PORTLAND, Ore. – A building constructed 128 years ago is being deconstructed on Southeast Belmont Street, with a three-story mixed use development planned in its place.
Photo credit: Scott Tice
Located at 3334 SE Belmont St., the 1889 building was formerly home to Belmont Records and Tara Tibetan Collections. Three years ago the building sold to Get R Done LLC, which lists Valerie Hunter as its registrant, for $659,400.
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As previously reported by the Portland Chronicle, about a year ago the Bureau of Development Services received an early assistance application for development of a three-story mixed use building to replace the existing structure.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
Photo credit: Scott Tice
A permit to demolish the 1889 building was applied for and received Aug. 2. The permit does not indicate whether the building would be deconstructed or not, but work began this month and Lovett Deconstruction is the onsite contractor. Observers report the building is being deconstructed rather than demolished.
In September the city received a building permit application for a new, three-story development. It would include retail on half of the ground floor, and apartments on the other half as well as the upper two floors, according to the permit.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
Photo credit: Scott Tice
A demonstration was held outside the building in June, and an effort to save the building was launched. The effort received news coverage on multiple occasions.
Former mayoral candidate Jules Bailey visited the building last year and discussed it on OPB, although he said he hadn’t seen what was proposed to replace it so he couldn’t comment directly on whether it was positive change or not.
This publication initially posted rendering images of the proposed replacement structure that were publicly available on the architect’s website and Facebook page, but after a request from the architect the images were removed.
Shortly after the plans to demolish the building became public, a 1923 structure directly to the east was removed from the city’s historic resource inventory. Although that doesn’t signal any definite plans — and no development permits have been filed for that site — it does remove an extended delay requirement should the owner apply for a demolition permit in the future.