Clackamas County (Milwaukie, Oregon City, Lake O, Happy Valley, etc.)

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Doesn't look like the restaurants at Mercato Grove are doing well. I haven't been, but the it looks like the restaurants are pretty hidden from the street with only a tiny sign advertising their presence.




...continues at the Portland Business Journal.

My question is how are all the other businesses doing in this development? If they are struggling too, then it most likely is a bad design, but if the other places are able to draw in customers, then it might be these restaurants themselves as to why they failed.

[dizflip]

Originally Posted by colossalorder

I've been there. In addition to the lack of visibility, access and parking are challenge. The layout is odd, hard to see the restaurants even on the interior. The space overall is tight and the apartments on top give it a claustrophobic feel. They should have centered on a more open pedestrian space rather a bunch of parking spots. I think if you are going out for a big splurgy dinner, you want something more special than what just feels like another suburban strip mall. I bet they would have done better in downtown Lake Oswego which has some charm and energy.

Driving by it, I honestly thought it was a business park or a care home.

[babs]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

My question is how are all the other businesses doing in this development? If they are struggling too, then it most likely is a bad design, but if the other places are able to draw in customers, then it might be these restaurants themselves as to why they failed.

I've been there in Friday and Saturday nights and many of the restaurants are packed. The donut shop had to sell a lot of donuts to make a profit. Most donut shops like Dunkin make their money on coffee, not donuts. Perhaps St. Jacks had its own set of issues. Tried it once, wasn't impressed. Let's not be so quick to blame the development. People know it's there and a lot of restaurants opened at the same time. And remember restaurants have the highest failure rate of any industry.

[maccoinnich]

Tribal coalition plans new development on west side of Willamette Falls



Another development project could mean more public access at one of Oregon’s most spectacular waterfalls.

The Willamette Falls Trust, an intertribal coalition of four tribes with ancestral ties to Willamette Falls, announced a new plan Thursday to develop an island on the west side of the waterfall in West Linn, which would become the second tribal project at the falls.

The tribes, in collaboration with Portland General Electric, which currently owns and operates a hydroelectric facility on the island, are launching a feasibility study to determine the cost and timeline of redeveloping the land. The intention is ultimately to return public access to a place that has long held cultural, spiritual and historical importance.

“The reasons that these falls matter so much is that they’re a sacred place, they’re a place where people have come and gathered, traded, fished and prayed for countless generations,” Gerard Rodriguez, associate director of tribal affairs for the Willamette Falls Trust, said.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[maccoinnich]

Lake Oswego approves vertical housing tax incentive program for North Anchor



Following months of discussion, the Lake Oswego City Council officially enacted a tax incentive zone to prop up a project that would add a hotel and mixed-use development in downtown Lake Oswego.

The City Council voted 6-0 to create a pilot program for a potentially broader vertical housing development zone program at a meeting Tuesday, Dec. 19. The program provides tax incentives to mixed-use developments that have a bottom retail floor with housing above. The pilot project targets North Anchor, which has stalled due to financing struggles on the part of partner Urban Development + Partners. UDP mentioned this program as a way to make the project more financially feasible.

The program would provide a 20% tax reduction for each housing floor above the bottom retail floor for 10 years. The city estimated that its forgoed revenue from the taxing district would be $56,000-$97,000 per year.

Mayor Joe Buck noted that many major projects within the city have received public incentives, such as The Windward and Lake View Village. He said the North Anchor project is no different.

...continues at the Lake Oswego Review (article is from December)

[dizflip]

LO seems to be doing the best job at mixed-use development of all the suburban cities in Portland, all while having consistently pushed away any major transit investments. Such irony.

[maccoinnich]

(Story is from June, but I was curious to see if there were any updates to the project.)

Despite challenges, North Anchor project leader pushes forward with optimism



Urban Development + Partners has worked for five years with the city of Lake Oswego to bring a project that would include a hotel, housing and retail to the heart of downtown Lake Oswego. Due to economic challenges, the city extended the deadline for the project by two more years (until July 2026).

