Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

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Concordia Yard Sale!

Posted on by Posted in Events

Saturday, August 13, 9AM – 4PM

How it works:

YOU place your sale items in your yard or driveway during the designated time.

WE advertise on Craigslist & Nextdoor.com, directing folks to explore Concordia for deals

YOU post your specific info & address on Craigslist & Nextdoor.com (optional but suggested)

YOU sell your stuff!

Sorry, due to inadequate volunteer help, CNA will not be providing maps, signs or post-sale charity donations.

Download details for the Concordia Yard Sale and spread the word!

A simple summer: best for kids and best for you

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Family

By Jennifer Allison, Gnome’s Home

The school year rhythm has wound down, and now we are faced with summer! There are so many choices for you and your family, and it can be overwhelming just thinking about what activities and vacations to do with your children. My mind is boggled as I plan out adventures to embark upon with my three children. While sifting through the various summer options, it feels as though the weeks have already passed by. This is where I get grounded and I remember one of the golden rules of childhood; simplicity.

My summers were filled with days playing in the woods, walking down to the local lake and swimming with the neighbors and basking in the sun. We did the occasional family vacation to the Jersey shore, and I went to a very cool overnight camp near my home in the heart of the Pine Barrens. Mostly, however, my days were spent in the lush landscape of the forest and lakes that surrounded my neighborhood, where I would get lost in nature. I miss those days.

So when I want to be a supermom, and I start fussing with all the things we could be doing, I pause and remember these simple elements I am going to share with you that make childhood the wonderment it is and deserves to be.

• Plan a simple rhythm: What has to happen in your day? Eating, quiet time, a morning outing before the sun scorches you? Put down on paper the basic elements that you and your youngsters have to do, and then let there be space for the unpredicted and unplanned to pull you into adventure. Keep your days and life simple! Summer is a good time to slow down and enjoy the natural elements. Build in a quiet time for you and the kids, even if it is 30 minutes. Everyone can benefit from alone time.

• Do one special thing: Have you made this mistake: In the morning we are picking berries, and then meeting the Jones’s for lunch at the park, followed by friends over for dinner and ice cream at the local shop? Well, I have. This spells disaster for your littlest ones. It is simply TOO much. One of my mottos is, “Too much of a good thing is still too much.” Just doing ONE of any of those things will make your day super special. Try it. It works.

• Let your child get bored: Every moment does not have to be the utmost supreme adventure that invokes every positive feeling your child has ever had. Seeking this goal sets kids up for the instant gratification monster that is always hungry no matter how much you feed it. The developing brain actually needs the down time, and you can tell your kids that something is coming right around the next corner.

Summer is a time of ease and enjoyment, so let your days be simple and fun.

Jennifer Allison is an early childhood educator at Gnome’s Home. Visit www. gnomeshome.org for more information on classes for children and adults.

Alberta Streetcar: A catalyst for change

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, History

By Doug Decker, Historian

Development of the streetcar line changed everything about the landscape that eventually became our neighborhood. It takes lots of imagination to conjure up a picture of what our neighborhood might have looked like 100 years ago. The fields and forests of today’s Alberta district, Vernon, and Concordia were way out in the country, beyond the far edge of Portland. But one key development changed all that: the Alberta Streetcar.

A photo from June 1940 looking north on NE 30th of the Alberta Streetcar at its far northern end, NE 30th and Ainsworth. Only the building on the northeast corner remains. Photo courtesy of City of Portland Archives.
A photo from June 1940 looking north on NE 30th of the Alberta Streetcar at its far northern end, NE 30th and Ainsworth. Only the building on the northeast corner remains. Photo courtesy of City of Portland Archives.

First constructed in 1903, the line left downtown at SW 2nd and Alder, crossed the old Steel Bridge and ran north up Union (today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.), where it turned east on Alberta to NE 25th. A few years later it was extended five blocks east on Alberta to NE 30th, and then a few years later north on NE 30th to Ainsworth, which became the end of the line.

