Up Sucker Creek

Up Sucker Creek
Photo Courtesy of the Lake Oswego Library

Monday, November 25, 2013

Wizer Block - The Players

The local paper is suddenly being flooded with letters to the editor from a very curious set of people.  I'm kidding - there's nothing curious about it.  They are the same people we have heard from before.  The drumbeat for high-density development and a streetcar to Portland is springing back to life and the supporters are emerging on cue.  Their response appears to be delayed, but happening all at once.  The appearance is that this is part of a coordinated campaign that dovetails with the Block 137 public relations / marketing website.  The players are back in form.  Are they worried?  Did they think people in this city didn't care or wouldn't notice?

Foothills Development   ---   Portland to Lake Oswego Streetcar   ---   Wizer Block Development 
What is it that brings these pieces together?  
Who are the players, and what are they saying?
  • W and K Development, developers for Evergreen Group LLC, investors for the development on Block 137.   
  • Patrick Kessi - Partner in W and K Development has been the public face of the company; developed a high-rise condo in the Pearl, will be building an apartment complex in St. John's.
  • Christie White - Consultant for Kessi's investment group.  White is an attorney and partner in Williams, Dame and White, the developers for the Foothills Development and advocate of the Portland to Lake Oswego Streetcar. 
  • Paul Graham - Owner of Graham's Book and Stationary; Owns property in the East End Redevelopment District; Member Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce; member of the Streetcar Citizen's Advisory Committee; supporter of the Portland to Lake Oswego Streetcar, the East End Redevelopment Plan and the Foothills District Plan.  
  • Robert Le Chavellier - Lawyer, Co-President of Buckley Law P.C.; Member and past President of the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce; supporter of the Portland to Lake Oswego Streetcar and Foothills Development. 
  • Elaine Howard - Principal, Elaine Howard Consulting LLC; Worked for Lake Oswego as a consultant for the Foothills District Plan.  
  • Roger Hennigan- Past city councilor, has since moved out of Lake Oswego; supported the streetcar and Foothills Development.
  • Chuck O'Leary - CEO of the Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce
  • Mary Bosch - Lake Oswego resident and economic development consultant and planner; supports streetcar 
  • Ralph Tahran - Architect; Principal in OTAK (planning, engineering and design firm); member of Lake Oswego Urban Infill Task Force; Foothills Citizen Oversight Committee
  • Nick Tahran - Marketing, OTAK (planning, engineering and design firm)
  • Rob Fallow - West Linn resident; property owner in Foothills district; streetcar supporter

Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. UnknownNovember 26, 2013 at 9:49 AM

    Most of the people writing positive letters to the Review are either tied to this group or friends of Gene Wizer's such as Mike Hewlett.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 26, 2013 at 7:28 PM

    What a SPECIAL group of supporters!
    Lynn Wintermute is also someone to add. She was a strong supporter of the original three-block design which included this site about 15 years ago. Such was when she was the owner of (the first) Lakeside Gifts.
    Does anyone have a copy of the Lake Oswego Review ad of sometime-perhaps, one or two years ago-which suggested we all "Get on Board" the streetcar, and displayed a list of supporters? One would expect those name to pop up in regard to this proposal.
    Also, don't think Ralph T remains a LO resident-seemingly in SW Portland now.
    Special when letter writers such as Portlander Missy Gerber-won't be using her organizing company-writes in support of the Wizer project.

    ReplyDelete

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