Posted by: John Nicol - May 28, 2008 02:21 PM

Dear Commissioner Cogen;

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the two sites for the new North Portland library. I will be unable to attend tomorrow's meeting on the subject and am therefore commenting here.

I favor the Denver Avenue location because of the noise at the Argyle location. There are two sources for this noise.

The first source, which we North Portlanders have lived with for quite some time, is Portland International Raceway. No progress has been made by the City Council in addressing this problem to date. The Argyle site is completely unbuffered from the piercing noise generated by the Raceway. Until the City Council recognizes its responsibility to mitigate this noise source, the Argyle site will be unfit for a library. It will also be unfit for habitation.

The second source has yet to arrive. It is a planned on-ramp from Columbia Blvd. to Denver Avenue for access to I-5. This will create heavy truck noise and fumes as commercial traffic drops into low gear to climb the slope. This also renders the site unfit for habitation.

Until these two problems are dealt with, no plans for the Argyle site should be made at all. Certainly, nobody should be expected to live there, and nobody will be able to relax enough to read there, without extensive and expensive noise abatement.

Sincerely,

John Nicol

Posted by: golden - May 28, 2008 05:39 PM

thanks for the videos Jeff. This is an excellent addition to your site. As for the library: I don't have a strong preference but am happy to see the county paying attention to N. Portland!

Posted by: Joe Adamski - May 28, 2008 06:53 PM

I am unable to comment at the meeting, but would like to add my opinion..which is just that: an opinion.

I like the building a new library option. Reusing and trying to make a building not designed for its function usually means that it rarely works well;often building new is the most financially sensible option. The added delay would mean little to community that has been waiting for decades already.

I agree with John about the Argyle location. Added to my concerns is its lack of safe connections for pedestrians, esp kids on a street with high volume commuter/industrial traffic.

The best of all worlds, in my opinion would be to demolish the Denver building and build new there. I believe Denver to be the superior location.But new construction would more likely guarantee the best building.

thank you.

Posted by: Cris - May 28, 2008 07:30 PM

I am unable to attend the meeting as well. I would prefer the N. Denver site. I am concerned about the amount of traffic on Argyle and would rather not have to cross such a busy street with small children. The N. Denver location would also compliment the upcoming new streetscape planned for the neighborhood.
Either way, I am so happy to have a library in walking distance.
Thanks

Posted by: vicky - May 29, 2008 01:33 PM

Jeff, We have a chance to protect our historic past by locating the library on Denver. I am a 14 yr. resident, past Kenton Action Plan board member (13 yrs ago we conducted a professional economic development study & urban planning design of Kenton). I am currently the interim chair of the KNA. We have waited years for "Downtown Kenton" to be revitalized. Although I think Sockeye is a great developer for the Argyle site, I do not believe this is the home of the Kenton Library. We have only recently realized small successes on Denver and still the new restaurants are struggling to survive. This library can be the anchor we need to attract N. Portland residents to Kenton's downtown. We'd be crazy to loose the only building owner I know of willing to develop--especially in this economy! Also note: Kenton just started to communicate to its residents for the first time 2 months ago (new newsletter and emails). Many residents have not heard of this project until now so please be prepared to bring new residents up to speed on this wonderful project. thanks for everything!

Posted by: Jeff Cogen - May 29, 2008 02:34 PM

Thank you all for your feedback!
jeff

Posted by: Jardiel Campos - May 30, 2008 10:15 AM

Dear Jeff,

It was definitely an enjoyable experience at the Masonic Temple last night. Concern and enthusiasm was expressed regarding our expected Library site. Both locations are at walking distance from my house and have their own unique approach and solution.
I have to say though; the Argyle site would bring way more pedestrian activity, local options and/or business within a 10-12 block radius. It would also add an urban, diversified appeal to our Kenton neighborhood from which we all benefit. If i were to choose, that would be mine.

Thank you

Posted by: Annie - May 30, 2008 01:39 PM

Hi Jeff,

I really appreciate the meeting last night. I do not envy your job of making this decision! On one hand, I really like the idea of bringing affordable housing and more young people to Kenton with the Argyle project. On the other hand, I have serious concerns about crossing traffic on Argyle to get to the library - particularly for those with small kids. One of the best things about Kenton - in my opinion - is its walkability so I hope you keep pedestrian-friendliness in mind when making your decision.

Thanks so much for the work you're doing.