Wherever the streetcar went, so did development. Initially just two rails in the mud through brush and open fields, by the heyday of Portland’s streetcars in the teens and 1920s, the Alberta streetcar had attracted scores of business owners and thousands of residents to this new developing part of the city. Its impact on the shape and feel of the neighborhood can’t be overstated.

The December 28, 1913 edition of The Oregonian reported: “The streetcars are now operated to East Thirtieth street and Ainsworth avenue. The line runs double cars in order to take care of the traffic and even then the cars morning and evening are overcrowded.”

The fact that autos were not the primary mode of transport in those days meant streetcars—and lots of foot traffic—fueled growth of the business district along Alberta. It was a thriving place of activity and commerce, not unlike today. But by the 1940s, with automobiles dominating the transportation picture and Union Avenue no longer the main north-south travel corridor (travel had shifted to Interstate Avenue), the Alberta streetcar became disused and was eventually replaced by a bus. By then, Portland had turned its back on its once robust streetcar system. The last day for the line was August 1, 1948.

As if to silence the era of the Alberta streetcar once and for all, in September 1949 The Oregonian reported that the City of Portland authorized a $75,000 paving contract that took 11 days to erase all evidence of the tracks:

“A total of 110,748 yards of materials went into the project to bury the old Alberta streetcar tracks. Paving tonnage amounted to 8,407 tons of blacktop.”

Today, there aren’t many specific clues other than the hundreds of streetcar-era buildings that would not have developed without the line. When you’re out for a walk along our neighborhood’s path of the old streetcar line (1.8 miles along Alberta between MLK and 30th; then 30th Avenue between Alberta and Ainsworth), see what evidence you can find.

Check out Northeast Portland neighborhood historian Doug Decker’s blog www.alamedahistory.org for more on local lore, including the history of the nearby Broadway Streetcar line.

ASK the Historian: Have a history question that needs to be solved? Drop us a note and we’ll put Doug Decker on it. Email CNewsEditor@ConcordiaPDX.org.

Help available for grandparents, others raising children not their own

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Family

By Kathy Crabtree, CNA Media Team

For many Portlanders, retirement as they planned it has hit the wayside. Not because of poor financial planning, but because the task of raising their grandchildren has fallen unexpectedly on them.

Connie, raising her three school age grandchildren, was at a loss. Her fixed retirement income was stretched thin in an attempt to provide healthy meals for the four of them. One of the children needed extensive dental work; the oldest was struggling with her studies, and the youngest was acting out in ways that were reportedly disrupting her classroom. The school

Jane Mayes, pictured here with her granddaughter, is a Ties that Bind navigator. Through the program Mayes offers support to other grandparents raising their grandchildren. Photo by Patience Tolentino.
Jane Mayes, pictured here with her granddaughter, is a Ties that Bind navigator. Through the program Mayes offers support to other grandparents raising their grandchildren. Photo by Patience Tolentino.

principal appeared understanding, but seemed to expect her to be able to cope with these issues. Fortunately, the principle recommended that Connie contact the Ties That Bind program to get some guidance.

She was hesitant, however, to ask for help – ashamed that her daughter could abandon her own children, and embarrassed because she didn’t have the financial or emotional resources to handle the situation on her own. To protect the subjects’ privacy, the above story is a composite of several local families’ stories. But it could be your story, or that of a neighbor. Approximately 3,000 children in Portland live in multigenerational households without parents; Ties that Bind is working to address the needs of those affected.

“The Ties That Bind support group is a resource for foster grandparents and family members raising grandchildren, and speaks to the quality of life issues our members face,” said Keren Brown Wilson, PhD. She is the president and founder of the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation, established as a non-profit in 1990 with a mission to work in resourceconstrained areas to provide multi-generational support to underserved older adults. The foundation is a sponsoring partner in Ties That Bind with Concordia University and Faubion School.

One way Ties that Bind provides support services is via peer to peer navigators. The navigator, who is also raising children not his or her own, assists by inviting a newcomer to the support group that meets monthly, and can explain how to apply for food stamps, provide medical resource contact information, and recommend resources for dealing with behavioral problems.

