april 10 VOLUME 24, ISSUE 8 Serving Portland’s Northwest Neighborhoods since 1986 FREE The business front Richard Singer controls the Nob Hill Business Association By allan Classen ince he co-founded the Nob Hill Business Association 25 years ago, Richard Singer has often found the organization useful to his private ventures. S When he lobbied Portland City Coun- cil to spot-zone parcels for commercial parking structures, he spoke as a represen- tative of the business association. When he fought a residential parking permit program unpopular with 23rd Ave- nue retailers who rent from him, he spoke for the Nob Hill Business Association. Although the district’s primary com- mercial property developer hasn’t served on the NHBA board for years, the asso- ciation has never taken a position against his interests. And when the association has produced media campaigns or filed legal briefs, the extra funds have been there without a need for the business asso- ciation to call on its members for special assessments or even to approve the special expenditures. Somewhere, privately, suffi- cient money appeared and things got done. Despite official requests for documen- tation and an appeal to the Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement, the NHBA has not provided records of its decisions. Nor has it supplied records explaining the periodic special expenditures. Continued on page 19 Airborne carcinogens inside and you thought l. a. had bad air By Paul Koberstein health-based goal in amendments to the cancer risk on its new website about toxic Clean Air Act: to reduce lifetime cancer air pollution in Northwest Portland and Are there too many carcinogens in our risks from major sources of individual haz- from ESCO (www.deq.state.or.us/aq/ air? ardous air pollutants to one in 1 million. northwest). In 2007, however, it announced The Oregon Department of Environ- DEQ uses Multnomah County’s popula- that benzene in Portland’s air accounts for mental Quality says that the Portland tion of 660,000 in calculating cancer rates. 20 extra cancers, about twice the national region’s air contains 14 carcinogens at levels In other words, DEQ’s data show that average for the compound. high enough to potentially cause 726 extra Portland residents face a cancer risk from DEQ told the air toxic committee that cancers in Multnomah County. All 14 exposure to hazardous air pollutants that is the pollution could potentially cause 342 compounds are found in Northwest Port- 1,115 times higher than a 20-year-old goal extra cancers in Washington County and land air, at varying concentrations, accord- of the Clean Air Act. 226 extra cancers in Clackamas County, Melt ing to DEQ monitoring and modeling. DEQ is not going out of its way to bring meaning both of these areas far exceed the Most come from cars. Ten come from attention to Portland’s cancer risk. The clean air goal. Something yummy for everyone ESCO and other sources. agency revealed the cancer risk data in doc- Comparing Portland’s cancer risk to PagE 13 Human exposure to the 14 hazardous air uments released to the Portland Air Toxics Los Angeles’ produces an interesting result. pollutants could cause cancer at the rate of Solutions, a committee that is developing a A 1999 report issued by the U.S. House The Fields 1,115 additional cases per 1 million exposed plan to meet health-based benchmarks for Government Reform Committee said that individuals, according to a commonly used Friends of the Fields Dog Run all air toxics in the Portland area. The panel measurements of 10 hazardous air pollut- get organized EPA formula. This estimate far exceeds the is due to meet for the second time in April. ants in Los Angeles’ air could cause just 20-year-old federal clean air goals set by PagE 7 But DEQ made no mention of the Congress. In 1990, Congress established a Continued on page 5 st. mary’s CatheDral arChiteCt , “City Beautiful” arChiteCt, Josef JaCoBBerger DesigneD arts & Crafts a. e. Doyle DesigneD english Craftsman 2687 NW Cornell Road 1739 SW Prospect Drive In a bold departure from his previous more traditional style homes, Tucked back on a secluded lane and peering over the city stands this well-known architect fashioned a 1920’s almost-modern home this perfectly crafted and comfortably livable home designed perched top of NW Portland’s Golden Triangle with 4 mountain by Portland’s most renowned architect. Other Doyle landmark views and a cat bird’s seat watching Chapman’s Vaux Swifts. Low buildings that give our city grace and elegance are The Benson pitched sweeping roof lines and asymmetrical gable fronted roofs, Hotel, Multnomah County Central Library, Lewis and Clark are reminiscent of the Shingle style summer homes on the East Exposition Forestry Building, The Benson Bubblers, Macy’s Coast, according to Bill Hawkins in “Classic Houses of Portland.” (Meier and Frank Department Store), Reed College, The First A true city house offering casual living in a handcrafted space and National Bank, and select residential jewels built for Portland’s located close to Portland Streetcar and the trailheads to Forest Park successful princes of commerce. This home is a harmonious a few blocks away. marriage of the grand and majestic spaces found in palatial 4 bedrooms, 2 full and 1 half bath, 2,966 finished Sq. Ft. with 1,450 mansions with human scale warmth and ease prevalent in the Sq. Ft. unfinished daylight basement. $675,000. MLS#10024235 craftsman cottage. 