Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

Cully Farmers Market opens under sunny skies

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Local Businesses

By Susan Trabucco, CNA Media Team

The kick-off of farmers markets around the city heralds in summer for many Portlanders, and the opening day of the Cully Market on Thursday, June 2 was no exception. Warm sunshine and a slight breeze greeted market-goers to this small but growing farmers market that’s been held for the last few years in the parking lot of Roses at 5011 NE 42nd Ave.

On market day, a lively band played music that encouraged dancing by adults and children; the aroma of grilled, smoked sausages by purveyor Southern Specialties beckoned the hungry, and Concordia, Cully and Beaumont Wilshire community members greeted each other with hugs, handshakes and smiles.

Vendors at the opening event offered locally-favored Hood strawberries and plump, sweet obsidian blackberries, Red Sauce Pizza introduced a variety of homemade breads including a flavorful and satisfying jalapeno cheddar cheese loaf; tomato plant starts were proffered,and goat’s milk soap, custom creations from Metalwood Salvage and other locally-made goods were displayed for sale. The market’s website lists an array of vendors throughout the season, including Cully Neighborhood Farms, Kenai Red Fish Company, Heidi Ho Organics and Bare Naked Farms. Check the website for more vendors.

The Cully Market runs every Thursday now through August from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. In September the market runs Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Market organizers are new this year; the event is now under the purview of Our 42nd Avenue, a non-profit, community serving business and employment development organization. Visit www.42ave. org for more information.

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!

Chair’s corner – Land use hot topic in Concordia, need your input on this, other neighborhood concerns

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

Hello Neighbor,

Thank you for checking back in.

First I want to state how impressed I am with our CNA board members who have been working tirelessly on our neighborhood’s behalf. I have worked with many boards of directors, in both the private and public sectors, and can say with total confidence this board is as capable as any corporate board with which I have ever worked. The board has been discussing oil train spills, toxic air and soils problems generated by industry, Summer Concerts at Fernhill Park, neighborhood Clean-Up day, and assisting Concordia University’s Community Outreach programs by offering the opportunity to reach our readers via the pages of Concordia News. We are pleased we can provide this venue to help Concordia University in its effort to make a positive impact on our community.You will find updates to some of these topics in this issue of Concordia News, and I encourage you to dig deeper for information of special interest to you.

Opportunity to input on neighborhood land use plans
At the June 14 board meeting we heard from our own Land Use & Transportation Committee and from Mary Kyle McCurdy, staff attorney for 1,000 Friends of Oregon. Mary gave us an update on potential changes to City of Portland building code. Mary Kyle has been advocating on behalf of ͞Portland for Everyone,͟ whose focus is to provide community input to the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to help balance the need for increased density with the quality and character of existing neighborhoods.

There is probably nothing that will impact our neighborhood more in the near and far future than the upcoming building code changes, so please keep an eye out for updates. Most importantly, give your voice a vote in the decision making process. This is no time to sit on the fence to see what happens. The board is only one voice amongst many stakeholders, so we need each one of you to voice your opinion. The public outreach phase is now kicking off.

Looking forward, we have serious challenges and opportunities in which your board can play a vital role in affecting positive change, but we can only do this if we hear from you. Sad to say, but over the last six months I’vereceived only seven comments or requests for topics to be added to the board agenda. So we are working on what we believe to be your most important issues, but given the limited input, we’ve had, we might be missing something that’s important to you.

This request for input is not just for board consideration, it also affects what we pursue as relevant news͟ when publishing Concordia News.

Amanda Fritz likely at September General Meeting
Amanda Fritz, City of Portland Commissioner, has tentatively accepted the board’s invitation to attend CNA’s September 12th General Meeting. We will be asking her what Concordia neighborhood –relevant agenda items she will focus on during her upcoming city council tenure. Hearing directly from Commissioner Fritz, and helping her understand what is important to us, provides an opportunity for all parties to insure we are working together for the benefit of our community. I invite you to attend this important General Meeting. Please let me know if you have specific questions you would like put to the Commissioner.

Thanks again,

Isaac Quintero
Chair/Concordia Neighborhood Association

National Night Out to include parade, music, fun!

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

Neighbors are invited to join in on the National Night Out Celebration on the evening of Tues., August 2nd.

This unique community event will be fun for the whole family with a focus on community building to prevent crime and fear of crime. National Night Out is held on the first Tuesday of August every year around the country and is designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and community partnerships, generate support for participation in local anti-crime programs, heighten community awareness of crime and drug prevention, and send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Our neighborhood celebration will begin at 6 p.m. with a pedestrian and bicycle parade at Dekum Court, Home Forward’s Public Housing Community, located at NE 25th & Saratoga. The parade will wind its way to Fernhill Park via Dekum, NE 33rd Avenue, Ainsworth St., and NE 37th Avenue. We hope to see everyone, individually or in groups, get out and join the parade. Children and adults, marching bands, sports teams, church and civic groups, city officials, dance troupes and kazoo bands are all welcome! We will have a bicycle decoration station at Dekum Court beginning at 5 p.m., so bring your bikes, trikes, and strollers and get creative! The celebration will continue at Fernhill Park with the last concert of our free Summer Concert Series, Wanderlust Circus Orchestra at 6:30 p.m.

