Sullivan’s Gulch Neighborhood Entrance Monument
 

 Objective:  To provide an entrance monument to the neighborhood of Sullivan's Gulch--a work of art that represents the neighborhood and is an asset to the City of Portland.

 Location:  The intersection of NE Weidler and 16th Ave--the northeast corner of intersection (southwest corner of building site)

 History:  Several years ago the Sullivan's Gulch Neighborhood Association received a gift from Marriott Residence Inn (Inn Ventures, Inc.) for neighborhood signage.  This project has two parts: the first is sign toppers to be placed at each intersection; the second is one or more monuments marking the entrances to the neighborhood.  The sign topper aspect is nearing completion.  The graphics for the sign have been designed and approved (see attached..).  The neighborhood is in the final stage of confirming the exact location so that the City can process the order and arrange for installation.

A location for the monument fortuitously arose when the Aiyana Group proposed a major new development in the block bounded by NE Broadway and Weidler between 16th and 17th.  This is a location identified in the Broadway Weidler Corridor Plan for a neighborhood gateway (page 13).  The developer, Alan Kravitz, offered to work with us in designing and constructing the monument in conjunction with their project.  (Greg Miller of Aiyana is on our committee and we also remain in contact with other principles at Aiyana as their project moves ahead.)

We have held a neighborhood charrette and met with consultant Michael Reed to begin to bring focus to our ideas.  Because the monument is to be in the public right-of-way we have worked with Elizabeth Papadopoulos of the Portland Department of Transportation.  While providing us with City regulations, she mentioned the benefits of doing our project through RACC.  As determined by our neighborhood board, the monument is to be classified as a work of art and not a sign.

 Last month our committee met with Peggy Kendellen to review the works of your pool of artists.  From that group we identified the following to invite the following artists to be contacted with the aid of RACC:

Dave Laubenthal
Jean Whitesavage and Nick Lyle
Peter Beeman
James Harrison
Brian Borello

 Context: Sullivan's Gulch is a long and narrow neighborhood running east west between NE 16th and 33rd, and bounded by Broadway on the north and the Banfield on the south.  An older, close-in neighborhood, we share a main street (Broadway) with Irvington.  While we have many early 20th century houses, we are not an historic district.  Interspersed are "garden apartments" and at the western edge are three large scale housing developments. 

The location of Weidler and 16th is the most visible site in the neighborhood.  Only Broadway at 33rd would have more cars, but unlike the latter, the Weidler location has an urban form and a pedestrian orientation.  Historically it is the site of the former Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor remembered fondly by people throughout the region.

The Aiyana project will have a first floor Zupan's with five floors of condos above (See attached images).  There are a number of Pdot and City requirements that dictates the location of this art work at this intersection- they are the following and are shown on attached plan:

a.   2'-6" from face of curb

b.       1'-6" from face of building for building appertunages

c.       another 6'-0" distance away from face of building to be allotted for pedestrian access way. 

d.       Because of cars and trucks wanting to turn from the north end of 16th Ave. onto Weidler St., about a 9 foot high region must be considered for visibility.  Because of the canopy on the south side of Aiyana Project, the top height of the art/entrance monument should be around 14 feet or so.

e.       Also safety and breakaway features must be considered for the artwork.

Budget:

Approximately $33,000.  Fees totaling from 10-25% will go towards RACC for coordination and management and 5% of the remaining will go towards the general maintenance fund.  The remaining amount is for the artist’s design fee and construction costs.  This will allow the SGNA to retain approximately $3,000 in contingency costs.

 

Thank you,

 Eric Hess, Monument Signage Committtee,

Sullivan’s Gulch Neighborhood Association