Interstate Corridor:
Downtown Kenton Redevelopment
The Denver Avenue Streetscape Project

Denver Avenue Street Resurfacing Scheduled for this Fall

 

On June 3, 2010, bids were opened for the the N Denver Avenue Phase 2 Improvements, and Kodiak Pacific Construction Co. was selected.  We'll provide more details about the construction schedule in future updates.

Jean Senechal Biggs of Portland Transportation will be managing the Phase 2 Resurfacing Project, and will be in contact with the Kenton Neighborhood Association and N Denver Avenue business owners in August regarding the upcoming Fall construction.

 

Denver Avenue Streetscape Construction Phase I Complete!   

The first phase of streetscape improvements was completed in March 2010 along the four-and-one-half block stretch of Denver Avenue from North Interstate Avenue to North Watts Street.  The completed makeover includes widened sidewalks with patterned accents, new street trees, street level pedestrian lighting, carved stone benches, storm-water treatment planters, and public art.  The purpose of the project is to support continued revitalization of the historic Kenton business district.

The street will be repaved with concrete in fall 2010 as Phase II of the project.  Denver will be closed in one-block segments to accommodate construction of the new distinctive concrete surface.  Temporary traffic detours will be in place during the block closures and the sidewalks will remain open.

The Portland Development Commission (PDC) is funding this $2.85 million overhaul of the street and adjacent sidewalks. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) manages construction. 

Helping small businesses along Denver Avenue during construction has been a top priority for the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area. As part of this “Open for Business” effort, PDC and PBOT have promoted local merchants using traditional and social media as well as a coupon booklet offering a variety of discounts from area businesses, from savings on coffee and hair care to discounts on car repairs. Access has been maintained to all area businesses in the area during all of construction, with ramps and signage provided to assist shoppers and retailers. 

A flurry of new businesses have opened up shop in Kenton in the past year.  These include:

The Homebrew Exchange 1907 N. Kilpatrick Home brew supply and gift store.  Supplies for making beer, wine, soda, mead and cheese Kenton Antiques & Collectibles (under new ownership) 8112 N. Denver Avenue Antique store with vintage items from every era Queens Mab 1920 N. Kilpatrick Children’s clothing store (new and consignment) Jasmine Photography 2133 N. Willis Portland, Oregon Wedding & Portrait Photographer.

Olivine Design Studio & Art Gallery 2121 N. Willis Specializing in nature friendly landscape and interior design. An art gallery devoted to supporting individuals artists and groups whose work is nature centric Portland Chiropractic 8418 N. Brandon Chiropractic and naturopathic care Stella Barbershop 2133 N. Willis A hip barbershop for ladies and gents

 

Community Sponsors Third Thursday and Annual Street Fair

Old and new businesses in Downtown Kenton have united together to  begin a monthly Third Thursday event and an annual street fair.  Every Third Thursday, Kenton neighbors and businesses get together for art, music, and food. For updated  info, see the event website at www.kentonthirdthursday.com and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KentonThirdThursday

On Saturday May 22, 2010, the neighborhood will sponsor the first annual street fair for the local community, PDX family and more to celebrate local history, as well as current and future neighborhood achievements. Details at: www.facebook.com/pages/Kenton-Street-Fair/371574669333

North Portland Library Branch Opens on Denver Avenue

The new North Portland branch of the Multnomah County Library held its grand opening on March 13, 2010 at 8226 N. Denver. The Kenton Library building, originally Cyril S. Kenyon Hardware, was constructed in 1951. The building was redesigned by architects Hennebery Eddy, and expanded to 6,000 square feet for the library, which features a barrel ceiling, one wall made of reused wood from the original building, and art glass meeting room doors by artist Marlene Bauer. The library meeting room is available at no charge for community meetings and events on a first-come, first-served basis.

Paul Bunyan Gets a Makeover

The Kenton Neighborhood Association received funding through the PDC Community Livability Grant Program to spruce up the now historically recognized Paul Bunyan statue.  The $13,317 grant funding was used to refurbish the statue, which stands at the intersection of Denver and Interstate Avenues at the gateway of the business district, and protect it from graffiti damage.  Paul was built in 1959 for Oregon’s Centennial Celebration and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Street Trees

The new trees were selected to be business friendly because their light and airy leaf structure does not block sign visibility and the smaller leaves are less likely to block gutters.  Their root system is also less invasive to minimize impacts to sidewalks.  Two species of trees, with complementary yellow and red fall foliage, were chosen to highlight the business district and mark the southern gateway.

Honey Locust trees (left) line the core area of Denver Avenue from Interstate to Schofield, while Raywood Ash trees (right) are planted from Schofield to Watts. The different color and slightly wider canopy of the Ash help delineate the business district’s southern gateway.

New Light Fixture

White-on-Black Street Sign with Historic District Sign Cap

Street Furniture: Benches and Lighting

Curved stone benches, created by local sculptor Mauricio Saldaña, have been installed at the corners of the business district blocks. Designed in collaboration with Greenworks PC, each bench has a concrete base, a granite bench cap and a carved granite relief pilaster.  Every pilaster carving is unique and features a detail drawn from the streetscape’s freestanding sculpture (a trolley, birds, Babe the Blue Ox among them). The sculpture, also done by Saldaña, will be installed in front of the Kenton Masonic Temple on Denver and Kilpatrick, in summer 2010.

