The GPNA Issues

Albina Fuel Site

November 2005

(excerpts from Holiday 2005 newsletter)

Following up on a 9/26 meeting where the architects for the new Albina Fuel site development presented preliminary plans to surrounding neighbors for review and comment, the project went to an informal "Design Advice" session with the Portland Design Commission on 11/3. Ths session was open to the public and gave attendees an opportunity to learn about the project, about what the Commission will be looking for when the project comes before it for formal approval, and to give testimony.

Currently, the mixed use residential/commercial development is designed to be built in three phases. Phase 1 would be built on Broadway with housing above commercial space. Housing and additional commercial space is planned for the later phases on the remainder of the site. Altogether about 300 rental units are anticipated.

At the September meeting, many questions were asked about the relationship of the developer's plans to the Albina Fuel Site Broadway Main Street Planning Study produced two years ago by Crandall/Arambula and the five neighborhoods. The feeling was that developer's plans did not include key ideas developed in that planning study and did not adequately address all the concerns of the surrounding neighborhoods.

The five neighborhoods are looking to the design commission to ensure that the redevelopment of the Albina Fuel Co. property is of the quality that this catalytic site requires. This is not just about a single property, but also about the future of NE Broadway," said Lynn Coward, Land Use Chair of the Sullivans Gulch Neighborhood Association (SGNA).

Full details on the history of this development, the zone change, and the neighborhood-sponsored Broadway-Albina Main Street Planning Study can be found on the SGNA website, www.sullivansgulch.org. If you have questions, please contact Lynne Coward, 503-335-9405.

October 2005

There is now an interested developer for the site, but the plans so far have none of the traffic abatement suggestions that the Sullivan's Gulch study last year recommended. There will be a public meeting at about this development on the October 30th, at 3pm, at 1900 SW 4th. Kathy Bang urged everyone who is concerned about this project to atten. Kathy has a copy of the proposal and will try to get an electronic copy that we can post on our web site for concerned people to review (albina study).

February 2005

Katherine Bang brought up an issue. the Portland Planning Bureau has proposed an expansion of the property tax exemption for transit corridors to include Sandy Blvd and Broadway to 47th. Since there is not adequate transit for the broadway corridor now, let alone if any high density housing goes in at the Albina site, she proposed that GPNA officially endorse the extension for Sandy Blvd, but not for Broadway She also asked Katie Davenport, who attended the meetings for the Sullivan's Gulch traffic study, as it related to the Albina site. That study was done to identify possible traffic abatement measures to be implemented if the Albina site were to be developed. These are not official measures, but proposals that SGNA would expect to see enacted if the site were approved for high density residences. The GPNA board agreed that the Broadway corridor does not and will not meet the criteria for the property tax exemption and we would oppose it being applied to this location.

April 2004

Broadway Redevelopment Plan - Albina Fuel site - KC Davenport, GPNA representative. Voiced Concerns
- impact on already overburdened intersection at 33rd & Broadway
- affect on traffic throughout the neighborhood
- what will be the exact mix of retail office and residence in the complex - which is unknown at this time.

Draft of recommendations was made available

March 2004

Broadway Redevelopment Plan - Albina Fuel site - KC Davenport has been the GPNA representative for this plan and presented a proposed GPNA statement to be filed with the plan:

Grant Park: The design recommendations for the Albina Fuel site, as of 12/01/2003, was presented to a general meeting of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association on 02/10/2004. The response was generally positive, except for concerns about how the development, when complete, would impact traffic on Broadway and through the Grant Park neighborhood, with a specific focus on the potential traffic problems at and around the intersection of 33rd and Broadway, which is already stressed.

With these concerns on record, and with the understanding that, upon implementation, more analysis is necessary, the Grant Park Neighborhood Association endorses this recommendation as a working vision for the Albina Development. The Grant Park Neighborhood Association will continue to be involved in this process as the project develops.

February 2004

Broadway Redevelopment Plan - Albina Fuel site - KC Davenport, GPNA representative. Draft of recommendations is available, no significant changes, additions or subtractions. The significant traffic features are:
- a ring road connecting 28th to the Albina site, running behind fred meyer
- moving the light from 30th to 32nd, with a turn lane.
- a slip road off Broadway to make access more comfortable

Voiced concerns:
- impact on already overburdened intersection at 33rd & Broadway
- access from broadway westbound
- impact of increased traffic on Weidler