The Eliot and Boise Neighborhood Associations are teaming up to help get you prepped for an emergency! Come join us at 6pm on February 4th and learn how to be prepared for the unexpected.
Pacific Power is demolishing and removing the brick substation building located across the street from the Dishman Community Center on NE Knott St. in Portland. Below are answers to anticipated questions about the project.
Q. What is the history of the building? A. The Knott substation building was built in 1906 for Portland Railway Light & Power, which became Portland General Electric. In the 1960s, the building and adjoining substation property were acquired by Pacific Power & Light as a part of a separation of utility service territories in Portland. The building was being used as a control center until a fire in 1995 made parts of the building unusable. It was then used for training until 2000 when site conditions made its continued use unsafe.
Q. Why is it being demolished? A. The building is no longer safe for use. It is also targeted for break-ins, which is dangerous given its location within an energized substation.
Q. When will it be demolished and how long will it take? A. The physical demolition began in mid-December 2025 and is expected to take approximately 45 working days.
Q. What will go in place of the building? A. The area the building currently occupies will be backfilled with the same material that covers the rest of the substation site. No new structures are planned in place of the building.
Q. Why couldn’t the building be preserved as a historic site? A. The building no longer serves any purpose for providing electricity service and has too much damage to restore.
Q. What steps will Pacific Power and its contractor take to ensure the surrounding neighborhood won’t be harmed by debris, dust or other impacts of the demolition? A. The contractor will bring the building down using a slow, methodical process that gradually deconstructs the building into its footprint rather than via a more dramatic sudden demolition. Other community protection measures will include use of barricades, site fencing, setbacks to limit access and use of water to suppress dust.
Q. What street or sidewalk closures will occur and for how long? A. Current plans will close one lane of NE Knott St. from the substation building area east to NE Rodney for about four weeks starting the week of December 27, 2025. The sidewalk on NE Knott on the substation side of the street will also close during that time from the building area east to NE Rodney. During this time the traffic lane on NE Knott on the Dishman Community Center side of the street will remain open for the entire block. The sidewalk on the Dishman Community Center side of the street will also remain open throughout the project.
Q. Will access to Dishman Community Center be affected? A. The approved traffic management plans for the project should allow full access to Dishman Community Center during the project. The traffic lane closest to the community center on NE Knott will remain open, which will provide access to the pull-out area in front of Dishman. Both lanes on NE Knott between the entrance and exit to the parking lot and N. Williams Ave. will also remain open.
Q. What other changes will take place at the substation as part of the project? A. The existing chain link fence around the entire substation will be replaced with a black wrought iron high-security fence that should be more attractive and provide better security.
Q. Who can I contact with questions or if an issue comes up during the project? A. RiverLine Power – Project Manager – Dylan Stoller – 360-360-2611 Pacific Power – Regional Business Manager – Bob Gravely – 503-568-3174
Free legal help will be available at from 1pm to 4pm on Friday, December 5 at Cascadia Health! You may qualify for help with criminal or eviction record expungement, charge reduction, driver’s license reinstatement and waiving traffic or criminal fines, lifting warrants, and small business business and legal advice.
Pre-registration is not required but highly encouraged to be sure you are seen. Please pre-register by Friday, November 28 at this link: https://bit.ly/communitylawclinic
Approve Minutes from October 20 meeting [Link] VOTE – 7:15
Neighborhood Safety – 7:20
ENA Officer Elections VOTE – 7:35
Consideration of Expectation of ENA Board Members [Link] – 7:50
ENA Activities for the coming year – 8:05
Neighborhood Updates – 8:15
NECN Update
Treasurer’s Report
LUTC Update
Community Outreach
Adjourn – 8:30
If you are attending and would like to contribute to the Garlington Center food drive, we welcome your food contributions directly at the meeting as well!
No meeting in December – next meeting Monday, January 26, 2026 one week late, in deference to the MLK Holiday
Our neighbors at the Garlington Center are starting a food drive to support those impacted by the cut to SNAP benefits. Folks can bring items to the resource room anytime between 8:30am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday, at 3036 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
A list of the most needed items are below:
Canned meats (tuna, chicken, etc.)
Peanut butter
Jelly
Pasta
Tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce
Canned soups
Crackers
Rice
Canned veggies (especially collard greens)
Canned beans
Chilli
Broth
Instant foods you can add hot water to (like mashed potatoes, etc)
Our neighbors at the Ivy School PTA are hosting their annual neighborhood winter wreaths and plant fundraiser. Order now to decorate your home with seasonal greenery or beautiful house plants while also helping make a contribution to the Ivy School PTA to fund community events and teacher support.
The PTA partners with local farms Little Prince Nursery of Oregon and Willamette Evergreen Wreaths to provide a wide variety of winter greenery, handmade wears, and indoor plants for all your seasonal needs! Winter decorations are a great way to bring fragrant greenery and joy into our homes, and the beautiful variety of houseplants in this sale make wonderful gifts during this holiday season.
We’re just a few days away from Back on the Block, the grand opening celebration of Albina One. Join us this Saturday, September 6, from 10 AM to 4 PM for a day of live music, food, art, speakers, and community.
This event will intentionally center Black joy, creativity, and entrepreneurship. It will have local Black-owned businesses, artists, community organizations, and public institutions joining as vendors.
Please get your sun hats and walking shoes ready!