Yet, despite setbacks to the North Anchor development — first skyrocketing construction costs and then rising interest rates — UDP President Eric Cress is optimistic.

“We remain really excited about the project. We are excited about what this means for Lake Oswego and, a number of years from now, we will look back on what we built with the city and be proud of it and there will be a lot of pleased and happy customers and happy residents having a nice home to live in in downtown Lake Oswego,” Cress said.

Cress chatted with the Review about what has gone wrong with the project and how UDP has adjusted to salvage it.

When UDP first agreed in 2019 to work with the city on the development, which would sit at the corner of State Street and B Avenue, Cress said there was plenty of available financial capital in the construction industry. That all changed in the early 2020s, he said, first due to inflation, rising construction costs and supply chain delays, and then with the Federal Reserve increasing interest rates to temper inflation in 2022.

“That essentially shut down a lot of the debt and equity that was available for market rate, new construction,” Cress said, adding that standard practice is not to secure capital for a project until permitting and other legwork is complete.

...continues at the Lake Oswego review.

[maccoinnich]

Apartment developer acquires Milwaukie restaurant property



The developer of a 178-unit multifamily project in downtown Milwaukie is the new owner of a property that houses a Pietro's Pizza location.

A city of Milwaukie spokesperson said Bend-based Pahlish Commercial is the new owner of the site, though no project permits for 10300 S.E. Main St. have been filed.

Pahlish Commercial did not return requests for comment. The Milwaukie spokesperson did not provide further details of when Pahlish acquired the site or for how much.

Pietro’s Pizza, currently occupying a red and white striped building with bright marquees, will move to the location that formerly housed McGrath’s Fish House at 11050 S.E. Oak St., according to the same spokesperson.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

I am excited about this, Pietro's is getting a great new location and I could see this building getting redeveloped with another apartment building with the side along Main having commercial space. Granted, they could also end up tearing down the building for a surface lot to sit on for a potential development later on.

[NMH]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I am excited about this, Pietro's is getting a great new location and I could see this building getting redeveloped with another apartment building with the side along Main having commercial space. Granted, they could also end up tearing down the building for a surface lot to sit on for a potential development later on.

Agree that long term this is a positive move and win-win for Pietro's.

Short term, I suspect this is a land banking move and we won't see ground breaking for a few years.

[maccoinnich]

Developer to bring food cart pod to Milwaukie, adding to development boom



A new food cart pod is coming to the former site of a now-demolished funeral chapel in downtown Milwaukie.

Koble Creative Architecture and RMCC Development plan to bring between 17 and 20 food carts to 1925 S.E. Scott St. with a three-story building that will house a bar, restrooms and seating. Plans also include a large, covered seating area.

RMCC Development acquired the property in 2022 for $1.35 million, according to public records.

The food park’s name, 1847 Food Park, honors the year Milwaukie was settled by the Luelling family.

“We were thinking what the best use for the property would be and we know the popularity of food carts at the moment is huge,” RMCC Development owner Eric Saunders said. "We hope that this little bit of spark will start to fill empty storefronts up and down Main Street."

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by NMH

Agree that long term this is a positive move and win-win for Pietro's.

Short term, I suspect this is a land banking move and we won't see ground breaking for a few years.

Honestly, even if the developer had an architect design up a building by January, it would still be a few years before we saw any ground breaking.

[maccoinnich]

Milwaukie's moment
The Portland suburb is brimming with new developments. Economic Development Manager Joseph Briglio anticipates more activity in 2025.



Many developers and office users flocked to the suburbs in search of newer buildings and lower taxes during the pandemic. Much of the activity headed west to Hillsboro, Beaverton and Lake Oswego, or across the river to Vancouver.

But another metro-area city has experienced its own, more under-the-radar buildup: Milwaukie, located in the northwest corner of Clackamas County.

