Tag: TBN site

Construction, Demolition, New Residence June 10, 2023June 13, 2023

TBN Demolition Clears Way for Affordable Housing

This week, demolition crews began deconstructing the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at 432 NE 74th Avenue. Last month, crews removed asbestos and cleared large portions of the asphalt parking lot surrounding the old television studio. Next week, project participants and funders will gather to officially commence construction on the 137 units of affordable housing planned for this site.

Developers split the residences across a pair of four-story buildings. The combined site will contain a wide assortment of apartments, from studio units to four-bedroom homes. The first building under construction is named Beacon at Glisan Landing. The bar-shaped building offers 41 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless, low-income individuals earning at or below 30% Area Median Income (AMI). Catholic Charities of Oregon will own and operate this site with development support from Related Northwest.

As work is underway on the northwest corner of the expansive half-block property, crews will break ground on the second building called Aldea at Glisan Landing. That larger U-shaped building is co-owned by Related Northwest and Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO). This structure will provide 96 apartments, with 41% of units available to people with a 30% AMI.

The Glisan Landing affordable housing development is part of a 2018 voter-approved Metro Housing Bond. Aldea and Beacon represent the sixth and seventh bond-created projects that put the regional housing effort on track to bring over 1,540 affordable homes to Portland, surpassing initial expectations. Ground floor commercial space included in these buildings will offer an onsite cafe with a culinary employment training program run by Stone Soup PDX.

*Rendering of Beacon at Glisan Landing* *courtesy Related Northwest*

These housing developments represent years of planning and community outreach with funding from Oregon Metro, Portland Housing Bureau, and Oregon Housing & Community Services. Over half the units offered in the Aldea building are family sizes with two, three, and four-bedroom homes available. Project planners made significant efforts to include onsite parking for residents, dedicating a large portion of the ground floor to vehicle storage. This design choice and other community-supporting amenities responded to neighbor requests. Construction crews expect to complete work on these buildings by May 2024. Expect temporary sidewalk closures and other building-related disruptions in the project area over the next 12 months.

*Glisan Landing Groundbreaking ceremony June 12th, 2023*

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article served on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association board during the community outreach phase of this project’s development and participated in some of those conversations.

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Construction, New Residence August 31, 2022March 25, 2023

Affordable Housing Site Divides

On August 8th, Oregon Metro filed a Land Use Review application to re-plat the existing lots that currently comprise 432 NE 74th Avenue. This work will reshape the site to create distinct properties for each new low-income building planned for the site. Interested persons have until 5 p.m. on September 12th, 2022, to provide email comments to the Bureau of Development Services planner.

By early 2023, demolition crews will remove the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at the NE Glisan site. Once crews clear the old TV studio, the developer will begin constructing 137 units of affordable housing split between two four-story buildings. The development will contain a wide assortment of apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units. All housing created by this project will serve families and individuals earning 30% or 60% of Area Median Income (AMI).

*Site Map from re-plat application LU 22-128996 RP*

The smaller structure at the northwest corner of the site will offer 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) reserved for Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), seniors, and people experiencing homelessness. This structure will occupy Parcel 1 of the re-platted property and cover most of the 11,016 square foot lot. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants.

Parcel 2 will contain the larger “U” shaped building that provides the remaining 96 units of family-focused housing. Additionally, the 45,469 square feet lot will hold all site parking and courtyard amenities for the development. Management will reserve residences in this building for BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and intergenerational families. Homes will range in floor space from 400 square feet to 1,200 square feet, with rents ranging from $507 to $1,616 per month. Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) will provide resident services at the family housing property.

*Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing project’s site plan*

Although the site will function harmoniously to meet affordable housing goals, each building has a specific focus and management organization that needs autonomy from each other. Separating the site into multiple parcels allows each facility to operate as an individual organization. Parcel 1 will become 7450 NE Glisan, and Parcel 2 will have the address of 451 NE 75th Avenue. Construction of each building could begin independently once this property division is approved. Expect to see this Land Use Review application approved within the next few months, ahead of the anticipated project ground-breaking in early 2023. The City has a website for those interested in following the project’s progress, and public comments will remain open for another twelve days.

