‘Morrison’ Demolition on Brooklyn Street Moves Forward


Part of a series on 4800 Block of Southeast Brooklyn Street

PORTLAND, Ore. – A 106-year-old house in the Richmond neighborhood of Southeast Portland has received a permit for demolition and a 1939 house next door has entered into a demolition delay period on a dead-end street that has already experienced major redevelopment, all by a single developer.

The 1909 house, located at 4813 SE Brooklyn St. and previously reported on by the Portland Chronicle in January, is 1,539 square feet on a 9.700-square-foot lot. A detached garage sits to the west of the house, with a large yard also included on the spacious property.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

On Nov. 13 the county recorded a transfer of the property from Thomas and Viola Daw to Morrison Development Group LLC for $535,000.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Morrison Development Group LLC is registered to Joel Frederick Morrison. Roughly 20 blocks west of this development Morrison recently razed a 1919 home for a new replacement house.

A month after purchasing the Brooklyn Street property Morrison applied to partition the property into two lots for two new houses. That was approved in March. Four months after purchasing the Southeast Brooklyn Street house Morrison applied for demolition of the home and its garage.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

On April 20 the Bureau of Development Services issued the demolition permits. One construction permit is under review for a two-story house with an attached garage, possibly similar to the other houses Morrison Development Group LLC has already built across the street, with another permit likely on the way for the newly-partitioned property.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

New houses across the street from the 1909 home. The two-story structures were built by Morrison Development Group LLC, while a one-story house in the middle retains resident ownership as the one house on the west end of the block not being demolished. Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Also over the past week, Morrison applied for demolition of the 1939 house to the east of the 1909 home.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

The 1939 house to the right is under demolition delay by Morrison Development Group LLC. Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

The 1939 house in the rear will be demolished. Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

This is consistent with the plans laid out in a map posted as an advertisement on the block which show there will be three new houses replacing the two to be demolished.

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Photo credit: Portland Chronicle

Until recently no sale was recorded on the property even though the plans for development were posted as an ad in January. But on March 2 the county recorded a sale from Lucinda Peterson to Morrison Development Group LLC for $220,000. Portland city records list this property’s real market value as $295,420, which is $75,420 over the price Morrison Development Group LLC is listed as having paid for the property.

No construction permits have been applied for on the site of the 1939 house. Its demolition delay expires May 29.