Clean-up on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

On Saturday, April 28th PDC sponsored and helped the North/Northeast Business Association organize ‘Spiffin’ up Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd’. There was an amazing turnout of over 200 volunteers who came out to clean trash and remove graffiti on the street. We were pleased to receive a visit from Jack McGowan, Executive Director of SOLV, Mayor Tom Potter, and Paul Knauls, long time business owner and ‘mayor’ of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Numerous sponsors and community partners helped pull together to make this event possible. Among those who deserve a big ‘Thank You’ include the North/Northeast Business Association, Friends of Trees, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, Tri-Met, Safeway, Harder Mechanical Contractors, and many other community sponsors, partners, and volunteers. This was an event that truly helped celebrate the diversity on the street, build community, and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Commission Approves Disposition of Beech Street Property

The PDC Board of Commissioners approved a Disposition and Development Agreement with Beech Street Partners, LLC, for the sale and redevelopment of PDC property located at NE Beech and NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The proposed three story building will be approximately 45,000 square feet. The project will achieve the LEED Silver certification— a notable green building performance standard. The main tenant will be Planned Parenthood of the Columbia-Willamette which will relocate their regional headquarters and NE clinic to this location. Storefront commercial space for lease will be included on the ground floor and a parking lot for approximately 50 cars will be located behind the building with access from NE Garfield. PDC will sell the property for its fair market appraised value, $900,000. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2008.

For more information, contact URA Manager Sara King 503.823.3468 or Kings@pdc.us.

US Stoneworks Locates on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Through its Business Finance Programs, PDC contributed loans, design assistance, a Storefront and a DOS grant totaling nearly $2 million for the purchase, planning, redevelopment and exterior renovation of the former Sierra Springs building at 4852 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Half of the building is owned and operated by U.S Stoneworks, a company that manufactures granite and stone fixtures for the construction industry. U.S. Stoneworks, which relocated to Portland from Hillsboro, employs five and will hire an additional five over the next two years. The other half of the former Sierra Springs building is owned by Storefront Entrance & Glass, a door and window installation company that works mostly with small businesses. This company employs 11. Additionally, Storefront Entrance will lease 5,000 square feet to Human Evolution Labs, a combat training facility that provides training and classes for police, sheriff's departments, and martial artists.

For more information about PDC financial incentives for businesses, call Alan Stubbs at (503) 823-3321 or StubbsA@pdc.us. For information about renovating the exterior facade of a commercial property please contact Dana DeKlyen by email, Storefront Program Coordinator or call (503) 823-3312. For information about predevelopment/ feasibility services for commercial property, please contact Denyse McGriff at (503) 823-3295 or McGriffD@pdc.us

Gateway and Historic Markers Planned for Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

The Portland Development Commission (PDC) and Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) will begin to work with the community to create a Concept Master Plan for the redevelopment of a gateway site where NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and NE Grand Avenue meet. The project also proposes the creation and location of a series of heritage markers along NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. This project aims to fulfill the goals of the Albina Community Plan and other community plans to enhance the identity of the inner northeast neighborhoods and commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

PDC expects to engage a multi-discipline consultant team to create the plan and work directly with stakeholders and the community. A Stakeholder Advisory Group is in the process of being formed. Individuals interested in participation or learning more about the project should contact Irene Bowers, project manager at (503) 823-2419 or BowersI@pdc.us.

Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Business Ambassador Network

Businesses looking for space to lease in or around the NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Corridor should be aware of the newly formed Business Ambassador Network. The Network is made up of six established business owners on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. who have agreed to be available to speak with businesses considering locating in the area.

The Network can assist businesses considering locating on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. by:

• Providing a personal contact to call or meet with to discuss successes and challenges of operating a business on MLK Blvd.
• Introducing a business to the assets and resources available in the area
• Educating businesses on available resources that may be of assistance in helping them move into a new space
• Providing ongoing support and networking as needed

If you are working with a business seeking space and think that your client would benefit from speaking directly with an established business owner on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., please contact Joleen Jensen-Classen at (503) 823-3352 or jensen-classenj@pdc.us, PDC Community and Business Equity Department.

