Looking east on Fourth Avenue from Calapooia Street on Saturday. Angled parking has been requested on the left side.
The last we heard about a plan to build eight apartments on Fourth Avenue at Calapooia Street was in May, when the Land Use Board of Appeals ruled in an appeal to block the project. Now the builders are back with a request to make this one block of Fourth one-way west, with angled parking on the north side.
On Monday, the Albany City Council will be asked to consider the idea. The city staff wants to know whether it should “engage in further discussion” with the builders, Mark and Tina Siegner, about their angled-parking request.
Their proposed design turns the block into a one-way street with diagonal parking on the side of their proposed development. Parallel parking would remain on the other side, and there would be a two-way bike lane.
On their Fourth Avenue property where the council previously approved demolition of three dilapidated historic houses, the Siegners proposed to build two three-story buildings with a total of eight two-bedroom apartments and, on the street level, commercial space.
The Albany Landmarks Commission said no, but on appeal the city council approved the plan in June 2020. Friends of Historic Albany and an individual, Camron Settlemier, appealed to the state, and in May LUBA remanded the case to the city, citing procedural errors.
The city has done nothing about the remand, apparently waiting for the Siegners to make the next move if they want to go ahead with their project.
Architect Bill Ryals, who designed the buildings, also drew the proposal for the one-way street. The staff memo to the council is silent on whether going ahead with the building project depends on the street and parking changes being approved and carried out. (hh)
Postscript: On Sept. 20, the council put off consideration of the request until Oct. 13, when it will take up the LUBA remand of the Siegner development plans.
The council’s Monday work session agenda includes this drawing of the proposed changes.
Its a food desert over on this side of town. Sure could use a grocery store
Instead of the bike lane being across the street from the interesting side and next to parked-cars’ doors, how about having a two-way bike lane in front of the angle-parked cars, with bollards in front of each car? I don’t know if this exists in any urban-design playbook.
It could help to kill anybody’s proposal for back-in parking ;-)
Also, I like the idea of encouraging a grocery store there. This area could become a gem of pleasant urbanity if done right.
Please decline this request of turning 4th Ave SW into a one way street with angled parking. I live in the only house on the north side of that block. This would be directly in front of my home. The design is misleading on how many parking spaces could be put along that block. Less than half of what is drawn would be able to fit in that section of road. The builders have repeatedly tried to get around creating something that meets the fit and feel of the existing neighborhood. Please do not give them any leverage to continue to attempt to put in their 40 foot tall, mixed media, monstrosities. Thank You.
This appears to be the YIMBY way and should be approved overwhelmingly. If Mary doesn’t like it, she should move…at least that seems to also be the YIMBY way.
Just say NO