Urban Renewal Capital Projects

Description: Located in the heart of the Rockwood Town Center, the Gresham Redevelopment Commission purchased this 6.5-acre site for redevelopment. Formerly the home of Rockwood Fred Meyer, the site is now called the Catalyst Site. This project will cover capital costs associated with site redevelopment.

Justification: This project will help renew and revitalize the Rockwood Town Center, making it more appealing to private investment.

Type of project: Construction and renovation of facilities and supporting utilities.

Partners: Private development

More about Downtown Rockwood

In September 2016, the GRDC purchased the 0.59-acre Asia Kitchen Chinese Restaurant property at 18801 E. Burnside St. and the adjacent 1.40-acre Sunrise Community Center parcel at 18901 E. Burnside St. Together, these parcels are 2.0 acres and constitute one of the largest sites in the Rockwood Town Center.

The GRDC plans to redevelop these properties into mixed-use centers of commerce, with the intent of enhancing the effect and the mission of the Catalyst Site/Downtown Rockwood project located a half a block west of these parcels.

The GRDC purchase of the properties will ensure quality redevelopment in a manner consistent with the goals of the Rockwood-West Gresham Renewal Plan and the GRDC.

Request for proposal (RFP) No. 22-20 was released on Nov. 19, 2021 to solicit proposals from developers to redevelop the Sunrise Site. Two proposals were received.

In February, a review committee comprised of GRDC Advisory Committee members, City of Gresham staff, community leaders and consultants, scored the proposals, interviewed the development teams, and scored the interviews.

On May 17, the GRDC moved to direct the GRDC Executive Director to negotiate a non-binding Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with HMS Development. Upon execution of the ENA, the next step is development and execution of a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) between the GRDC and HMS Development.

This project covers capital costs associated with site redevelopment, including ongoing maintenance prior to redevelopment. 

Urban Renewal Capital Improvement Program Funded Project Number CIPUR00004.

Description: This Property Acquisition Fund was created to better position the Gresham Redevelopment Commission to respond to development opportunities within the Urban Renewal Area (URA). Its purpose is to provide a financial means for the Gresham Redevelopment Commission to implement the Rockwood West Gresham Renewal Plan Goals.

Justification: This project will help renew and revitalize the Rockwood/West Gresham Urban Renewal Area, making it more appealing to private investment.

Type of project: Property Acquisition.

Partners: Typical partners will be from the private sector interested in selling property or teaming on a development project.

Interim improvements to the Catalyst Site included:

• The Plaza del Sol
• A wildflower field with a quarter-mile walking path
• A children's playground

Located at 675 NE 181st Ave., the Rockwood Public Safety Facility:

• Improves Gresham Police presence and visibility in Rockwood 
• Provides a facility that is welcoming to citizens 
• Attracts new private investment 
• Allows for future expansion
• Demonstrates quality design and sustainability
• Creates opportunities for new community partnerships

Constructing the facility delivered on a key promise to voters in the Rockwood Urban Renewal Plan.

The facility houses a range of functions, including:

• East Metro Gang Enforcement Team
• Gresham Police Traffic Unit
• Patrol and detective units
• Community meeting room

The GRDC received Community Development Block Grant funding to:

• Construct a new pedestrian crossing at SE 179th and Stark Street.
• Construct a new pedestrian crossing at SE 182nd and Main Street.
• Complete the sidewalk connection on SE 182nd Avenue between SE Stark and Yamhill Streets.

Project improvements

• Improved the area's walkability and safety
• Completed a pedestrian link connecting Stark Street to Yamhill Street in the Rockwood Town Center.

The GRDC created a direct north-south connection through the busy Rockwood Triangle by building a new street segment aligning SE 187th and SE 188th avenues.

Project improvements

• Creates a safe pedestrian connection between the MAX station and the residential neighborhood south of Stark Street.
• Includes a new signalized intersection at 187th and Stark Street.
• Ties the landscape and sidewalk design to the boulevard design on Burnside.
• Replaces the old section of 188th between Stark and Burnside.

The project was completed in 2011.

Safety improvements were made on the south side of Burnside Road between 185th and 190th avenues. The project was completed in 2011.

Project improvements

• Wider sidewalks
• Improved landscaping and street trees
• New streetlights
• On-street parking between 185th and 188th avenues
• Redesigned intersection at 188th Avenue and Burnside with safer pedestrian crossings
• Distinctive pavement, sidewalk and crosswalk design reinforces the message Rockwood is a special part of Gresham

TriMet and the GRDC partnered to redesign and rebuild the 23-year old Rockwood/E 188th Avenue MAX Station.

This project modernized and improved safety at the stop along the original MAX Blue Line. The new station opened in May 2011.

MAX station improvements

• Combined platforms with transparent shelters for added safety
• More lighting
• Security cameras
• New ticket vending machines 
• Public art

The Stark Street Phase II Boulevard Project rejuvenated the Rockwood Town Center and Cultural Marketplace by:

• Installing transportation amenities to encourage more walking and biking.
• Improving safety for motor vehicles. 

Project improvements

The enhancement project reconstructed Stark Street from 190th to 197th with street amenities including:

• Landscaped medians
• Pedestrian crosswalk islands
• Wider sidewalks
• Planter strips with street trees
• Bus shelters
• Rain-friendly pervious pavement
• Green street treatments

The project was completed in 2012 and expanded Phase I, an earlier public investment in 2004 that improved Stark Street from 181st to 190th.

The Wilkes Road improvements increased access to and from the NE Wilkes industrial area in Rockwood via NE 181st Ave. and Interstate 84.

The project supports new and continued private investment, plus additional job creation and retention in the surrounding industrial area.

Project improvements

• Provide direct access from I-84, eliminating 1.5 miles of travel on city streets to reach industrial properties.
• Accommodate southbound left and northbound right turns from 181st Avenue onto Wilkes Road.
• Allow westbound right turns from Wilkes Road onto 181st Avenue.

Background

The GRDC approved this public-private partnership to fund and construct the Wilkes Road Improvement Project with the City's Transportation Division and property owner Washington Real Estate Holdings Gresham, LLC. 

This project was completed in 2012.

Sandy Boulevard is a major arterial through prime industrial land in the Rockwood-West Gresham Urban Renewal Area (URA). To improve the function of the street network through the URA, the project updated the road to current arterial standards and included upgrades to the traffic signal at 181st and Sandy Blvd. These improvements will attract new capital intensive industrial development in the URA. 

This project was coordinated by City of Gresham Environmental Services Department.

Urban Renewal's contribution to the project was $800,000.

This project was completed in November 2021.

Urban Renewal Capital Improvement Program Project Number CIPUR00002.

This project designed and constructed up to a 1-acre neighborhood urban plaza in the Rockwood Plan District. The plaza is located in the Downtown Rockwood development in front of the Rockwood Market Hall at 458 SE 185th Ave.

The plaza features play structures, a splash pad, seating areas, and will be a venue for community activities and events throughout the year.

The project was completed in August 2022.

System Development Charges (SDC) Park project #19.

Urban Renewal Capital Improvement Program Project Number CIPUR00005.