Trees vs. Development: N. Williams Ave. (updated)

The dozen or so trees at the 3900 block of N. Williams Ave. are being systematically removed to make way for this new low-energy housing project. (The Oregonian)
The dozen or so trees at the 3900 block of N. Williams Ave. are being systematically removed to make way for this new low-energy housing project. (The Oregonian)

Retail space beneath 18 eco-friendly apartments is coming to the 3900 block of the bike boulevard N. Williams Ave.

About half of the trees on the lot had to be removed to make room for the development, but everything not in the building footprint will remain, said Andy Leritz, project supervisor for Siteworks Portland.

“They tried to leave anything that they could, in order to cause less disruption,” said Leritz.

Here is the interview from The Oregonian with the developers, Doug Shapiro and Jean-Pierre Veillet, and here is a photo of the trees in question.

Leritz said the trees removed will likely be replaced with street trees or on the backside of the apartments, where there will be considerable room for some garden planting areas.

“I’m sure they’re going to want to do (street trees),” he said, “It fits with their ideals of the project.”

The $3 million Eco Flats project is scheduled to be finished around this time next year.

–Toshio Suzuki