“The most valuable help comes from the support of knowing that we’re not alone,” said Pamela Harris. She and her husband, Ike, are peer navigators in Concordia.

“Within the community grandparents of any age are suffering in the same manner and we all find comfort with others through the support group,” Pamela Harris said.

“The peer to peer navigators know stuff; they know where to find the help that new members need,” Wilson said. “Data shows that children being raised by grandparents have a higher risk of chronic mental and physical health issues and learning disabilities. The grandparents report social and emotional problems of their own. Our peer to peer navigators are there to help with the next crisis or conflict.”

Another avenue for support from Ties that Bind are meetings that provide a social outlet, resources, and expert referrals – and even offer child care. Meetings are generally held the third Tuesday of the month during the summer at 2 p.m. at Concordia University in the George White Library Room #120; in the winter months the group meets at Faubion School.

Plans are in the works for a big family picnic at the end of August. Information about that event and additional information related to programs, resources, and peer to peer navigators is available by contacting Brown Wilson by calling (503) 408-4088 or email kwilson@jfrfoundation.org.

JOIN US for our next TIES THAT BIND session!

WHEN: Tuesday, July 19 at 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: Concordia University, George White Library, Room 120 Join our support and resource meeting for grandparents, foster grandparents and family members caring for grandchildren. You are not alone! Join a fellowship of grandparents where you can share and participate in conversation important to you!

For additional information contact Keren Brown Wilson (503) 408-4088.

Sponsors: CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY • JESSIE F. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION FAUBION SCHOOL

Concordia University, PPS, Faubion School and Trillium Family Service team up via 3 to PhD

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Schools

By Sarah Sweitzer, Dean, College of Health & Human Services, Concordia University & Karen Morgan, Visiting Assistant Professor of Exercise & Sport Science, Concordia University

Program aims to provide health & wellness for student, community success

Progress is underway on construction of the new Faubion School + Concordia University facility. This collaborative effort – known broadly as “3 to PhD®” – will open in fall 2017. Partners include Concordia University, Portland Public Schools’ Faubion School and Trillium Family Services. The vision is to create safer, healthier, and more educated communities. This article focuses on the “health” part of this vision.

Input from community members, teachers and school leaders identified a strong vision which included the need for health and nutrition education and services. Health and nutrition was deemed so integral to students’ ability to learn and thrive that, in response, the west wing on the first floor of the new building will be dedicated to developing a culture of wellness. 3 to PhD uses the latest research in nursing, social work, psychology, nutrition, and exercise and sports science.

Health and wellness efforts are already underway, including:

Concordia’s College of Health & Human Services and Faubion School created a Youth Advisory Council on health and wellness, thanks to a grant from Kaiser Permanente. This group held a Spirit Week, and advocated for schoolbased health centers at the Oregon State Capitol.

Concordia students worked with Faubion students and held their own version of the Food Network’s series “Chopped” to promote healthy cooking, with help from Pacific Foods of Oregon, a major 3 to PhD collaborator.

Trillium Family Services provides a full time behavioral health specialist at Faubion, through innovative mental health promotion funding through the state of Oregon.

Concordia social work students engaged with local schools and churches to survey community members about health and fitness needs, thanks to a grant from United Way of the ColumbiaWillamette.

A free community seminar series focused on Senior Healthy Aging was launched, thanks to support from The Jackson Foundation, which included foot care, scam prevention, and more.

Concordia students helped facilitate Faubion recess games and fitness awareness and testing.

To address food insecurity, a backpack program, started by nursing students at Concordia and supported by Pacific Foods, has expanded from long weekends to also include holidays and summer.

Ongoing community input and engagement will be integral to continuing and expanding these health and wellness efforts. We want to hear from you! Please share your thoughts at CHHS@cu-portland.edu.

Learn more about 3 to PhD, or visit FaubionBond.pps.net.

New faces in lead media team positions, still seeking ad rep

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News

By Daniel Greenstadt, CNA Board of Directors

As you may have read in past CNEWS issues, in order to help ensure a bright future for our community newspaper, in May the CNA board voted to fund four paid, part-time contract positions. Three of the positions were filled as of the CNA June 14 board meeting, effective with production of the August issue of Concordia News.

