It's like the O's staff stopped pretending, isn't it? I'm waiting for its editors to start hanging around Sam Adams's front door, asking "Business, mister?"

No need to hang around city hall when email works so well.

I think Joe Weston will hit paydirt on his tiny triangular sliver at 1350 NE Sandy - currently it's a little remnant that's 90% street and sidewalk. (Check it on PortlandMaps.com). This will make it into a good sized piece of land.

Weston's a bigtime developer but not quite at Homer Williams' level of villainy. Or is that splitting hairs?

I had started a rant about the corruption of the PDC but you are right, Jack. It is just sad that the only sort of 'development' that seems to get built is condo housing instead of something that would result in long term real jobs that could actually offer a lasting legacy to the city.
...go by street car??? Why bother! There is no place to go.

Hey, Weston can't be all bad if he supports the recall...

instead of something that would result in long term real jobs

Actually, the effect of a couplet and going upscale with gentrification is a displacement of existing small-business jobs out of the area - the factors are the costs of rent increasing, more difficulty locating the business and parking, and lower traffic counts due to the one-way splitting. What businesses replace them often can't replace the wage base lost, at least immediatley. The first article mentions these businesses along NE Couch - one of those revealing slips that happens when you don't do any real editing.

I drive through that five way intersection during the morning rush about once a month. It takes a little time, but it flows okay. There's really nothing wrong with it as it is.

Couplets, speed bumps, obstructive traffic islands, blue boxes, green boxes, curb bull-outs--all designed to make driving confusing, difficult and slow. Add the holes,and parking is reduced and the price goes up. And for those of us who are past 60 this makes it more and more difficult to go into Portland. So whenever possible I avoid Portland and shop Milwaukie, Clackamas County, the internet. And the last play I saw was in Tigard. Don't go by steetcar. Go elsewhere.

And then the Council changes the name of the street to be sure we get lost, burn some more gas.

John Rettig: You said it very well!
But we know from our past experiences with these so called development types in and out of the city, that they do not care at all about existing businesses.

Apparently Salem caught a bad case of DeLuxe Condo Fever too. Not quite as bad as one sale in a whole building but pretty darn close.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090813/NEWS/908130351/1103

The print article includes this tidbit:

"The project also will add bike lanes, traffic lights at every intersection and vegetation-filled stormwater catch basins. Construction will take about 14 months."

Just what we need: "traffic lights at every intersection...."

___ora et labora___

-ob

Salem has possibly the least amount of affordable rental apartments of any city in the State. They've been bought and either converted to condos or luxury apartments or razed and rebuilt for the same market. Portland is pressing for its record, however.

It seems that, with emphasis on luxury condo development, rescue of anybody whose home is threatened by foreclosure, and the erection of "market rate" cubicles along streetcar lines, the city, state and feds are completely ignoring the diminishing supply of affordable rental units and the associated plight of the low and low-middle income tenant. These are people who can't afford to buy a home - chiefly because they can't save anything when a majority of their income has to go to rent.

The amount of rent I pay per month now exceeds my yearly property tax bill on the house I used to own in North Portland. No protection against unlimited rent increases and fees. No protection against 30-day evictions for no reason other than development, unless it is for condos and then there is scant relocation assistance and a little more time to do so. Long, long lines for city-owned low income housing with preference given to substance abusers and large families. No breaks at all for those who are employed but not paid a "living wage" and just managing to keep their heads above water without government assistance.

Too bad they can't all go to work for the city.

Wow, Salem really does seem to picking up the worst of Portland's habits:

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090814/NEWS/908140342/1103