The Portland Development Commission (PDC) voted last Wednesday to authorize the sale of a 2-acre lot at
the corner of NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard and Alberta Street for $502,160 or $2.4 million less than its appraised value of $2.9 million. Once the deal closes, Majestic Realty Corp. will build a 20,000-square-foot Trader Joe's at the site. A group of concerned citizens gathered on Sunday to protest the decision which they believe "will further exacerbate gentrification in the neighborhoods of North and Northeast Portland." Protestors questioned the need for a taxpayer-subsidized grocery store when there is a Safeway a half mile north of the site and a New Seasons one mile south. The money could be better spent, they felt, to help attract grocery stores to east Portland, where residents have far fewer shopping options. They also noted that meetings with the developer were held in secret, without any public input. The citizens group expressed disappointment that PDC "failed to see the property as an opportunity to bring together neighbors and community members affected by gentrification" and urged the agency to operate with "more accountability, more transparency, and stronger focus on equity." Prior to Wednesday's vote, the Oregonian's editorial staff argued that the deal was not in the public's best interest because it doesn't provide significant economic or social value, and they urged the PDC to vote against it. In September, the King Neighborhood wrote a letter to the PDC, requesting that the public agency "seek new ways to engage the public in decisions about the direction of planning and developing neighborhoods" and offered to "partner with the PDC in constructing and maintaining robust, participatory democracy" in the interest of "developing innovative and creative changes to our neighborhood, through dialogue that is truly inclusive."
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From Marla Spivak's TED talk about why bees are disappearing:
"When bees have access to good nutrition... they are better able to engage their own natural defenses. Each of our individual actions can contribute to a grand solution... so let the small act of planting flowers and keeping them free of pesticides be the driver of large-scale change." To participate in the Sabin Bee Friendly Garden Project, contact Diane Benson at [email protected]. Portland Playhouse has signed a long-term lease that will allow them to remain in the church building at NE 6th and Prescott for many years. Going forward, Portland Playhouse will be the only tenant of the church, which doubles the square footage available to them for rehearsals, play-readings, offices, storage, scenic construction, receptions and meetings.
An LLC, comprised of anonymous supporters, recently purchased the building to secure the space for Portland Playhouse. Portland Playhouse invites Sabin neighbors to Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL! This new adaptation by Rick Lombardo highlights the classic ghost story which invokes the beauty of second chances. Brian Weaver, Artistic Director, describes the adaptation as, “very inventive, having a whole cast who all play musical instruments as well as sing and act. I see it as a gift that we can give to our neighborhood.”
SABIN NEIGHBORS CAN SEE THE SHOW ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15TH AT 2:00pm. Use coupon code: "Sabin!" for 20% off. Tickets can be purchased online at www.portlandplayhouse.org. Portland Playhouse is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to producing quality, intimate performances in which the interaction between artists and audience is paramount. From the Oregonian:
Portland's urban renewal agency this week will consider selling land at a $2 million-plus discount to ensure a new grocery store is built at the corner of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Alberta Street. The Portland Development Commission hasn't disclosed which grocer would move into the project, although a different development team proposed a Trader Joe's at the same location in 2010. The mystery tenant would anchor a new development featuring two buildings, space for retail shops and about 100 surface parking stalls on nearly 2 acres. In all, the $8 million project would transform one of the last big vacant lots along a commercial corridor where developers have remained skittish nearly 50 years after divisive race riots. Alan Silver, president of the King Neighborhood Association, said he heard rumblings about a revived project a few weeks ago and assumes it'll be a Trader Joe's. He said Monday that he's excited about the development potential but concerned about the lack of public involvement. He wants to make sure it includes locally run businesses so the project becomes more than just a car-centric grocery store for people looking to buy cheap but tasty cheese. He's also skeptical of the subsidy that taxpayers would provide. "It's stretching the definition of a food desert very thin," he said, "to say that this is worth $2 million.” Read the full article here and a follow-up article here.
This year, King Farmers Market has expanded its season until Nov. 24 so shoppers can continue to purchase fresh produce, meats and seafood, wines, coffees, flowers and prepared specialty foods such as jams,
honey, salsa, sauerkraut and cheeses from about 30 local vendors. “These extended market days are perfect for people stocking up on gift items and food for their Thanksgiving tables,” points out Mona Jackson, communications manager at Portland Farmers Market, which sponsors the King market on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning each year in early May. Since 2009, nonprofit Fresh Exchange has provided a dollar-for-dollar match to King Farmers Market shoppers who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. During November, these shoppers will receive from $5 to $7 worth of tokens for every $1 deducted from their Oregon Trail Card at the King Farmers Market. Fresh Exchange, administered by Farmers Market Fund, is funded through private donations and grants from Portland companies including Whole Foods and New Seasons markets. For several years, the Sabin Community Association Board has donated between $250 and $750 to Fresh Exchange to help their neighbors afford the farmers market’s fresh, local and organic produce. - Susan Goracke ![]() New Orleans–inspired original art plus the sounds of South Louisiana jazz, blues and zydeco create a Cajun ambiance at Acadia Bistro. Since 2001, this Sabin restaurant has matched atmosphere to cuisine at the corner of Northeast Fremont and 13th Ave. Owner and Chef Adam Higgs, who lives a few blocks away in Irvington, goes the extra mile to ensure his menu offerings are not only fresh, but authentic. Twice a week he drives to Portland International Airport to pick up the shrimp, Louisiana drumfish, soft-shell blue crab, crawfish and other seafood delicacies he has flown in from the Gulf. Acadia Bistro serves Creole specialties such as fried soft-shell blue crab and Oysters en Brochette with Creole Remoulade — dishes that can be found in more expensive French Quarter restaurants. But Acadia specializes in Cajun dishes such as gumbo, jambalaya and red beans and rice. Higgs calls traditional Cajun cuisine the “food of poverty,” created by descendants of the French Canadian exiles who settled along the bayous of southern Louisiana. “These people, the Acadians, cooked what they had — hogs, crocodile, crawfish — and they prepared it with more spice and more smoke (than the city folk),” explains Higgs, who continues to travel to New Orleans annually for research. Using traditional recipes, Higgs and Acadia’s other three cooks prepare the restaurant’s own charcuterie: Andouille and boudin sausage, tasso ham and bacon. And they use locally grown fruits and vegetables in season. You’ll also find Southern mainstays such as cornbread, hush puppies, black-eyed peas and greens on the menu, but with a gourmet twist. Acadia’s list of Northwest and international wines is substantial, and its cocktail offerings include traditional Sazeracs and Hurricanes among other more creative libations. Higgs estimates that most diners spend an average of $30 to $40 for their meal and drinks, but some locals often spend much less, popping in for a drink and hearty bowl of gumbo. On Christmas Eve, Acadia offers a Reveillon dinner, a Creole tradition derived from the French word for "awakening.” Originally, it was a meal of breakfast foods served in homes by Catholic families after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Since the 1990s, many New Orleans restaurants offer Reveillon dinners that feature some of their best dishes and alcoholic spirits. Higgs is now in the process of creating this year’s Reveillon dinner menu that probably will include four courses. He also plans to offer special five- or six-course meals on New Year’s Eve. Acadia Bistro is open Monday through Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch. Reservations (503-249-5001) are recommended for holidays and weekends, as well as on Mondays, when the eatery offers its “Cheap Eats” selection of $10 entrees. — Susan Goracke |
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