Another mixed-use bunker that nobody wants (Jack Bog's Blog)

A reader writes:

If you want urban blight check out this PDC property. It was an original PDC project, now enclosed in shrink wrap, and I just noticed a sign up on it again last time I went to Costco. It was foreclosed upon by the bank and has been an eyesore and empty for three or more years.

The property in question is on the southwest corner of SE 93rd and Woodstock, just next to I-205 down in Lents.

According to Portland Maps, it appears the property was picked up over the summer by this guy for a cool $165,000. Up the chain of title is another deed for $1.5 million. Ouch.

The new owner is looking to re-side the building, put on a new roof, and add awnings. And there could be a PDC handout in the offing.

It's not clear that the place has been entirely empty. The city file has a number of serious housing complaints in it. The previous owner was an outfit called PSTN, LLC, which was apparently owned at least in part by someone named Parveen Ahmad. Occupied or empty, it sounds like that project's been a pretty bad scene, ever since the PDC gave it a pre-development grant back in 2004. Taxpayers, you've been punked.

Comments (10)

Living right up the street from this place that has been this way since I was 10, I really wish they'd do something about this. It's like The Grocery Outlet on 72nd avenue. It took years to finally get some sap, I mean, buyer to purchase that property.

Posted by Cameron Johnson | September 27, 2010 10:11 AM

Urban renewal rocks! And PDC folks are rockstars!

Triple bottom line, baby.

Posted by Garage Wine | September 27, 2010 11:08 AM

I think its been 5+ years now that two former Albertsons grocery stores have sat empty in Salem. It will be interesting to see what Safeway does with the store they closed recently.

Posted by JS | September 27, 2010 11:16 AM

What really burns me about the PDC is the property,kitty korner i believe, from this property.It use to be a strip club for several years, not one of the better ones in the city but not one of the scrungiest either. The city forced out the owners a few years ago and then bought the land for a fortune (I can't recall how much but it was during the real estate boom and even then everybody thought the city paid way to much). Now ,whatever your feelings are on adult entertainment it is legal and abundant in portland.Plus, this lot is completely surrounded by other businesses.Years later, the lot is gravel (the building was leveled) and surrounded by a cyclone fence.At least when the strip club was running the city was able to receive all the applicable fees, taxes etc. and the bar was employing people. Now, nothing at all.....

Posted by marcianofan | September 27, 2010 11:18 AM

But look at it this way, the property is within biking distance to the Max Green line. That has to be good for something.

Posted by John Benton | September 27, 2010 2:14 PM

Mad enough yet?

Are Portlanders ready to stop the Urban Renewal scam?

At least the Tax Increment Financing ponzi scheme that funds if?

http://bojack.org/images/urbanrenewalgraph.pdf

Suppose an initiative petition were ready to roll out.

There's time to kill the Portland TIF share of Milwaukie Light Rail. It's $20 million to be diverted form SoWa UR/TIF.

The funding does not have to be appropriated until June of 2012.

Unreported and not included in the minutes the SoWa UR Citizen Advisory Committee voted unanimously TWICE to oppose the taking of the second $10 million after Creepy committed the first $10 million without asking for any input.
Those votes, although on the audio record, were not entered into the minutes and were not conveyed to the PDC commissioners or City Council.

Posted by Ben | September 27, 2010 2:16 PM

'But look at it this way, the property is within biking distance to the Max Green line. That has to be good for something.' I should have added that they did buy it for 'purposes related to the MAX line'. What purposes, who the hell knows????

Posted by marcianofan | September 27, 2010 3:36 PM

Mr Bog

Out of curiosity, how'd you find out about this transaction?

Yes, its another PDC bad idea, retail with no parking close to MAX. Some more space for the one-man pizza joints and beauty supply shops that don't want to be on MLK.

Posted by Steve | September 27, 2010 3:40 PM

yet more proof that not everything located near MAX turns to gold, as the planners would have us believe.

Posted by PD | September 27, 2010 4:04 PM

Steve: Jack says in his post that "a reader writes..."

Posted by none | September 27, 2010 11:07 PM

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Monday, September 27, 2010

Another mixed-use bunker that nobody wants

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