The Network has been created as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Action Plan, which focuses on long standing goals set forth for the area and identifies specific Action Items for both public and private partners to implement over the next five years. For more information, see: www.pdc.us/mlk-actionplan.

Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Performs Well

In April 2007, the Portland Office of Transportation took to the streets to survey how street improvements have impacted the performance of NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (MLK) from Broadway to Rosa Parks Way. The street is classified as a "Major City Traffic Street", the highest classification in the City of Portland’s street classification scheme. Data on traffic speeds, vehicle type, on-street parking, and accidents indicates that NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. is functioning as expected for a corridor of its classification. Highlights of the study include:

• Traffic Speeds
  The recorded speeds between Tillamook and Ainsworth are typical for a posted speed of 30 mph. Eighty-five percent of recorded speeds ranged from 32 mph to 34 mph or lower. North of Ainsworth, speeds were slightly higher. Police enforcement is generally not targeted unless speeds reach 10mph over the posted limits.
• Types of Vehicles
  Types of vehicles using the corridor were found to be typical for a street with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard’s classification.
  • 70-73% of the vehicles are passenger vehicles
  • 20-21% are delivery van type vehicles
  • 7-9% of the vehicles are two-axle trucks or larger
• On-street Parking Study
  Weekday field counts and counts from aerial photographs were used to assess parking use. The average on-street parking usage was about 15%. The areas with the highest parking usage appeared to be between Russell and Knott, with on-street usage of about 33%.
• Crash History
  Crash history was examined for 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. The crash rate went down during this time period. There are no intersections that indicate activity out of the norm for what would be expected for this street classification. Bike/Pedestrian accidents show a slight reduction in the second time period. All recorded bike/pedestrian accidents occurred at intersections with signals.

In April, the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Advisory Committee asked that visibility, signage, and lighting at crosswalks be assessed to ensure pedestrian safety. Based on this and other public input, PDOT staff will evaluate all unsignalized crosswalks from Broadway to Lombard St. this summer to determine whether improvements should be made. Contact Dan Layden at (503) 823-2804 for more information.

A “Point Tower” for the Lloyd District

At their April 25 meeting, PDC's Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the Executive Director to enter into a disposition and development agreement (DDA) for Block 45 (1010-1034 NE Grand Ave.) with Weston Investment Company. Weston will build what is to be called the Cosmopolitan Tower. The "Cosmo" will be 31 stories high and the East Side's first "point tower." Residential uses are planned for floors four through thirty-one with commercial space on the ground floor and two levels of parking above (there will be two floors of underground parking as well). While the three story commercial/parking "podium" will span most of the half block, the point tower will have a foot print of only about 7,500 square feet. This design has several advantages, including an efficient floor plan and reduced shadowing on the surrounding area. As specified in the DDA, Weston will take possession of Block 45 and begin construction in May 2010. The building will be complete two years later in June 2012. Preliminary design will begin this fall. The design team includes LRS Architects locally in collaboration with the Vancouver BC firm of IBI/HB. A general contractor will be chosen at a later date.

Karl Dinkelspiel is the project manager. Call or email him with questions or comments: 503.823.1354, dinkelspielk@pdc.us.

Northwest view:

Lloyd District Transportation Projects

PDC in partnership with PDOT, TriMet, local property owners and the Lloyd TMA has completed a significant project in the Lloyd District. The I-5 Underpass at NE Multnomah, a prominent gateway to the district and to the Rose Quarter, recently received much needed pedestrian improvements, including new wider sidewalks, lighting, retaining wall, fencing and landscaping. The underpass can funnel thousands of event-goers to and from the Rose Quarter. The upgrades are a welcome visual improvement to the District.