PORTLAND, Ore. – A single family home in the Woodstock neighborhood has received a demolition permit, to be replaced by two new single family homes.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
The house, located at 5518 SE 56th Ave., was built in 1936. It is 1,866 square feet in size, and sits on 10,000 square feet of property.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
On Nov. 26 the city received an application for demolition of the house. The permit was issued the same day.
In place of the 78-year-old home, the developer plans to build two new houses. The 10,000 square foot property has been divided into two lots, and the developer is planning a new two-story single family home on each. An open public registry permit says that two new 40- by 125-foot lots will be configured.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
Although the property will have two homes built in place of one, the demolition delay did not apply. While it is not entirely clear, it is likely this is because the property was split into two 5,000 square foot lots some time ago. The garage already sits on a different parcel than the house. There are no land use actions splitting the lot on file—the open public registry permit appears to be redrawing the current boundaries, rather than creating the lots.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
While there is no owner listed on the house demolition permit, the new construction permit lists Metro Homes Northwest LLC as the owner of the property. This development firm has recently applied for demolition on a home in the Sellwood neighborhood. The demolition delay period for that property expired on Dec. 12.
The applicant on the Woodstock demolition and new construction is Joshua Patrick of Metro Homes NW LLC, who is the standard applicant on all Metro Homes Northwest LLC developments, and is registered at the same address as Metro Homes Northwest LLC.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
The contractor on the development is Affordable New Homes LLC, the standard contractor on all Metro Homes Northwest LLC developments. Affordable New Homes LLC is registered to Randall Palazzo, who has been embroiled in controversial development practices in the past, and has had a long list of construction companies registered in his name over the years.
Affordable New Homes LLC is also registered at the same address as Metro Homes Northwest LLC and Metro Homes NW LLC, suggesting all three companies share the same management.
Palazzo is affiliated with Vintage New Homes & Renovations LLC.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
City data lists the current owners of the Woodstock property as Lillian and Richard Ellingson, registered at the same address as the house to be demolished, suggesting a very recent sale to Metro Homes Northwest LLC.