Peeking into a new apartment

By Nancy Tannler

 

The newest apartment building on a swiftly-changing street, 3339 Division is now open for residency and businesses.

New apartments at 3339 Division St.
New apartments at 3339 Division St.

This is one of three apartments on the street built by Urban Development Partners (UD+P) The company acquires, develops, and manages income-producing real estate specializing in renovation and new construction.

UD+P General Manager Kevin Dunleavy and Neeley Wells, Neighborhood Outreach, met with The Southeast Examiner to talk about the new apartments and provide a tour of 3339 Division.

The improving economy, and the high demand for apartments here in the inner city have spurred on the building frenzy.

The Comprehensive Plan of 1978 approved high density apartment buildings without on site parking along public transit routes.

Reeves acknowledges the stress caused to the surrounding neighbors and hopes they can be mitigated over time. “These zoning laws also protect our Urban Growth Boundary,” she said.

There are more zoning constraints in Portland than other cities like Seattle. The impact of the structure and livability keeps apartment buildings in CS zones  45’, except where the zone is next to a residential zone, then it steps down to 35’

Neeley Wells and Kevin Dunleavey with onsite car rental
Neeley Wells and Kevin Dunleavey with onsite car rental

On the ground floor of 3339 Division, there are two storefronts and an atrium that features an abstract water feature in a  bioswales designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water.

The new Honore Boulangerie is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. There are cases full of bakery and pastry choices and according to Dunleavey, they make the best mocha in town. The eastern side of the building houses the ice cream shop, Salt & Straw.

Up a set of stairs through  the courtyard is a north facing terrace, one of the entrances to the four live/work spaces. Mellisa Reeves, of  Home Team Realty, temporarily rents two of the spaces for her business. She welcomed The Southeast Examiner in to take a look around.

They are very efficient units with a good-sized bathroom, stacking washer/dryers and a kitchenette included in the main area.

The light, even on a cloudy Portland day, was bright and the view over the treetops and roof tops is a pleasant city scape. Spaces can be accessed from either the terrace or inside the building.

Kitchen in studio at 3339 Division St.
Kitchen in studio at 3339 Division St.

The entrance to the apartments is off the courtyard too. The entryway is full of light, with contemporary art on the walls and access to the bike storage room, a large space already half-full of bicycles and accoutrements.

There are 31 studio and one bedrooms spaces ranging from 460 sf to 970 sf priced $1195 –$1445. Most apartments have one year leases, but it can be less depending upon the time of year.

There are lots of windows in the corridor and apartments so what might be lacking in space is made up with a great sky scape. The apartments are move-in ready

“We’ve learned through experience from other apartments UD+P built to install everything a tenant needs to move in,” Wells said. “There are storage units built into all the closets plus UV blocking roller blinds.”

All appliances are Energy Star rated; a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency voluntary program that helps businesses and individuals save money and protect our climate through superior energy efficiency.

The windows that open are safe, operable units designed to work with overhead fans to create cross-ventialation. The heating is a high efficiency “ductless mini split heat pump”, also providing AC. They run on electricity.

Reeves has worked with UD+P for eight years and is excited by the progress of design these new apartments offer tenants. The apartments are more efficient and better for renters.

Dunleavey said the apartments welcome children and pets.  “One of the reasons a person changes apartments is because they want to get a pet or have a child, so our apartments accept both.”

There is no wall to wall carpeting and in the most recently- built apartments, wood floor have been replaced with a sealed  concrete, easy to keep clean and light in color.

The new apartment being built across the street, 3330 Division, by UD+P will have a dog wash that tenants from the other two apartment building can use.

“Because of the parking issue we are trying a new idea by having a car available for tenants to use for $5 per hour or $35 per day,” Wells said.

They’ll start with one car, but if rental is successful they will buy more. Both Reeves and Dunleavey concurred that this has been one of the most difficult results of infill housing.

They hope that this will provide relief until city developers come up with other solutions.   “Already one of our tenants is getting rid of a car,”  Wells said.

 

Peeking into a new apartment

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