‘Bike-centric food cart super pod’ coming to Springwater Trail – UPDATED

Intersection of Springwater Trail and 82nd.

Portland Monthly Mag reports that a “Bike-centric food cart super pod” is coming to the Springwater Corridor in East Portland.

According to a story on their blog, developer Roger Goldingay (the same guy that developed the cart pod on N. Skidmore and Mississippi) has set his sights on a one-acre parcel along the popular trail where it crosses SE 82nd Ave. Here’s an excerpt from the story:

“With a vision for 35 carts featuring bike repairs, air-pumping, and gear—not to mention good food drawing from 82nd Avenue’s wealth of Asian, Latino and Russian communities—Goldingay hopes to take the cart village concept to the next level.

… Goldingay looks around and sees nothing but potential here: access to a popular, scenic bike trail, and one of busiest streets in the city.”

Wow. I really love what I’m hearing from Mr. Goldingay. Read what else he told Portland Monthly:

“On the outer east side, there’s nothing like central Portland’s food cart movement, certainly nothing like what we’re going to do. I see families riding through on bikes. Maybe a farmers market. We’re close to Happy Valley, East Portland, the north side of Oregon City, Clackamas, Gresham, and Milwaukie. I hope to serve this population, but I’d like to think I’m doing something to improve the area, too, to make it safe and family-friendly— but also a destination location that will draw urban dwellers to an area they know little about.”

Now this is what I’d call some bike-oriented development! We’ll keep you posted once the project progresses.

[Thanks to Paul Smith for the heads up.]

UPDATE: Roger Goldingay left a comment last night with more info:

“We will be on the vacant car lot with two buildings on the SW corner. The photo in the article looks right at it. Best bike access will be on the west end of the property where the trail crosses Harney. Construction starts any day. Looking for bike vendors, food carts, bike racks, concepts, and ideas. Your support is truly gratifying as we are taking a considerable risk in a difficult area. I think it’s a no-brainer, but my wife thinks I’ve got no brains.”

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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CaptainKarma
13 years ago

I hope it works out. I could walk there in my pajamas and slippers, get the morning paper and a coffee etc.
Hope it doesn’t end up a flea market though.

Am concerned about the biking off the trail, on 82nd though. Little shaky through there.

eli bishop
eli bishop
13 years ago
Reply to  CaptainKarma

I agree; biking on that part of 82nd is SCARY. My fondest hope is to connect Holgate to Fred Meyer w/ a bike lane. But at the very least, develop wider sidewalks in that area, because they are deplorable.

Carl
Carl
13 years ago
Reply to  eli bishop

Nothing will do a better job of illustrating the need for facilities out there than people riding on the present sub-par setup. Bike infrastructure doesn’t always follow the “if you build it, they will come” rule. More commonly, it’s “if you come, they will build it.” Not the best situation, but definitely the reality.

JM
JM
13 years ago
Reply to  CaptainKarma

Seriously can’t stand when people are to lazy to get dressed when going out into public.

Zach
Zach
13 years ago

It’ll need a big parking lot to be economically feasible 🙂

Adams Carroll (News Intern)

I hear you about riding on 82nd there CaptainKarma. Perhaps the developer could work with Portland Parks and Rec to create a paved entrance directly connecting the carts to the trail?… Imagine an exit sign on the trail pointing folks to food and drinks ahead. ;-).

Jim Labbe
13 years ago

This is great news. There needs food carts in appropriate places along the Springwater Corridor Trail. There also needs to be some public restrooms along the Corridor between Tideman-Johnson Park and Linneman Station. Quite a stretch to go without a loo. It would be great if some public restrooms could be built into the business plan.

bobcycle
bobcycle
13 years ago

The springwater has great potential as a bike hub/spoke moving people that live along it into the city without having to hassle with on road traffic. This is a great start, I’ve always wondered why there are not more bike centric businesses/housing along this corridor.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
13 years ago
Reply to  bobcycle

Probably not zoned for commerce.

Also: the adjacent land owners will feel compelled to complain of their rights to have a quiet forest glade outside their property line because it was that way when they purchased the land.

matt picio
13 years ago
Reply to  q`Tzal

I doubt it since that parcel used to be a car dealership. The land is zoned “EG2” (General Employment – i.e. industrial/commercial)

bikesalot
bikesalot
13 years ago

@Jim: I have pretty much given up on even checking for a loo at Linneman Station. Seems that every time I checked it in the last year it was locked up. Make that a long stretch to Gresham city park. Please let us know if it is once again worth checking.

