeholder interviews, a public survey, and a March 2011 community walking tour. The Vision Zero project will use the perspectives and expertise from the StAC to make a plan to increase road safety in the King, Humboldt, and Boise neighborhoods. This project will look at ways to reach “Vision Zero;” a vision of roads that don’t have any deaths or injuries for people walking, biking, or driving.

Both StAC meetings are open to the general public. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

Wednesday, March 23
5:30pm – 7:00pm
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
(Amelia Room, 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue)

Wednesday, April 20
5:30pm – 7:00pm
Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
(Amelia Room, 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue)
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