The advertising sales representative position remains unfilled, so please spread the word to your marketing-savvy friends.

It’s the pleasure of the CNA board of directors – and hopefully CNEWS readers as well – to welcome the following individuals to the CNEWS family as we embark on a new era of ever-improving service to our community.

Susan Trabucco was named to the Managing Editor position. A Beaumont-Wilshire resident, Susan has been volunteering as team leader, editor, layout/graphic design and advertising sales for CNEWS since early this year. Susan brings to CNEWS a background that includes 10 years in sales and sales management, 15 years as a freelance public relations and communications professional, and five years as an entrepreneur publisher; in 2006 she launched a monthly regional business and real estate journal established in Astoria, Ore. As the sole owner of the newspaper, she served as editor and publisher to a staff of five. She sold the newspaper in 2011. Susan is currently self-employed as a business communications consultant, providing P.R. and marketing services. She is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College.

Nancy Varekamp, who is new to Concordia News, was named to the Editor position. Nancy brings 43 years of communications experience to CNEWS, all of them editing and writing newspapers and newsletters, and 35 of them additionally advising clients on the strategies and mechanics of communicating with their stakeholders. She spent seven years as a reporter and editor in Tigard, 20 years in public relations and employee communications with Pacific Power, and has served a variety of clients for 16 years as an independent communications consultant. Nancy has lived in nearby Rose City Park for 22 years. She is a Lewis & Clark College graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

Gordon Riggs was named to the Layout/Graphic Design position. A Concordia resident, Gordon stepped up to volunteer for the recently revitalized CNA media team in January this year, initially assisting with the CNA website; he then volunteered to undertake CNEWS layout for the June issue. He has a long career history as a project manager, engineer and software developer. Gordon transitioned to the field of graphic design around eight years ago, studying at the Pacific NW College of Art. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon, awarded the honor of Phi Beta Kappa.  Gordon is currently self-employed as a graphic and website designer and consultant.

Board Bullet POINTS: News from your neighborhood association board

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News

The CNA Board held its regularly scheduled monthly meeting on June 14, 2016. Some highlights from the meeting are:

• The CNA will have games for kids and an information table at NE Sunday Parkways on July 24 at Fernhill Park. Stop by and say “hi” and hear about what your neighborhood association is working on for the benefit of the neighborhood, and learn how you can get involved.

• Garlynn Woodsong, chair of CNA’s Land Use and Transportation Committee, provided an update on the city’s Residential Infill Project Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Guest speaker Mary Kyle McCurdy, with 1000 Friends of Oregon and representing the Portland for Everyone coalition, provided some background information on how various plans under consideration will affect development in Portland’s neighborhoods. Both Garlynn and Mary Kyle served on the Residential Infill Project Advisory Committee.

• The Board heard an update on planning for National Night Out, scheduled for Tues., August 2. CNA’s event will include a children’s parade that starts at Dekum Court followed by the last Summer Concert of the season at Fernhill Park.

• The CNA media team provided an update on its staffing proposal to contract several paid positions to help produce Concordia News. The Board approved the hiring of contractors for three of the four advertised contract positions: Managing Editor, Editor, and Graphic Designer/Layout.  The search for an Ad Sales person is still active.

• The next Board meeting is Tuesday, July 12 at 7 p.m. at McMenamins Kennedy School, in the Community Room. Meetings are open to all – we hope to see you there!

Last Thursday official season continues July 28

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, CNA, Concordia News, Events

LastThursday paper

“The Last Thursday mural” was recently completed by artist Matt Schlosky. The mural can be found on the front of the Black United Fund building at 2828 N.E. Alberta St.

Now in its 19th season, Last Thursday is held on N.E. Alberta Street on the last Thursday of every month year-round. It is a venue for creatives, artists, musicians and performers, and the visitors who come to enjoy the display.

OPINION: Will anything come to be at the Bighouse site except a residential ‘Big Box?’