Posted by: Bryan Allan - May 30, 2008 05:14 PM

Dear Commissioner Cogen,

I attended the meeting on March 29th regarding the library. After hearing all the pros and cons of each site, I found myself strongly in favor of the Argyle site for the following reasons.

1. Kenton needs a high density, affordable housing and the developer has a stellar track record. The site on Denver offers just a library, the site on Argyle offers a library AND high density, affordable housing. These additional residents will be an incentive for Kenton businesses to expand and improve, as well as drawing new businesses to the area. If the library is not sited on Argyle, development of that site may not happen for many, many more years.

2. Downtown Kenton has the opportunity to expand. By that, I mean downtown Kenton stretches just 4 blocks from Interstate ave to Watts ( and one of those blocks is just automotive repair on both sides). If the Argyle site is developed, downtown Kenton would span 6 blocks, with even more development opportunities in between. The Denver site would not spur this kind of development, but in fact takes up a spot in an existing building, which is a spot that could easily house a small, independent business.

3. The Argyle site would give visibility to downtown Kenton to folks on interstate ave and the max line. Not only this, but max line users will better be able to find the library.

I understand the one year's delay with the Argyle site, but now that we're finally getting a library, we should use it to it's fullest potential. The best things come to those who have patience.

I also want to say, that the entire neighborhood is walkable and safe. It is well-signed and well-lighted. Children are safe to walk to the library at either location and the bars are responsible. I hope that these fears will not sway the council's decision either way.

Sincerely,

Bryan Allan
N Kilpatrick st.

Posted by: jeff cogen - May 30, 2008 06:20 PM

Great feedback. Thanks.

As you can tell this will be a difficult decision, but the good news is that we have 2 great choices, and at the end of the day North Portland will have a great new library.

Jeff

Posted by: Jim - May 30, 2008 11:50 PM

The best plan would be to use the existing building on Denver, make Denver a pedestrian-only street for a few blocks either way. That might breathe some life back into Kenton.

Posted by: April Custer - June 1, 2008 07:36 PM

I am so thankful that a library is coming to our end of town, and that we are being asked to voice our opinions on the site. Either location seems fine in the end, but I prefer the Denver Ave. location. I love the positive growth of businesses on Denver and I think locating the library there would help this new growth flourish more than the Argyle location. A library on the "main drag" will add and build upon the historic charm of downtown Kenton. Having access to this new library a whole year earlier is also a big boon in favor of the Denver location for our family.

Posted by: garland m horner - June 2, 2008 02:39 PM

Dear Jeff,
Enjoyed" library " meeting and the attandance was great.
Both sights have plus and some minus.
The Arygle sight would give Kenton a real future. It would bring new life to the area. More people to walk the sidewalks and use the library. Kenton is a very unique and quaint fours blocks of shops.
We, my husband and I will start drawing up plans for our loft above our store at 8124 N Denver. We have owned the building since 1976 and have had our window store here all of those years. Of course we have seen PLENTY of changes during those years. Like so many of the shop owners we feel safe here and would love to see more changes in the future.
The Denver sight would be more of an imediate fix for the neighborhood. It would be great to re use and re cyle an old building for the purpose of libary, but it wouldn't bring many new residence to the area.
I wish there had been a show hands to see shich way the public was leaning towards. Good luck with your descission! See you at the Kenton Neighborhood meeting. I be it will be STANDING ROOM ONLY!

Posted by: garland m horner - June 2, 2008 02:40 PM

Dear Jeff,
Enjoyed" library " meeting and the attandance was great.
Both sights have plus and some minus.
The Arygle sight would give Kenton a real future. It would bring new life to the area. More people to walk the sidewalks and use the library. Kenton is a very unique and quaint fours blocks of shops.
We, my husband and I will start drawing up plans for our loft above our store at 8124 N Denver. We have owned the building since 1976 and have had our window store here all of those years. Of course we have seen PLENTY of changes during those years. Like so many of the shop owners we feel safe here and would love to see more changes in the future.
The Denver sight would be more of an imediate fix for the neighborhood. It would be great to re use and re cyle an old building for the purpose of libary, but it wouldn't bring many new residence to the area.
I wish there had been a show hands to see shich way the public was leaning towards. Good luck with your descission! See you at the Kenton Neighborhood meeting. I be it will be STANDING ROOM ONLY!

Posted by: Chris Lewis - June 2, 2008 03:29 PM

I'm a new resident to the Kenton area but love the feel of the area in consideration for the Library. I wasn't able to make the presentation, but I feel I'm in favor of the Argyle site for many reasons.

