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Grant Park Neighborhood residents say they want it turned into something “useful.”
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A longtime eyesore has now been ruled a major safety concern in Northeast Portland.
The old Gordon’s Fireplace Shop at Northeast 33rd Avenue and Northeast Broadway in the Grant Park Neighborhood has been vacant since it closed in 2016. A new owner took over with approved permits for redevelopment. Despite this, the structure fell into disrepair.
“It’s hard to miss that building because it stands right there,” said one local resident who wanted to remain anonymous. “Obviously, there’s a lot of graffiti. If you look out my back porch, we get a perfect view of that.”
The building is a hot topic in the neighborhood, he said. While most neighbors are angry that it’s an eyesore, he’s more focused on its uncertain future.
“The only thing that I think is a pity is that it could be useful for something,” he said.
He’d like to see this space become affordable housing, retail or recreation. The City of Portland wants that too.
“We want to see that building redeveloped. We’ve approved the permit plans to have it redeveloped,” said Ken Ray, a spokesperson for the city’s Bureau of Development Services. “They’ve had that permit since March of 2022 and nothing’s happened yet.”
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The City of Portland is moving to foreclose on the old Gordon’s Fireplace Shop in the Grant Park Neighborhood, considered a local eyesore. June 4, 2024 (KOIN). -
The City of Portland is moving to foreclose on the old Gordon’s Fireplace Shop in the Grant Park Neighborhood, considered a local eyesore. June 4, 2024 (KOIN). -
The City of Portland is moving to foreclose on the old Gordon’s Fireplace Shop in the Grant Park Neighborhood, considered a local eyesore. June 4, 2024 (KOIN).
Ray said the new owners have failed to maintain basic safety standards. The city cited the owner for thousands of dollars over the past five years for falling bricks, broken windows and leaving the structure unsecured.
This is one of about 50 buildings in the city that Portland Fire and Rescue designates as “unsafe.”
“We identify it appropriately so we don’t put the men and women who are in the big red rigs responding to these emergencies in an unnecessary danger,” said Rick Graves, a spokesperson for PF&R.
The city is now moving to foreclose on the property Wednesday “in the hopes that we might find a buyer who is willing to take responsibility for those safety concerns,” Ray said.
The neighbor KOIN 6 News spoke to said it’s a step in the right direction.
“I think it is beneficial for that building to move towards a more positive way of using it,” he said.
Foreclosure is a last resort but the city said it was a step they had to take.
This is one of eight problem properties Portland City Council is voting to foreclose on Wednesday. KOIN 6 made attempts to reach out to the out-of-state owner and developer responsible for this property but they weren’t immediately available for comment.
Records show the owners failed to appear to two code enforcement hearings about these issues in December and January.
In terms of the next steps, the Portland City Council first needs to approve the foreclosure, which is being voted on Wednesday. After that, the Office of Management and Finance will then schedule the foreclosure auction at a later date.
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Elise Haas
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