Author: Dave Boush

SNA Interview: Rhys Scholes, author of Portland’s Hawthorne Boulevard

What motivated you to do a book on Hawthorne Boulevard? 

I wanted to celebrate the fabulous place where we live and tell the story of how it got this way.

What were some of the most interesting things you learned about Hawthorne Blvd.?

The building on the southeast corner of 36th and Hawthorne is a great example.  It was a Safeway store when it was built and then it was a Fred Meyer.  Later the windows were boarded up and it was a warehouse for Union Furniture.  Today, it is the Bread and Ink Cafe, and you can tell it was a grocery by the newer bricks under the windows that were added to fill the openings where produce racks once extended out on the sidewalk.

This book contains both description and images. What images stand out?

The bridge fire in 1902, the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade on Hawthorne in 1948, the giant cake at the Fred Meyer Grand Opening in 1951, and the neighborhood that disappeared under the bridge ramps in 1957.

How can readers obtain this book?

Visit www.hawthornebook.com to buy a book and join the discussion of Hawthorne history, or find it in your local bookstore.

HBBA Pave and Paint Recommendation

In an October 1st statement the Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association endorsed Pave and Paint option #2 that would reconfigure Hawthorne west of Cesar Chavez to match Hawthorne east of Cesar Chavez.

See https://www.portland.gov/transportation/planning/se-hawthorne-pave-and-paint for more details on the project.

HBBA chose to recommend option #2 after multiple PBOT presentations and their stated reasons include safety, traffic flow and parking. You can read HBBA’s official statement about their Pave and Paint choice on their website: https://hawthorneblvd.com/?tv=5882719069798400.

October SNA Meeting Notes

At the October 8th SNA general meeting, Jim Toporek presented the design of a proposed three story, 11,473 sq. ft. mixed-use structure at 4738 SE Belmont. The proposed building includes 19 apartment units and ground floor commercial space. Please direct questions and comments to [email protected].

We elected and welcomed new board member Christy Yeoumans. One board position remains open.

The SNA continues to make communication through our website, newsletter, and meetings a priority. Not every neighborhood has a newsletter, and we hope to leverage communication to help all our neighbors get through this crazy time. We welcome stories on any topic but especially contributions that might ease the burden of work/life/health in our Sunnyside neighborhood. We also hope to promote the cultural and business contributions of our residents (200 words max. please).

The November 12th meeting will feature Oregon House Representative Rob Nosse. Rob’s insights on legislative issues are always insightful. We also will continue to discuss the worsening homeless situation. All SNA meetings continue to be via Zoom, so please see the SNA website for the time and connection info; we’d love to have you join us. Stay safe.

December 10, 2020 SNA General & Board Meeting Agenda

December 10, 2020 Agenda


This meeting is open to the public.
Times are approximate.  Agenda items subject to change.

This meeting will be conducted via Zoom.  All attendees will be muted upon entry into the meeting.  In order to ask a question or make a comment, please use the “Raise Hand” feature.  If accessing the meeting via computer, tablet, or smartphone app, you can do so via the “Raise hand button” in the “Participant” menu. If you are calling in to the meeting via phone, please dial *9.  You can learn more about how to use this feature here: https://www.techjunkie.com/zoom-raise-hand/

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Hawthorne at Home to Stay Up Year Round, Plaza at 37th Opens

Hawthorne at Home (https://www.hawthorneblvd.com/HAH), the online version of the Hawthorne Street Festival described in these pages last month, will now stay up year-round. The HBBA says it is not too late for Hawthorne businesses to develop their booth and it is free. Businesses “own” their booth and can use it for other online events too. The booths and other cool things on HBBA’s website are increasing weekly. There are now activities for kids, like a coloring page, a maze, and demonstrations from Echo Theater.  

The Hawthorne Plaza at 37th Avenue opened in September and should remain at least through October. There will be art in the street, places to sit and eat your lunch, to visit responsibly, and see the many shops nearby.  If you know an artist who would like to submit a design for the 11×100 center safety zone or for an 11×11 square, have them send their rough design to [email protected].  All pictures and no words, please.