In addition to the benches, pedestrian-scale light fixtures line Denver Avenue, and street sign caps will call out the historic identity of the neighborhood.

Public Art

With the help of the Regional Arts & Culture Council, artist and public art consultant Valerie Otani joined the design team to make recommendations on themes, scale, and potential locations for art installations along the streetscape.

Project goals included featuring historical Kenton landmarks; having a contemporary folk art approach; having the artwork be pedestrian scaled, engaging, imaginative and finely crafted; have a whimsical style that captures the past; be family friendly with touchable elements; and contribute to the experience of being in a “magical space”.

RACC commissioned local artist Mauricio Saldaña to craft a hand-carved and polished granite sculpture depicting a hand holding a book. The book will be open to pages that feature historic buildings in Kenton, various modes of contemporary and historical transportation, popular landscape features and other whimsical and imaginative details that make the neighborhood unique.

 

Stormwater Planters

Stormwater planters, or “bioswales,” capture rain and run-off from the roadway and sidewalks, allowing water to naturally filter into the ground rather than carrying pollutants into our rivers. Stormwater planters will be located on both sides of the street, and along all four blocks of the streetscape project.

Pictured at right: Stormwater Planter at SW 12th and Montgomery

 

Detailed Design

To see the design concepts in greater detail, please view the Denver Avenue Streetscape Plan.

Upgrade Avenue: Gritty Kenton gets a million-dollar makeover
Portland Monthly, July 2009

Up and Comers
Portland Monthly, March 2010

Kenton Library branch leads wave of the future
Oregonian, March 2010

Looking north on Denver Avenue in 1926 (Oregon Historical Society)

The Kenton business district, located on North Denver Avenue in Portland, in the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area, offers a wealth of attractive, historic buildings, proximity to a light rail station and a large public park. Despite its many advantages and ongoing revitalization efforts, the area has not yet met its full potential, with many properties standing underutilized or vacant. The Portland Development Commission initiated the Downtown Kenton Redevelopment Project in September 2005 to help set the stage for the Kenton business district revitalization.

The first phase of the Redevelopment Project concluded in June 2006; among the most important work stemming from the Project was the development of preliminary streetscape improvement concepts for Denver Avenue. In addition to enhancing the commercial vitality of the street, the improvements are intended to enhance safety, neighborhood identity and stormwater management.

Over 40 participants turned out for the design workshop in December 2006.

Highlights from the streetscape improvements project to date:

• Formation of a 14-member CAC;
• Creation of project goals and criteria;
• December 2006 Public Design Workshop with the CAC and other members of the public which resulted in three options for the street cross section; and
• Public Open Houses in February, June and November 2007 focusing on narrowing design options for the plan.
• February 2008: the Denver Avenue Streetscape Plan with the Widened Sidewalks option is adopted by PDC Board of Commissioners and Portland City Council.
• April 2009: PDC Board of Commissioners approves Inter-Governmental Agreement with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) for construction of streetscape.

2006	14-member Community Advisory Committee (CAC) begins meeting. December public design workshop draws 40 participants.
2007	Three public open houses (February, June, November) and continued CAC meetings help refine streetscape design concepts.
2008	Streetscape Plan adopted by PDC Board of Commissioners, City Council and Urban Forestry Commission in February.
March 2009	Design and engineering complete.
April 2009	PDC Board of Commissioners approves Inter-Governmental Agreement with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) for construction of streetscape.
May 2009	Project goes out to bid.
June 2009	PBOT staff meet with business owners regarding access and loading issues during construction.
July 2009	Construction contract awarded.
August 2009	Construction begins with “Open for Business” press conference.
March 2010	Phase I sidewalk construction completed Art benches installed Trees in
April 2010	Lights on Stormwater plantings in (Earth Day).
May 22, 2010	Kenton Street Fair & Celebration
August 2010	Public art sculpture installed
September 2010	Phase II – street repaving begins
Fall 2010	Historic sign caps installed
January 2011	Phase II street repaving completed; project completion

Streetscape Plan

• Streetscape Plan, adopted February 2008 (PDF)
• Street plan (engineering) (PDF)
• Denver Avenue Streetscape Plan Preliminary Concepts (PDF)

Background

• Goals & Criteria (PDF)
• Downtown Kenton Redevelopment Project: Streetscape
• Streetscape Case Studies (PDF)
  
• Oregon Historical Society Photos (PDF)
  

Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) Meetings

• CAC Roster (PDF)
• June 6, 2006 Summary (PDF)
• July 5, 2006 Summary (PDF)
• October 4, 2006 Summary (PDF)
• November 6, 2006 Summary (PDF)

Project Area

• Denver Streetscape Improvement Area Map (PDF)
  

Field Day October 2006

• Field Day Notes (PDF)

Streetscape Tour October 2006

• Streetscape Tour Notes (PDF)

Design Workshop December 6, 2006

• Workshop Sketches (PDF)
• Workshop Summary (PDF)
• Workshop Description (PDF)

For more information about PDC’s efforts in Kenton, please contact PDC Project Manager Carol Herzberg, e-mail, (503) 823-3276.

You can also visit:

• www.kentonbusiness.com
• www.historickenton.com