In just the last year, multiple projects have been announced. A 20-tenant food cart pod will rise on the site of a former funeral chapel. The former city hall building is being turned into a brewery and taproom and Pietro's Pizza is relocating into the old McGrath’s Fish House.

Housing projects, too, have risen. More than 400 units have come online since 2019 and nearly 800 more are in Milwaukie's pipeline, impressive for a city with just over 21,000 people.

“We’re seeing catalytic investment and businesses come to Milwaukie,” the city's Economic Development Director Joseph Briglio said. “We’re in just a pivotal year. Last year was really good for preparation and we’re seeing a lot of new growth, but I think 2025 is going to be one that puts us even more on the map in the metro.”

Myriad factors are behind the boom, which is anchored around a revitalized downtown. The addition in 2015 of the TriMet Orange Line between downtown Milwaukie and Portland set the stage. A city economic development strategy removed some barriers to development and a tax increment financing designation has triggered investment. Rising home prices in other metro-area communities and public safety concerns in Portland also upped Milwaukie's appeal for both developers and homebuyers.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[urbanlife]

Milwaukie building a new affordable housing neighborhood from the ground up. New buildings and city blocks under construction.

[maccoinnich]

A historic revival as pFriem brings new life to Milwaukie’s old city hall



In the late 1930s, Milwaukie, Oregon, proudly opened the doors to its new city hall. A project built from a Public Works Administration (PWA) grant, the building housed city offices and the fire department for years. And up until 2023, before the city moved down the street to newer digs, the building’s exterior still stood in the middle of downtown Milwaukie, with great bones, full of history, and that unmistakable PWA late 1930s look. The interiors? Drab, vanilla, offices and cubicles. (If you’ve ever had to pay a parking ticket in the building you know.)

The building has seen many changes and tenants over the decades but none as big as the one that’s happening now. In March 2024, Hood River-based pFriem announced they were transforming the emptied city hall into a new location. But, they’re not just moving in. They’re completely retrofitting the building to keep its character, blend in history, while fully adapting it for a new use.

Once completed, the pFriem Milwaukie taproom will feature a spacious pergola covered outdoor patio, a private dining and event space upstairs for various brewery and community events, and a lounge area reminiscent of the popular Bear’s Den in Hood River. The taproom will offer more than 20 taps, including a variety of pFriem beers and craft cocktails, wine, food, and seating for over 100 guests.

...continues at New School Beer.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at New School Beer.

I did a walk through of the building the other day and it looks more like a historic city hall building now than it did when it was the city hall for Milwaukie. This is going to be an amazing development for Milkwaukie. Both pFriem and Keeper Coffee are going to be serious upgrades for the downtown. Both businesses will offer a two story experience as well as outside seating.

From what I am told, they should be opening in April.

[maccoinnich]

Kaiser Permanente to replace Portland-metro hospital



Kaiser Permanente plans to replace its 303-bed Clackamas hospital with a new, seven-story hospital tower, slated to open in 2029, the health system announced Monday.

The new hospital building will rise on the existing, 50-year-old Sunnyside Medical Center campus, with construction set to begin next year. The current, three-story hospital building will remain in operation until the new facility is finished on the east side of the property.

The new tower will have 308 beds, all in private rooms, unlike the current hospital. Private rooms will enable more beds to be used at the same time, increasing capacity by 30%, said Wendy Watson, regional president of Kaiser Permanente of the Northwest.

“We’re making this a state-of-the-art modern facility,” Watson said. “It will have telemedicine capabilities in the rooms, image-guided surgical equipment and advanced robotics.”

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[NMH]

A few updates from around Milwaukie:

-Coho Point is going back to the drawing board as the city let the agreement with the developer expire after multiple extensions. The developer presented at a recent city council work session before the end of the year and said they could not make the project work financially at this time. The developer maintains ownership of the office building on the corner of the site.

