Downtown Milwaukie

[urbanlife]

I figured with Milwaukie getting a light rail line, that it is primed for some new development in its downtown.




First some bad news, it looks like Reliable Credit Bank in downtown is looking to tear down a row of storefronts for employee parking on Main St. The good news is that this is developing slowly and the city has been working with the bank in trying to find an alternative to demolishing buildings on Main St for a surface parking lot.

Hopefully something can be worked out, I can see these buildings being torn down eventually, but I always imagined it would be for a bigger building, not a surface lot.

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/...emolition.html


Milwaukie Riverfront Park

Milwaukie is in full construction of Phase 2 of the Riverfront Park, which is the portion of the parking lot and the boat dock. Phase 3 is still in fundraising process due to the city not having the needed $8+ million to complete that portion. Phase 2 should be completed in June 2015.


http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/...ront_park.html


South Downtown Plan



The first stages of this whole redevelopment include rehabbing the Kellogg River and the park surrounding it, obviously the building of the light rail stop which will treat this area as the entrance into Milwaukie for those visiting its downtown by train, and The Adams Street Connector.


Adams Street Connector



This project will begin in April 2015 and be completed by June 2015, bringing with it public scupltures for the city and a parkway connection that will basically connect the light rail stop and SE 21st to Main St.

http://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/engin...reet-connector


Monroe St Greenway Concept Plan



The city is in planning stages of turning Monroe St into a greenway street. This will also address biking in Milwaukie and make Monroe St a planned biking route for residents.

http://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/plann...y-concept-plan




It is getting late but there is some more things I wanted to put on here, so stay tuned. I might get some more up tomorrow or later this week.

[RED_PDXer]

The row of storefronts about to be demolished for a surface parking lot just seems ridiculous. there's so much parking in downtown Milwaukie, it's a joke. What is this? the 1960s?

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

The row of storefronts about to be demolished for a surface parking lot just seems ridiculous. there's so much parking in downtown Milwaukie, it's a joke. What is this? the 1960s?

The bank's reasoning is because eventually the parking lot they use right now that is the city block across from City Hall will eventually be developed. Hopefully something could be worked out with the bank that gets them the parking the need without putting a surface lot on Main St.

[davehogan]

I really hope the bank figures out a way to make this work. Their current parking lot is not very well designed (specifically the entrance/exit on Harrison.) A busy Hwy 99E intersection on one side and a poorly lit one on the other.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by davehogan

I really hope the bank figures out a way to make this work. Their current parking lot is not very well designed (specifically the entrance/exit on Harrison.) A busy Hwy 99E intersection on one side and a poorly lit one on the other.

It is a poor location for that bank in general. I kind of wish they would move the bank to another site so that their site could be redeveloped.

[PDXDENSITY]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

It is a poor location for that bank in general. I kind of wish they would move the bank to another site so that their site could be redeveloped.

Bank branches are increasingly obsolete with online banking and ATMs, anyway... It's a storefront for PR for the bank.

[urbanlife]

Some change of events for Milwaukie, it looks like they will be losing their mayor as he takes a position with the company he works for in Seattle.

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news...ilwaukie-mayor

Jeremy Ferguson announced Thursday evening that is stepping down as Milwaukie mayor after he “was offered a great job opportunity that involves a considerable amount of time out of state.”


That is a shame to hear, it will be interesting to see what Milwaukie does next, especially since it recently added two new women to the City Council and has moved to a more pro-development city council.

[RED_PDXer]

Milwaukie has the opportunity to be the golden child of Clackamas County due to it's great riverfront location, new MAX line, and increasingly progressive city council. I hope they are able to turn things around.

[urbanlife]

If anyone is wondering what a dick looks like, it looks just like this.

http://bikeportland.org/2015/01/21/m...ing-lot-131200

Milwaukie approves proposal to demolish downtown buildings for parking lot

Pamplin notes that a new land use code that would block such demolitions, called “Moving Milwaukie Forward,” is about to take effect. Because Reliable Credit secured the rights to demolish the site before the rule takes effect, it’ll have the option to do so in the future.

SO in other words, they aren't tearing down the building for a parking lot now, but they want to be able to have the option to tear it down in the future and wanted to get the approval before Moving Milwaukie Forward goes into effect.

[urbanlife]

I forgot to post this, it looks like Milwaukie will be losing their mayor to Seattle.

Milwaukie Mayor Jeremy Ferguson to leave office for Seattle job

Jeremy Ferguson, who has served as Milwaukie's mayor for the last six years, announced Friday he is leaving the office to pursue a job in the private sector.

