Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

Category Archives: Concordia News

Meet the Board – Pandemic life in Concordia is what it is

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News
Joseph Fraley is a five-year resident of Concordia and a one-year member of the Concordia Neighborhood Association Board of Directors. Like everyone here – and elsewhere – he finds ways to cope with the pandemic. That includes searching for his cat.

By Joseph Fraley | CNA Board Member, East 2

Happy New Year, neighbors! I hope it brings you peace and love. I’ve lived in Concordia since 2017 and joined the Concordia Neighborhood Association as a board member one year ago.

My family bought our house on Roselawn Street in July 2019. My sister-in-law spent the early days of COVID-19 with us. The three of us pulled the pet-stained carpets, and signed our bedroom subfloor: “COVID Quarantine, April 2020.”

In September we built a fence so the dog and cat could safely enjoy the yard. The cat walked right under the gate and into the world. My wife Amanda signed up for NextDoor.com, looking for help tracking him down. A picture of me from our neighbor’s security camera opened her inaugural feed.

“Does anyone know this man?” the caption asked. “He seemed suspicious, but maybe he was just looking for his cat…”

The pandemic bled quietly into 2021, so we built a deck for safe gatherings with friends. We moved 6,000 pounds of dirt to make way. A mouthful of dirt ended up in the street out front, where it blew dust across cars and houses down the street.

We prayed for rain throughout the driest summer in a century. When our annual street cleaning day finally arrived, they did their best. Their brushes spread the mud like a paint roller over three blocks.

The annual Fernhill Park summer concerts and a movie night were canceled in the interest of public safety. So, we hung a used billboard tarp on the back of the house as a makeshift screen. I hand painted replicas of movie posters to announce a COVID-safe movie night every Saturday. One neighbor attended the first half of two movies.

My wife said, “I guess we’re all done working on the house…” I look around. The kitchen cabinets hang visibly crooked, like a prop from the gravitational anomaly in the San Francisco Bay area, the Mystery Spot. An ailing cherry tree upends all four fences at the back corner of our property. The broken shower tile leaks into the subfloor, and ultimately the crawlspace.

“I guess so,” I replied. “Maybe next summer we can get more neighbors to come out for movie night.”

CNews writer experiences great satisfaction

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Volunteer Opportunities
No spendy, complicated camera equipment was necessary to capture the personality of paper artist Calley Doderos in 2018. Marsha Sandman used her smart phone.

No matter where someone is from or where they’re going, within them there is a story, and Concordia News writers enjoy finding and sharing those stories. When we scratch the surface, surprising and evocative events unfold.

I’ve had the privilege of meeting many Concordians as a volunteer CNews writer. Some stories poured out vividly, but others needed a little coaxing.

I remember my first story about a very sweet-but-shy lady. I didn’t know where to go with the interview, and I questioned my writing skills. After a little gentle persuasion, her story unfolded with passion, surprises, love, and history.

Are you ready to share your skills? CNews welcomes both novice and experienced writers. You may be challenged. But you’ll be thoroughly satisfied. The basics are typically “who, what, when, where and why.”

The CNews editor can help you find your groove. Subjects vary widely from personal and public history, neighborhood information, local change, challenges, businesses, services and a wide variety of others.

Printed stories are typically limited to 400 words but, if you have more to say, that can be extended to CNews’ online presence.

As a writer, I personally prefer human interest stories. Memorable stories include a blind woodworker, chefs who bring their flavors from foreign homelands, teachers who encourage self-esteem through gardening, brave advocates, artists, cultural events, and many personal and evocative stories.

When I interviewed paper artist Calley Doderos, her creations unfolded into magical, glittery little houses. Each one was as unique and as wonderful as the artist.

I’m occasionally recognized for my stories when I’m out and about, and it gives me great satisfaction when people offer me story leads. Others come from the most surprising or mundane experiences.

Story leads come from everywhere, among them:

  • A conversation at a neighborhood block party reveals a fascinating personal history.
  • A substantial change within the neighborhood leads to an interesting story.
  • A new or old business has a fascinating tale.
  • Even your neighbor could surprise you.