-WDC has started site work on the 44 unit apartment building going in at 10900 SE 21st Ave (former Chase Bank location).

-WDC purchased another property nearby and are in early design phase for a building to replace the single story medical office across from Good Measure.

-The suite neighboring Things From Another World on the north side has started tenant improvements for a home goods store.

-The rehab on the old Perry's pharmacy building covering the half block north of the above mentioned business will have 8 new businesses opening near the start of summer (pizza, improv, bakery, soda fountain, salon, restaurant, and retail).

-Dark Horse will be developing a pop culture museum in their building across the street and directly south from pFriem.

-1847 Food Park has opened but is only servings drinks. Still a few remaining hurdles to get over before the food carts can open.

-The first new building at Hillside Park opened and has some new residents already moved in. The other buildings in phase 1 should be opening in the next few months. Phase 2 will start demolition and construction sometime after that mid-year.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by NMH

A few updates from around Milwaukie:

-Coho Point is going back to the drawing board as the city let the agreement with the developer expire after multiple extensions. The developer presented at a recent city council work session before the end of the year and said they could not make the project work financially at this time. The developer maintains ownership of the office building on the corner of the site.

-WDC has started site work on the 44 unit apartment building going in at 10900 SE 21st Ave (former Chase Bank location).

-WDC purchased another property nearby and are in early design phase for a building to replace the single story medical office across from Good Measure.

-The suite neighboring Things From Another World on the north side has started tenant improvements for a home goods store.

-The rehab on the old Perry's pharmacy building covering the half block north of the above mentioned business will have 8 new businesses opening near the start of summer (pizza, improv, bakery, soda fountain, salon, restaurant, and retail).

-Dark Horse will be developing a pop culture museum in their building across the street and directly south from pFriem.

-1847 Food Park has opened but is only servings drinks. Still a few remaining hurdles to get over before the food carts can open.

-The first new building at Hillside Park opened and has some new residents already moved in. The other buildings in phase 1 should be opening in the next few months. Phase 2 will start demolition and construction sometime after that mid-year.

Sucks about Coho Point, I was worried that might happen with our current economic climate in this country.

As for the medical building on Main getting torn down and replace, that is great news. That is one of the buidlings that never belonged in a downtown and it sat on so much wasted real estate.

A lot of other great things going on, including some new tenants coming to the Milwaukie Marketplace.

I also managed to stop by the Hillside Park neighborhood and it looks amazing. It is already starting to feel like a new urban neighborhood for the city. I did manage to snap some photos of the area, including taking a photo of Milwaukie's tallest building, the assisted living building in Hillside Park. I will have to post them on here soon when I get the chance to upload them.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by NMH

A few updates from around Milwaukie:

-Coho Point is going back to the drawing board as the city let the agreement with the developer expire after multiple extensions. The developer presented at a recent city council work session before the end of the year and said they could not make the project work financially at this time. The developer maintains ownership of the office building on the corner of the site.

-WDC has started site work on the 44 unit apartment building going in at 10900 SE 21st Ave (former Chase Bank location).

-WDC purchased another property nearby and are in early design phase for a building to replace the single story medical office across from Good Measure.

-The suite neighboring Things From Another World on the north side has started tenant improvements for a home goods store.

-The rehab on the old Perry's pharmacy building covering the half block north of the above mentioned business will have 8 new businesses opening near the start of summer (pizza, improv, bakery, soda fountain, salon, restaurant, and retail).

-Dark Horse will be developing a pop culture museum in their building across the street and directly south from pFriem.

-1847 Food Park has opened but is only servings drinks. Still a few remaining hurdles to get over before the food carts can open.

-The first new building at Hillside Park opened and has some new residents already moved in. The other buildings in phase 1 should be opening in the next few months. Phase 2 will start demolition and construction sometime after that mid-year.

Thank you for sharing. My husband and I were recently down in Milwaukie to check out pFriem (which was really nicely done) and we were commenting how we need to come back soon to walk around the downtown area.