April « 2011 « Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt

Local Projects Requiring Private Property Acquisition Still Moving Forward

April 5, 2011

By Jill Gelineau

Despite the down economy and budget problems for most governmental agencies, there are a number of big projects in the area still moving forward. The Milwaukie Light Rail Project – an extension of TriMet’s Green Line into Milwaukie from Portland State University – is slated to receive $200 million in funding from the Obama Administration through the New Starts program. With these funds, and others obtained thus far, the project is moving full steam ahead with acquisition of private property. TriMet’s appraisers are contacting property owners within the rail corridor to set appointments for appraisal inspections, and many offers have already been made by TriMet. Construction is scheduled to start this year.

The Columbia River Crossing (replacement of the I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver) continues to be in the news as stakeholders consider the bridge type. With a goal of construction starting in 2013, property acquisition is not that far off if the project can stay on schedule. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is on track to be released this year.

Also of note and gaining traction again is the Newberg-Dundee Bypass Project, which has been in the planning stages for over 20 years. With funding from the 2009 State Legislature now available in 2011, ODOT has been actively acquiring property within the Phase I area. Phase I will ultimately result in a two-lane limited access road connecting Highway 99W southwest of Dundee to Highway 219 south of Newberg.

Local utility companies are also busy as of late with their own projects. Bonneville Power Administration’s I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project is currently working to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement later in the year, after which BPA will hold public meetings to discuss all of the route alternatives currently on the table. While the agency does not plan to announce the final transmission line route until 2013, the time to potentially influence the project’s location is this year.

Portland General Electric’s Cascade Crossing Project is also in the works, with the environmental review and permitting process currently underway and scheduled to last another two years. PGE is indicating that private property, or right-of-way, acquisition will begin this year; however the debate between the proposed and alternate corridors from Boardman to Salem continues.

Other statewide projects proceeding with plans for private property acquisition in the near future include the Murphy Road Corridor project in Bend, the Glen Creek Road NW at Wallace Road NW Intersection Widening project in Salem, and the Salem-Keizer School District’s acquisition of property for a new elementary and middle school in west Salem.

Taxes Eating up Your Budget? Try Dining in Portland

tags: dining out, Or, Portland —

April 1, 2011

Eating out can be taxing enough financially without factoring in the extra 10% that the government takes. A reprieve from that extra burden is close at hand — and is an added excuse to take that occasional (or frequent) business or pleasure trip to Portland. In this installment of Dining Out, we provide you with some of our regular haunts and favorite spots to eat out without sales tax while in Portland.

Although Portland is well-stocked with Starbucks, it boasts many of its own well-established chains of coffee houses. Start your morning with Stumptown (also has two Seattle locations), which is based in Portland. The downtown location is found at 128 SW Third Ave. (503-295-6144; stumptowncoffee.com).

The beans are roasted to perfection; the coffee is complex and amazingly smooth. Even in the coffee-saturated city to the north, many Seattleites’ first choice is Stumptown, labeled by some as the leader in the “third wave” of the coffee movement. Favorite beans for making coffee at home are Costa Rica Montes de Oro and Costa Rica Los Angeles, but if neither is available, any helpful barista can suggest stellar alternatives.

If you’re in the mood for something sweet, do do that voodoo that you do so well — doughnuts that is. We will try to stop drooling long enough to tell you about one of our absolutely favorite places to spend some tax-free dough (pun intended) in Portland. Set your diet aside for a moment and head straight to Voodoo Doughnut (22 SW Third Ave., 503-241-4704; 1501 NE Davis St., 503-235-2666; voodoodoughnut.com).

Home of the bacon maple bar, Voodoo does not make your ordinary doughnut, and that is what keeps us dreaming of its sinfully delicious fried dough creations. We suggest you try “The Loop” with vanilla frosting and Froot Loops or the “Mango Tango,” filled with mango jelly, topped with vanilla frosting, and dusted with Tang. If you are looking for a truly Portland experience, try the Portland Crème, which was decreed in 2008 as the official doughnut of Portland by then Mayor Tom Potter.

