NE Broadway-Area News
May 201129th Annual Irvington Home Tour Coming Up!
It’s time to get your tickets for the always-popular Irvington Home Tour, which is Sunday May 15th from 11am – 5pm. This year the Tour features 7 historic homes and a lecture - Craftsman Style and the Great Boom: Building Portland's Great Arts & Crafts Neighborhoods by neighborhood historian Jim Heuer. The Home Tour is the sole source of revenue for the ICA, which uses the funds exclusively to support local charities and neighborhood projects.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.irvingtonhometour.com, Broadway Books, 1714 NE Broadway, Caffe Destino, 1339 NE Fremont, and at the Architectural Heritage Center, 701 SE Grand. Advance ticket purchase is strongly encouraged since day-of availability can be limited.
Portland Streetcar Construction Update
Most of the track has been installed along NE Weidler and back down NE Broadway, while construction continues down 7th and along NE Martin Luther King Blvd. and NE Grand Ave. Signal, sidewalk improvements and paving work will still be occurring throughout the area. Work also continues on the Broadway Bridge as well, which has one lane in each direction, with bicycle and pedestrian access. Check www.portlandstreetcar.org for construction updates.
Businesses Coming and Going
Qdoba Mexican Grill and Bellagios Pizza are both up and running at the old BJ’s Pizza and Brewery spot between NE Broadway and Weidler at 8th across from the Lloyd Athletic Club.
Vince’s Union 76 at 33d and NE Broadway is closed for a makeover, with plans to add several other businesses to the location while keeping the gas station.
TJ’s Mexican Bar & Grill in the old Chez Jose location at 22nd and NE Broadway has closed.
Hangar Orthotics next to Postal Annex at 17th and NE Broadway has moved to NW Lovejoy.
February 1, 2011
Businesses Coming and Going
Kettleman Bagel Company plans to have their new 22nd and NE Broadway location open by early February and workers have been feverishly working away inside. They will offer an all day menu featuring an assortment of bagels, schmears, hot and cold sandwiches, beverages and more.
Beer bar/bottle shop The Hop Haven at 2130 NE Broadway is pouring a selection of craft beers on tap, as well as offering a selection to go. Known as Beervana for a short period, the location was formerly Julia’s Café. Besides the range of local, national and international craft brews, there’s a small menu of food to accompany it (pannini, pizza, savory pies, etc.), a Hoppy Hour Mon-Fri from 4-8pm, and flat-screen TVs to watch your favorite games.
There’s finally a new tenant in the old Terry’s Pharmacy spot next to Plaid Pantry at 16th. Nashwa Children’s Shoes & Accessories features shoes and items such as backpacks, umbrellas and sunglasses, socks and more for kids from infants to about size 6. They expect to be open by early February.
Nathan Newell’s shoe switcheroo is complete. The new Cordani shop at 1425 NE Broadway is open. Cordani is an Italian line of finely-crafted, comfort-oriented shoes featuring a full range of styles from retro platforms, clogs to boots with arch supports and plush insoles. This is Cordani’s first flagship store in the U.S. Meanwhile, Halo Shoes is open at their new space in the Pearl District at 938 NW Everett Street between 9th and 10th in the historic Otis Elevator Building next to Bella Casa. The larger space offers more shoe selection and a much larger stock of accessories.
Costello’s Travel Caffé has expanded their breakfast, lunch and happy hour food and beverage offerings, but has cut dinner and evening events. New hours are Mon-Fri 7am-5:30pm and Sat/Sun 8am-4pm. They will continue to feature a selection of ever-popular international soccer matches each week, but movies, live music and language conversation has been discontinued for now.
Jewelry and clothing store Emily Jane moved in January from the spot between Sugar Labs and Pastini Pastaria near 15th. Jane says she hopes to relocate or possibly work from her house.
The Mountain Shop is moving in March to the Hollywood district after many decades at its corner of 7th and NE Broadway. Owner Dave Pietka told The Oregonian that he’s moving the business to the old 7UP building with the giant Budweiser sign on the roof at the corner of 37th Ave and Sandy Blvd. - which he is an owner of.
Portland Streetcar Construction Moving Along & Up Weidler
They’re laying track from the Coliseum to NE 7th over the next three months, so Weidler will be reduced to two narrow lanes. Work continues on the Broadway Bridge, which has one lane in each direction, plus bicycle and pedestrian access. Large trucks, buses and RVs must still detour to the Steel bridge. The Lovejoy ramp into the Pearl District is open, and there have been street layout changes in that part of the Pearl as well. Construction continues south of I-84 on MLK and Grand, as well. Check www.portlandstreetcar.org for construction updates.
