A new mural by artist Jeremy Nichols adds an underwater view to the side of Ocean Blue Seafood on SE Division Street. This colorful presentation at 8335 SE Division Street transformed a blank and often tagged wall at the seafood distributor into a vibrant coral reef with aquatic life navigating the blue waters lapping at the top of the building's parapet.

From noon to 5 p.m. on October 12th, businesses on NE Glisan Street, from 70th to 74th Avenues, will host the inaugural "Gored Gourd Gala on Glisan," featuring food, music, and retail specials. Over 15 vendors and four bands will join the collection of events sponsored by the local businesses as they welcome the community for a family-friendly fall event. People will find vendors in pop-up tents on both sides of NE Glisan Street between NE 71st and 72nd avenues, along with other promotions by area shops.

Painters recently covered the former O'Neills Tools & Equipment building at 7131 NE Glisan Street with a fresh coat of white paint as the new owners begin transforming the large corner building into a multi-tenant retail destination serving the community. The formerly barred and gated property now presents board-covered openings, as crews prepare it for storefront glazing, which will accommodate six to eight individual shops and a potential eatery.

On September 17th, demolition crews razed a long-term nuisance structure across NE 82nd Avenue from Leodis V. McDaniel High School, clearing the way for the Bird Alliance of Oregon's future facility. In late 2024, the nonprofit organization purchased a 12.51-acre property on NE 82nd Avenue to restore much of the land to its native habitat with nature trails and park space for public use, while creating a habitat for the birds in their care.

Crews will soon begin work preparing the vacant lot at 8425 NE Hassalo Street for a quartet of new townhouses. The seller will offer the new homes under an affordability program that exempts buyers from paying reassessed property taxes for a decade, cutting their monthly escrow payments. The developer will use the Middle Housing Land Division (MHLD) process to split the parcel into four distinct lots for individual sale.

Starting on Monday, October 6th, drivers using SE 82nd Avenue should anticipate two weeks of traffic disruption between SE Clinton and Brooklyn streets as crews from Raimore Construction continue an August repaving project. The contractor, working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), will close lanes of the busy roadway for repaving from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

On October 1st, Portland's Fire Marshal lifted the citywide burn ban just in time for autumn outdoor recreation. The seasonal prohibition on recreational campfires, fire pits, and burning yard debris began on June 23rd; however, rules still permitted the use of outdoor grills, smokers, and similar cooking appliances. As Halloween approaches, and residents attempt to hold onto outdoor activities, more neighborhood gatherings center around the open flame for warmth and ambiance.

Work is underway to prepare the property at 8413 NE Hassalo Street to support four new townhomes. Demolition specialists recently removed a garage on the large corner lot, clearing the way for the new housing on NE 84th Avenue. The developer will utilize a Middle Housing Land Division (MHLD) process to split the 4,825-square-foot parcel into four distinct lots for individual sale, retaining the 1,768-square-foot 1908-era two-story home on a separate 5,321-square-foot tract.

As renovation crews make significant progress on the 1927-era single-family home at 1006 NE 72nd Avenue, the new owners look to split the underlying lots at its historic demarcation point. The modest house sits approximately two feet from the proposed property line, necessitating an exception that is currently under consideration by Portland Permitting & Development. If approved, the existing home would occupy a 25-foot-wide parcel, leaving a 37-foot by 100-foot property to the north for future sale and development.

At the end of September, the nonprofit JOIN expanded operating hours at its day center through a partnership with the City of Portland. For over a decade, the organization dedicated to transitioning individuals and families experiencing houselessness into stable housing has operated from 1435 NE 81st Avenue, a block behind NE 82nd Avenue near Interstate 84. With the addition of weekday hours and new weekend services starting October 4th, City officials believe this location can meet a critical need in the shelter system, as Mayor Keith Wilson expands efforts to end unsheltered homelessness in Portland.

Essa Bakery opened in August within the former Stop By Bakery & Deli space at 8243 SE Division Street. The new bakery's owner, Essa Abdulsahib, is friends with the previous business owner and learned that the space was available after Stop By Bakery relocated to Beaverton. Abdulsahib is a lifelong baker who brought his father's traditional recipes and techniques from Iraq to his new home in Portland.

In late July, Oregon Metro purchased a 1.46-acre property at the intersection of SE 90th Place and SE 89th Avenue. Crews recently installed a chainlink fence around the sloped lot and cut back the overgrown greenery that dominated this parcel. Over the next two years, Metro's Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) team will collaborate with partner developers to introduce new affordable housing at the site, which will incorporate open neighborhood greenspace.