The CNA Media Team meets monthly – currently via teleconference – to identify topics and solicit writers to volunteer to write about them. We always need writers and appreciate fresh ideas. Interviews can be in person, telephone or videoconference. It depends on your comfort level.

If you’re interested in taking the journey with a wonderful group of writers, please contact me at MarshaJSandman@gmail.com.

After living east, south, north and west, Marsha Sandman is home at last. And she wants to hear your story. Contact her at MarshaJSandman@gmail.com.

Resilience sees Binks through two decades

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

By Mac Larsen | CNA Media Team

Jason and Bianca Youngers are completing the most difficult two years of their two decades in business at Binks Bar. Resilience and a sense of community is
seeing them through. Photo by Nancy Varekamp

Even during the hardest part of the COVID-19 pandemic, Binks Bar still found a way to make things a little bit more beautiful.

After 20 years, the little bar near the corner of 27th Avenue and Alberta Street is still truckin’ and its response to the hardships of COVID-19 reflect the sense of community and resilience of owners Bianca and Justin Youngers.

Even with Portland restaurants and bars in disarray, the couple invested in their future and made their space even more appealing to the residents of Concordia and Alberta Street.

“I think that at the beginning, when we were shut down, my husband and I had a lot of nervous energy. It was pretty horrible,” Bianca said. “We took that time to take everything out of here and redo the floors, and we painted the whole thing ourselves. “We just came down and just kind of tried to beautify it.

“We had mural artist Plastic Birdie come in, and he did a mural in our little room back here that we lovingly call the make-out room, because people make out back there.” Bianca laughed at the intimacy a neighborhood bar can provide.

In the early years, Justin and Bianca had worked Binks themselves, from open to close.

It was the groovy and gritty atmosphere of the Alberta Arts District that really stood out to Bianca. She remembered the MarchFourth Marching Band, a Last Thursday standby, on stilts and in costume that threw parties in Binks’ back room.

When COVID-19 closed down eateries across the state, the couple changed their bar business model and focused on delivery.

Dubbed “Binkster,” the delivery service offered meals and drinks to individual households. If a customer wanted to host a videoconference party, Binkster delivered the provisions to each guest’s home. Items ranged from entrees, snacks, growlers, cocktails to selections from Binks’ bottle shop to flowers, gifts and CBD. “We actually had to bring on more staff because it was so labor intensive,” Bianca said.

For the Binks owners, change and resilience is par for the course. “If you imagine we’ve been here for 20 years, that’s a lot of changes you see, and each one is so significant,” Bianca said. “You mourn them when they happen because they really happen fast.

“And then, the next thing is just like a whole rebirth and a whole new thing. It’s pretty cool, owning a bar that way.”

Mac Larsen is a graduate student at the University of Oregon, pursuing a master’s degree in journalism. He grew up in Concordia neighborhood and can be found frequently on Alberta Street, complaining about all the construction.

Urbanism – It’s been quite a ride on the board, LUTC

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

I t was in spring 2014 when I became chair of the Land Use and Transportation Committee (LUTC) for Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA).

Since then, the LUTC has worked with neighbors and the board of directors on a variety of issues, some of which resulted in something that could be called victories. Many others resulted in no changes to the status quo, or problems not solved, or what could be called the opposite of successes.

In this, my final CNews column as the LUTC chair and as a CNA board member, I’d like to focus on the high points.

Over the winter of 2014-2015, CNA worked to identify neighbor priorities for the city’s comprehensive plan, to review these priorities and to submit clear comments. One priority we advocated for was middle housing, which we supported with our requests to legalize duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes within singlefamily-zoned areas.

This comprehensive plan change was followed by the Portland Residential Infill Project (RIP), and I became a member of a citywide stakeholder advisory committee. I represented the LUTCs of both CNA and Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN).

The Oregon Legislature then passed HB 2001, and the city was required to implement the RIP in at least the manner recommended by the stakeholder committee. The question remains whether RIP will help build the newly-legalized buildings types as profit-seeking activities.