Back on the Block: Revisiting the Porches and Stoops of Afrotopia
Courtyard of Albina One: 1771 N Flint Ave, Portland, OR 97227
Date: Sept 6, 2025, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Formal program and ribbon cutting 12PM to 1PM. No RSVP needed.*
Milkchella: The Rodeo Remix is a free community event celebrating breastfeeding, culture, and community care. Hosted at Soulful Sips Courtyard, the event will feature a live DJ, henna, express chair massages, line dancing, tacos, and more. Attendees can also purchase VIP tickets for a special experience.
August 29, 2025
Join BPI for an end-of-summer celebration at Peninsula Park on Friday, August 29, 2025! The Family Fun Day & Back 2 School Giveaway, in partnership with the Summer Free For All Concerts in the Park will feature a free backpack and school supplies giveaway, a concert by LaRhonda Steele & Friends, outdoor games, bounce houses, and a basketball clinic hosted by the Portland Trail Blazers. There will also be food available for purchase and special appearances by local mascots.
AMPLIFY PDX is a community resource block party and fundraiser featuring more than 20 of Portland’s most visionary community groups and nonprofit organizations! A celebration of collective resilience and a call to action in support of Portland’s cultural workers, justice organizers, and community-builders. Connect with organizations working across a wide range of issues including racial justice, immigrant rights, youth empowerment, creative economy, cultural sovereignty, and gender liberation.
WHEN: Saturday, August 9th 2025 | 1PM-7PM WHERE: Open Signal, Portland’s Community Media Center: NE Graham St between MLK and NE 7th
Block Party Highlights:
Amazing lineup of live music, spoken word, and storytelling
Food and beverages from local Black, Brown, and Indigenous owned businesses
Nonprofit showcase to discover grassroots organizations on the frontlines of social justice in Portland
Kids Corner: fun for the whole family with games, activities, and entertainment
Teach-ins and presentations about advocacy and social justice
Raffles and prize giveaways
Live podcast tapings
And other fun activities!
Get Your Tickets Today
Sliding scale tickets start at $20, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. All proceeds will be shared between the collective of organizations.
Presented by Nike, Alaska Airlines & Raimore Construction September 20–21, 2025 Portland Community College – Cascade Campus Register now: www.MLKDreamRun.org
The Soul District Business Association (SDBA) proudly announces the return of the MLK Dream Run Weekend Celebration, happening September 20–21, 2025, at PCC Cascade Campus in Portland’s historic Soul District.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of this powerful tradition—where running meets purpose, and movement becomes momentum.
Run, Donate, or Volunteer
MLK Dream Run September 20 and 21st 2025 – Our Goal 1500 Participants
The countdown begins, Don’t Miss Out – Prices Go Up!
Register Early and Save.
Race fees increases as the event gets closer.
5k, 10k, 15k September 21st – Sign up (Run with: Family or Friends)
Free Kids Race September 20th
This Year’s Theme: “Strengthening Our Communities”
Inspired by Dr. King’s words—
“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality…” —this year’s theme reminds us that what we build together, we strengthen together. The MLK Dream Run does more than honor history—it fuels local economic empowerment, amplifies BIPOC-owned businesses, and invests in the next generation of leaders.
Why We Run?
“Strengthening our communities isn’t just a theme—it’s a mandate,” says John Washington, Executive Director of the Soul District Business Association. “We’re not running for medals. We’re running to reclaim what was taken. To invest where others divested. To remind Portland, and ourselves, that our neighborhoods still matter, our businesses still matter, and our people still matter. This is about legacy, justice, and the power of showing up for each other.”
For over a decade, the MLK Dream Run has helped fuel economic equity through programs that provide technical assistance, financing, and mentorship to BIPOC-owned small businesses and youth entrepreneurs.
Why Sign Up?
USATF-sanctioned 5K, 10K, and 15K races
Prizes including round-trip airfare from Alaska Airlines for the overall fastest winner and random participants Male/ Female each from 5k, 10k,15k
Live Music & Entertainment – Games, Give aways, and family fun throughout the day.
Nike Swag bags, Win a number of raffle prizes donated by local business owners, T-shirts, music, food, kids’ activities, health screenings, and more
A weekend of unity, celebration, and impact you’ll never forget
Reminder Once Again: “We’re not just running for medals—we’re running for justice, for equity, for legacy,” says John Washington, Executive Director of SDBA.
Whether you run, walk, cheer, or sponsor, your presence strengthens the community.
Minds Matter Portland empowers high-achieving, low-income students to reach their goal of attending and graduating from college. This 3 year mentoring program offers academic support and hands-on opportunities. Students gain the tools they need to navigate the college admissions process and thrive beyond it.
In the wake of recent changes, the need for community-based support is more urgent than ever. Volunteer mentors play a vital role in closing the opportunity gap for talented students who deserve equitable access to higher education.
Founded over 30 years ago in New York City, Minds Matter has operated in Portland since 2006. Last year, the program expanded to Hillsboro. With two sites now serving students, there are more ways than ever to get involved. 100% of Minds Matter students are accepted to four-year colleges, and 90% go on to graduate from those institutions.
Volunteers are needed in both the Portland and Hillsboro locations. In Portland, they meet with students on Saturdays during the school year in NE Portland site on Alberta Street, next to Eliot School in the adjacent King neighborhood. Sign up for a coffee chat to learn more about what it’s like to volunteer, or fill out an online application if you’re ready to get started today!
On a personal note, I have also been volunteering as a mentor with Minds Matter for the past 4 years, and have found it an incredibly rewarding journey. If you’d like to hear more about my personal experience, please email serena@eliotneighborhood.org.
Eliot Neighborhood 