Irvington Historic District Debuts
The Irvington Historic District has officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Irvington Community Association historic district committee utilized a professional historian and more than 50 volunteers to research each building within the district, which runs from Northeast Broadway to Fremont Street between Seventh and 27th avenues. With slightly more than 2,800 properties - mostly single-family homes - in its 583 acres, the new historic district represents a comprehensive collection of Late 19th/Early 20th Century American Movement and Period Revival residential architecture. Irvington joins Ladd's Addition, Kings Hill, Lair Hill and the Alphabet District in Northwest Portland as historic districts with strong residential components.
October 11, 2010
Businesses Coming and Going
It’s not new per se, but McMenamins on Broadway had a Grand Re-Opening Sept. 17 to unveil a major remodel and new menu that have radically improved the comfy “old” spot. The renovation includes 1100 square feet of additional seating with beautiful woodworking and new booths, a second-floor heated outdoor patio, new sliding windows, and oversized plants and trees that fill the atrium. The expanded bar and cocktail offerings include hand-tossed pizzas for eating in or taking out, Asian and African-influenced salads and entrees, plus much more (thankfully the kitchen was nearly doubled in size). The drink menu has added expanded whiskey offerings and a selection of loose leaf teas from Portland’s Tao of Tea. The pub is all-ages until 10pm, so it’s family-friendly. The popular Happy Hours are still the same (3–6 p.m. and 10 p.m.–close) and there’s always pool tables for recreational opportunities.
Seen a lot of unicycles cruising around Broadway recently? Thank Ben Schoenberg and Yvette Beaumont at Serious Juggling, which moved to 2635 NE Broadway next to Cha Cha Cha from the Hollywood district. Besides hooking up all the mono-wheeled local commuters, kids and entertainers for over ten years now, their storefront is filled with boxes of juggling equipment that is mailed out all over the country (and world). They’re happy to help curious beginners as well as seasoned pros, so don’t hesitate to stop by.
Big changes for NE Broadway stalwart Halo Shoes. The Irvington store is moving to 938 NW Everett St in the Pearl District, where a larger space will allow for more shoe selection and a much larger stock of accessories. They were aiming for a mid-October opening at the new location. Meanwhile, owner Nathan Newell will be opening a new shop about the same time named Cordani in the old shop's 1425 NE Broadway location. The store will be completely devoted to the Cordani collection - a line of well-made and comfortable shoes Halo has carried opening. The collection has three price ranges, ranging from more casual and everyday shoes to some that are a bit more trend-oriented.
Expanding local chain Kettleman Bagel Copmany will be opening a Northeast outpost at 22nd and NE Broadway in late November or early December if all goes according to plan. There will be the usual assortment of bagels, schmears, sandwiches, and more. Guess that means we’ll need to find a way to burn even more calories…
Dawn and Tom Rennie sold their popular children’s resale shop Kids Edge at 22nd and NE Broadway several months back to focus on their automotive detailing business, Autobella, on MLK just up from Broadway. Kids Edge has been moved to Tigard under new ownership.
Jay’s Mexican Bar & Grill has taken over the Chez Jose East spot at 2200 NE Broadway, featuring new ownership, a revised menu, and many of the same faces. This makes the big block between 22nd and 24th a powerhouse food and drink destination, with Rose & Thistle Pub, Meiji-En, Costello’s Travel Cafe, Jay’s Mexican and Kettleman offering a medley of flavors to pick from.
Among Portland’s many nicknames is Beervana, and NE Broadway will soon have a beer bar and bottle shop by that same moniker at 2130 NE Broadway where Julia’s Cafe recently closed. Proprietor Jeff Ramsden says his establishment will offer a range of local, national and international craft brews, as well as a selection of food to accompany it.
Changes are afoot at Swift Lounge, 1932 NE Broadway (the old Colosso space). There’s a new menu with lots of very tasty nibbles, salads, sandwiches and entrees (almost all less than $10) but still many of the old favorites; creative and seasonal-focused mason jar drinks; an interesting range of live music, jam nights, and DJs; plus an expanded happy hour that runs until 8pm. The best news though is that they’re still serving drinks and food until 2am, so there will be someone living it up while the rest of us are sleeping.
After many years in the area, Goodnight Room has closed their Irvington location at 1517 NE Broadway and consolidated all their wares at the Bridgeport Village store.
There’s finally a new tenant in the old Marsee Baking space at 10th and NE Broadway. America’s Mattress has opened up a showroom at the corner spot. Looks like lower NE Broadway is the hotspot for bed-hunting, with Cotton Cloud Futons & Furniture, Sleep Country and the new store all within a short distance.