1) a new civic building such as a library would anchor the kenton area well.
2) by leaving the Denver location a storefront it provides opportunities for great street frontage for businesses that rely on high foot traffic visability.
3.) The creation of new residents in the Kenton area will provide additional vitality and patrons to the curent and future establishments along Denver.
4.) By locating the library at the Argyle site you not only get visibility from the freeway, you also get high visibilty from the MAX.
5.) Currently the Argyle site is not contributing anything to the neighborhood. It's an under utilized site that after development would serve as a gateway into the Kenton area after exiting I-5.

I think it's great that Kenton will be getting a new library, but I feel the neighborhood would benefit greater in the long run from the development on the Argyle site. It's an investment in the future of what the Kenton area can be, and would more likely spark greater interest in redeveloping the area more.

Posted by: Kari McFarlan - June 2, 2008 04:30 PM

Commissioner Cogen –

Thank you for the meeting last week to hear about the two possible sites for our Kenton library. When I walked into the meeting, I believed that either site would be acceptable. However, after hearing the comments of my neighbors, I am convinced that the existing building on Denver would be the BEST site for the library as well as the best investment for Kenton. Having the library in Kenton’s “mid-town” would increase the visibility of Denver Street and all its businesses and provide an anchor to the district. I urge you to recommend the Denver site to the other Commissioners for the official decision.

We are so excited about having a library in Kenton and having it located on Denver would create a terrific hub for Kenton.

Thank you for your consideration.

Kari McFarlan
North Emerald Ave.

Posted by: Jeffrey White - June 2, 2008 09:13 PM

Thank you Jeff for working on this project. I think I favor the N. Denver location due to it's proximity to neighborhoods that are near Kenton: Portsmouth, Arbor Lodge, and University Park, neither of which have library branches. A library on the "main street" could add more life to downtown Kenton by acting as a hub of activity. The comparison of the sites to NW 23 and the Hollywood branches was helpful. I recall that I've patronized nearby businesses within walking distance to the NW 23rd branch when using that library. When I visit the Hollywood branch, I rarely walk to nearby businesses.
Again, I appreciate the informative video and your engagement with this important project.
Jeffrey White
N Wayland Ave.

Posted by: Karen McClelland - June 2, 2008 10:27 PM

First off, I'm so excited about all this!! Both locations sound great. I went to the last meeting thinking that I wanted the Denver location, but then left favoring the Argyle site. Honestly, I was really impressed with the architect's experience. Think of what an impact they made when they built on Belmont!! I trust that they would do an amazing job. I'm willing to wait an extra year to get a great product. It seems like the Denver location would end up looking just as it does now. We need something SNAZZY, people! (Those drawings of the proposed Argyle site were darn cool.) And it's not like the Argyle location is really THAT far down the road from the Denver site. Either one would revitalize the area. Also, I think some people are failing to realize how this housing would bring in lots of young and single types. And Kenton won't get hip until that population has a place to set up shop here. Bring us the struggling artists, please!!
Karen
1901 Terry

Posted by: Cyndy Williams - June 3, 2008 12:33 PM

I agree that the Argyle building will be a great addition to the neighborhood and enable the extension of "downtown" Kenton. I really hope that this developer will build the project, even if the library doesn't go his way. I do not know what noise issues may or may not come from the future on-ramp, but I do live a stone's throw away from the Argyle site, and I would describe the PIR noise as a drone rather than piercing noise that certainly could be abated with the proper soundproofing. The loudest noise comes from the train whistles, which I could easily hear from the Masonic Temple during the meeting, so the Denver site will also be enjoying those.

Cyndy Williams
N. Delaware Ave.

Posted by: Marty Buckenmeyer - June 3, 2008 01:29 PM

Commissioner Cogen and interested neighbors:

As the architect for the proposal on Argyle, I would like to address the concerns raised in posts above regarding noise issues and the suitability of this site for habitation. Our team is confident that the noise issues that exist at this site can be addressed through thoughtful design and planning.

If the Argyle site is selected, our plan is to commission a site-specific noise study which would be prepared by one of the leading acoustical engineers in the area. The results of the study would help us to establish the acoustical design criteria for the project and identify specific recommendations for mitigation measures. Most likely, these mitigations would include windows with a higher sound transmission rating (accomplished through a 3rd layer of glass or larger airspace between the panes) and careful detailing of penetrations through the exterior wall (exhaust vents, mechanical penetrations, etc.) in order to minimize gaps that allow noise to penetrate into the building.

