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!
Tag Archives: bike parking
Safeway Agrees to KNA’s Requests
Diane Phillips, Real Estate Manager for Safeway has informed the King Neighborhood Association that the company intends to fulfill KNA’s requests that the King Safeway store add covered bicycle parking and make a financial contribution to Friends of Trees. KNA made its support for Safeway’s requested adjustment from city landscaping code contingent on the fulfillment of the requests. If Safeway were not granted the adjustment, seven parking spaces would have been given over to additional trees and plantings. By making the donation to Friends of Trees, more low-income homeowners will be able to plant trees, thereby meeting the intent of the requirement. Also, bicycle parking at the store seems to have been an afterthought with wire loops welded on the bollards in front. A new, actual bike rack for 20 bikes is planned under the canopy by the door.
KNA Supports Maintaining Safeway Parking Conditionally
Safeway sent representatives to the September meeting of the KNA to present their plans for landscaping changes that will take place due to the upcoming interior and exterior remodel of the store. In order to preserve the existing number of spaces in the lot, Safeway applied for an adjustment from city code that required more planted area. Seven of the 99 spaces would have been lost to comply. KNA agreed to support the adjustment on the condition that a financial donation to a Friends of Trees fund was made to assist low income homeowners plant more trees. Also requested was an improvement in bike parking at the store to standard bike racks for at least 20 bikes, preferably covered. Currently bike users must lock up to the bollards in front of the store which tends to be akward and leaves little room for pedestrian traffic between the bike trailers, etc. A letter in support with the conditions will be sent to the Bureau of Development Services.