We are tracking market trends since the week of March 7th, when we first noticed a shift in market behavior as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. We will provide you with real-time updates each week on Tuesdays. You can view the information online or use this link to download the report.
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In our wet Oregon climate water issues in basements or crawlspaces are common. One inch of rain on a 1000 square foot roof will result in over 600 gallons of water! If this water is n’t directed away from your house, it will find its way into the basement or crawlspace area.
Water in the basement or crawlspace can be more than just an inconvenience. Excessive moisture can lead to serious problems such as rot damage, insect damage, or mold. In some cases, water can impact the foundation or settlement to the house.
The first steps in keeping water away from your house are ensuring that gutters and downspouts are functioning properly and that the slope of the soil surrounding the house is sufficient to keep water away. Gutters need to be free of debris and they need to slope towards the downspouts. If your gutters are leaking or pulling away from the house water will be collecting near the foundation.
Downspouts should be directing water away from the house. If your downspouts are connected to drain pipes which head underground you may need to do some research to determine where these pipes are draining (see side bar). In older homes these pipes were often connected to the city sewer system but they could also go to a drywell or other on site drain. Older underground drain pipes may be in poor condition and water can leak from them at the foundation area.
If the grade around your house slopes away from the foundation, directing the downspouts to the surface and draining the water away from the foundation area is a good option. It is very important to make sure this water is draining away from the foundation and not collecting near the house.
The soil around your house also needs to be sloping away from the foundation area. If you have areas of your property which slope towards the house you may need to install drainage pipes or make corrections to the grade. These changes can be complicated and consulting with a drainage contractor is recommended.
The first step in researching where sub surface rain drain pipes drain to is your local building department. Try to obtain copies of the original building department permits and or plans. Often an old diagram of the plumbing system will be included and may show where the drain pipes go. Abbreviations you may encounter may include RD for rain drain and DW for drywell. In Portland you can obtain permit information by contacting Bureau of Development Services at 503-823-7300.
James John was the first resident in the area we now know as the Cathedral Park neighborhood. He settled in 1846, building a residence by the river, at the origin of the street we now call N Burlington Avenue. John ran a store and a ferry across the river to Linnton. He got right to work laying out plans for lots in his 320-acre claim, with all roads oriented towards the Willamette River. The original plaited area was named after him, St Johns on the Willamette.
Most of the waterfront in the Cathedral Park neighborhood was home to industrial activity, which started in the mid-1860s with the Pacific Barrel Company. OR & N railroad set up a rail line along the shore in the early 1900s. The development of the railway created jobs in the area, increased the number of ships coming to the docks, and brought more residents to the townsite. There was a variety of industrial activity in the area–wool clothing, lumber, asphalt products, flour, manufacturing tools, warships, and asbestos–right up through the 1950s. Although the industrial boom bolstered the area with money, jobs, and residents, it also had negative impacts on the landscape. Efforts to mitigate environmental pollution in the soil and waterways are still underway today.
The St Johns Bridge was constructed in the late 1920s, opening to traffic in 1931. Shipyards that were booming through the war went vacant in the late 1940s and the waterfront area beneath the bridge developed a reputation as a locus for crime after an unsolved rape/murder case. By the 1970s, residents in the area were focused on cleaning up the area for both social and environmental reasons.
Led by Howard Gilbraith, area resident and “honorary mayor” of St Johns, a group of residents began pushing the idea of developing the area beneath the bridge into a park for the community. Concerned residents argued that the site has historical significance significance to local Native American tribes who fished and camped there, and because it is noted as one of the 14 original Lewis & Clark landing sites.
The construction of Cathedral Park in the 1970s was a huge success for the community. A few years later, when vandalism in the park became a concern, a group of residents formed a neighborhood watch group to protect the area. Around this same time, Portland was pushing for the establishment of neighborhood associations as a way to engage more residents in city issues. The neighborhood watch group morphed into a neighborhood association, boundaries were set, and the Cathedral Park neighborhood was established in 1980.
Cathedral Park’s western boundary is the Willamette River, the Burlington Railway line marks the southern boundary, Ivanhoe forms the eastern edge, and the northern boundary is Weyerhaeuser. Even though approximately half of the neighborhood is north of the St Johns Bridge, the residential heart lies in the southern half.
