Site Address: 8735 N Lombard
Date of site approval: 2005
Acreage: 0.30
Zoning: commercial

The Portland Development Commission purchased the St. Johns Brownfield site at N Lombard and N Baltimore in 1976. A service station and automotive garage occupied the site for years, leaving behind several underground storage tanks and contaminated soil.

In 2004, the City of Portland applied for a $200,000 Brownfield Cleanup Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the EPA allocated funding in November 2005.

A 2006 Phase II Environmental Site Assessment identified petroleum, lead and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination in different locations on the site.

Cleanup Project

The city removed all underground tanks and the contaminated soil underneath them and under the sidewalk. The cleanup included removing and replacing topsoil contaminated by lead and PCBs.

By this time the Portland Development Commission was no longer working in St. Johns, and transferred the property to the Bureau of Environmental Services. City Council, the Mayor's Office, and the Portland Brownfield Program coordinated a public involvement process that led to a public Request For Qualifications for site development.

St. Johns Brownfield Advisory Committee

The redevelopment process began with public meetings in November 2006 and January 2007, followed by formation of a community advisory committee representing a wide range of interests. Original advisory committee members were:

• James Hayes - business owner, resident
• Michael Selin - business owner, commercial property owner, resident
• Mary Ann Aschenbrenner – resident, recreation advocate
• Jay Breslow - James John Elementary SUN program, youth advocate
• Michael Kohlhoff - commercial and residential property owner, tennis advocate
• Sharron Rae, Cathedral Park neighborhood resident
• Martin Campos- resident
• Richard Arnold - tennis advocate, resident
• Thomas Ebert - St. Johns Neighborhood Association
• Jim Schaller - North Portland Business Association 

The advisory committee developed a Request for Qualifications for site development. The initial selection, St. Johns Alley, was unable to move forward with their proposed plan and withdrew from consideration in December 2012. The committee then met with the next highest scoring submission, 2/3rds Project, which proposed a mixed use development with a variety of retail, office, and residential spaces.

City of Portland and 2/3rds Project entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2013.

On January 29, 2014, City Council approved the Disposition and Development Agreement that will transfer ownership of the site. The development team for 2/3rds Project is currently fulfilling their obligations under the agreement.  Property transfer is expected by fall 2014.

For More Information

Contact Jenn Bildersee at 503-823-7764.