Urban Renewal

COURTESY RENDERING: CITY OF GRESHAM - The Downtown Rockwood market hall, middle, has been redesigned to lower construction costs. Click to enlarge.

Source: The Gresham Outlook
Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis voices concerns about completing long-brewing development

By Christopher Keizur

A Rockwood development project that has been brewing for more than two decades is getting a redesign to keep construction costs in line with budget constraints.

The second phase of Downtown Rockwood — originally called Rockwood Rising — was for a market hall with an international grocery marketplace, public commissary kitchen, and small business and pop-up stand opportunities.

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission heard the proposed design changes for the building that had bloated past its cost estimates during a meeting Tuesday afternoon, May 19. The new market hall looks different, and adds 3,000 square feet of restaurant/grocery/retail space; 10,000 square feet of office space; and four additional micro-restaurants.

But officials said it maintains the original intent of uplifting the diverse community of food entrepreneurs who call Rockwood home.

"The new design offers more variety of spaces," said Emily Bower, interim executive director of the Gresham Redevelopment Commission.

COURTESY RENDERING: CITY OF GRESHAM - The new market hall has more space for businesses. Click to enlarge.

The new market hall has more space for businesses.The idea behind Downtown Rockwood is to bring new construction and needed services into the heart of the neighborhood. The Catalyst Site, located between Southeast Stark Street, Southeast 185th Avenue and East Burnside Street, will be a central square with a public plaza and play structures for kids, an innovation hub with services for locals, retail stores, apartments, and the market hall.

The 5.5-acre plot of land was initially purchased by the Gresham Development Commission in 2005 with funds from the city's urban renewal district. The city spent three years, from 2014-2016, soliciting ideas and feedback from residents in the neighborhood.

The project finally broke ground last summer, marking a shift from planning to actually seeing Downtown Rockwood come to fruition. Since then the former Rockwood Community Office Building was renovated and construction of the innovation hub should be complete by July.

Bower said the market hall should be completed by Summer 2021 — a timeline Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis voiced concerns about.

"I feel like we are constantly changing the program and have had the property tied up for years with little steps being made," Bemis said during the virtual meeting. "I want to get this project done and do these things we have been talking about for the last 20-plus years. I am really concerned about hitting timelines and delivering for our community."

Bower said complications the last two years led to the redesign. Developers said the Portland area has experienced historic increases in the costs of construction. That, coupled with new federal tariffs on construction material, led to the need for a redesign. The new building has been simplified to maximize the leasable area within the building to improve finances.

"I am confident we will finish this project in the 2021-22 timeline," Bower said.

This story first appeared in The Outlook. Support community newspapers. Subscribe at http://savinglocalnews.com

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Jan 21, 2020 4PM-6PM Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1331 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) meets as needed on the third Tuesday of the month immediately following adjournment of the 3:00 pm Gresham City Council meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as approval of projects, budget adoption, committee appointments, public hearings, resolutions, etc.

For more information, contact Cecille Turley, Urban Renewal Program Technician, at 503-618-2545 or Cecille.Turley@GreshamOregon.gov

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Dec 17, 2019 4PM-6PM Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1331 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) meets as needed on the third Tuesday of the month immediately following adjournment of the 3:00 pm Gresham City Council meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as approval of projects, budget adoption, committee appointments, public hearings, resolutions, etc.

For more information, please contact Cecille Turley, Urban Renewal Program Technician, at 503-618-2545 or Cecille.Turley@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Nov 19, 2019 4PM-6PM Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1331 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) meets as needed on the third Tuesday of the month immediately following adjournment of the 3:00 pm Gresham City Council meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as approval of projects, budget adoption, committee appointments, public hearings, resolutions, etc.

For more information, please contact Cecille Turley, Urban Renewal Program Technician, at 503-618-2545 or Cecille.Turley@GreshamOregon.gov.

Rockwood RIsing! When: Thu, Sep 12, 2019 6PM-8PM Where: Sunrise Center 18901 E. Burnside St. Get Map!

The Downtown Rockwood Market Hall is a new international grocery market and food hub in development in the heart of the Rockwood neighborhood.

Got a small business or an idea for a small business? We are looking for businesses to fill the grocery store and micro restaurant spaces.

Join us to learn about:

• Downtown Rockwood timeline
• How to get started
• Permitting help
• Lending, coaching and more

Translation services available. Contact us by Sept. 10 if you speak another language and need assistance at Elizabeth.Coffey@GreshamOregon.gov or 503-618-2247.

Free snacks.

Event flyer

For more information or to RSVP, visit downtownrockwood.com email Leasing@DowntownRockwood.com or call 503-690-2800.

Press Release:

Visit Rockwood Rising website
Email RockwoodRising@GreshamOregon.gov" or call 503-618-3208.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, May 07, 2019 6:30PM-7PM Where: Gresham City Hall Conference Center 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Budget Committee is responsible for recommending a budget to the Gresham Redevelopment Commission for the upcoming fiscal year 2019/20. Public participation is encouraged.

For more information, contact Sharron Monohon, Budget and Financial Planning Director, at Sharron.Monohon@GreshamOregon.gov or 503-618-2890.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Wed, Apr 10, 2019 7PM-9PM Where: Gresham City Hall Conference Rm 2A & 2B 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of urban renewal plans. The GRDCAC meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm, at Gresham City Hall Conference Center, Conference Rooms 2A and 2B, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway.

For questions about meeting agendas and minutes, or to receive meeting agendas, contact the Recording Secretary at 503-618-3208 or UrbanRenewal@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Apr 16, 2019 4PM-6PM Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1331 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) meets as needed on the third Tuesday of the month immediately following adjournment of the 3:00 pm Gresham City Council meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as approval of projects, budget adoption, committee appointments, public hearings, resolutions, etc.

For more information, please contact Cecille Turley, Urban Renewal Program Technician, at 503-618-2545 or Cecille.Turley@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Wed, Mar 13, 2019 7PM-9PM Where: Gresham City Hall Conference Rm 2A & 2B 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of urban renewal plans. The GRDCAC meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm at Gresham City Hall, Conference Rooms 2A and 2B.

For questions about meeting agendas and minutes, or to receive meeting agendas, contact the Recording Secretary at 503-618-3208 or Amy.Evans@GreshamOregon.gov.