In January 2016, the CNA LUTC began making repeated requests until Portland Bureau of Transportation lowered speed limits on Ainsworth, Killingsworth, Alberta and Prescott streets. More effort is needed to:

Further reduce speed limits to 20 mph on Killingsworth at 33rd and 30th avenues.

Install physical speed-reducing technology, such as raised crosswalks where pedestrians are most likely to try to cross.

Beginning in 2013, CNA worked to spread awareness of and provide support for neighbor-led alley improvement efforts. Partners included Alley Allies, NECN and neighborhoods elsewhere in the city. Interns assigned from the Portland Institute for Sustainable Solutions at Portland State University worked with us two summers. That resulted in multiple alley improvement projects throughout the neighborhood.

Concordia is a very walkable, mixed-use, mixed-income, diverse neighborhood – one that is more livable than most other neighborhoods anywhere on the West Coast.

Yet, it is built on a backbone of historical injustices and continuing to the present day. The work to build a better world goes through building a better neighborhood.

We still have much work to do. Let’s get to it!

Garlynn Woodsong lives on 29th Avenue, serves on the CNA board and is an avid bicyclist. He also is a dad who is passionate about the city his son will inherit. He is the planning + development partner with Cascadia Partners LLC, a local urban planning firm. Contact him at LandUse@ConcordiaPDX.org.

Bonne Chance foretells good luck for owners

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses

Bonne Chance, the newest addition to the wine scene in Concordia, is in the former location of Ciao Vitto at 2203 N.E. Alberta St.

Brothers Mark and James Ehrman opened their lounge and wine bar in August. They transformed the location to focus on being a place for building community.

“I love seeing people meeting at our bar and at another time dining together,” Mark said.

The experienced mixologist teamed with James, a sommelier with over two decades of experience in wine scene cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City. They aim to provide unique beverage experiences tailored to their customers’ individual tastes.

“Bonne chance” is French for “good luck.” James explained, “I am a firm believer in luck.”

The business opportunity came when COVID-19 put both brothers out of work, and it was time to reinvent themselves. Mark had worked at Ciao Vitto. “After six years of working in this location – and remembering how welcoming everyone was from the get go – I decided to stay.”

The menu is inspired by bar cuisine. James recommends the new savory waffle. “The waffle has the egg, cheese and meats inside and topped with burrata,” he pointed out. The chef’s burger is also a popular menu item.

Another innovating concept from Bonne Chance is – instead of creating a restaurant around a particular chef or cuisine – the brothers are taking advantage of their open kitchen concept.

They plan to invite several chefs and restaurants to participate in Bonne Chance pop-up dinners. The guest chefs will offer their unique views on cuisine. This concept is expected to allow customers to taste meals that are changing constantly.

Mark described the approach as less pretentious and without judgment. He also announced the wine classes coming soon to Bonne Chance, when attendees can learn facts while listening to great stories.

“My favorite wine tasting is when the client tells me what they like, and I can find something they love” James said.

The wine selection at Bonne Chance is also changing rapidly with biodynamic wines, organic wines and a variety of local and international small wineries from all over the globe.

Mark, who lives in Concordia, takes pride in working and living here, and the approach the neighborhood offers. Customers are known by name and become part of the Bonne Chance family.

BonneChancePDX.com offers information about the new venue, its menu and owners, and the opportunity provided on the home page to subscribe to its mailing list.

Nota del editor: Artículo disponible en Español, visita ConcordiaPDX.org/BonneChance

Javier Puga-Phillips holds the At Large 4 position on the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) Board of Directors, manages rentals of the McMenamins Kennedy School Community Room and chairs the CNA Social Committee. He is a real estate professional locally, and he is a published author and motivational speaker in Latin America and Spain.

Concordia Art Works – Local mask designer’s ware transforms actors

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture, Concordia News
An interest in theater masks led Concordian Bruce Marrs to study the form of commedia del’arte. And he’s been making them ever since. Photo by Maquette Reeverts

Living as a street mime in Paris, Bruce Marrs was influenced by the use of masks in theater productions. A year later he tried his hand at creating masks while working with the Oregon Dance Theatre.