Brandon Rhodes
13 years ago

Yeahh! I’m a bike-commuter that lives a quarter mile from there, and can’t wait to see something like this near there. My local watering hole is at that intersection — the Springwater Station — and I’ve always felt sad to see the urban wasteland surrounding it. So happy that Mr. Goldingay is going to help fill it in!

What help can eager neighbors be, I wonder?

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
13 years ago

Cyclists are consumers too.
Most notably consumers who are not spending money on gasoline to transport themselves.
This is extra spending power.
Also we get to park closer than the handicapped auto parking spot; some businesses I don’t even need to get off my bike.
Cater to the short on time cyclists who need to pick up items and go.

To other potential bike route businesses:
For the sake of free word of mouth advertisement carry some emergency bike supplies and give them away for free when you see those in need. Save thousands over a professional PR campaign.

A.K.
A.K.
13 years ago
Reply to  q`Tzal

Or even if they can’t give stuff away for free, offer tubes and patch kits “at cost” as a loss leader to get people over there while they are out cycling.

Steve B
Steve B
13 years ago

What a wild, innovative concept, can’t wait to hit this cart pod whenever I’m cruising the Springwater!

Ecohuman
Ecohuman
13 years ago

Awesome! More development! More paving! It’s about time development interest came to bicycling. I mean, how am I supposed to survive without somebody selling me food and drink every mile or two? I’m sick of all the nature and trees and riding in quiet areas crap. Bring on the parking lot development. Hey, maybe a bike shop, too! And a Walmart! Oh, wait. That’d be “unsustainable”.

CaptainKarma
13 years ago
Reply to  Ecohuman

There’s already *two* WallyWorlds on 82nd, so hopefully they won’t be doing that. Though the might try to sneak in a “Neighborhood Market”, but Fred Meyers is right there anyway.

As far as too much development in this stretch, almost anything you could do would be an improvement, seriously. There’s lotsa woods and bucolic cows (well, no cows actually) all along the trail. Its where the crackheads sleep. But they generally pretty bucolic crackheads. Just sayin…

matt picio
13 years ago
Reply to  Ecohuman

ecohuman, have you even ridden there? This is a parcel right on 82nd Avenue. Its previous life was as a car dealership. This is a far more responsible use, and it provides services to both bike commuters and the local neighborhood that don’t exist in outer SE currently.

Ecohuman
Ecohuman
13 years ago
Reply to  matt picio

I’ve ridden it since it existed. What does it’s previous use have to do with the appropriateness of even more development?

Paul Smith
13 years ago
Reply to  Ecohuman

Thanks for playing ye olde Portland role of The Grand Naysayer, no matter how much good reasoning is put in front of them.

Never mind that it’s not taking out any existing natural resources, will provide a living for dozens, be a hub for the community that, from the comments, local people clearly want. Go on, keep your virtual arms folded.

Point A to Point B
Point A to Point B
13 years ago
Reply to  Ecohuman

I concur, Ecohuman ! Fine if it will be on an already paved lot but please leave the undeveloped spaces alone!

patrickz
patrickz
13 years ago

I’ve practically lived on the SpH20 some springs/summers; what a fine addition that would make. Beats granola bars!

h
h
13 years ago

that would be awesome. i would bike down for a bite…

Paul Smith
13 years ago

Take a look at the source article, folks. It’s been approved by the city, is being done by an already experienced food cart pod creator, who did a great job on his first, I think he’ll remember bathrooms 🙂

Bike resources, local food, and a place for all those people you see zinging by on the trail to stop and gather? Yeah, I’m for that 🙂

Rol
Rol
13 years ago

This is pretty awesome!

G.Tyler
G.Tyler
13 years ago

There is one empty car lot on the SW corner of that intersection, that might be where it’s going in, nothing new to pave there!

David
David
13 years ago

We live close by and my family will be customers. It will be a very positive thing for our neighborhood. How can we contact Mr. Goldingay?

Roger Goldingay
13 years ago
Reply to  David

I can be reached at roger@missmarketplace.com

Roger Goldingay
13 years ago

Wow! Thanks for all the positive feedback! We will be on the vacant car lot with two buildings on the SW corner. The photo in the article looks right at it. Best bike access will be on the west end of the property where the trail crosses Harney. Construction starts any day. Looking for bike vendors, food carts, bike racks, concepts, and ideas. Your support is truly gratifying as we are taking a considerable risk in a difficult area. I think it’s a no-brainer, but my wife thinks I’ve got no brains.

matt picio
13 years ago

I’ll certainly be happy to try to route some Cycle Wild trips that way – it’ll provide a great cyclist-friendly stop for our group trips. This is great and I hope it works out really well!

Point A to Point B
Point A to Point B
13 years ago

Great idea. I live nearby and will definitely be a customer. Thanks for reusing a vacant lot and not paving anything else over.

