Comments on: Developers plan ‘D Street Village’ for Southeast Division Street

By: Kerry Sirois

Kerry Sirois — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 15:57:08 +0000

First the city made turning onto Clinton Street less desirable by stopping turns off of 39th Ave. (Cesar Chavez), so as to keep cars from mingling with the neighborhood children, and keeping things safe. Now with all this building without any consideration for parking, these same side streets are filled with cars and bicycle traffic, making things extremely unsafe, but nobody seems to care. Now only is there no parking, but bioswales take away more parking, and bicycle racks in the street, where they could have easily been placed on the sidewalk, without interfering with pedestrian traffic, again take away more street parking. Now drive down Division Street, and you will be amazed at the hazards bioswales have on crosswalks, brush and bushes blinding cars to pedestrians trying to cross, it’s a real hazard that the city doesn’t seem to be concerned with. As to the destruction of neighborhoods to make the almighty dollar is the real problem along Division Street, buildings are put up with little or no regard to the look of the neighborhood, turning Portland into it’s version of East Berlin, rather than the European look so desired.

By: Jayson

Jayson — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:33:38 +0000

Word. This neighborhood was saved from a freeway project that would’ve totally decimated any semblance of a community. These developments fit within the grid, add to the vitality of the streets, and result in more shopping, eating, and entertainment choices – great amenities in any neighborhood. How ironic that a few neighbors will moan and groan over change that is almost too good to be true.

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 03:31:25 +0000

You know those great retail corridors you enjoy? The amazing restaurants, local businesses and choice of grocery stores we all desire? Density is what makes those possible. Would you prefer that they neighborhood stay frozen in time, an expanse of low to medium density single family residences, while the density (and $$$) moves to the suburbs? And for the people complaining about street parking: build a driveway. You don’t own the street. We can’t design our city around allowing everyone to have a convenient street parking space in front of their house that they don’t pay for. Pay for parking or do the responsible thing and stop relying on your automobile for transportation. The city must be designed for people, not cars.

By: Portlander

Portlander — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:42:18 +0000

My only concern is why are we building so low — these should be six stories instead of four — and who are these neighborhood association dinosaurs complaining about lack of parking?

This is Portland and we respect the need for neighborhood density to support our public transit, biking, and walking. If you want ample parking, please move to Beaverton or Vancouver.

By: Moe from The Simpsons

Moe from The Simpsons — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:02:30 +0000

Crazy. I think Division/Richmond is a great neighborhood and nice retail / restaurant venue, but this multifamily densification is making it much, much less so. Just because Portland’s generous zoning code allows developers to build to the maximum along these once-quaint neighborhood boulevards doesn’t mean it’s a good, livable long-term plan for the neighborhood.

Because the zoning code in Portland prescribes density everywhere, development (especially multifamily) is a no-brainer. Good development is harder to come by.

By: Peter Forrest

Peter Forrest — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 18:27:11 +0000

I think all concerned SE Division neighbors should plan to attend future Richmond Neighborhood Association (RNA) monthly meetings to hear what is happening, what needs to be consider, so that we can speak collectively on our neighborhood livability concerns.
I have called and talked with Amanda Fritz’s office asking that she attend the next RNA meeting given that she is on the Bureau/Office of Neighborhood Involvment.

By: Peter Forrest

Peter Forrest — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 18:00:39 +0000

While talking to many of my neighbors in the past few weeks, emotions are running high over what I call mass development, and how quickly the face of SE Division will be changing between SE 28th & SE 38th. We also realize that the zoning and density plan of the City of Portland is what it is and there is not much we can do to affect developers plans. We will soon join the ranks of other neighborhoods/streets like Alberta and Mississippi to see how are livability will be changed.

I do feel working with the current building, the old Natures/Wild Oats location is a good thing, that the design and community space is a positive aspect. But I think we would be naive to think the cost of demolishing the building and rebuilding it was not an overriding factor. What will be more interesting is what the actual proposals will be for phase 2, which is the 2 parking lot building proposals.

With regards to the PBOT plans for SE Division, I do not see it reducing traffic on The Clinton Bike Blvd which was a concern placed by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability in Division Greenspace/Main Street Plan a number of years ago.