In the Neighborhoods: SESNA and Grant on Redevelopment and Reuse

A couple of items to note in the neighborhood associations this week.

SESNA

SESNA meets Tuesday the 28th and on the agenda is an update on a "Proposed Sale of Property at 25th & Mission Streets."

25th and Mission Area by the Post Office and Airport

You might recall this from a couple years back:

Jim Green gave an overview of his family’s vacant property on Mission Street, which was formerly an auto dealership. A 4.5-acre portion of the property has been sold to Power Mission, a car dealership, leaving 17.5 acres for sale. He provided a brief history of the property and discussed his family’s efforts to redevelop it into a variety of uses, including a Trader Joes, REI and Panera Bread. Jim said Salem’s demographics as well as difficult site access have made the property unattractive to those and other desirable users. He added that his family has turned down other uses such as a McDonald’s Restaurant and Subway Restaurant and is instead looking to create a destination at the property that enhances the city. His family has met with City and Airport officials about possible uses, including a hotel. Jim also told meeting participants that he and the City would like to see a new road be built that connects Airport Road SE and 25th Street SE; the project is proposed to be added to the City’s Transportation System Plan.

Most of those ideas didn't come to fruition (though the street between Airport Road and 25th is now in the Transportation System Plan as a future project), and it will be interesting to learn more about this iteration.

The site was also an important minor league baseball field in the 20th century.

It would be nice to see it active again, especially with something that is not just a big-box, drive-to destination.

SESNA meets Tuesday the 28th at 7:00 p.m. in the Capital Park Wesleyan Church, 410 19th St SE.

Grant

The Grant Neighborhood Association meets on Thursday the 2nd, and they'll get an update on "Aramark Building - Sparrow Furniture, Pre-Land Use App Presentation."

Capital City Laundry: Oregon State Library
Note the Oregon Electric lines and tracks on Broadway!

It looks like the old Laundry will get a new, light industrial use! That seems like a decent outcome for the building, currently owned by the Salem Alliance Church.

The business' mission is much higher. From a December KGW story:

A Salem man is trying to help refugees build a new life after escaping tragedy around the world. Luke Glaze says for many of them, finding work is the biggest challenge, so he’s starting a nonprofit business aimed at helping them, called Sparrow Furniture.

“The name comes from a concept in the Bible that talks about God's love for even a sparrow,” said Glaze. “Those considered ‘the least of these,’ those most in need.”

In this case those in need are refugees from Somalia and Syria to Iraq and Mayanmar, arriving to Salem by the dozens. Glaze hopes he can help them learn the art of refurbishing and re-selling old furniture while practicing English and earning money.

Here's the facebook with more current news.

With the Hub just down the street on the same block, that's a real cluster of businesses with a focus on reuse and deep sustainability.

The Grant Neighborhood Association meeting is on Thursday the 2nd at 6:15pm, in the Library of Grant Community School, 725 Market St NE.