Paul Smith
13 years ago

That must be awesome to see such enthusiastic support. So, given you’re working on an already paved lot, what about considering depaving some of it, for stormwater planters or a garden? Something the community could get involved in, take pride in?

Depave.org could arrange volunteers to help depave, and Terrafluxus, has helped with the plant life at such projects, including the Good Food Here cart pod at Belmont & 43rd

Greg Raisman
13 years ago

This is, indeed, an exciting development. There is a project that should help with access. This summer, the north leg 80s Neighborhood Greenway will be built (http://www.neighborhoodgreenway.com/?page_id=46).

PBOT is in final preparation to present a project proposal for the south leg of the 80s Neighborhood Greenway. The design goal is to connect the Greenway to the Springwater at 87th Ave. From there is a a very short, seemless trip to the trail crossing at 82nd Ave. This project would complete a family-friendly route from the Springwater to Hassalo Street (just north of Glisan) that parallels 82nd and 92nd Avenues.

We should begin public outreach on the south leg of the 80s this spring. Once outreach is complete, the project would be scheduled to begin construction in spring/summer 2012.

To be kept in the loop on the 80s, please contact Kyle Chisek at kyle.chisek@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 823-7041.

Thanks.
Greg Raisman
Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership
Portland Bureau of Transportation

Spiffy
Spiffy
13 years ago

anything that helps rid this area of the aggressive homeless and hookers that frequent the area is welcoming…

a few businesses creating traffic should cause them to hide other places… I always get nervous on the Springwater right behind the Sprintwater Station because of the shady characters there…

I often ride north on 82nd from Clackamas to the Springwater since it’s the most direct and level route… it’s only bad at Otty and Johnson Creek where the bike lanes disappear at the intersections and the motorized vehicles pinch you off at the far end of the intersections… Otty is the worst…

Brandon Rhodes
13 years ago
Reply to  Spiffy

I regularly stumble from Flavel to the Springwater Station for drinks, and am on a first-name basis with some of the folks experiencing homelessness in that area… thing is, though, that most of them are basically nice folks that aren’t afraid to act a bit weird. They suffer from addiction and the cold. So, they’re cool. The shady folks who do have houses (or at least their wardrobe indicates they can afford them), though, are the ones to be mindful of. The folks who are kinda like “white trash thugs”… They’re the ones who will widen their gate just to prove something and force you to the edge of the pathway. Saying something friendly from your bike usually catches them off guard, dismantles the standoff-ish tone they’re trying to set.

So, to recap: rags=cool, doo-rags=meh

Ted Buehler
Ted Buehler
13 years ago

Wow! I love the Mississippi Marketplace, I look forward to seeing what entrepreneurs will set up at springwater and The Avenue of Roses.

Ted Buehler

G. Tyler
G. Tyler
13 years ago

Might have to put a basket on the front of the bike to bring take-out home for dinner!

chris
chris
13 years ago

YES! Finally, gentrification is coming to my ‘hood! Del Rancho Hotel and Area 69, meet your new neighbors!

I am excited!

Kt
Kt
13 years ago

Color me jealous! That’s a fabulous idea, and I wish we had something like that down here in the SW ‘burbs.

Jim Labbe
13 years ago

KT. You do… it is called the Red Electric Trail:

http://www.swcommconnection.com/news/story.php?story_id=123776056906381800

bikesalot: Gresham has been cutting its parks department year after year for over a couple decades now. The lack of operation and maintenance funding has reduced service levels and brought most capital projects to a screeching halt. What we need is new strategy for funding parks in East Multnomah County. The most promising strategy is a East Metro Park District, something like Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation for the east side. That will require a diversity of park advocates working together with other business and civic leaders to sell such a strategy to the public.

Stripes
Stripes
13 years ago

I don’t live in the area really, but bike the Springwater a lot in summer. There is NOTHING to eat along it at present. If you don’t bring powerbars for your 20 mile ride, you are screwed.

This will be SUCH a welcome addition!!!

Paul Manson
Paul Manson
13 years ago

And Roger has a track record to show he knows how to do this right!!

http://www.albinaopportunities.org/html/goldingayshowcase.html

PorterStout
PorterStout
13 years ago

I ride past this frequently in the summer. I’m definitely a thumbs up on it but will bemoan the loss of open pathway riding if this brings even more pedestrians/dogs/kids with training wheels, etc. Let’s hope it doesn’t become anything close to riding along the Eastbank Esplanade.

heather andrews
heather andrews
13 years ago

This is within easy walking distance of my house, and we’ve got very few restaurant options in the area. Woot!