Commercial Properties (vacancies, new businesses, etc.):
La Bamba “Nuevo”: Project looks fairly close to completion. Exterior seems to be complete (parking lot has been resealed and restriped; streetscape improvements complete; exterior storage awaiting inspection). The business owner is planning to move equipment into the new location right after Mother’s Day, and we are working towards final inspections during that week as well. Mr. Vicenttin is aiming for a grand opening event before the end of May.
Timberline Meats: Work continues on this project as well. Exterior is getting closed to completion, both on the main building pictured here and on the stand alone garage. Exterior of the buildings are close to completion with the exception of landscaping and ADA requirements. Contractors appear to be focusing on the interior of the building now. Potential June opening.
Sandlandia: Up and running! We currently have three carts operating (Melt It! [mac & cheese], Crepes Plus, Alpine Sliders), and cart owners are extremely happy thus far. They are surpassing their most rosy estimates regarding the amount of business they were expecting, and they tell me that Sandlandia is a much preferred location to the one they left on 82nd Avenue in Portland because security issues are virtually non-existent in Sandy. The stories they tell about theft and property damage caused by the transient population at their former location are disturbing.
Cart owners are also hearing fantastic reviews from their customers, and this is in line with the reviews I have been hearing as well. Every city staff member that has tried the carts (I’ve spoken to 15+) has had positive reviews of the food — both Melt It! And Crepes Plus have received the unofficial “City of Sandy Public Works Crew Seal of Approval” for their food quality. The only complaint I have heard is that it sometimes takes a while for food to be prepared, but this is understandable considering the unexpected amount of business they have been receiving thus far.
Another unexpected benefit of carts in Sandy is workforce development. One of the cart owners tells me that she has hired three SHS students to work in her cart, and is training one of them right now to cook. She also tells me that she could use one or two more cooks, and would hire today if she found the right people. I gave her contract information for Travis over at AntFarm Youth Services and let her know that AFYS is a non-profit dedicated to matching youth with jobs and job training, and she seemed delighted to learn about this option. Travis will be contacting them this week.
Finally, I did get some feedback from the cart owners stating that the rules regarding carts are a bit onerous. However….they actually said that this was a good thing, because it keeps the less professional, more fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants carts on the sidelines. I did suggest that perhaps the Planning & Building and Economic Development Departments sit down with them after hours a bit later in the summer to discuss cart regulations and perhaps some suggestions from the more experienced cart owners as to how we can streamline our processes without sacrificing the look and feel of Sandlandia – the owners of Melt It! and Crepes Plus agreed that this would be a good idea.
Scooter’s Sports Bar & Restaurant (Sandy Marketplace): This business is now open. It has been a little bit of a bumpy ride so far getting their processes ironed out, but this should not necessarily be unexpected with a new restaurant. However, the building looks fantastic inside and out, and the owners are determined. We look forward to a grand opening event with Mayor King soon.
Sandy Shell Station: This business is currently undergoing a façade improvement project. A stone wrap base is being added to the building, and new siding will be added above that. They are also adding a gabled metal roof feature over the entrance.
Project work:
- City departmental webpages: Making some minor upgrades (department directories, reorganizing and updating departmental information, etc.) and beginning to work on online utility connect and disconnect forms for the Utility Billing Department. Ready to update Finance Department page when they are.
- Connelly demolitions: Fencing has gone up, and environmentally hazardous materials are currently being removed from all structures at the site. Timeline has been extended due to miscommunication about the removal of utility service lines from the structures. Property owner is currently scheduling this work (still to complete – PGE, NW Natural; Frontier scheduled for 5/10), but timelines are not yet known. Once these two things are complete (hazmat mitigation scheduled to be complete 5/11), Konell Construction tells me that the actual demolitions and debris removal shouldn’t take very long at all.
Conferences/training: Nothing this month.