This strip of cars parked next to Uptown Espresso on 33rd Avenue West between McGraw Street and West Linn will be replaced with a parklet, featuring tables, benches, umbrellas and flower poles in phase 4 of the Reimagine Magnolia Village streetscape.
Photo by Jessica Keller.
The campaign to raise money for phases 4 and 5 of the Reimagine Magnolia Village beautification project officially begins this week with the ultimate goal of wrapping up by this summer.
Reimagine Magnolia Village Beautification Committee Chairperson Cheryl McQuiston said, as in previous campaigns, the committee is trying to raise $250,000 to make the improvements. So far, $50,000 has been raised.
“This community has not lost its spirit for finishing its projects,” beautification committee member Ann Goos said, adding the committee is grateful that residents continue to see this as a worthy project and continue to be dedicated to its completion.
The Reimagine Magnolia Village beautification project aims to create an inviting and attractive business core for residents and visitors through improvements to the streetscape. So far, phases 1 through 3 have included the installation of tables, chairs, umbrellas, benches and poles for flower baskets along the Magnolia Village business corridor along West McGraw Street, between 32nd and 35th avenues west.
The campaign for the final two phases, which will run concurrently and begins this week, focus on streetscape additions to 32nd and 33rd streets, from West Linn to West Smith Street.
A major feature of phase 4 will be the creation of a parklet on 33rd Avenue West between McGraw Street and West Linn, next to Uptown Espresso, McQuiston said.
McQuiston said some people may not be happy because it will eliminate parking spaces, which currently require back-in angled parking. That section of 33rd Avenue West is dangerous because of the current parking and street configuration, which has led to a number of accidents in the past.
“If the city had their way, they’d close all the parking,” McQuiston said.
McQuiston said the parklet will feature seating and tables with umbrellas, new trees that are surrounded by porous pavement and barriers to separate it from the street. People will be able to parallel park vehicles on the other side. Because beautification committee members know the parklet may make some people unhappy, they approached owners of neighboring businesses, the majority of whom supported the decision to install a parklet.
Phase 4 will also include two new benches on 33rd Ave between West Wheeler Street to West McGraw Street. The two new benches will face each other and will placed in front of the entrance of the “Starbucks” office building, according to the project website.
As in previous phases, the beautification committee will apply for Department of Neighborhood Matching fund grants. The city has awarded $70,000 to the effort in Phases 1-3, and McQuiston is hopeful the city will award the campaign another grant this cycle, especially because creating parklets is one of the city’s priorities this round.
“Nationally, parklets are just becoming the landscaping du jour for city landscapers,” Goos said.
The city is also contributing to the project in another way: paying to fix cracked and uneven sidewalk areas along 32nd Street, specifically a section in front of U.S. Bank and another section further up the street.
“Our steady partnership with the city has been an essential part of our success,” Goos said.
Other phase 5 improvements will include adding benches to create a conversation area be a new conversation area that includes three benches in front of Mainspring Wealth Advisors, LLC as well as new flower poles on both sides of 32nd Avenue West, according to the project website. Several trees along 32nd from West McGraw Street to West Smith Street will be protected by porous pavement.
Goos said committee members are also conducting a discussion with the owner of the building on the corner of 32nd and McGraw about allowing a mural to be painted on the plain tan wall directly across from U.S. Bank. Goos said the mural, if allowed, would reflect Magnolia’s community and everything that has been done and honor businesses and residents.
“It’s a wonderful way for people to interact with the infrastructure of the building,” Goos said.
For more information about the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce, or the Reimagine Magnolia Village beautification project, visit discovermagnolia.org or magnoliabeautification.com.
All donations made through the Magnolia Better Together 501(c)(3) charitable organization of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce are tax deductible. The Reimagine Magnolia Village beautification committee is part of the Magnolia Chamber of Commerce.