Although the show was not a success, it inspired him to want to learn more about the art form.

Bruce took an intensive class in commedia del’arte – a form of theater using masks that is both scripted and improvised – at Del’Arte International School of Physical Theatre.

He was hired to teach dance, mime and mask making. He worked at the school for the next 25 years.

During the summers Bruce worked at county fairs as a stilt character, dancer, clown or whatever was needed. Rather than changing makeup for each character, he decided to create a set of papier-mache masks from brown grocery bags.

The Pickle Family Circus and Jeff Raz of the Clown Conservatory in San Francisco commissioned a set of masks and, through word of mouth, there became a demand for his handmade character masks.

Bruce’s mask set of 10 characters became popular with universities, high schools and guest teachers all over the U.S., Canada, Scandinavia, India, England and Australia. Touring companies asked for custom sets for their shows.

He made and sold thousands of masks to sustain his family through the summers when school was not in session.

The masks are transformative for the actor, according to Bruce. “They are magic. The same mask on a different actor will be a different personage.

“For teachers, it’s always new and surprising. For students, they are, at first, invited to be other than themselves. Then they become responsible to discover and serve that new life.”

Michel Reeverts, aka Maquette , holds a master of arts degree in art education, serves Alberta Art Works as director and Alberta Street Gallery as a board member. She is also a practicing artist. Contact her at Maquette@AlbertaArtWorks.org

Renewed energy engages Alberta Main Street

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News
The renewed Alberta Main Street trick or treating appealed to all ages. Above, costume-clad adult sisters: Callie Nipper and Katie, MacKenzie and Wendie Leaper.Directly above Katie Leaper and children
Juniper and Alder scored treats from merchants.

Alberta Main Street surges with new vitality and a renewed effort to develop Alberta Street as a successful and equitable commercial district.

That mission has always been core to the 11-year-old nonprofit. However, the 2018 passing of its dynamic founding executive director, Sara Wittenberg, was a shock. That, and the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic left the organization with unsure footing.

Shortly before she died, the organization had been honored with a 2019 Great American Main Street Award.

Today there’s a revived energy among the board of directors. Alberta Main Street is back on track to build opportunities for local businesses and organize events to celebrate the street’s diversity and vigor.

Renewal on the street is in progress with new businesses opening, the return of Halloween day trick or treating and plans for the future. “Alberta Main Street is a nonprofit, but it should still be run as a business,” said new chair Devon Horace, whose career is in business leadership.

Devon moved to Oregon five years ago from New York state to join Nike as technical operations manager. Last year, he earned one of the last Concordia University master’s degrees in business leadership and management. He also directs Horace Consulting Agency to support Black, Indigenous and people of color who start mid-level companies.

He joined the Alberta Main Street board in June. “My thought process is ‘How can I make a difference as a young African American male in Portland?’”

Devon believes his identity and experience are a good fit for Alberta Street with its history as a predominately Black neighborhood.

Celebrating the area’s rich heritage and diversity remains a large focus. Plans for this month’s holiday event Dec. 5 include a Black Santa Claus in a pandemic-safe giant snow globe at the Alberta Main Street office.

“He’s not only for Black kids,” Devon advised. “This is more about representation and expanding upon imagination. Perhaps next year’s Santa will be Asian.”

Devon reported an increase in staff and volunteers is in the works, and the board’s priorities for the next three years are:

  • Collaborating and outreach
  • Increasing partnerships
  • Supporting area businesses.

Woven into those priorities is continuing the strong relationships already established with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Venture Portland and Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon.

For more information about Alberta Main Street’s mission, volunteer opportunities and more visit AlbertaMainSt.org.

“We’re back,” Devon said. “We’re here to stay, and we’re here to make things better.”

Nancy Varekamp is semiretired from her career in journalism, public relations and – her favorite work engagement – writing and editing targeted newsletters.