Jacob Loeb

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Business Relocating, Community, Construction, Property Sale July 29, 2022March 25, 2023

AYCO Seeks New Home on 82nd

African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO) is in the process of buying the Flex Building located at 2110 SE 82nd Avenue. The youth mentoring organization currently operates out of the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building on NE Glisan Street. Developers will soon transform the TBN site into affordable housing, prompting AYCO’s move to a new facility. However, the group needs to raise $5.5 million to purchase and renovate the new building.

In January 2021, AYCO relocated to 432 NE 74th Ave from SE 122nd Avenue. Although the group knowingly committed to a short-term lease for the property on NE 74th, they hoped to become a partner organization in the supportive housing planned for the site. Unfortunately, Metro did not select the development group they partnered with, making another move inevitable.

This week the developers submitted a type 2 Land Use Review for the first of two buildings planned for the Glisan and 74th housing project. That four-story wood-framed residential building will contain 41 units of permanent supportive housing above a ground floor commercial kitchen, cafe, and retail incubator space. Additional amenities include resident services, laundry rooms, bike parking, and a community room.

With the permitting process underway, securing a new home for AYCO takes on a new sense of urgency. The Flex building on SE 82nd Avenue is several years old but has never found a tenant. Constructed in

2017, the building’s owner anticipated demand for high-end office and commercial space on 82nd Avenue near SE Division Street. Lower demand and the pandemic kept the building vacant except for a short-term popup COVID testing site. Crews only constructed the basic shape of the space, waiting for tenants to dictate the placement of interior walls. This unfinished condition will add to AYCO’s overall costs for the project. “The building is a shell and needs huge construction [and] tenant improvements,” explained AYCO Executive Director Jamal Dar.

The Flex building will cost $3.6 million to purchase. AYCO staff have allocated the remaining $1.9 Million to cover construction and furnishings. Fortunately, they have already received commitments for $1.5 million from supporters. An additional $2.5 million is expected to come from Federal funds and contributions from the City of Portland. Now, AYCO is seeking donors at any level who can help bridge the $1.5 million gap. They must find those funds within six to ten months or incur debt from loans.

The Flex building offers many benefits to the AYCO community, and buying the building will provide the permanent home this group has sought for many years. Dar explained that the building is centrally located near the community his organization serves. He feels its proximity to several schools, shopping, and transit options will be an invaluable benefit to the immigrant and refugee community using this resource center.

At 18,682 square feet, the increased building size means AYCO will continue to offer all existing programs with room to expand. “[The building] will allow us to conduct all of our programs, including establishing early childhood education and many other programs we currently don’t have,” said Dar. Buying the Flex building has the potential to take AYCO to a new level and secure its space in the supportive services community.

People or groups interested in investing in AYCO’s future location on SE 82nd Avenue should visit the group’s website www.aycoworld.org and click this Donate Now button at the top of the page. Jamal Dar and his staff are available to talk to groups interested in large sponsorship opportunities.

Jacob Loeb

Community, Construction, New Residence March 31, 2022March 25, 2023

Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing Meeting

We All Rise and Related Northwest invite residents and business owners to a public meeting regarding the Glisan and 74th Affordable Housing project. The in-person and online event will take place on April 14th at 6:30 PM. The developer hopes to attain a building permit by the end of 2022, with construction beginning soon after. The City has a website for those interested in following the project’s progress, and the developer produced a one-page fact sheet that includes information about the upcoming meeting. This public forum is the best opportunity for the community to ask questions and voice opinions about this development.

By early 2023, demolition crews will remove the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) building at 432 NE 74th Ave. Before that time, the current short-term tenants, African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO) and Portland Indigenous Marketplace, must relocate into new facilities. Once crews clear the site, the developer will begin constructing 137 units of affordable housing split between two four-story buildings.

Housing at the site will serve families and individuals earning 30% and 60% of Area Median Income (AMI). The site will contain a wide assortment of apartments ranging from studio to four-bedroom units. The smaller structure at the northwest corner of the site offers 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing reserved for the formerly homeless or people at risk of homelessness. The large “U” shaped building will contain the remaining 96 units intended to serve families. Homes will range in floorspace from 400 square feet to 1,200 square feet, with rents ranging from $507 to $1,616 per month.

