Kim Patterson
Grant High VP Selected as King Principal
Green Features Grant for Interstate Corridor URA
Portland Development Commission Green Features Grant Program
An open house to introduce the Portland Development Commission’s (PDC) Green Features Grant Program is scheduled for June 3, 2010 from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Shaver Green Community Room located at 375 NE Shaver St.
PDC is seeking proposals from businesses in the Interstate Urban Renewal Area (map at: http://pdc.us/pdf/ura/interstate_ura.pdf) that are interested in implementing creative sustainable business practices and “green” building features. Grants are available for up to $25,000 for eligible businesses for property redevelopment, historical rehabilitation and applying creative means of implementing sustainable property improvements. Funding is through tax increment financing, and therefore is limited to real property improvements.
This grant is intended to generate interest in sustainable design and practice in Portland’s neighborhoods. The grant is being targeted to small, emerging businesses that typically may not think about sustainable options or have the ability to cover the incremental costs associated with emerging technologies. The grant seeks both need based applicants looking to cover the incremental costs associated with sustainable building and those desiring to adopt more sustainable practices.
A total of $200,000 is available for fiscal year 2009 – 2010. Grants will be dispersed on a reimbursement basis. Reimbursements will occur after agreement between PDC and applicant as to work to be performed and verification.
Green Features Program Goals
The Green Features Grant is intended to encourage neighborhood-based business and small to medium-sized wholesalers and manufactures to implement creative sustainable business practices and green building features. Program goals are to encourage small to medium-size businesses to:
Think innovatively and strategically how sustainable features can be included in their business model; Introduce sustainable features to demonstrate cost-savings or reduce environmental impact; Demonstrate the potential of sustainable features to increase productivity; Integrate conservation and efficiency into business operations; Contribute to Portland’s environmental, economic and social goals.
Preference will be given to those projects that, in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements:
Have a high likelihood of implementation Demonstrable energy savings or resource conservation Use local or recycled products Increase neighborhood livability Can demonstrate increased productivity Show cost-savings Have a measurable environmental impact Leverage private resources Have high-visibility Lead to job creation or retention
For more information contact Stephen Green, Project Manager Portland Development Commission at (503) 823-3231 or GreenS@pdc.us
Joleen Jensen-Classen
Public Participation Manager
Portland Development Commission
222 NW Fifth Ave.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 823-3352 desk
(503) 823-8057 cell
jensen-classenj@pdc.us
Follow on Twitter: @PDCJoleen
http://www.pdc.us/pdf/ura/interstate/greenfeatures/Green-Features-For-Business-Guidelines.pdf
NECN Endorses Scrapping CRC Project
The board of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, of which King is a part, has endorsed stopping the Columbia River Crossing bridge project in favor of a smaller project with less environmental impact along the lines of what is proposed by the Coalition for a Livable Future.
The position, arrived at after a number of public forums on the project, was sent in a letter to mayor Sam Adams. That letter is attached below. If you have any questions or comments on the process, contact Shoshana Cohen at shoshana@necoalition.org
New Food Cart/Market Proposed in King
A new “Cartisans Market” is in the works on NE Garfield between Beech and Failing. Sassafras Consulting is currently looking for carts that serve food, sell artisanal products, crafts and more. They are also looking for an urban farmer that would like to grow food for the food carts and for sale at the market. And finally, they are looking for filmmakers, performance artists, musicians and more to activate the space as a summertime community funtime space. They know the King Neighborhood is filled with talented people so they would like to get the word out.
If you have any questions, call:
Kelley Roy
Sassafras Consulting
www.sassafrasgreenbuilding.com
p.503.852.1645
f. 503.232.3479
1111 East Burnside, Suite 312
Portland, Oregon 97214
PDC to Modifiy N/NE Urban Renewal Areas
Press release from PDC:
CAC approves changes in two URAs
In August 2009 the Portland Development Commission asked a Community Advisory Committee to examine several key issues in two north and northeast Portland urban renewal areas as part of the North/Northeast Economic Development Initiative. After months of public involvement, the 21-member CAC voted at its Wednesday, May 19 community meeting to approve eight separate recommendations regarding policy issues and boundary adjustments for the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (ICURA) and Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area (OCC URA).
“The approval of all eight recommendations really speaks to the collaborative process we used throughout this project,” said John Jackley, PDC’s Director of Communications and Business Equity. “We brought together the traditionally underrepresented communities, representatives from neighborhood associations, higher education, businesses and the unions to support a common vision of more jobs and more resources for residents and small businesses in north and northeast Portland.”
The adopted recommendations included policy issues dealing with prioritization of investment in the two URAs, the establishment of a Community Benefits Agreement for the Rose Quarter development, recommendations for the Portland Housing Bureau and five URA boundary adjustment recommendations.
The boundary changes include expanding the ICURA to include 75 acres along NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, 103 acres in the St. Johns Town Center, 33 acres of the Alberta/Killingsworth node, 28 acres along the south side of Lombard Street and 186 acres currently in the OCC URA along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
For more information on this process and to review next steps visit: http://pdc.us/four/nnestudy