Rockwood

Burnside construction, Rockwood (Click to enlarge)

Rockwood in Motion: 188th MAX Station work begins Expect congestion and delays along Burnside until next Spring

When: Now thru March 2011
Where: E Burnside (Between 185th - SE Stark)
Gresham, OR
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Westbound

Beginning Monday, June 21, work on the Rockwood/E 188th MAX Station improvements will begin to impact westbound traffic on E Burnside Street between SE 185th Avenue and SE Stark Street. Traffic will be reduced to one through lane in this area until the new station opens in early 2011.

Eastbound

Eastbound Burnside Street will be limited to one through lane in the same area until the new light rail platforms open in March 2011. Temporary MAX station platform construction will begin JUne 21st for riders at the Rockwood station while work proceeds on the new platforms for the rebuilt station.

MAX Remains on Schedule

The MAX will continue to operate on schedule with no service interruptions anticipated. Several changes to pedestrian crossings are in effect during construction. Please observe all detours and other signs and signals near the site for safety. This includes not crossing Burnside Street where crosswalks have been closed or entering the posted construction area.

New MAX Station, 188th & Burnside Click to enlarge

Defining Rockwood's Town Center Change is on the horizon!

Let the projects begin!

Look for big changes starting this summer, as the Gresham Redevelopment Commission begins transforming the face of Central Rockwood with a distinctive urban design.

"Rockwood in Motion" projects will benefit residents and businesses alike by providing a fresh new look for the area, improving safety and access to MAX, and jump-starting investment in the Rockwood Triangle. All while reinforcing the message that Rockwood is a special part of Gresham.

Expect Traffic Delays

Infrastructure improvement projects have already started in some Central Rockwood areas with all projects expected to be underway by June 1.

Click here for Construction Updates.

Burnside widening New Rockwood MAX stations 188th/187th Avenue Realignment SE Stark Boulevard Phase II Former Fred Meyer Site (See project details below)

Construction Map. Click to enlarge

Urban Renewal Project Funding Small Business Incentive Program

When: Tuesday, May 4, 2010 6:00PM
Where: Council Chambers
Gresham Civic Center
Public Safety & Schools Building
1333 NW Eastman Parkway
Gresham, OR
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Special Meeting

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, May 4, 2010. The special meeting will convene immediately following adjournment of the 6:00 p.m. Gresham City Council meeting in the Council Chambers, Gresham Civic Center, Public Safety & Schools Building, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham, OR. No Executive Session is scheduled at this time.

The purpose of the special meeting is for the Commission to consider two resolutions:

1. Resolution authorizing execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Gresham for Urban Renewal Project Funding
2. Resolution in support of a Small Business Incentive program

The complete agenda packet is available on the City of Gresham web site, accessible from the following link: GRDC Agendas and Minutes.

NW View. Click to enlarge

After years of promises and delays Rockwood will finally get it's courthouse - once the funding is approved

Source: Willamette Week, OPB News (April 22, 2010)

After years of delays and missteps, Multnomah County commissioners unanimously approved the design for a new East County Courthouse in Rockwood.

The state ordered the county during the 1960's to have a courthouse in East Multnomah county. And there is a court -- but it's little more than one room in the old Gresham City Hall that's overcrowded and run down. But that's all going to change with the approval of a new courthouse in Rockwood's town center.

“I know this is a building. But it represents more than the stones, bricks and glass we see on paper,” said Commissioner Diane McKeel, who represents East County on the five-member board. “It represents commitment to an area left behind for too long.”

The plans call for a 40,000-square-foot building with three courtrooms (and space for more in the future) to handle misdemeanors and traffic cases.

Judging from Commissioner McKeel’s reaction the East County courthouse construction could start in December 2010

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Apr 20, 2010)

Judging from Commissioner Diane McKeel’s smile following Tuesday’s briefing on the East County courthouse project, the embattled building is likely to become a reality.

The five-member board of commissioners will decide on Thursday, April 22, whether to build the structure, more than 25 years in the works.

During its Tuesday meeting, county commissioners considered both two-courtroom and three-courtroom configurations for the building, which is proposed for county-owned land on SE 185th Ave and Stark St in Rockwood. Get Map!