Affordable housing is just one part of the support system built into this project. Wrap-around services delivered by Catholic Charities and culturally specific family services through Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) place residents on a path to financial stability and success. Ground floor commercial space on NE Glisan Street will offer a Café with Commercial Kitchen, offering residents culinary and barista training opportunities. Other storefronts in the building support small business incubator spaces.

The development will provide several community-facing amenities intended to blend the complex into the neighborhood. Developers plan for a Community Garden at the south end of the site, acting as a buffer between the new tall building and the block’s existing single-family homes. The courtyard spaces will include a playground, outdoor grill, picnic seating areas, and a walking path running throughout the property. Onsite parking for residents is included on the main level with access from NE 75th and 74th Avenues, alleviating pressures on local street parking.

Highland Christian Center will host the April public meeting in their Fellowship Hall located at 7600 NE Glisan Street. People planning on attending in person or remotely are encouraged to review the fact sheet before the event. Look for project designs to finalize later this year, with significant construction beginning in 2023.

Jacob Loeb

Community, Construction, New Residence October 15, 2021

Developer Selected for NE Glisan Affordable Housing Project

This week, Portland Housing Bureau staff selected the development team for a low-income housing project at NE 74th Ave and Glisan Street. The winning proposal will transform the 1.65-acre property at 432 NE 74th Ave into a pair of multistory apartment buildings. Despite the current tenant’s efforts to secure a place in the new development, City staff did not select a proposal that included that group.

On October 12th, Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) released a progress update for nine Housing Bond funded projects. In 2018 voters approved a 652.8 million affordable housing bond to address the housing crises in the Portland Metro area. The Glisan Street project will receive $19.9 million of that funding, representing one-third of the overall project cost. The housing complex will consist of two buildings, one with 41 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and the other providing 96 units of family housing.

Three experienced low-income housing groups are joining forces to sponsor this development. Related Northwest is the primary sponsor for the project, while the two other groups will provide assistance for residents when construction completes. Catholic Charities will provide case management and services to PSH tenants. Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) will provide resident services at the family housing property.

The PHB project website provides new details regarding attributes planned for the development. Amenities at NE 74th and Glisan include a community room with kitchen, laundry room, playground, picnic area, community garden, bike parking, onsite parking, and a multicultural preschool. The project team is also partnering with Mercy Corps NW to promote small business classes and offer two retail incubator spaces and a café in the ground-floor commercial space. Now that this proposal is secured, project designers will craft the final plans for the site ahead of the building permit submittal.

African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO) currently leases space in the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) studio now owned by Metro. The nonprofit serves East African immigrant and refugee youth. Within a few years, crews will demolish the facility to make way for the 137 new affordable homes coming to this site. AYCO Executive Director Jamal Dar lead an effort to stay at this location, working with REACH Community Development, Sera Architects, Colas Construction, Community Vision, and El Programa Hispano on an alternate plan for the site. In a statement from AYCO, the organizations expressed disappointment in the decision and say they are facing displacement from the community it serves.

In a prepared statement regarding AYCO, Metro representatives expressed appreciation for the early partnership between the two organizations. “They have been a wonderful partner in our early phase community engagement for the new affordable housing to be built on this site, helping us to reach and engage with immigrants, people of color, people with low incomes, and people with limited English proficiency.” However, that early cooperative work and preexisting lease did not guarantee that the AYCO would secure a space in the new project. “Metro has been clear with AYCO, throughout the process of temporary leasing and community engagement, that the project/developer selection process would be a competitive one. We understand they have hoped and worked hard toward being able to build their Dream Center as part of the development of this site. Unfortunately, the proposal they were a part of was not selected.”

The Portland Housing Bureau received five proposals, each comprised of different developers and community support organizations. Jamal Dar and his team have over a year to secure a new home for the nonprofit. Ideally, they will find space in the area, near the community they have served for years. Metro looks forward to possible collaborations with AYCO in the future and will celebrate with them once their Dream Center comes to fruition.

The subsequent phases of development at the site will center around creating construction plans and securing building permits. Until demolition begins, AYCO will continue to operate out of the old broadcast facility. Changes at the site are over a year away, but the affordable housing these new apartments will provide could not arrive soon enough. Keep an eye on the PHB website for updates on the project and expect the site to house residents by the Summer of 2024.