Rose’s Deli and Bakery closed the Lloyd Center location between the Newport Seafood Grill and Bank of America for renovation during the summer and it never reopened…
But you can get your sandwich fix across the street at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches. The chain opened up at the former Quizno’s location across the street from Safeway at 13th and NE Broadway.
Frank’s Noodle House has taken over the Eagle Thai spot at 822 NE Broadway. Owner Frank Fong and family are making the Northeastern Chinese-style handmade noodles and dumplings that caused many a dedicated foodie to drive over to his former Du Kuh Bee restaurant in Beaverton. There are traditional Chinese favorites and some Korean touches mixed in to keep it interesting.
Portland Streetcar Loop is On Track
Most of the NE Broadway-area construction is finished for now, with some utility work being done on NE 7th below Weidler and around I-5. Work continues on the Broadway Bridge, which is open with 1-lane in each direction, plus bicycle and pedestrian access. There is a 12-foot height limit, so large trucks, buses and RVs should detour. The Lovejoy ramp into the Pearl District is closed to westbound traffic. Major construction is occurring south of I-84 on MLK and Grand, as well as in the Pearl District. Check www.portlandstreetcar.org for weekly construction updates.
The Portland Streetcar Loop Project is a 3.3-mile extension of the existing Portland Streetcar which will extend tracks from the Pearl District, across the Broadway Bridge, connecting via Weidler Street to Lloyd Center at NE 7th Avenue, south on MLK Blvd. to OMSI and return north on Grand Avenue to Broadway and the Pearl District. The Loop Project will provide 28 new streetcar stop locations. Substantial completion is projected for the end of 2011 and full Loop usage will commence in late 2012.
Irvington Historic District Nomination Moves Forward
The nomination of the Irvington Historic District is moving closer to submission to the National Register of Historic Places. The application on behalf of the Irvington Community Association was forwarded by the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places at the National Park Service on Sept. 2nd for final consideration. A final decision is expected in late October, so it is possible that the district will be placed on the National Register before 2011. Full information can be found at www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/nrhp_irvington_historicdistrict.shtml.
The nomination form notes that the proposed historic district is generally bounded on the north by NE Fremont Street, south by NE Broadway Street, west by NE 7th Avenue, and on the east by NE 27th Avenue. It encompasses 583 acres and includes about 2,800 buildings, representing a comprehensive collection of Late 19th/Early 20th Century American Movement and Period Revival residential architecture. Irvington is recognized as an early suburban neighborhood, built along streetcar routes, that has maintained its suburban setting which is exemplified by tree-lined streets, uniform setbacks, and a similarity of scale and design in the housing stock.
Businesses Coming and Going
It’s not new per se, but McMenamins on Broadway had a Grand Re-Opening Sept. 17 to unveil a major remodel and new menu that have radically improved the comfy “old” spot. The renovation includes 1100 square feet of additional seating with beautiful woodworking and new booths, a second-floor heated outdoor patio, new sliding windows, and oversized plants and trees that fill the atrium. The expanded bar and cocktail offerings include hand-tossed pizzas for eating in or taking out, Asian and African-influenced salads and entrees, plus much more (thankfully the kitchen was nearly doubled in size). The drink menu has added expanded whiskey offerings and a selection of loose leaf teas from Portland’s Tao of Tea. The pub is all-ages until 10pm, so it’s family-friendly. The popular Happy Hours are still the same (3–6 p.m. and 10 p.m.–close) and there’s always pool tables for recreational opportunities.
Seen a lot of unicycles cruising around Broadway recently? Thank Ben Schoenberg and Yvette Beaumont at Serious Juggling, which moved to 2635 NE Broadway next to Cha Cha Cha from the Hollywood district. Besides hooking up all the mono-wheeled local commuters, kids and entertainers for over ten years now, their storefront is filled with boxes of juggling equipment that is mailed out all over the country (and world). They’re happy to help curious beginners as well as seasoned pros, so don’t hesitate to stop by.
Big changes for NE Broadway stalwart Halo Shoes. The Irvington store is moving to 938 NW Everett St in the Pearl District, where a larger space will allow for more shoe selection and a much larger stock of accessories. They were aiming for a mid-October opening at the new location. Meanwhile, owner Nathan Newell will be opening a new shop about the same time named Cordani in the old shop's 1425 NE Broadway location. The store will be completely devoted to the Cordani collection - a line of well-made and comfortable shoes Halo has carried opening. The collection has three price ranges, ranging from more casual and everyday shoes to some that are a bit more trend-oriented.
