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On a Portland street lined with Victorian-era homes, one stands out. Soon it may not stand at all.

A Lake Oswego developer is proposing to demolish the Queen Anne-style house at 3605 N. Albina Ave., and build a small residential structure in its place.

鈥淲e are drowning in development,鈥� said Caroline Dao, co-chairwoman of the Boise Neighborhood Association. 鈥淓ven though (the house) has been run-down, it鈥檚 one of the nicest homes in the neighborhood.鈥�

The 123-year-old house, nicknamed the 鈥淓dwin Rayworth House鈥� after its original owner, is one of the oldest structures in the area, according to Dao. However, it is neither listed on the National Register of Historic Places nor designated as a local landmark.

It was last occupied in 2008 by an owner who was trying to renovate it. When the recession hit, the owner lost the house to foreclosure. Then, last fall, it was purchased by Lake Oswego-based Exceptional Homes.

The proposed project would be two attached houses, each on a 2,500-square-foot plot. However, the development has not been designed.

When the Boise Neighborhood Association heard about plans to knock the house down, it started a petition to try to halt the effort. The group hopes to eventually present its petition to the city, but that may not happen.

The land division partition recently approved for the project cannot be appealed at the city level. And if the developer were to follow community design guidelines for the project, it would not be subject to public comments.

The Boise group hopes it will get a chance to spotlight the project and show how residents have no say in what鈥檚 being built in their neighborhoods, Dao said.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to go through design review and they don鈥檛 have to risk appeal,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e just want the city of Portland to say, 鈥楲ook, we want our homeowners to change our neighborhoods 鈥� We don鈥檛 want developers from the suburbs to.鈥� 鈥�

Andre Koshuba, owner of Exceptional Homes, said he is unsure whether he will follow the community guidelines. But he is sure he鈥檚 being unfairly scrutinized.

Originally, he hoped to build only one new house on the property, which may have allowed him to preserve the house, he said. However, because of the zoning for the 5,000-square-foot property, which is multi-dwelling residential and requires one unit per 2,000 feet, he had to plan for two homes, he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not what I want; it鈥檚 what the city dictates me (do),鈥� Koshuba said. 鈥�(The association) might want to save their rap for the city of Portland.鈥�

The zoning allows for restoration of the house, according to Kate Green, land use consultant with the Bureau of Development Services. As an alternative, an accessory dwelling unit could be added to meet the requirements.

But because of the house鈥檚 deep basins, it would be difficult to save, Koshuba said; an independent inspection revealed that it would cost $70,000 just to restore its foundations.

Instead, the house should be moved, Koshuba said. The neighborhood association agrees that this is a suitable solution. The problem is that no one is willing to pay for it.

鈥淚 told the neighbors, 鈥業f you want the house, you can move it,鈥� 鈥� Koshuba said. 鈥淏ut they want me to go and do something that they want to do. Let鈥檚 save Portland 鈥� let鈥檚 do this all together. But not at my expense.鈥�

Project designs will be submitted later this year. A date for demolition isn鈥檛 set.