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation, Opinion

By Spencer Parsons

Quick background

This past spring, I was part of a group of five neighborhood professionals – three architects, a designer / builder, and a land use attorney (me) – who collaborated on behalf of the Concordia Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC) to address neighborhood compatibility issues with the proposed Bighouse Development at the corner of NE 30th and Killingsworth Streets. These concerns arose from the drawings developer Brian Spencer of Ascend Holdings and builder Rick Porter of Union Corner Construction provided at the February LUTC Meeting. Mr. Spencer agreed to review any recommendations we might provide.

In early April, the LUTC submitted the “Bighouse Redesign Team’s” conscientiously researched and carefully considered design changes intended to dramatically improve the building’s integration into the long-standing character of this unique intersection at the heart of Concordia – without negatively impacting its functionality or the project’s overall economics.

Problems with the proposed design

The most obvious shortcoming of the planned 4-story, 30 unit apartment building is that the design is totally tonedeaf in relation to the surrounding quaint yet vibrant “mini” commercial node.

First, though the lot is zoned “Commercial Storefront,” it provides a bare minimum of ground floor business space, sacrificing most of this valuable commercial real estate in exchange for three residential units.

Who wants to live on the ground floor at such a busy intersection, with passing pedestrians, a constant stream of cars and busses, and ambient noise from nearby stores and restaurants at all hours? The blinds will be pulled on the first floor residences 24/7. Count on it.

Additionally, none of these units open on to the street, a fatal flaw for any design striving for a compatible character. The stated reason they must face inward, with a single shared outside entrance, is for “security” purposes, though many close-by residential and commercial units open to the sidewalk without a problem.

Compare the Rexall condo building, a few hundred feet south on 30th, where all ground-floor units face outward – some are residential, some commercial, and their use changes periodically as occupants change. Opening the Bighouse ground level units to the street would preserve future flexibility for commercial use. However, walling them off from the outside blocks the building from community integration, both literally and figuratively.

What the regulations say

Portland Zoning Code (PZC) 33.130 calls for new developments that “enhance the economic viability of the specific commercial district” and directs them to “preserve and enhance older commercial areas … compatible with the desired [storefront] character”. It explicitly intends accommodating and fostering “a full range of retail, service and business uses with a local and regional market area” and that all new buildings are “pedestrian-oriented” and built “with a storefront character.”

What we’ve asked for

While the Team determined the development, as proposed, does not progress the City’s vision for commercial use of this site, our list of suggested modest modifications sent by the LUTC to Mr. Spencer and Mr. Porter were prudently crafted to address the design shortcomings without going back to the proverbial drawing board.

The first and most significant item on our list requests conversion of the three ground-floor residential units to commercial use, or at least making them mixed use live/work spaces with separate entrances to the sidewalk.

We also asked that an acoustical engineer be engaged to mitigate Killingsworth’s heavy traffic sounds and noise from nearby businesses, both of which will negatively impact the first floor living experience.

Also recommended are several affordable improvements to the building façade to better link it with the neighborhood, including — but not limited to — delineating the building base, upgrading exterior cladding, adding cornices, improved exterior lighting, and integration of sunshades, awnings, and public art elements to enhance the exterior and deter vandalism. The Team’s complete report is posted under the “Bighouse sidebar” on the CNA website.

Where we are now

Unfortunately, the answer is not clear. Mr. Spencer agreed to respond to our requests in writing at a meeting last month between he, Mr. Porter, CNA Board Chair Isaac Quintero and myself that Concordia University’s CFO Denny Stoecklin facilitated. However, while we appreciate finding out on May 16 that his “design and construction teams have had discussions,” as of press-time we still have not received anything in writing addressing the recommended specifics, other than an email indicating “some of the façade, lighting and shadings enhancements are being considered.”

It is fair to say neither we, nor anyone at CNA, knows what, if any, changes might be incorporated into what is perhaps the most significant new Concordia development since the transformation of 33rd & Killingsworth. It may be time for others to begin asking …

Spencer Parsons is a land use attorney whose home and law office are both in the Concordia Neighborhood. Reach him via email  or call (971) 279-2018.