Ferguson is just a few weeks into his second full term as mayor following his reelection in November. He will officially step down on Jan. 20.

Ferguson said he accepted a new job last fall at waste management and recycling company Republic Services in Seattle. Over the past few months, he has tried to juggle both his mayoral duties with his new job, but decided the schedule was not sustainable.

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/...ferguso_5.html

[dubu]

most people in milwaukie walk, its not milcarie

[urbanlife]

Looking to be a mayor of a city for a little bit? Now here's your chance!!

Mayoral resignation causes political stir in Milwaukie

Usually a city’s council president just fills in running meetings when the mayor can’t attend, but when there’s suddenly no mayor, the position takes on an increased level of importance — and becomes a “purely political question,” according to Milwaukie’s city attorney following this week’s resignation by former Mayor Jeremy Ferguson.

“I hate to start out the new year being a waffler,” Batey said, initially declining to be swayed by Power. After a 2-2 vote — with Batey and Gamba voting for Gamba, and Churchill and Power voting for Churchill — Batey said she would do it if it achieved the necessary council president.

“This is crazy, but I’m going to nominate myself…in the interest of perhaps getting us to a majority,” Batey said. “What the heck.”

Milwaukie is accepting applicants for interim mayor through Feb. 11 at 5 p.m. Residents of the city who are registered voters may fill out the applications, available on the city’s website, and be interviewed by City Council at its Feb. 17 meeting. City Council’s pick for mayor will act as interim mayor until the results of the May election are certified.

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news...r-in-milwaukie

[urbanlife]

It looks like Milwaukie will be getting a much needed new bike path on 17th, the City Council apparently had a meeting on it yesterday and they have the funds to build it.

Bike paths, greenway on Milwaukie city council agenda tonight

17th Ave Multi-Use path. This will connect the Trolley Trail to the Springwater Trail, and we have secured the money to build it!

http://bikeportland.org/2015/01/22/b...tonight-131265

And more information about the bike path, http://bikeportland.org/2014/10/14/n...se-17th-112174

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

Looking to be a mayor of a city for a little bit? Now here's your chance!!

No thank you. What a shit show. I've worked with Churchill and Gamba before. I hope to never have to listen to their pompous voices again.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

No thank you. What a shit show. I've worked with Churchill and Gamba before. I hope to never have to listen to their pompous voices again.

Yeah, Milwaukie still has some more spring cleaning it needs to do with its City Council. I wouldn't mind seeing those two getting replaced in the next election cycle.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

It looks like Milwaukie will be getting a much needed new bike path on 17th, the City Council apparently had a meeting on it yesterday and they have the funds to build it.

That's great news. Having walked and driven that section of 17th before it's definitely a good idea to improve that segment. I'm interested how they can handle the intersection at Lynn/Ochoco/17th/Springwater Corridor. That's not going to be an easy fix.

[urbanlife]

A nice little write up about the Wunderland Milwaukie Cinemas.

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2015/04/...xternal,manual

CINEMA 69: From Victory to Wunderland

Three decades before it was unofficially rechristened Cinema 69, the Victory Theater opened in downtown Milwaukie, Oregon on August 18, 1942. This was the third in a chain of suburban cinemas in the Portland area owned and operated by local mogul Harry Moyer Sr.

Located on the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets, it wasn't as grand and opulent as nearby Portland's Bagdad or Broadway (which sometimes hosted gala, star-studded movie premieres). Compared to those immaculate palaces, the Victory was relatively small and humble, though the auditorium itself was one of the last new cinemas in the area to include a balcony. The theater's exterior was rather plain and unremarkable, its most noteworthy feature being the blazing-red neon V at the center of the marquee, proudly lighting up the intersection. A bit more care was given to its interior design…an art-deco architectural style popular during the previous two decades.

This was back when communities surrounding larger cities still maintained their own small-town identity, before urban expansion began erasing boundaries and stuffing the spaces between with as many businesses, schools, apartments, malls and factories as we could squeeze in. Today, nothing separates Portland from its outlining communities…it’s a constant barrage of traffic lights, convenience stores, offices, malls, industrial parks, shopping centers, gas stations, neighborhoods and strip clubs.

[PDXDENSITY]

What's the word on the absurd demo downtown for a bank branch that isn't needed?

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by PDXDENSITY

What's the word on the absurd demo downtown for a bank branch that isn't needed?

So far no word, they were basically filing for the demo permits to get them in before the laws changed that would prevent demo from happening.

[urbanlife]

I thought I should do some downtown Milwaukie, a Portland style coffee shop opened up next to the MAX station in downtown called Rohst that serves some really good coffee.