Community, Construction, New Residence February 17, 2021March 17, 2021

Affordable Housing Survey

This week Metro published a survey seeking input on the affordable housing planned for NE 74th Ave and NE Glisan Street. The development will create up to 150 new apartments for people with 30-60% area median income. The survey is part of early engagement focused on supporting future tenant’s wellbeing and neighborhood benefit.

This project’s design phase is months away and scheduled for after developer selection occurs. For the purposes of this survey, participants need to imagine the development in its general form. The development is a multilevel apartment complex containing 120 to 150 units and on-site parking. Residences offer a mix of floor-plans supporting one or two adults and some larger households.

The questions in this survey do not relate to any design aspects of the site. Instead, it focuses on four primary areas of early project planning. Each section of the survey looks at draft value statements related to outdoor spaces, ground floor uses, services and programming, and future engagement to be done by the developer. Metro staff will work with the stakeholder group to create a clear vision statement based on this survey’s results. The developer awarded the project will have responded to the final value statement as part of their larger proposal.

Metro is looking to hear from specific groups in the survey process. Primarily they would like responses from people with similar experiences to those who will live in this new building, including people who have been houseless or lived in low-income housing. Black, Indigenous, and other people of color from around Portland are encouraged to participate in the process. Additionally, neighbors who live, work, or own a business near the site can submit responses.

This building will supply a substantial number of homes to low-income residents. However, Metro would like it to become an asset to the neighborhood. If you are the type of participant Metro is seeking for this survey, they ask that you complete the online form by March 1st, 2021. Metro’s affordable housing website will publish results a few weeks after the survey closes.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M9FS3ZW

Community, Construction, Demolition, New Residence January 22, 2021

Metro Seeks Input on TBN Development

Two years from now, Montavilla will gain 120 to 150 new households on NE Glisan Street. In a partnership between Metro and the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB), the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) site will transform into affordable housing. With the project in an early planning phase, opportunities for community input will become available next month.

A development of this scale requires years of negotiation and planning before construction can begin. Senior Communications Specialist with Metro, Constantino Khalaf, estimates it will take at least 24 months before Metro demolishes the current structure at 432 NE 74th Ave. “It will take some time for Metro and PHB to identify the right developer and nail down the details of the project, and the actual demolition and redevelopment won’t take place for another couple of years.”

Although construction is years away, community input occurs at this early phase of development. Khalaf indicated Metro would start their community engagement sometime next month. “There will be a survey going out in February to gather neighbor feedback on the values the community thinks we should embrace as we develop this housing.” Survey results will guild PHB and Metro in selecting a developer for this project that will incorporate the neighborhood’s guidance.

When completed, housing build on this property will prioritize “very” low-income tenants and substantially boost residential capacity in the area. Additional features of the development could add limited commercial space to the project, further strengthening NE Glisan’s growth as a retail and dining destination. Residents near this site are encouraged to participate in the survey and express their insights regarding this transformative development.

Residents wishing to receive the survey can sign up for project notifications at this link. https://forms.gle/63bfsp4WnQNVVny99

Event, New Business January 20, 2021February 5, 2021

AYCO Opens Center at TBN site

African Youth & Community Organization (AYCO) recently relocated to Montavilla on NE Glisan. Located at 432 NE 74th Ave, the group offers support services and youth mentoring for the African immigrant and refugee community. The expanded space obtained through this move allows their programs to grow, even while social distancing during COVID-19 restrictions.

Executive Director Jamal Dar founded AYCO in 2009 with an emphasis on athletics and mentoring. Over its first decade, the organization expanded its offerings to include health and education services. Added support for families continued the programs’ growth trajectory, supporting parents and people caring for special needs children.

AYCO seeks to strengthen a sense of cultural identity within the immigrant community while facilitating integration. Like the community they support, many of the team at AYCO immigrated from East Africa. Staff leverage that personal experience to guide newly arriving families adapting to this country. Their youth programs develop academic and team-building skills in a culturally familiar environment. Health services provide assistance navigating healthcare and disability resources, understanding the language and culture of those seeking support.