Expanding local chain Kettleman Bagel Copmany will be opening a Northeast outpost at 22nd and NE Broadway in late November or early December if all goes according to plan. There will be the usual assortment of bagels, schmears, sandwiches, and more. Guess that means we’ll need to find a way to burn even more calories…
Dawn and Tom Rennie sold their popular children’s resale shop Kids Edge at 22nd and NE Broadway several months back to focus on their automotive detailing business, Autobella, on MLK just up from Broadway. Kids Edge has been moved to Tigard under new ownership.
Jay’s Mexican Bar & Grill has taken over the Chez Jose East spot at 2200 NE Broadway, featuring new ownership, a revised menu, and many of the same faces. This makes the big block between 22nd and 24th a powerhouse food and drink destination, with Rose & Thistle Pub, Meiji-En, Costello’s Travel Cafe, Jay’s Mexican and Kettleman offering a medley of flavors to pick from.
Among Portland’s many nicknames is Beervana, and NE Broadway will soon have a beer bar and bottle shop by that same moniker at 2130 NE Broadway where Julia’s Cafe recently closed. Proprietor Jeff Ramsden says his establishment will offer a range of local, national and international craft brews, as well as a selection of food to accompany it.
Changes are afoot at Swift Lounge, 1932 NE Broadway (the old Colosso space). There’s a new menu with lots of very tasty nibbles, salads, sandwiches and entrees (almost all less than $10) but still many of the old favorites; creative and seasonal-focused mason jar drinks; an interesting range of live music, jam nights, and DJs; plus an expanded happy hour that runs until 8pm. The best news though is that they’re still serving drinks and food until 2am, so there will be someone living it up while the rest of us are sleeping.
After many years in the area, Goodnight Room has closed their Irvington location at 1517 NE Broadway and consolidated all their wares at the Bridgeport Village store.
There’s finally a new tenant in the old Marsee Baking space at 10th and NE Broadway. America’s Mattress has opened up a showroom at the corner spot. Looks like lower NE Broadway is the hotspot for bed-hunting, with Cotton Cloud Futons & Furniture, Sleep Country and the new store all within a short distance.
Rose’s Deli and Bakery closed the Lloyd Center location between the Newport Seafood Grill and Bank of America for renovation during the summer and it never reopened…
But you can get your sandwich fix across the street at Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches. The chain opened up at the former Quizno’s location across the street from Safeway at 13th and NE Broadway.
Frank’s Noodle House has taken over the Eagle Thai spot at 822 NE Broadway. Owner Frank Fong and family are making the Northeastern Chinese-style handmade noodles and dumplings that caused many a dedicated foodie to drive over to his former Du Kuh Bee restaurant in Beaverton. There are traditional Chinese favorites and some Korean touches mixed in to keep it interesting.
Portland Streetcar Loop is On Track
Most of the NE Broadway-area construction is finished for now, with some utility work being done on NE 7th below Weidler and around I-5. Work continues on the Broadway Bridge, which is open with 1-lane in each direction, plus bicycle and pedestrian access. There is a 12-foot height limit, so large trucks, buses and RVs should detour. The Lovejoy ramp into the Pearl District is closed to westbound traffic. Major construction is occurring south of I-84 on MLK and Grand, as well as in the Pearl District. Check www.portlandstreetcar.org for weekly construction updates.
The Portland Streetcar Loop Project is a 3.3-mile extension of the existing Portland Streetcar which will extend tracks from the Pearl District, across the Broadway Bridge, connecting via Weidler Street to Lloyd Center at NE 7th Avenue, south on MLK Blvd. to OMSI and return north on Grand Avenue to Broadway and the Pearl District. The Loop Project will provide 28 new streetcar stop locations. Substantial completion is projected for the end of 2011 and full Loop usage will commence in late 2012.
Irvington Historic District Nomination Moves Forward
The nomination of the Irvington Historic District is moving closer to submission to the National Register of Historic Places. The application on behalf of the Irvington Community Association was forwarded by the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office to the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places at the National Park Service on Sept. 2nd for final consideration. A final decision is expected in late October, so it is possible that the district will be placed on the National Register before 2011. Full information can be found at www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/NATREG/nrhp_irvington_historicdistrict.shtml.
The nomination form notes that the proposed historic district is generally bounded on the north by NE Fremont Street, south by NE Broadway Street, west by NE 7th Avenue, and on the east by NE 27th Avenue. It encompasses 583 acres and includes about 2,800 buildings, representing a comprehensive collection of Late 19th/Early 20th Century American Movement and Period Revival residential architecture. Irvington is recognized as an early suburban neighborhood, built along streetcar routes, that has maintained its suburban setting which is exemplified by tree-lined streets, uniform setbacks, and a similarity of scale and design in the housing stock.