Central Eastside News

[AdamUrbanist]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

Rogue closing. One of the original national craft beer brands, and maybe the most iconic Oregon brand on a national stage. Will leave a hole in SE Portland, especially after Cascade closed across the street last year. (Is this Central Eastside or SE proper? Area still feels industrial so figured it's Central)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2025...reds-of-thousands-in-rent-and-taxes.html

Beer industry is hurting of late as people drink less and the industry needs to right-size after years of rapid expansion as way too many mediocre brewers opened up. Hopefully the remaining strong brewers can pick up the talented beer makers from the closing ones and we get even better beers out of it.

Otherwise, this will really hurt Newport. Pretty much the only reason I hear people to go there is the aquarium and Rogue (usually combined as a trip).

I wonder if this may have been influenced in part by the insurance crisis that is has been hitting bars recently. We had a discussion with a wine shop owner the other night that had had to close abruptly because their insurer dropped them. Apparently there was a court ruling in 2023 that upended the insurance landscape. Here's ChatGPT's summary:

A recent Oregon Supreme Court decision, Shaw v. Washington County (June 2023), expanded the liability of bars, restaurants, and wine bars for serving alcohol to visibly intoxicated adults. This overturned long-standing legal limits on dram shop lawsuits in Oregon and made businesses more exposed to large injury and wrongful-death claims. Insurers reacted by dropping coverage, refusing renewals, or sharply increasing premiums. Many small bars and wine bars have struggled or closed because liquor liability insurance became unaffordable or unavailable.

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by AdamUrbanist

I wonder if this may have been influenced in part by the insurance crisis that is has been hitting bars recently. We had a discussion with a wine shop owner the other night that had had to close abruptly because their insurer dropped them. Apparently there was a court ruling in 2023 that upended the insurance landscape. Here's ChatGPT's summary:

A recent Oregon Supreme Court decision, Shaw v. Washington County (June 2023), expanded the liability of bars, restaurants, and wine bars for serving alcohol to visibly intoxicated adults. This overturned long-standing legal limits on dram shop lawsuits in Oregon and made businesses more exposed to large injury and wrongful-death claims. Insurers reacted by dropping coverage, refusing renewals, or sharply increasing premiums. Many small bars and wine bars have struggled or closed because liquor liability insurance became unaffordable or unavailable.

Interesting, I hadn't heard that. I haven't seen much (or any) press on that, is it a major issue (from a bar biz pov)? Seems like something there would be a lot of discussion about if so. For example, I have seen a lot of news on the ski resorts complaining about their liability changes recently.

[maccoinnich]

Notice of a Type II Proposal for Flatworks affordable housing at 240 SE Grand Ave

[downtownpdx]

New bridge underpass lighting brightens Portland’s Central Eastside

https://www.koin.com/news/portland/new-b...ng-brightens-portlands-central-eastside/

Screen Shot 2026-02-26 at 8.37.08 PM by Ryan Miller, on Flickr

The once-dark underpasses beneath the bridges in Portland’s Central Eastside are now, in a word, lit.

Multnomah County announced the completion of the Viaduct Lighting Project this week, a collaborative effort to improve safety and visibility by adding lights under the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridges.

“Safe streets and a welcoming environment are essential to the economic vitality of any business district,” said Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson.

“Multnomah County’s investment is a great example of partnership between government and local business in responding to the needs of our community. We are all excited to contribute towards renewed vibrancy and a brighter future for Portland’s Central Eastside.”

The project began when local businesses said their employees and customers routinely cited conditions under the bridges as a safety concern and even a barrier for pedestrians.

“After years of working to find solutions to light the underside of our viaducts, we applaud the collaboration with the County and the City. Portland’s short winter days have been transformed by this project,” said Cargo Co-Owner Bridgid Blackburn. Her business is located near the Morrison bridge in the Central Eastside neighborhood.

Portland’s Central Eastside Viaduct Lighting Project also helps provide lighting to the Burnside Skatepark. (Central Eastside Industrial Council)
“We’ve seen a noticeable increase in foot traffic—especially in the evenings,” Blackburn said.

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[maccoinnich]

Notice of a Type II Decision approving Flatworks affordable housing. Full Case File (with renderings) is here.

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/retail/2026/0...hing-new-life-into-central-eastside.html

‘Lively, open, come explore’: Underneath Portland’s bridges, string lights are breathing new life into Central Eastside
Published: Mar. 16, 2026, 7:00 a.m.
By Veronica Nocera | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Nearly half a decade since business owners raised the issue, a neglected piece of three Portland bridges just got a makeover.

It may not be the parts drivers are most likely to notice — the facades and freeways are as they’ve always been — but it’s a cosmetic shift bound to catch the eyes of pedestrians, particularly when strolling through Central Eastside.

The project strives to, quite literally, shine new light on the 700-acre district.

Since September, contractors have been stringing rows of LED lights beneath three major bridges — Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne — in Central Eastside, transforming the once-dark and uninviting underpasses into spaces that officials hope residents will feel more comfortable exploring. The last of the string lights went up last month.

It’s a small change, but already business owners in the area have noticed a difference in foot traffic.

Bridgid Blackburn co-owns Cargo, an eclectic marketplace that has occupied a historic Central Eastside warehouse since 2014. The brick building faces Southeast Yamhill Street, but its parking lot points toward Belmont Street, in the shadow of the Morrison Bridge.

For years, the underpass had been lit solely by a nearby street lamp and ceiling-mounted LED light — both which burned out for stretches of time, she said — leaving some customers unaware the lot even existed and others too wary to use it.

...

A ‘modest’ gesture with glowing reviews

Dubbed the Central Eastside Viaduct Lighting Project, the initiative was a multi-year collaboration between county, city and neighborhood groups.

It was spearheaded by the Central Eastside Industrial Council and Central Eastside Together, which worked with Portland’s Public Environment Management Office to hire contractors to string up the lights. In 2023, Multnomah County approved $232,000 to fund the project.

...

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