With regards to the proposed re-routing of Argyle,there is information on the ODOT website about the solution chosen to rework the Denver viaduct and connection to Columbia Blvd. (http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION1/I-5DeltaPark/projecthistory.shtml).

Four options were proposed for re-routing traffic in this area, and the preferred alternative was selected, in part, because it, “…results in the greatest reduction in traffic on existing Argyle Way of all alternatives and would provide the most improvement to the pedestrian environment along the existing Argyle Way,” and because it would result in, “…a noticeable decrease in noise levels for approximately three blocks of mixed use/residential properties and Kenton Park.”

If anyone has any further questions about noise issues pertaining to the project, feel free to contact me at martinb@amaa.com. Thanks!

Marty Buckenmeyer, AIA
Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects

Posted by: Loren Waxman - June 3, 2008 10:09 PM

Hi Jeff,

Great Video! I think the new site meets more community goals at multiple levels. It supports mixed use & sustainable levels of higher density. This allows the county to lead by example when it comes to meeting our 20/40 goals as it did in Sellwood & Hollywood.

It leverages the bang for our public dollars by spurring private development. As I'm sure you are aware, the city has done a wonderful job with the new Denver street plan. These dollars are budgeted & ready to go to spark development of Denver Avenue. By placing the library as an anchor to the new building, it sparks new development that compliments the city's street planning effort, builds a further bridge to the neighborhood and is not a redundant use of public investment as a development tool.

I also like the strong development team because it is a known entity with specific experience. While the city has had some high profile projects get sideways in the last few years, the county has had its share of trouble. In particular, I'm thinking about the Hillsdale library. While beautiful in the end, the process & extra dollars were painful.

Good Luck & let me know if I can add more...

Loren Waxman, Developer
Sellwood Lofts - Sellwood Branch - Multnomah County Library
Portland Design Commission, 2000-2008

Posted by: Loren Waxman - June 3, 2008 10:10 PM

Hi Jeff,

Great Video! I think the new site meets more community goals at multiple levels. It supports mixed use & sustainable levels of higher density. This allows the county to lead by example when it comes to meeting our 20/40 goals as it did in Sellwood & Hollywood.

It leverages the bang for our public dollars by spurring private development. As I'm sure you are aware, the city has done a wonderful job with the new Denver street plan. These dollars are budgeted & ready to go to spark development of Denver Avenue. By placing the library as an anchor to the new building, it sparks new development that compliments the city's street planning effort, builds a further bridge to the neighborhood and is not a redundant use of public investment as a development tool.

I also like the strong development team because it is a known entity with specific experience. While the city has had some high profile projects get sideways in the last few years, the county has had its share of trouble. In particular, I'm thinking about the Hillsdale library. While beautiful in the end, the process & extra dollars were painful.

Good Luck & let me know if I can add more...

Loren Waxman, Developer
Sellwood Lofts - Sellwood Branch - Multnomah County Library
Portland Design Commission, 2000-2008

Posted by: Ronna - June 6, 2008 02:41 PM

I think the Denver Avenue site is preferable for the library. It is re-using an existing building located in mid town, fronted by Denver, flanked by storefronts.

Having witnessed the siting of a new North Portland library fall through the cracks nearly seven years ago, I can attest to the fact that one year CAN be too long.

Posted by: Nopporn - June 9, 2008 01:54 PM

Thank you for the meeting a couple weeks; It was very informative. I believe the Argyle site is the better choice for anumber of reasons.

1. One of the best ways to revitalize the Denver strip and Kenton in general is to provide housing for many more residents within walking distance to the strip. These new residents will support the current businesses as well as promote commercial development in the neighborhood, especially ones that open at night. A library alone is not enough to activate Denver, especially at night.

2. The Argyle site gives Kenton a positive presence on Interstate Ave. Right now the neighborhood is practically invisible from the MAX. We need more than the Dancing Bare and Paul Bunyan there. A better image/presence will help draw more investment into the neighborhood.

3. Momentum: Kenton has an opportunity right now to capitalize on some momentum that could jumpstart the transformation this neighborhood, especially in a sluggish economy. The Argyle development would act as an anchor, that extends the commercial strip for two blocks. It will also provide real impetus for the city to do something about the traffic situation on Argyle, much more so than leaving it the way it is.

Thank you.