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.

Northeast Sunday Parkways: JULY 24

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Events

NE Sunday Parkways 2016 RouteJoin in this annual traffic-free event put on by the City of Portland that brings people out to enjoy their neighborhoods and discover new ones. Ride your bike, walk, or dance and sing your way along the route! The Sunday Parkways courses open up between six to nine miles of city streets to the public once a month on Sunday, from May to October. The routes connect to a series of activity hubs with marketplaces that are usually stationed at parks. At these marketplaces find food, music, dancing, good conversation, city resources and more.

This month, the route is right here in our neighborhood, so join in the fun. The eight mile course is open on Sunday, July 24, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event will showcase the Northeast Neighborhood Greenways. While you make your way around the Northeast Portland route, stop by Woodlawn, Alberta, and Fernhill Parks where a collection of fun activities, festive music, and delicious food will be available. Look for the Concordia Neighborhood Association booth at Fernhill Park on the NE 37th Avenue side, too. They’ll have games for kids and association information.

This year, NE Sunday Parkways will return to Khunamokwst Park, at which there will be a Bi-lingual Bike Fair held in collaboration with the Andando en Bicicletas en Cully (ABC) Group.

Sunday Parkways provides a full day of play for anyone of any age. To get the most out of the day, stop by one of the Sunday Parkway hubs and pick up a Sunday Parkways brochure highlighting the hotbeds of activity along the route. Also find information on live performances and theatrical acts. During the event, visit Sunday Parkways on Facebook or Northeast Sunday Parkways JULY 24 Twitter for event insight into what’s going on throughout the day.

Don’t forget to eat and shop locally at the event! Sunday Parkways offers a chance to see and buy a range of products that Portland offers. Stop by the Sunday Parkways marketplaces located at each park. For more information visit www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/58929.

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.

Alley Goat Walk – Saturday, June 25th

Posted on by Posted in Events

Alley Goat wealk goatwalk_sonny2

Hello Concordia Neighbors!

Hope you are staying cool these past few days. Summer is here!

And with that said, we wanted to kick off our summer in the alleys with a goat walk on Saturday, June 25th, starting at 10am!

In order to do this, we will need some alleys to walk through for the day, which will be open to the public. Would anyone be interested in sharing their alleys for the walk? This will also be done in conjunction with an alley cleanup, so if you’re interested in having your alley cleaned, this would be a great way to have it done.

Description:

Pet some adult and baby goats and walk them on leashes as they munch their way along alleys to get rid of invasives like ivy, blackberry and other weeds. Great for kids! Goat cheese, blackberry jam, and crackers will be provided. Bring your own beverage. Use the opportunity to talk to neighbors about possibilities for cleanup and beautification. We’ll also be cutting down weeds as we go.

Please contact me promptly if you or someone else you know who lives on an alley would be interested in this project. We would love to show others the potential of our alley spaces!

Best,

Samuel Garcia

samuel26@pdx.edu

(415) 902-2245

Next Week: Take part of 5836 NE Mason St home with you!

Posted on by Posted in Land Use & Transportation
5836-Mason-Exterior-1-768x360
5836 NE Mason, a home in poor condition to be deconstructed, not demolished
This June 24& 25, Cully neighbors are invited to stop by the Orange Splot LLC/Lovett Deconstruction site. Located at 5836 NE Mason St, this site in Cully Neighborhood will be participating in the City of Portland’s Deconstruction Incentive Pilot Program. 

One of the project’s deconstruction grant goals is to see how much material can be made available for re-use here in Cully Neighborhood. So, they are are inviting neighbors and others curious about deconstruction, or in need of some materials (think: outdoor firewood, brick, cabinetry), to come and take a little piece of this old house home with you! We are all curious to see what the local market for deconstructed home materials might be.

Those interested in picking up wood in particular should prepare to bring your hammer. Our staff will try to take care of as much de-nailing as possible, but there may be a bit left to do (after the compulsory waiver-signing of course). People are also encouraged to stop by anytime during working hours from the 20th to the 25th to chat about deconstruction or Mason St. Townhomes with Lovett Deconstruction and/or Orange Splot LLC staff.

More details about the deconstruction are available on the Orange Splot blog.
About the Builder
Mason St. Townhomes will be constructed by Orange Splot LLC, a small development company based in Cully, with a mission to pioneer new models of community-oriented, affordable, green housing in Portland. More about Orange Splot LLC and about Mason St. Townhomes is available on the company website: www.orangesplot.net.