4 bedrooms, 3 full and 1 half baths, 5,055 total Sq. Ft., 10,000 Sq. Ft. lush landscaped grounds with level gardens. $1,300,000 afforDaBility, historiC site of lewis & ClassiC Cottage in artistiC anD historiC Clark fair forestry BuilDing, willamette heights really niCe neighBors 3366 NW Vaughn Street This 1924 charmer offers elegant living and dining rooms with original built-ins, oak floors and picture windows capturing views of 2815 NW Upshur Street, Unit C the snow-topped Cascades and Mt. Adams. The main-floor family Situated within a quiet, tranquil courtyard, this big condo offers room, off the living room through French doors, has custom built- serene and easy living with coveted outdoor space. The 2-story ins for books and media components. The main floor bedroom and floor plan has an open living room and dining room, off the adjacent full bath makes an ideal getaway for guests. The updated kitchen, with a true wood-burning fireplace, and a wonderful spacious kitchen, with breakfast nook, opens to the landscaped back deck overlooking the lush 100 year old trees. The main floor patio & grassy side yard. The 2nd floor offers two vaulted bedrooms, bedroom, adjacent to the living room, has custom built-ins in the master with custom built-ins and laundry chute. All of this within the closet and its own bath. The 2nd floor offers 2 spacious the coveted Willamette Heights neighborhood, next to Forest Park bedrooms with custom closet built-ins, convenient laundry trails and the lively Thurman Corridor. utilities, a full bath and a large patio overlooking the treetops 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2,726 Sq. Ft. $550,000 MLS#10021775 with complete privacy. The detached 1-car garage offers a place to store the car as well as built-ins for storage. Leave the car and walk through Willamette Heights, one of Portland’s most coveted neighborhoods, centrally located to all that makes NW Portland so special: a block to the pedestrian friendly Thurman Corridor, a block to Forest Park’s miles of trails, convenient access to the freeway, and only 5 blocks to the vibrancy of NW 23rd Avenue. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1,342 Sq. Ft. $249,900 MLS#10018693 The Dan Volkmer Team Dan Volkmer PrinciPal broker burDean barTlem, kishra oTT & anne Yoo, brokers WalTer anD TeD, Too. For your real estate needs in the Northwest neighborhood. Call us to find out your property’s top market value. 503-497-5158 www.danvolkmer.com Anne, Burdean, Kishra, Dan, Walter & Ted 2 Northwest Examiner, april 2010 Letters can be sent to By Allan Classen [email protected] or 2825 NW Upshur St., Ste. C, Portland, OR 97210. Editor’sEditor & Publisher Turn readerLetters should be 300 words or fewer; include areply name and a street of residence. Deadline third Saturday of the month. Police unions overreach Great story this issue in the Northwest Examiner [March 2010] about Bud Clark and the police. When politicians seek the endorsement of police unions, they encourage the police to act as they do, controlling political decisions and policy. Perhaps if mayors i-405 created permanent scar stood up to the police unions, as President Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers, it would change things. The first big issue I covered in Northwest including tall buildings next to the ramps to Portland was on the mitigation fund created shield the community from the ramps and David Nackerud to compensate the neighborhood for disrup- the screaming, polluting vehicles on them. 2883 SW Champlain Dr. tion caused by the I-405 Freeway. It will take much more than a million Clean air worth price The state Highway Division had agreed dollars to make these neighborhoods right to share surplus revenues from land leased again. In fact, no amount of money can bring Given the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s inability to regulate under the western ramps of the Fremont them back to life along the multi-block ESCO’s toxic output and the foundry’s continuing need for profitability despite the Bridge for recreation projects in the vicin- swath dominated by the roadway.