Great news came in over the weekend. First, that the parking-less building proposed for Overlook has been put on hold. Then we heard about a serious potential legal issue facing a similar low-amenity project at Northeast 30th and Burnside, where the developer created a noncomforming driveway for an adjacent neighbor. That, and the fact that LUBA appeals by two other neighborhoods were allowed to go forward at the state level show the tide is turning against Rammers et al. and their scorched-earth development style.
Meanwhile in Beaumont Wilshire, and on the first business day of the Year of the Snake, the buildings on the Northeast Fremont site are being razed as I write this. The proposed four-story apartment building isn't permitted yet, so there's still a good chance that it, like the controversial Overlook proposal, could get the thumbs-down, at least without some significant modifications.
With this building, traffic-pedestrian-public safety of everyone (including potential tenants) remains one of the biggest issues. On one side of the block where the site sits there are no sidewalks and neighbors' landscaping means pedestrians have to walk in, or cross, the street. On another side of the block live 14 kids. Kitty-corner to the site is an extremely successful new bakery drawing many customers by foot and by car. Intersections are blind, especially with parking at capacity, which is a regular occurrence already. Now, Wallly Remmers thinks it's safe to add 36 additional cars to the mix?
Keep the letters/e-mails/phone calls going to the people making decisions on these projects (contact info at right). The newly reconfigured City Council has signaled that it may not be business as usual for this type of development.
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