Michael Wolfe and State Hospital Redevelopment: In the News

There's a nice profile of South Salem Cycleworks owner and long-time bike advocate Michael Wolfe in the paper today!

Also Michael Rose has a piece on the Leland Report on prospects for redeveloping the North Campus of the Oregon State Hospital.

Some preliminary thoughts here if you missed them on Friday.  Rose reports that nearly 500 residences and half a million in annual property taxes could be realized from a redevelopment.  (But, again, remember the similar and stalled Fairview redevelopment for critical perspective on these claims.)

There may be more to say once I've had a chance to read the report. It seems like there could be a broad center for consensus: Save the Dome building and Breitenbush Hall, and be ready to demolish some of the other buildings that are less distinguished, were built less well and are in worse shape, or have nasty stuff like asbestos in them. 

Dome Building last fall

Update

After skimming the report, I think I have only one real beef with it. It will be interesting to see what kind of conversation it generates. There's a recognition in the report of changing demographics, housing, and transportation needs in the 21st century. But one part of it seems overly auto-centric, and maybe a little patronizing or something about demographics.

Streetcar-scaled and walkable retail
doesn't have to mean convenience stores

I don't like how it settles for convenience stores on the periphery, how it misses the barriers of I-5 and major arterials, and how it suggests convenience stores inside the redevelopment would be appropriate.

Big box, destination driving retail is not appropriate here, but it seems like there might be opportunities for a full-service neighborhood grocery store. It's happening in Portland, and at some point it's gonna happen here.