If classics are more your style, for years, a business breakfast in Portland has meant the Heathman (1001 SW Broadway (at Salmon); 503-241-4100; portland.heathmanhotel.com). This hotel has an excellent restaurant with a classic feel.

The menu is fairly traditional for breakfast, but there will often be a very hearty meat or chop option. This restaurant should not be overlooked for any meal of the day as it is reliably good. If you want afternoon tea while you are in Portland, try the Heathman’s Tea Court, which also hosts live jazz most evenings.

For alternate cuisine, try the Bijou Cafe (132 SW Third; 503-222-3187). Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, the Bijou is classic Portlandia, emphasizing fresh local ingredients with generous portions. Well-known for its omelets and waffles (consider trying the oyster omelet if it is on the menu when you visit), we recommend either the salmon hash or the roast beef hash for breakfast or lunch. We found the service friendly, but with an entertaining eccentricity that some visitors might find unusual.

For lunch, drinks or dinner, it is hard to review Portland restaurants without including Jake’s Famous Crawfish (401 SW 12th Ave.; 503-226-1419), owned by the same company as McCormick’s Fish House and McCormick & Schmick’s in Seattle. This classic Portland restaurant may now be part of a chain, but it has been around for 110 years, and it looks and feels like a one of a kind.

Jake’s menu will feel familiar to those who frequent other restaurants with the same ownership, but it is customized to whatever fresh seafood is available. It delivers consistently delicious seafood dishes and is close enough to Powell’s to be a great place for lunch before or after your mandatory visit to the famous bookstore.

In the evenings, we frequent Southpark (901 SW Salmon St.; 503-326-1300). Southpark features fresh seafood with a healthy emphasis on sustainability by drawing on local organic farms (including one called the Singing Pig: http://singingpigfarm.com). We almost always get the fresh seafood special, but try the butternut squash ravioli while you are there. Southpark has a very nice Northwest wine list and it has an adjoining wine bar, which we have always found to be quite hospitable.

For a unique experience, and to visit a piece of history, try the Lotus Cardroom (932 SW Third Ave.; 503-227-6185; lotuscardroomandcafe.com). The Lotus lists itself on its web page as “legendary” and has been in business in the same location since 1924. It has a somewhat similar feel to Merchant’s Cafe in Pioneer Square, but with a more contemporary menu.

The lunch menu features a quarterly fresh sheet; we were able to enjoy a special fresh sheet for Mardi Gras the day we visited. The jambalaya was moderately spicy with very fresh ingredients. Or you can simply give in to the ambiance and just get a good burger. The Lotus is open late at night and hosts live music some evenings.

Another equally delicious Portland lotus is Blossoming Lotus, a favorite option for the vegan crowd (1713 NE 15th Ave.; 503-228-0048; blossominglotus.com). Its fresh seasonal vegan stir-fry engages the taste buds in a generous delectable portion of curried cashews, wheat soba noodles and fresh ginger-lime stir-fry sauce, topped with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds. A cozy, candlelit glow from the surrounding wood décor makes it a warm and friendly setting.

Finally, try Clyde Common, which is located in the Ace Hotel in Portland’s West End (1014 SW Stark St.; 503-228-3333; www.clydecommon.com). Clyde Common touts itself as a “European Style tavern.” It has great food and our local contacts call it a “very happening place.” Be warned; they do not take reservations.

While our recommendations could keep your taste buds busy for more than a long weekend, these samples barely scratch the surface for eating out in Portland. It is a “foodie” town with the caliber of restaurants to prove it. Stay tuned, as we have saved reviewing Portland’s famous food carts for a future edition.

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt is a multiservice, Northwest regional law firm with offices in Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and Bend. For comments on this article or to share your favorite places to eat or drink with the Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt attorneys, contact Christopher Howard at 206-407-1524 or at choward@schwabe.com; see also www.schwabe.com/dining_out.aspx.

Originally published in the April 2011 issue of the King County Bar Bulletin. Reprinted with permission of the King County Bar Association.