Residents of the neighborhood have great access to Highway 30 via the St Johns Bridge, and are just a few miles from the I-5 corridor. The bike lane along North Willamette is a popular route for commuters headed south to downtown Portland or to the Max line.
The neighborhood is home to a couple of private pre-schools but all of the public schools for residents of Cathedral Park are located in neighboring St Johns. Sitton Elementary and James John Elementary are the two elementary schools. George Middle School is the local junior high, and Roosevelt High School is the single high school in the area.
The heart of the neighborhood is undoubtedly its namesake park at the foot of the St Johns Bridge. Both the bridge and the park are considered Portland landmarks. At nearly 22 acres, Cathedral Park has become both a treasured public park and event venue. The park hosts an annual jazz festival, weddings, and provides a beautiful backdrop for all sort of leisure activities. With riverfront views, a boat launch, and off-leash dog area, the park has plenty to offer all Portland residents.
Even though the bridge is called St Johns, it is located within the Cathedral Park neighborhood. Built in 1929 to bridge the Willamette River, the bridge replaced the ferry service that ran between St Johns and Linnton since the area was settled in the 1850s. The construction of the St Johns Bridge provided jobs for many area residents during challenging financial times. There are a number of remarkable facts about the bridge’s construction including that it was completed in one year, came in a million dollars under budget, and was the longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi at the time. The accomplished design and engineer duo behind the bridge was David B. Steinman and Holton D. Robinson, both from New York. There are a number of great photos of the bridge during construction and through the decades here.
It’s easy to think of the Cathedral Park neighborhood as part of St Johns. Many Portlanders are not aware that the entirety of North Portland’s waterfront from the Railroad Bridge up to Terminal 4 is officially part of Cathedral Park. The waterfront is home to two large parks, Cathedral Park, and Baltimore Woods–a 30-acre corridor of woods and green space connecting Cathedral Park and Pier Park.
The majority of development Cathedral Park is residential, and contains a range of housing stock in the area including single family homes built at the turn of the century, mid-century and higher density new construction. While there isn’t a thriving commercial center in Cathedral Park, residents have easy access to the movie theater, shops, restaurants, and the weekly farmers’ market in neighboring St Johns. North Ivanhoe Street, the eastern boundary of Cathedral Park, runs parallel to North Lombard through the heart of the St Johns neighborhood’s commercial district.
There are still operational industrial sites clustered near the river but some of the old buildings have been converted to clusters of more retail-oriented businesses. Near Cathedral Park, a small business park is home to Occidental Brewery’s tap room, Urban German Wursthaus restaurant, and the St Johns Clay Collective. Just south of the park, on Willamette Boulevard is the popular Cathedral Coffee where you can get locally roasted coffee and house-baked goods.
Learn Our History
The Oregon Historical Society has devoted an entire quarterly issue of their publication to the topic of White Supremacy and Resistance. OHS quarterlies are peer-reviewed, academic journals so each article is carefully researched and backed by historical records.
More than a dozen historians and history professors contributed to the issue and the result is a comprehensive account of white supremacy and the individuals and organizations who fought against it in Oregon. This issue can make for uncomfortable reading but it is one of, if not the best resource for clearly understanding our state's past as we work towards a more equitable future.
Most of us spend more time inside during the winter months. If you’ve been looking around your house thinking you might like to do some remodeling, we’ve got an excellent resource for you. Each year at this time, the National Association of Realtors and Remodeling Magazine produces a detailed report that outlines the cost and resulting payback for 35 popular remodeling projects.
The Cost vs. Value report breaks the country into nine regions to give the data greater relevance. This year, they include a scale drawing of the project along with details on the finishes.
According to the report, most projects do not have a return equal to the investment. The report lets you see how the returns for various remodels have changed over time. While this may not be the news you were looking for, return on investment is one of many reasons to move forward with a remodel. Remember that, when done well, remodeling can help you stay in a home that may feel too small or not well suited to your current lifestyle.
As always, feel free to call me and pick my brain on your exact project and goals. Note that the neighborhood, vintage of a house, and expectations of the market can all affect the value of a remodeling investment.
The Love Portland Group | Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty
Lee McKnight, Principal Broker | 1500 NE Irving, Suite 110 - Portland Oregon 97232
