Out of Moyer's Hole (Jack Bog's Blog)

A couple of weeks ago we learned that construction activity at the mothballed Moyer tower project in downtown Portland won't start up again for at least two years. By then, construction on the ill-fated office building, which was originally to have included mondo condos, will have been stopped for 4½ years.

After neighbors complained in court about the construction crane that's been idly looming over the abandoned pit since the spring of '09, now the Moyer folks have had it folded up and taken away. All that's left behind is the hole, and the question why. The answer seems to be what these days is being called greed. Maybe the Occupiers should try to camp down there. "Whose hole? Our hole!"

Meanwhile, the Moyer family is reportedly at each other's throats over money. It's a familiar story with wealthy Portland businessmen -- Fred Meyer, Bill Naito -- whose earthly demises have led to protracted, expensive, messy, public family feuds. But in this case, the spat has flared up while the patriarch is still alive. Moyer is 92 and suffers from Alzheimer's, and apparently the kids can't wait until after the funeral to start smacking each other over dough.

Coincidentally, Vanessa Sturgeon, the 33-year-old Moyer granddaughter who's currently running the real estate empire, is a major backer of Portland Police Chief Mike Reese for mayor. She put together Reese's debutante party at the Arlington Club last week. Sturgeon, who lives in Lake Oswego, was one of the defendants in the 2004 criminal case in which Moyer was alleged to have made contributions to Portland mayoral candidate Jim Francesconi falsely using Sturgeon's name and that of his secretary. That felony case, in which Sturgeon was also charged, was dismissed this past summer on the stated ground that Moyer is now incapable of assisting in his own defense.

Comments (5)

Ah waiting for an inheritance....never a good long term financial plan, IMO. But it sure makes for interesting family theater once in a while.

Posted by Portland Native | November 21, 2011 7:26 AM

Ahh, the legacy of the heirs, and their presumed rights. On a national level, it's brought us the love of the Mars, Walton and Koch children. Here, we get this charmer and her supposed birthright. Yet another reason to be skeptical of Sam/Rand's chosen successor.

Posted by observer | November 21, 2011 7:45 AM

"Vanessa Sturgeon"

Talk about being born on 3rd base and thinking you're a home run hitter (a la Homer's step-daughter - Tiffany Sweitzer).

They'll piss it all away after a while anyways.

Posted by Steve | November 21, 2011 8:13 AM

Not sure why this occurred to be, but I wonder where the water drains to in that hole. Does it just go into the water table?

Posted by Snards | November 21, 2011 8:26 AM

Vanessa Sturgeon is a granddaughter in law. She's Elie Kassab's daughter. Combine his money and power and Moyer's money and power and you end up with quite a feudal legacy. Vanessa's been a power player in this town since she got involved.

Posted by Anonymous | November 21, 2011 9:41 AM

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Out of Moyer's Hole

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