Urban Renewal

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Mar 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.

2019 Spring Newsletter "Diversity, Harmony, Community - Together 'WE' can make a difference!”

Read it now!

Inside This Issue:   Rockwood Rising, A New Urban Hub Migration Brewing Opens New Pub Earth Day Recycling Event, April 20 Nadaka Happenings & Changes WENA Spring Meeting March 11, 7PM

Download your copy here. (includes active web links)

Newsletters are a regular publication of the Wilkes East Neighborhood Association. They are hand-delivered to over 1,500 residences and businesses in our area 3 times per year, timed to correspond with our regular meetings.

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Rockwood Rising, Gresham. Click to enlarge

A New Urban Hub By Robyn Stower Sr. Urban Renewal Project Coordinator, City of Gresham

Rockwood Rising is a Gresham urban renewal project that will transform a 5.8 acre dilapidated lot into a thriving community hub. The development will include four buildings surrounding a public plaza that will focus on workforce development, job training, healthcare, education, food accessibility, small business development, and housing.

Rockwood Rising is located at 18535 SE Stark Street, in the heart of the Rockwood neighborhood. Rockwood has the youngest median age, greatest diversity, and highest concentration of poverty of any town center in the Portland metropolitan region. For decades the community struggled with disinvestment, lack of public infrastructure and limited access of community services.

In 2003, a citywide vote established the Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal Area, which is governed by the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC), to empower the disadvantaged community. Urban renewal plan goals emphasized community engagement, the creation of a town center to provide a mix of high-quality housing, jobs, shopping and community services, the development of parks, and the creation and retention of family-wage jobs.

Beginning in 2013, the GRDC in partnerships with community-based organizations performed extensive outreach to develop Rockwood Rising. The development site, which was previously home to a Fred Meyer grocery store, had been vacant for almost ten years and despite neighborhood mural and park initiatives was slowly becoming an attractive nuisance where families did not feel safe to bring their children.
 Thousands of local stakeholders participated in the visioning for Rockwood Rising which identified access to healthy, affordable food and economic opportunities as the highest priorities.

The community also participated in the design of Rockwood Rising which consists of four buildings (Building A, B, C, and D) surrounding a public plaza. Building A is a newly constructed four-story structure containing approximately 52,824 square feet of commercial space.

Rockwood Rising. Click to enlarge

It will house education, workforce and business development services such as WorkSource Oregon, Mt Hood Community College Small Business Development Center and MetroEast Community Media. Building B is a newly constructed mixed-use structure that will provide approximately 27, 913 square feet of commercial space and 104 workforce housing units, twenty percent of which will be income restricted. Building C is the newly constructed Market Hall which will include two commercial kitchens, eight small restaurants, office space and up to twenty-four vendor booths. Building D is a significant renovation of an existing 7,000 square feet facility which will house a community maker space and construction and manufacturing apprentice program operated by Oregon Tradeswomen and Portland Opportunities and Industrial Center. The public plaza is a place the whole community can come and enjoy. The plaza will feature three age-specific playgrounds, interactive water feature, public art, including the recreation of the iconic Plaza del Sol mural, and will incorporate free Wi-Fi and amenities to support festivals and farmers markets. All these services promote Rockwood Rising’s mission to create an economic engine that will break the generational cycle of poverty and build family and community prosperity.

The GRDC recruited and selected, RKm Development, Inc. (RKm) through a transparent Request for Proposal developer search. RKm’s commitment to community and exceptional track record of equitable and quality management and development, such as Bethany Village, made them the ideal candidate to manage the project. As developer RKm will own and manage all the buildings on the property while the GRDC will own the property. This arrangement gives the GRDC the ability to repossess the property if the development agreements are not met.

Groundbreaking for Rockwood Rising is TBD 2019

UPDATE: Rockwood Rising timeline updated again; groundbreaking could happen in April
The Gresham Outlook, March 26, 2019 (Read more)
The timeline for the Rockwood Rising project has been updated after a Gresham Redevelopment Commission meeting Tuesday afternoon, March 19, meaning the project could break ground in the next month. The project groundbreaking has been delayed several times, at one point being planned in the spring of 2018. Now it is supposed to happen in April, with construction being completed in early 2021.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Wed, Jan 09, 2019 7PM-9PM Where: Gresham City Hall Conference Rm 2A & 2B 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm. Please note the location change: Conference Room 2A and 2B.

The GRDCAC advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal plans.

For more information, please contact Amy Evans, Urban Renewal Program Technician, at 503-618-3208 or Amy.Evans@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Wed, Dec 12, 2018 7PM-9PM Where: Gresham City Hall Oregon Trail Conference Rm 1333 NW Eastman Pky. Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm.

The GRDCAC advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal plans.

For more information, please contact Amy Evans, Urban Renewal Administrative Assistant II, at 503-618-3208 or Amy.Evans@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Nov 20, 2018 4PM-6PM Where: 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 budget adoption, grant awards, 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 14, 2018 7PM-9PM Where: Gresham City Hall Oregon Trail Conference Rm 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm.

The GRDCAC advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal plans.

For more information, please contact Amy Evans, Urban Renewal Administrative Assistant II, at 503-618-3208 or Amy.Evans@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Jan 16, 2018 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 p.m. Gresham City Council meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as budget adoption, grant awards, GRDC property-related matters, 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, Dec 13, 2017 7PM-8:30PM CANCELED Where: Gresham City Hall Oregon Trail Conference Rm 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

The Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee (GRDCAC) meets as needed on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

The GRDCAC advises the Gresham Redevelopment Commission (GRDC) on the implementation of Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal plans.

For more information, please contact Amy Evans, Urban Renewal Administrative Assistant II, at 503-618-3208 or Amy.Evans@GreshamOregon.gov.

Get involved, Make a difference When: Tue, Dec 19, 2017 4PM-6PM CANCELED 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 p.m. Gresham City Coucnil meeting.

Meeting start time varies.

GRDC meetings allow necessary Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal business to be dealt with, such as budget adoption, grant awards, public hearings, resolutions, etc.

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