PORTLAND, Ore. – Brush clearing is underway at the corner of Southeast 44th Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard, signalling the first visible step toward demolition and redevelopment of the property.
Update: The tree cut is in progress. The police presence is gone as of 10:30 a.m.
Photo credit: Submitted Photo
Photo credit: Submitted Photo
On Friday morning a work truck had backed onto the vacant lot that holds a billboard as well as three large sequoia trees. The Portland Chronicle has predicted these trees would need to be cut down to make way for the planned development. Renderings by In Situ Architecture do not show the trees as part of the new development.
Neighbors reported there is a police presence at the site of the brush clearing activity.
Both the 1909 house at 1515 SE 44th Ave. and the 1921 house at 4334 SE Hawthorne Blvd. have been issued demolition permits. The property is owned by The Truman LLC, which is registered to Don Mutal. The contractor on the demolition permits is Path Construction, also registered to Mutal.