Depending on the number of courtrooms, the project could cost between $17.4 million and $20.7 million. A few million dollars from selling surplus county land south of Edgefield in Troutdale is earmarked for the courthouse. The rest of the money most likely will be financed through bonds.

County commissioners seemed to like the idea of moving ahead with the project now to take advantage of the weak construction market and low interest rates.

If approved, construction could start in December, with the building finished in early 2012.

The long-running effort to obtain decent court facilities for East Multnomah County is once again coming to a critical decision point

Source: The Gresham Outlook (Mar 31, 2010)

And that means East County citizens and leaders must maintain a sense of urgency about finally pushing this project over the top.

On Tuesday night, Multnomah County officials – including Commissioners Diane McKeel and Judy Shiprack – held a meeting in outer East Portland to update the community on the preliminary design for a courthouse that would be built in Rockwood, at Southeast 185th Avenue and Stark Street. That session will be followed on April 22 with a presentation to the full board of county commissioners, who then will decide how to proceed with the courthouse project.

(Everyone in the greater East County area (especially Gresham & West Gresham) is urged to attend the April 22 meeting (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214). If you cannot attend please submit written statements by email to the County Commissioners here (http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/) prior to April 22 to be added to the record and show your support for this important project! Ed.)

(UPDATE: View preliminary design photos below. Ed.)

Public meeting on East County Courts Project team to offer updates and information on proposed Courthouse in Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood

When: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 6:30 – 8:30PM
Where: Parklane Christian Reformed Church
16001 SE Main
Portland, OR
Get Map!

On Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Multnomah County will hold an informational public meeting on the status of the proposed East County Courts project. This will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Parklane Christian Reformed Church, 16001 Southeast Main Street, in East Portland. (Meeting details below)

(Everyone in the greater East County (especially Gresham & West Gresham) area is urge to attend this important meeting! Ed.)

Metro candidate Shirley Craddick

Stop by Park Place Coffee Visit with Metro position #1 candidate Shirley Craddick

When: Saturday Mar 20, 2010 4:00PM-6:00PM
Where: Park Place Coffee
1288 SE 182nd (next to Vance Park)
Gresham OR
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Please come to Park Place Coffee to visit with Shirley Craddick, candidate for Metro Council District position #1, on Saturday March 20th from 4PM to 6PM.

This is a great opportunity to meet one-on-one with Shirley and hear why she is running for the Metro Council. Shirley is dedicated to researching the issues, listening to citizens and working to make our community better. She has been elected twice to the Gresham City Council, and now she's running to make Metro a more responsive and effective organization.

Gresham Mayor says landlord "did the right thing" "I think he heard the community.”

Mayor Shane T. Bemis announced February 10, 2010 that Jack Medak the owner of the building at l9295 E Burnside and potential landlord for a proposed methadone clinic in the Rockwood area of Gresham has decided not to lease his space for that use.

The decision comes after a contentious two-hour meeting held Thursday, Feb. 4, in the building in question at 19295 E Burnside St.

"This is a big win for the people who have been working so hard to raise the tide in Rockwood," said Bemis. "I am tremendously proud of the community for clearly articulating the potential redevelopment obstacles and law enforcement challenges that could come from an additional methadone clinic in the area." Bemis said “I am glad that Mr. Medak did not lease to them,” adding, “He did the right thing. I think he heard the community.”

GRDC Advisory Committee agenda: Barberry Village Apartments, Plaza del Sol workgroup report, 188th MAX Station Improvements, 187th/188th Realignment at Stark, Stark Street Boulevard Phase II.

When: Wednesday Feb 10, 2010 7PM-9PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
Oregon Trail Conference Center
1333 NW Eastman Pky
Gresham OR
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On the agenda

Click here for Wednesday night's Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) Advisory Committee meeting agenda. This link takes you to the City of Gresham webpage that has the attachments and further meeting information.

It includes: Community Building at Barberry Village Apartments, Plaza del Sol: Community Event Work Group Report, 188th MAX Station Improvements, 187th/188th Realignment at Stark Street, Stark Street Boulevard Phase II (190th to 197th), and more. You will find all of this under "agenda attachments" for the meeting on 2/10.