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Jesse Cornett, chairman of the Lents Neighborhood Association, said turnout at a recent meeting about development in Lents shows that progress is finally being made.

Developers on Tuesday outlined four projects that were made possible, in part, via $3.3 million in predevelopment loans and almost $13 million in development loans from the Portland Development Commission. Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and PDC Executive Director Patrick Quinton attended the group’s monthly meeting, which Cornett said typically draws about 25 people; this one attracted about 150.

鈥淭his is huge for Lents, absolutely,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s an area that has been primed (for development), but has faced many challenges, including the PDC (officials) struggling to meet their commitments. But the thing that we’re seeing is that they have doubled down and tripled down to make sure they are fulfilling long-standing promises.鈥�

Cornett said that the Lents Urban Renewal Area was started in 1998 鈥� the same year the Pearl District was formed. A five-year action plan for Lents was adopted last year, he said, and although he at first had his doubts, it’s now becoming reality.

鈥淚 thought, yeah sure, another plan, but these are pages out of the plan book,鈥� he said of the development plans outlined at the meeting.

The four PDC-led projects being planned for the Lents neighborhood are:

鈥� A new three-story, 29,000-square-foot office building being developed by Asian Health & Services Center for its new headquarters at Southeast 91st Avenue and Foster Road. The project will include community space, a medical clinic, two market-rate commercial spaces and one level of parking. It’s designed by Holst Architecture.

鈥� A new four-story, 68-unit apartment building being developed by Rose Community Development at Southeast 91st Avenue and Reedway Street. One-, two-, and three-bedroom units will be offered at either market or affordable rates. It’s designed by Carleton Hart Architecture.

鈥� Two five-story, mixed-use buildings being developed by Palindrome Communities on 1.07 acres near the northeast corner of Southeast 92nd Avenue and Foster Road. Approximately 120 units will be offered at either market or affordable rates. The development also will include 25,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and parking. It’s designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects.

鈥� A mixed-use building on 0.63 acres being developed by Williams & Dame Development near the northeast corner of Southeast 92nd Avenue and Foster Road. Plans call for 54 units at either market or affordable rates, ground-floor retail space, bike parking and storage, and a public laundromat. A public courtyard will be created on Foster Road with a plaza and community event kiosk on 91st Avenue. It’s designed by Hacker.

Mary Bradshaw, director of construction management for the Asian Health & Services Center, said the new building will allow the agency to offer more classes and meet community medical needs. A third-floor, 6,000-square-foot community room with a large kitchen will be available to community members.

鈥淲e think it will be a great asset to the neighborhood,鈥� she said.

Plans are still being finalized for the new four-story apartment building being developed by Rose Community Development. The project recently received tentative approval, PDC spokesman Shawn Uhlman said. Nick Sauvie, Rose Community Development’s executive director, said the building will be named the Woody Guthrie Apartments in honor of the famed Depression-era folk singer, who lived in Lents for about a month in 1941.

鈥淗e wrote songs for the Bonneville Power Association, including 鈥楻oll On, Columbia,’ 鈥� Sauvie said.

Some of the apartments will be 鈥渄eeply affordable鈥� and available to pregnant women and young families with small children, Sauvie said.

鈥淭his is a really exciting time for us and the neighborhood,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have been working in this part of Portland for 30 years, and a lot of people put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point.鈥�

Uhlman agreed that this is a big step for both the PDC and Lents.

鈥淲e finished the five-year plan about a year ago and it was a big milestone,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e got a number of established development teams that wanted to work on these projects as a direct result of PDC efforts and also the neighborhood being involved and wanting to see those things.鈥�

All the developments are focused near Lents Town Center, Uhlman said. Other new developments in the neighborhood include a new brewpub and renovations to Walker Stadium baseball field.

鈥淭here’s a tremendous amount of energy, and as these projects on 92nd (Avenue) develop we’re starting to see a lot of activity,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here’s really much more in progress. This is not the final step.鈥