The owner of a circa 1880s house at 3804 N. Missouri Avenue has filed a demolition request with the City. The house is considered a contributing structure in the Mississippi Avenue Conservation District, so a 120 day delay period has begun. You can download the Demolition Delay information here.
Meanwhile, another demolition delay is underway for a contributing structure in the Kenton Conservation District. The owners of a 1912 bungalow at 7642 N. Brandon Avenue have decided to tear it down. That information can be downloaded here.
When we talk about neighborhood character and historic fabric these modest homes are the very thing we speak of. It is certainly our hope that alternatives to demolition will be found.
Portland Preservation 
A look at the zoning map for 3804 Missouri hints at a possible reason for the proposal. Since the property seems to consist of three 50 foot lots, the owner could build 6 rowhouses there. Is that viable in today’s market? Maybe he thinks so, unfortunately.
More studying of PortlandMaps reveals that 7642 N. Brandon is on a 50 x 90 foot lot, which was and is actually platted as two 25 x 90 foot lots. (Check the “tax map” link) Despite the R-5 zoning, owners are allowed to build one house each on the originally platted lots, regardless of their small size. There are several old subdivisions around town platted this way. I guess the idea at the time was that you could buy 1, 2, 3, or more lots, and most people bought 2 to get a 50 foot wide lot. So, I expect the reason for this demolition is to build two “skinny houses”. Don’t know how that is affected by the Conservation District. Perhaps they’ll be “bungalow style”.
Designs of “skinny houses” are improving, so they are less of a blight than the earliest ones. Still, it is unfortunate that a city policy aimed at increasing residential density is having the effect of damaging good neighborhoods. It just doesn’t add up, so to speak.