 

Urbanism – Local planning code isn’t friendly to ACUs

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

In October, this column continued its series on accessory commercial units (ACUs). This is the fourth and final installment.

The legend of Hewlett Packard’s origin begins, effectively, in an accessory commercial unit (ACU), with Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard developing an audio oscillator in a garage in 1939.

It was not the first company, or the last, to begin in that way:

  • Google was begun in a garage, which Larry Page and Sergey Brin rented from a friend, Susan Wijcicki, in September 1998.
  • The first Apple computer was developed in 1976 by Steve Jobs – in his parents’ garage – with Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.
  • Microsoft started in a small garage in Albuquerque, where Bill Gates and Paul Allen first developed programming and operating systems for IBM.
  • Jeff Bezos created the first version of Amazon in his garage in Seattle.
  • Walt and Roy Disney even created their first films in their uncle’s Los Angeles garage in 1923!

Yet, in the Concordia neighborhood, it’s unclear to what extent this – or other forms of ACUs – would be legal today.

The residential zones are governed by Table 110-1 of the Portland Title 33 Zoning Code. It states none of the residential single-dwelling zones allow for retail, office or other commercial primary uses.

It does allow for accessory uses that comply with all development standards. But those development standards do not allow for structures within the front setback that would allow for pedestrian-oriented businesses fronting the sidewalk.

On sites served by alleys – because zero-setback buildings are allowed to front on alleys – it’s possible to build structures there containing accessory uses. However:

  • Hours are limited to 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
  • No more than one nonresident employee is allowed onsite.
  • Service is limited to eight customers per day.
  • No retail services are allowed onsite.
  • The dwelling and site must remain residential in appearance and characteristics.

So, there are very limited types of commercial uses that would be legal under the existing code. Budding entrepreneurs would have to fit within these restrictions. Otherwise, they would not be able to engage legally in their commercial activities in residential zones.

As mentioned in the previous installment in this series, there are good questions to be answered about where – on lots, on which lots, in which parts of the city – ACUs should be allowed. There are many ways to answer these questions, and no necessarily right or wrong answers.

There are just different conclusions that people can come to through the process of community dialogue. Yet, in the Concordia neighborhood, it’s unclear to what extent this – or other forms of ACUs – would be legal today.

Neighbors interested in discussing ACUs further are welcome to join the monthly meeting of the Concordia Neighborhood Association Land Use & Transportation Committee. Find details at ConcordiaPDX.org/CNAMeetings and ConcordiaPDX.org/lutc.

Editor’s note: The first three installments of this Urbanism series about ACUs were published in July, August and October. 

Garlynn Woodsong lives on 29th Avenue, serves on the CNA board and is an avid bicyclist. He also is a dad who is passionate about the city his son will inherit. He is the planning + development partner with Cascadia Partners LLC, a local urban planning firm. Contact him at LandUse@ConcordiaPDX.org.

Stay Pet Hotel amenities aren’t a dog’s tale

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Local Businesses
Malcolm frolics with Anne Graves who, with partner Mike Lauria, celebrated the 15th anniversary this year of Stay Pet Hotel. Photo by Nancy Varekamp

By Malcolm As told to Steve Elder CNA Media Team

Call me Malcolm. Just Malcolm. We dogs don’t usually have last names. Sometimes in veterinarian’s offices, animals are called by their first names plus the last names of the people they’re with, but that’s usually for treatment or billing.

I’m a fairly large dog, called a Doberman mix for half my parentage. As a puppy people called me “adorable.” Now I’m just called ”good looking.” Sometimes people are apprehensive about my size.

When my people – Concordians Steve and Tricia Elder – needed to go out of town, I stayed at a local doggy hotel. It’s one of two in the neighborhood, both operated by the same team of people. They offer doggy daycare at the facilities too.

My overnighter was at Stay Pet Hotel, 3606 N.E. Columbia Blvd., where its 15th anniversary was celebrated this year. It’s owned and operated by Anne Graves, a veterinary technician, and Mike Lauria, a dog trainer.