In 2015 AYCO opened its first location at 1390 SE 122nd Ave. That space allowed the organization to expand the services offered substantially. However, with increased community need, that location became too small. The building on NE Glisan offers the room need to grow the organization further. The new Center’s increased footprint will feature a gym to help the children embrace athletics beyond soccer and basketball. The new location also allows for a clinic to support children of all ages and abilities.

AYCO leased part of the single-story building from Metro, which acquired the site from Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The previous owners used the building as a TV studio and broadcasting facility before selling the property in late 2019. Metro plans to develop the site two years from now and sought short term tenants. “The building where AYCO is leasing space will eventually be demolished, and the new housing that will be built in its place will prioritize families and households with very low incomes.” Said Constantino Khalaf, Senior Communications Specialist with Metro.

Metro happily made space in the building available for AYCO, reducing the rent to support the group’s efforts. “We’re excited that such a great, community-serving organization can use the space during these early stages rather than let it sit vacant.” Explained Khalaf.

Regardless of the short-term lease on the space, Dar looks forward to the site’s pending development. He intends to become a tenant within the new development’s commercial area when completed. NE Glisan Street is close to the community AYCO servers, and Dar feels it will be an ideal home for his organization.

When the pandemic’s risk has subsided, Dar hopes to interact with the Montavilla community more. Until then, his organization plans to continue to their outward community engagement through support for the hungry and unsheltered. Look for the location to become more lively with youth activities over the coming months, and visit the AYCO website if you want to know more about the organization.

Property Lease August 19, 2020January 20, 2021

Metro Leasing TBN Site

Portland Metro has placed the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) location up for short term lease. While Metro develops a plan to convert the site into affordable housing, they hope to generate some revenue out of the property. This listing also confirms the timeline for Metro’s proposed transformation of the property.

Listed by Colliers International, the Glisan Street property is available for one or two-year terms. The flyer for the site states that it’s “ideal uses would include schools, theater, camp, short term office requirements, nonprofit uses.”

At a lease rate of $1.00/mo/foot, this is an affordable location for a short term project. Montavilla has a good number of available storefronts, but few with this much parking. It will be a challenging listing, requiring a specific type of renter with short term goals. With some luck, they will find someone to make this space lively until it’s redevelopment.

For decades this property at 432 NE 74th Ave was closed to the public, its large parking lot sitting empty and gated off. The listing flyer offers a rare glimpse inside the building. If nothing else happens to this building before its demolition, at least the listing ends the mystery surrounding its inner workings.

Leasing Contact and additional information

Scott MacLean
503 223-3123 or scott.maclean@colliers.com

432 NE 74th-Lease2020 Download

Construction, New Residence July 27, 2020January 20, 2021

Glisan Affordable Housing Breaks Ground in 2022

Late last year, Metro purchased the former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) property at 432 NE 74th Ave. Metro now intends to develop the site for affordable housing. Full utilization of this site could create one of the most significant housing developments in Montavilla.

“Metro purchased the property through the Transit-Oriented Development program with the intention to build affordable housing in partnership with Portland Housing Bureau and using Metro Housing Bond funds.” Explained Patrick McLaughlin, Senior Development Project Manager for Housing & Transit-Oriented Development at Metro.

Metro’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) program seeks to build more places where people can live and work near transit. Often they accomplish that through partnerships with the private sector. One of those projects, Orchards at 82nd, brought 47 residential units to SE Division. McLaughlin sees similarities between that project and the TBN site, noting similarities in the developer selection process.

High-level planning for this project will start soon and continue into 2021. During that time, stakeholders will settle on goals for the development. Then Metro will select a developer through a competitive process. Already potential builders have inquired about the property, according to McLaughlin. “Developers have expressed a lot of interest in the site, but we haven’t had any detailed conversations with them about proposals since that will come later in the process.”

Portland has an urgent need for affordable housing, and the pandemic will only make that need greater. McLaughlin offered a best guess at a construction start date for this project. “Right now, I’d suggest construction would start in 2022. However, COVID-19 is making it a little tricky to be certain.” As with other affordable housing coming to NE Glisan, this project is years away from completion. However, if this project can be delivered in three years, it will be arrive when it will be appreciated the most.

Development along NE Glisan has increased over the last year. The transformation of the TBN site could become the most substantial change to the area and set a tone for future growth. This project has the potentail to improve housing and the vitality of NE Glisan as a main street of Montavilla.