CNA Land Use, Transportation & Livability update

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Land Use & Transportation

By Ben Earle

May brought another full slate of issues into which the nine members of your Land Use & Transportation Committee could sink our teeth.

LUTC Mission

We made a first pass at identifying goals and objectives for the rest of the year and beyond:

Development. Implement programs to:

  • Establish Design Guidelines for residential and mixed use development.
  • Encourage developers to comply with demo and construction codes and laws, and establish responsive communications with neighbors and the community.

Good Neighbor Agreements. Renew or create GNAs for:

  • Concordia University’s on & off campus development plans, new buildings, parking, traffic, bicycle and pedestrian passage, and neighbor relations.
  • As many area businesses as possible.

Transportation. Pursue actions to improve:

  • Traffic safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles.
  • Alleviation of increased parking.

Homelessness. Work to:

  • Identify temporary “placement” locations and support resources.
  • Promote community awareness and engagement.

LUTC Operations. Work on:

  • Improving administrative and public communications.
  • Reviving the Safety and Livability Committee (SALC).
  • Engaging with like-minded local and city-wide groups.
  • A half-day planning “retreat.”

Bighouse development
See Bighouse Redesign Team member Spencer Parsons’ article (next page) for the status of developer Brian Spencer’s response to the redesign recommendations resulting from his and CNA Chair Isaac Quintero’s meeting with him that was facilitated by Concordia University CFO Denny Stoecklin. For current info, check the CNA website “Bighouse sidebar”.

Residential demolitions

Nice to have some relatively good news to report on this front! On behalf of the nearby neighbors who received a demolition notice for the house at the SE corner of 37th and Killingsworth, I contacted developer Satterberg Construction to find they are using deconstruction to salvage many internal features and materials for use in the four “standalone” 2-story single family residence homes they’ll fit on the property’s R2 zoned lots totaling nearly 12,000 sq. ft. One house has a detached garage with the others integrated, and all have basements, 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths.

Not only do John and Brandy Satterberg, Portland natives who live in Hosford Abernathy, specialize in building classic Portland bungalow style homes with quality construction designed to fit with surrounding older homes, but they are also meeting with the neighbors and a LUTC representative as part of their commitment to establish a positive relationship with the neighborhood throughout the year-long development.

Residential Infill Project

Public outreach meetings to get feedback on proposed residential zoning code updates to improve the scale of houses, narrow lot development, and alternative housing options are slated for June 13 – August 8. For schedule details and more info, see www.portlandoregon.gov/ bps/67728, email , or call Jill at (503)823-7624.

Mixed Use Zoning Project

Though public testimony on the Mixed Use Zoning Draft closed May 24, comments on the resulting Composite Zoning Map can be submitted in writing and via the online Map App until the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) July 12 Hearing. See www. portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/572733, email, or call the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) at (503) 823-7700.

Comprehensive Plan

The final City Council vote on its Comprehensive Plan Amendments will be June 15 and the full package vote is expected in August. BPS is holding “Neighborhood Drop-In Hours” Tuesday June 21 at the Hollywood Library from 5-7 p.m. And you can always contact the City Council directly, call BPS at (503) 823-7700, or go to www.portlandoregon. gov/bps.

Transportation

In response to calls to “provide safe passage for all bicyclists and pedestrians using N.E. Portland Blvd./US 30,” after the tragic bicyclist death last December at the 42nd Avenue crossing, ODOT says its traffic study indicates this “road” is “too busy” to qualify for traffic calming installations. The LUTC is sending letters to elected and bureau leaders at both the City and State to help pressure ODOT to act. We encourage continued citizen requests to “Ask ODOT” at 888- 275-6368 or www.oregon.gov/ODOT.

Concordia residents are always welcome at CNA LUTC Meetings, 7pm every third Wednesday. The June 15 meeting will be in Room GRW 303 at Concordia University Library. For more info see the LUTC section of the CNA website at www.concordiapdx.org/category/landuse-livability, send your questions to landuse@concordiapdx.org, and email lutc_secretary@concordiapdx.org to get on the LUTC notification list.