The Latest News About Houses at SE 27th and Hawthorne

Yesterday, the Portland City Council agreed to a waiver of fees and allowed a zoning change, clearing the way for one of the two endangered homes on SE Hawthorne near 27th to be relocated. The re-zoning allows the Montgomery House at 2625 SE Hawthorne to be moved to a lot on SE Madison – behind the Rivermark Credit Union. It will then be converted into 6-7 apartment units.

The Buckman and HAND neighborhood associations, along with numerous concerned neighbors, worked tirelessly to bring this situation to a positive conclusion. This is just the sort of scenario that shows why Portland’s neighborhood association system is such a valuable resource.

It is unfortunate that the second house (2607) could not be saved. It is already in the midst of being deconstructed, so at least some materials from the home will be reused.

The new development on Hawthorne that is replacing the two homes will certainly not be the last of its kind. There are several current and former single family residences on main thoroughfares throughout the city and they should all be considered – at least to some extent – endangered. Most of these homes are not unlike the two on Hawthorne, in that they are not designated historic and have little protection against new development or demolition. Many of these homes – such as the wonderful concrete block house at SE 38th and Division (which is currently for sale) are also neighborhood landmarks. Perhaps it is time to take another look at these buildings and see if there are creative ways in which more can be preserved.

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Update on Endangered Hawthorne Houses – Public Meeting

Back in August we reported on two endangered historic homes on SE Hawthorne at 27th. Redevelopment at this site is moving forward and now it appears that one of the homes may be saved from deconstruction and moved to a nearby lot.

If you are concerned about these homes or have questions about the development, the Buckman Community Association will be discussing the issue at their monthly board meeting tomorrow evening.

Here are the meeting details:

Location:  Multnomah County Boardroom – 501 SE Hawthorne

Time: 7:00 PM

For more information about the Buckman neighborhood click here.

Survey Seeks Your Opinions on Parking and Design of New Apartment Buidings

Amid growing concern over the lack of parking requirements for new apartments being built around town, the Citywide Land Use Group has prepared a survey on the subject and is now seeking public input.  There are only a few days left to fill out the survey, but it is important that city leaders understand how new apartments, however much-needed, are having a major impact on Portland’s traditional neighborhoods. As an example, we will soon be losing two classic homes over on Hawthorne, all in the name of density. Streets like Division and Williams Avenue have also been seriously impacted by new apartment construction.

But this issue is not just about the parking either. Some of the survey questions get at other issues related to design and zoning and how new construction impacts adjacent and nearby neighborhood buildings.

If you are concerned about such issues, please take a few minutes and complete the survey.

The deadline to fill it out is Saturday, November 10th.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY