Commentary
Declaring 'success' - and leaving
In the last issue I said I would write about a radical rethinking of the Town Center stretch of Capitol Highway and about a Hillsdale Partnership for the Hillsdale Main Street program.
That will have to wait because of the bizarre goings-on about Hillsdale Main Street's Funding for its fourth year - if indeed there is to be a fourth year.
When Mayor Charlie Hales' proposed his budget recently he dropped Hillsdale Main Street "given their success in attracting private investment."
Reading that, I was reminded of our federal government's habit of covering its backside by declaring our disastrous military adventures "victories" even as we have retreated. There may be good reasons for the City to retreat from Hillsdale Main Street. The obvious one is that in these tight times, poor neighborhoods need the help more than we do. But declaring the program a "success in attracting private investment" is indefensible. There's no question Main Street has been a success in many ways, but finding private investment has not been one of them. Indeed, even before this announcement, the Main Street board was struggling to find a match for the then-expected City funding. Thanks to the mayor, the job just got a lot tougher. Indeed, the lack of financial support from several prominent commercial property owners could be cited as a legitimate reason to bag Hillsdale Main Street. The good news is that after three years of monetarily sitting on the sidelines, one major property owner is contributing four-figure financial support to the program. Better late than never, but the contribution will be nowhere near enough to make up for any shortfall caused by the City's dropping its funding. Interestingly, Main Street's value to commercial property owners is its training of struggling businesses. Despite appearances, Hillsdale has a few and they make their landlords nervous. Think unpaid rent. Think vacant storefronts. So far Hillsdale Main Street's main work and success have been raising the visibility of the commercial area - street planters, banners, public celebrations and the like. Opening up, organizing and striping the once-fenced parking lot in front of the post office was a major accomplishment. Now the organization is quietly holding seminars for businesses covering such fundamentals as marketing, time management, and branding. It's not showy, but that's where the work is needed. I don't know how the mayor measures success in raising money, but if he is planning to use the same standard for Portland that he is using in Hillsdale, the city and its citizenry are going to come up short. Editor's note: I have repeatedly called Hales' office seeking comment on the above. There has been no substantive response.
Rick Seifert Editor/Publisher
|
|
|
|
Hillsdale Main Street on City's budget chopping block
Fund-raising 'success' cited
as reason to drop funding
Hillsdale business and community leaders are pushing back on Mayor Charlie Hales' decision to drop City funding of the Main Street program here.  | |
Evidence of Main Street's impact lines Capitol Highway.
|
In early May, Hales released a proposed budget that would eliminate Main Street programs in Hillsdale and Alberta "given their success in attracting private investment." The cuts would result in $228,000 in savings to the City. For each of the past three years, Hillsdale Main Street has received $58,000 from the City. Of that, $30,000 was for operations and administration, which needed to be matched locally. A city grant of $25,000 for capital improvements didn't require a local match, but the remaining $3000 promotions grant from the city had to be matched in volunteer time and/or cash. Without the City funding, local leaders like Mike Roach, president of the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association (HBPA), believe Main Street will likely disappear. In a "Dear Charlie" letter to the mayor, Roach wrote that Hillsdale needs "the city's partnership to fulfill our potential." Roach, who has co-owned Paloma Clothing for 38 years, told the mayor that in Main Street's three years, it "has infused Hillsdale with more energy, visibility, activity, hope and volunteerism than HBPA had done in the the prior 35 years combined." He added that Main Street helped create 58 new jobs in the teeth of a recession. "Main Street helped to keep our vacancy rate (never more than two spaces) among the lowest in the city...." He noted that the additional business income taxes helped to pay most or all of the city's contribution to Hillsdale Main Street. Josh Kadish, Hillsdale Main Street's treasurer, has worked to raise money locally, but the results this year had been sluggish even before the proposed budget cut announcement. Kadish called for financial support from all sectors of the community. He underscored the continued need for the full-time Hillsdale Main Street executive director. "Having an executive director, an office, and a plan has made all the difference moving from 30 years of dreaming to actually accomplishing a lot. I would hate to see us lose this momentum, but this will happen if we are unable to raise the necessary support from all sectors," he said. Despite the concern in Hillsdale, at the Portland Development Commission (PDC), which oversees Main Street programs, Kate Deane, Neighborhood Economic Development Manager, said she is "optimistic." She said that PDC can still provide staff support to ease the transition to financial independence for both Hillsdale and Alberta. "I think that there is a lot of community enthusiasm around these two districts," she said. "While it won't be easy, the communities will step up and provide support for these organizations. They have done tremendous work and that's obvious to the communities." Hillsdale Main Street's Executive Director, Megan Braunsten, said that the cuts are not final and that the community has the opportunity to testify at one remaining budget hearing at Jackson Middle School, 10625 SW 35th Ave.,Thursday, May 23, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. She and others urged the community to e-mail or phone City Council members. Braunsten said the mayor "doesn't understand that we aren't successful enough to be on our own." Despite repeated calls and e-mails, the mayor's office did not respond to this publication's requests for comment.
|
|
Commuting bikers brake
for breakfast in Hillsdale
Hillsdale's growing bike commuter contingent gathered last Wednesday, May 15, on their in-bound trips to munch croissants and breakfast
 | | A few of the breakfasting bikers. |
burritos and to sip coffee at the corner of SW Capitol Highway and Sunset Boulevard. The "Bike Breakfast" event was just one of several in the City as it marks May as International Bike Month.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Hillsdale Bicycle Coalition teamed up to set up the way station in front of the Portland Ballet studio, which gladly supported the event. Organizers also got help from Hillsdale Main Street and members of the business community.
Dave Johnson of the Hillsdale Bike Coalition reported that 51 bicyclists stopped for nourishment provided by Baker & Spice, Starbuck's and Food Front. Organizers counted 140 cyclists passing through Hillsdale during the two-hour commute to downtown. Capitol Highway accounted for 89 of the riders, Johnson said.
Inevitably, some in the animated commuter cluster conducted bike business. A young man walked by to ask where he could buy a used bike. By chance a visiting Canadian couple on bikes said they had picked up their bikes here used and wanted to sell them after few more weeks' use.
The would-be buyer and the potential sellers exchanged phone numbers.
|
 | |
The manager's view of Food Front from upstairs office.
|
Food Front renews lease, plans for bright future
Food Front Cooperative Grocery has renewed its HIllsdale lease, continuing to serve as the anchor store for the southside-of-Capitol Hillsdale Shopping Center.  | |
Food Front general manager Holly Jarvis.
|
The old lease runs out at the end of May, said General Manager Holly Jarvis. She declined to say the length of the new agreement with the members of the Wardin family who own the shopping center. Food Front has a well-established store that opened 40 years ago on NW Thurman street. The September 2008 opening of the Hillsdale store, a second store, was a big change for Food Front. Food Front has opened no other stores since. Jarvis said that the Hillsdale store, which employs 45 workers, has shown steady growth and has helped build the cooperative's membership to 9000. "We are definitely moving in the right direction," Jarvis said. Customers don't have to be members to shop at Food Front, but members are eligible for special bargains. The store faces strong competition locally from Fred Meyer, Albertson's, New Seasons and Market of Choice. A new Safeway is opening this fall on Barbur. While small in comparison, Food Front is the only grocery in the area that is a cooperative. Jarvis said Food Front renewed the lease because the store serves the cooperative's core purposes: supporting the community with high-quality, locally-grown food; supporting local producers and community organizations, and involving more people in the cooperative business model. Jarvis said that this summer the Hillsdale building will get a new exterior look that will cover the present dated tile work. The store's new color combination will be a gold-yellow and bright green. The storefront work, which includes a new canopy and sign, is being done through a Hillsdale Main Street storefront improvement grant. Food Front Hillsdale also recently installed new energy-efficient lighting through the City of Portland and an Energy Trust grant. Jarvis said that the deli will also be upgraded with a "hot table" allowing warm food to be served. Food Front has played leadership roles in high-profile Hillsdale Main Street events like the annual paella dinner and "Wine about Winter." It has also been a strong presence at the Hillsdale Farmers Market.
|
Three Hillsdale public schools see staffing slightly down for the fall
What a difference a month makes.
Last month Wilson High School Principal Brian Chatard bemoaned proposed Portland Public School district cuts to the school's staff. Wilson would have been hit with a reduction of approximately seven full-time equivalents (FTE).
But in a matter of four weeks, the staffing figures have brightened. Now Chatard sees a loss of about two FTE, what the school might expect given that its projected enrollment for the fall will drop to 1200, from 1260 at the start of this year.
Principals at Rieke Elementary and Robert Gray Middle School were also sanguine about next year.
Wilson's Chatard said, "Things look pretty good....We've been able to add electives and support courses."
He said that Wilson has a total of between 50 and 55 FTE of which 43 are teaching positions. He attributed much of the restoration of positions to the Wilson parent community's lobbying the school board.
Chatard called the turnaround "a huge relief." "It's an improvement to be in a position where we can offer and add back what I think kids really need - life fulfilling and career-oriented courses," he said.
He said he hopes the decline in Wilson's enrollment is "bottoming out" given the demographics of the Wilson catchment area.
At Rieke Elementary, next to the Wilson campus, the school also expects an enrollment drop for the fall. Principal Andrea Porter reported that the school will have 14 home room classes, down from 16 this year, as this year's fifth grade, the school's largest, graduates. The school, which peaked in enrollment at 420 students in the fall of 2011, expects to have approximately 382 students in September.
Porter attributed the spike to the economy, when many young parents moved here to double up with their families. But recently they have found jobs elsewhere and moved on, she said. "We knew we wouldn't hold at that high number very long," she said.
"We are still going to be a great place to be," she said praising the support the school gets from Rieke families.
At Robert Gray Middle School, where many of Rieke's fifth graders are headed, Assistant Principal TJ Fuller said enrollment is expected to grow from 420 this year to 440 next fall.
Although the school is "pretty much holding steady," he said, it will lose one teacher as FTE drops to 22.
Fuller said that preliminary estimates are that class sizes, which are 27 now, will have to be bumped up to 28.5.
|
Four buildings awarded
grants for facelifts
 | |
Food Front gets funds for exterior paint.
|
Most agree that Hillsdale storefronts could use facelifts.
Now, thanks to a $20,000 grant from Portland's Main Street program, four commercial areas in the Town Center will get new looks.
Hillsdale Main Street Executive Director Megan Braunsten described the projects at the May Hillsdale Business and Professional Association meeting.
* The Portland Wellness Center, which is just west of the Hillsdale Pharmacy/Portland Ballet studio, will be getting a paint job and new sign. The sign and the entire mid-century building will be up-lit to give them prominence.
* The strip of storefronts from the Hillsdale Liquor Store west to the newly opened HIllsdale Art Supply Company will get fresh paint, new signs and lighting. Included in the improvements will be the Hillsdale Post Office.
* Food Front will be changing its sign, repainting the front of the building and putting up new lighting and awnings.
* The Hillsdale Shopping Center, where Food Front and other shops are, will replace glaring outdoor lighting with more attractive, subtle lights over its walkway.
|
Three Square closes, Korkage moves in
From crushed potatoes
to crushed grapes
Sad departures are often followed by joyful arrivals. So it is here.
First the departure...
 After 18 years of dining on "American regional cuisine," Hillsdale is bidding farewell to "crushed potatoes," "Red Electric Chili," "hand-slung hash" "Cornmeal-Oat Belgian waffles" ... and their creator - chef and owner David Barber of Three Square Grill.
Barber closed the popular restaurant on Mother's Day after one last sumptuous buffet. It was a final call for Crab Cakes 'n Eggs, "Hell in a Ham" biscuit and a "Springwater Omelette" featuring wild mushrooms, fiddleheads, nettles and Tumalo Tomme Cheese."
Barber has decided to focus on making and marketing his "Picklopolis" line of pickles, kraut, watermelon rind, garlic green beans and sauces. Visit the web site HERE.
The loss extends beyond Barber's creative menu. He brought his professionalism to the annual Hillsdale Blueberry Pancake Breakfast. Once a month he lent the restaurant space to the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association for their meeting. He contributed gazpacho to Hillsdale Main Street's big paella dinner.
The list is long, said HBPA President Mike Roach, co-owner of Paloma Clothing and neighbor to Three Square.
And now, the arrival...
Not long after Barber closed Three Square's doors, Tamairah Boleyn announced the impending arrival to the space of Korkage Wine Shop with its tasty "pairings" of morsels and wine.
She and her brother-in-law Earl Johnson, himself a master chef, will reopen on Tuesday July 9. The last day at their old location across the street and a half block west, will be Thursday, June 27.
A grand opening will follow sometime in August, Boleyn said.
Boleyn and Johnson have been looking for more space for two years. The closure of Three Square gives them the room to grow and the opportunity to stay in Hillsdale, Boleyn said. In three years here, Korkage has built a following for its mix of wine-and-food pairings and live music.
At the new location with new open windows a la Baker & Spice, Korkage will offer an airy lunch and dinner "family-style," she said. And soothing music - classical and Spanish guitar - will give Hillsdale's south side of Capitol a different ambiance.
She said that Korkage's clientele "feels like family." Some customers have commented that Korkage is like a "living room away from home."
She is hoping that customers will join a web-based Kickstarter campaign to help finance improvements to the new space.
Like Barber, Boleyn and Johnson have been involved in the community. An active member of Hillsdale Main Street, the two were volunteer organizers of Main Street's "Wine about Winter" earlier this year. The event attracted 25 wineries and more than 500 visitors.
|
Sunset Sidewalk work slowed
by bureaucratic queue
A new, two-block-long sidewalk that would link the Hillsdale Library and the town center with pedestrians up Sunset Boulevard is a step closer to reality with the selection of an "apparent low bidder" for the project.
Chris Armes, the project manager, said that R&R General Contractors of Wilsonville came in with a low bid that fell within the range of $410,000 plus or minus 10 percent.
But the paperwork is still in the City's purchasing office, she said. Armes, who works for Portland Bureau of Transportation, said she couldn't estimate when work would begin until the contract is official.
Armes said that residents along Sunset are eager to find out when work will start, but unfortunately, she said, she won't have a schedule until the contract is finalized.
She said she was hoping to have a signed contract in hand by the first of May. May and June have been known to create log-jams because they mark the end of the City's fiscal year.
In March, Armes said she had hoped work could begin in late May or early June.
|
|
Briefly....
Hillsdale was health nutty at the Sunday, May 5, Springfest Health and Wellness Fair. A reported 3100 people wandered by and visited health providers, several of whom reported attracting customers at the event. Dr. Shaun Vaniman of the Hillsdale Veterinary Hospital said he picked up 30 new clients. Todd Gifford, of Gifford Family Dentistry attracted contact information for 30 potential clients. The Springfest was also the opening of the regular Hillsdale Farmers Market Season and the occasion of Rieke Elementary Schools Art Fair. The sunny day brought wind gusts, testing tent tie-downs.
 Hillsdale admirers of Kim Osgood's art work will want to visit the Laura Russo Gallery, 805 SW 21st Ave., through June 1. The exhibit will display Osgood's most recent work. On Wednesday, May 22, she will speak about her art at the gallery at 6 p.m.. The event benefits the Portland Child Art Studio. Tickets are $35. Osgood is co-owner of Hillsdale's Paloma Clothing.
Put "Hungry in Hillsdale" on your calendar, urges Hillsdale Main Street. Last month's benefit for the local economic revitalization program was at
Sasquatch Brewing and brought in $500, reports Megan Braunsten, Hillsdale Main Street's executive director. The next HIH is May 29th at Food Front, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner fare from its deli. Again, a part of the proceeds will be donated to Hillsdale Main Street. The Hillsdale Community Book Sale is still two months away (on Sunday, July 28, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), but it's not too soon to start gathering books to donate to the sale. For five Sundays prior to the sale, book donations will once again be accepted at the drop-off site at the north end of the Hillsdale Farmers Market during market hours. The five drop-  off Sundays are June 23 and 30, July 7, 14 and 21. Organizers ask that books that have no value, such as outdated references and used textbooks, not be dropped off. The used book sale, in its eighth year, will be located on the sidewalk along the south side of Capitol Highway and at the Watershed Building, corner of Bertha Court and Capitol Highway. Proceeds from the sale benefit The Hillsdale Community Foundation and Hillsdale Main Street. The Rieke Elementary School community wants Hillsdale to know that its Outdoor Classroom is now finished. The public space has a new ADA gravel path, sitting logs donated by Portland Parks and Recreation and installed by PGE and Clackamas Community College, and a hanging vegetable garden maintained by the school. It is located on the far west section of the Rieke campus behind the three red modular classrooms.
Physical therapist Jim Cavin recently spoke to the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association about Centre Point Physical Therapy, which opened here in February. The Hillsdale News will do a complete story about the new business next month, but for now you can get a taste of Centre Point's services by visiting its web site. The business is located in the Portland Wellness Center, 6274 SW Capitol Highway |
Date Book
Tuesday, May 21
Main Street Business Roundtable:
"Meet Your Marketing Options"
2 p.m. - 3 p.m, community room, The Watershed Building,
6388 SW Capitol Hwy. Part 2 of three-part marketing series.
Heather Barta with Circle Triangle Square will review areas a business owner should consider in determining where to spend marketing dollars and time. Free. A final Roundtable presentation on Tuesday, June 8 will deal with internet marketing. See Tuesday, June 18, below.
Thursday, May 23
SW Transit Corridor forum
6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tualatin Public Library, 18878 SW Martinazzi Ave. The last of three forums to allow the community to comment on transit plans for the corridor which stretches from downtown to Sherwood. For more information go HERE.
Wednesday, May 29Hungry for Hillsdale at Food Front
All-day, Food Front. A percentage of proceeds spent on deli menu items benefit Hillsdale Main Street.
Saturday, June 1
"Suspects" clean up the Town Center
9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The "Usual Suspects" gather at Food Front to clean up litter in the Town Center. All welcome. Free breakfast burritos, courtesy of Food Front, top off the event.
Wednesday, June 5
Neighborhood Association elections
7 p.m. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2201 SW Vermont St. Hillsdale Neighborhood Association Board Elections will be held, and Randy Miller, project manager from Portland Public Schools, will talk about the Wilson High roof replacement. Tuesday, June 18
Main Street Business Roundtable "Understanding Online Marketing"
2 p.m. to 3 p.m., community room of The Watershed Building,
6388 SW Capitol Hwy. The last in a three-part series for business owners.
Sundays, June 23 & 30, July 7, 14 & 21
Book Donations for Hillsdale Book Sale
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., north end of Hillsdale Farmers Market. No text books or outdated manuals or references. Donations are tax deductible. Proceeds from the Sunday, July 28 sale benefit the Hillsdale Community Foundation and Hillsdale Main Street.
|
|
|
|
|