They started 3 Dogs Boarding and Daycare, 5340 N.E. 42nd Ave., 13 years ago, and they bought Stay Pet Hotel five years ago. They entertain an average of 80 dogs at each location at any given time.

“The timing was right for us,” Anne explained. “We were both looking for a new adventure, and we saw the need for cage-free boarding in the area. The proximity to the airport was a bonus, and both locations having lots of outdoor space just sealed the deal.”

Together, the two facilities include 10,000 square feet of outdoor play structures, doggy wading pools, sprinklers and sandboxes. Indoors they have 5,000 square feet of climate-controlled area with chairs, beds and more play structures.

Employees at both locations supervise furry guests 24/7.

Overnight guest dogs sleep kennel free, Anne explained. “By night they have the run of the sleeping areas. Our furry guests are free to sleep on a bed next to a buddy or two or three, on a cushy chair alone or on the floor.”

For shy dogs and/or ones in search of privacy – or hanging out with their own packs – both Stay and 3Dogs offer private suites.

“We work hard to create a stress-free environment,” Anne said. “We play music specifically selected to soothe anxious pups. Also, our staff provides lots of individual attention.”

Before my lodging at Stay, I made a visit there to be checked out for disposition issues with the staff and/or other dog guests. And we talked about special needs. (I didn’t have any.) Medication and special diet services are included with boarding fees.

Steve Elder, elder.monaville@gmail.com, is an inactive lawyer, a developer, activist and old grouch.

Simple concept aids food insecure

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Volunteer Opportunities
Portland Food Project volunteers collect donations from their neighbors. In four of this year’s six planned events, they gathered more than 95,000 pounds of items for local food pantries. The next pick up is Dec. 11. Left to right are local volunteers Peggy Concillo; Nick, Alice and Rebecca O’Neil; and Erin Cooper. Photo by Nancy Varekamp

It started as a handful of people collecting 237 pounds of supplies for food-insecure Portlanders from 14 donors in 2012. In 2019, Portland Food Project volunteers collected donations from about 1,500 households that totaled nearly 114,000 pounds of food.

Donors buy one extra grocery item a week, save those for an every-other month collection, then put them in supplied green project bags outside for pick up.

Last year, the pandemic caused a reduction in pick ups that resulted in a drop to nearly 82,500 pounds. But donors increased their financial contributions. And just the first four collections – of six – this year have resulted in more than 95,000 pounds of food.

Peggy Concillo joined the citywide, all-volunteer project five years ago. The Alameda resident and other local neighborhood coordinators collect food from Concordians and residents across the city the second Saturday of each even-numbered month.

The food is divided between 19 Portland area food pantries. Among them are nearby Northeast Emergency Food Pantry, Sharon Community Services and Home Forward at Dekum Court.

The nonprofit organization’s success lies in the neighborhood coordinators, according to Peggy. “They are an amazing bunch of people. They keep the project going.”

They come from all walks of life Peggy joined soon after her retirement as an educator.

“I wanted to do some volunteering, and I knew I wanted to do something different than being in schools. It sounded like a great concept, and it sounded easy,” she said.

“This is a local thing, building your own community and your neighborhood. People feel like they’re having a direct connection, a direct impact in their own community.”

To become a donor or neighborhood coordinator, visit PortlandFoodProject.org. At the same website, financial donations are accepted. In fact, enough money was donated late last year to enable the project to purchase groceries for an extra distribution to pantries in January.

Most coordinators start out as donors, then form their own routes of nearby households, then grow their routes to 15-30 donors.

According to project estimates, coordinators spend four to five hours every other month. That includes reminding their donors when to expect them, picking up the filled green bags from donors’ porches, leaving bags for the next pick up and delivering donations to a drop-off site.

At latest count, 42 other towns across the country have initiated programs modeled after Portland’s. Some of those are in the new hometowns of former Portland Food Project volunteers.

“Our motto serves other areas just as well as Portland,” Peggy explained. “Sharing food, building community.”

Nancy Varekamp is semiretired from her career in journalism, public relations and – her favorite work engagement – writing and editing targeted newsletters.