1906 Home to Be Razed, Replaced

PORTLAND, Ore. – A 109-year-old house in the Richmond neighborhood will be demolished and replaced with a single new residence.

Located at 2219 SE 38th Ave., the one-story house totals 856 square feet in size and sits on a 4,000-square-foot lot.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

In May 2014 the property sold to Mitch Gilbert for $324,000. About a month after the sale it was transferred into the ownership of MG-MK SE 38th Property LLC, registered to Gilbert and Marjorie Kircher.

A real estate listing of the house described it as a “lovely 1906 house with original finishes, hardwood floors, and sunny garden,” “surrounded by good neighbors, newly re-plumbed and upgraded electrical.”

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

On Nov. 25 the city received an application for demolition of the one-story house. The applicant was listed as Mitch Gilbert Architect, while the contractor was listed as “to bid.”

At the same time, the property owner submitted plans for one new single-family residence, two stories with an attached garage. At one time this would have negated the demolition delay, but because of regulations enacted in April the 35-day delay was still triggered.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

That delay period is likely to end Dec. 30.

The property is zoned R2.5 and has no underlying lot lines, meaning one unit is the maximum that can be built on the site.