PRESS RELEASE                                  

Released: September 30, 2009

Contacts: Kathryn Levine, Project Manager, 503-823-7085, and Jim Gladson, Business & Community Liaison, 503-872-4060

N. Denver Streetscape Construction Underway

(PORTLAND, OR) – The N. Denver Avenue Streetscape project began construction Tuesday, September 29. The construction work, performed by R&R General Contractors, will renovate the four-and-one-half block stretch of Denver Avenue from Interstate Avenue to Watts Street. Improvements will be completed by early next year.

The Portland Development Commission (PDC) will fund this $2.85 million overhaul of the street and adjacent sidewalks. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will manage construction.

This makeover will include widening the sidewalks; installing new street trees; adding street level pedestrian lighting; installing benches, stormwater treatment planters, and public art; and resurfacing the street.

Access will be maintained to all businesses in the area during all construction phases, according to Kathryn Levine, PBOT project manager. “Responding to small businesses along the avenue during construction is a top priority for the City of Portland and the Portland Development Commission.”

As part of this “Open for Business” effort, the City has helped local merchants put together a coupon booklet offering a variety of discounts ranging from reduced price meals to auto repair discounts. These coupons are available for download from the Kenton Neighborhood Association at www.historickenton.com and the PDC project site at www.pdc.us/ura/interstate/kenton.asp.

“We will do all we can to minimize impacts, but this construction will be disruptive and we want to encourage people to patronize the local businesses while the improvement work is underway,” Levine said.

The start of construction culminates several years of work by the PDC to revitalize this historic business district in North Portland, according to Carol Herzberg of PDC. “The City has been working with local businesses, community representatives, and technical experts since 2006 to plan the right mix of attractive, functional improvements for the business district.”

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