In January 2024, a fire destroyed Barrio Bar and damaged the surrounding Portland Mercado building at 7238 SE Foster Road. Since then, Portland residents have eagerly awaited the dining destination's restoration and worried as the once vibrant space sat empty. Repair work and improvements began in May, with Summit Reconstruction & Restoration crews continuing to work through the summer thanks to a…

Framing crews have made significant progress on the 40-unit complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. This joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will transform a 1.1-acre property into affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction will continue on The Jade apartments throughout the year, with an anticipated opening date in 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.

Starting on Monday, September 15th, contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will begin creating new sidewalks on the south side of SE Washington Street from 80th Avenue to 82nd Avenue. This predominantly Fixing Our Streets-funded project will construct two blocks of paved sidewalks that have been missing from the streetscape for decades. Work coincides with recent updates to lane configuration on the street…

Last year, Portland Parks & Recreation's (PP&R) Urban Forestry division began planting new street trees throughout Montavilla as part of a program to increase the urban tree canopy. Contractors working for the City placed most of the new trees in the planting strip between the sidewalk and curb. This year, Urban Forestry expanded the tree planning program to incorporate areas with few trees on streets without sidewalks or curbs.

On Sunday, September 14th, SE 79th Avenue will close to traffic from SE Stark Street to SE Pine Street for a family-friendly event series called Play Streets. The national nonprofit Playworks is partnering with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to present a free three-part gathering in the Montavilla neighborhood, running from 10 a.m. to noon. Organizers will create a car-free play zone for kids, families, and neighbors during those two hours, then return on Sunday, September 28th and October 19th to do it all over again.

Q – Who is Montavilla’s Vestal School named after? A – Vestal School is named after John L. Vestal (1852-1925). In 1925, he bequeathed the vast majority of his estate to the Portland public school district. It was the largest donation ever given to the district, according to The American School Board Journal of May 1925. Vestal left assets then valued at $200,000—equivalent to nearly $3,700,000 today and twice the size of Simon Benson’s $100,000 gift to Benson Polytechnic School.

On Monday, September 8th, representatives and planners from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) presented information on a repaving and lane reconfiguration project to the Montavilla Neighborhood Association. At the evening meeting, attendees learned about the planned NE Glisan Pave and Paint Project that will primarily take place in Summer 2026. That work will include repaving NE Glisan Street from NE 82nd to 92nd avenues, sidewalk corner reconstruction for accessibility, stormwater management improvements, and lane reconfiguration to support painted buffered-bike lanes.

Road Crews working on SE 85th Avenue for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will close lanes of travel for motorists in different locations north of SE Powell Boulevard as they install new sidewalks where inconsistent pedestrian infrastructure hampered walking and rolling on the Neighborhood Greenway. Cement masons will also reconstruct many sidewalk corners in the area along the project's path to include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)compliant curb ramps.

Apparel maker and retail store Union Rose will close its Montavilla location at 8029 SE Stark Street in late October after it completes its move to the Plural Collective in Sellwood. Store owner and clothing designer Rita Hudson-Evalt is making this move to reduce operational costs and free up more time for creative work in her craft as well as pursue other diversified work opportunities.

Residents living in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes can now schedule curbside pickup of bulky items from their trash service at a predictable price point. People trying to dispose of something that won't fit in a residential garbage bin have had limited choices, often with a substantial price tag, prompting some to place items on sidewalks with "free" signs to dispose of them.

Crews with the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) recently completed concrete work on sidewalk corner ramps along the west side of NE 87th Avenue from NE Hassalo Street to NE Glisan S…

The Montavilla Jazz Festival kicks off its 2025 performances on August 29th with ticketed events throughout the neighborhood and in various locations around Portland's Eastside. However, the music celebration is not limited to indoor and outdoor music venues. The group worked with Montavilla businesses to create "Village Partner Events" in Montavilla's Historic Downtown and along NE Glisan Street. People can visit those establishments all three weekend nights to take in Jazz without a festival ticket.

On August 25th, crews with Specialized Pavement Marking (SPM) removed lane markings on SE Thorburn, Stark, and Washington Streets as part of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) reconfiguration of the roads for safer bike and pedestrian use. When road stripers repaint the streets, drivers on SE Thorburn and Washington Streets lose a lane of travel in each direction, and cyclists will gain bike lanes with protection in most places from SE Gilham Avenue to SE 92nd Avenue.