City weighs strategies for old Astoria Safeway block

Published 5:00 pm Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The future of the old Safeway plaza in downtown Astoria has been the subject of debate ever since the grocery chain pulled up stakes a few years ago and built a new store on the outskirts of town.

With the old building demolished, what remains on the former Safeway site is something that’s rare in most urban cores: open space.

The city has previously solicited public input about plans for the lot, and discussed various ideas without reaching a decision. The City of Astoria also prepared a detailed report explaining all the proposed options noted so far.

Something relatively new that visitors to the plaza might notice is a cordoned-off area that corresponds to the spot where the old store once stood. The ground appears to be sinking. What’s happening?

Astoria Community Development Director Brett Estes said the roped off sector isn’t as structurally sound as the rest of the plaza.

“Water has seeped in through the concrete and kept the beams and posts wet, and we’ve had some failure in that area,” he said. “You’ll see a depression in the slab. As a precaution we’ve taken off the planters and fenced that area.”

First aid strategies aside, Estes said city leaders are researching a long-term approach that could net the city monies to renovate the property.

“The city council has goals to expand the Astor East Urban Renewal District,” Estes said. “That had been set as a goal earlier this year before the sinking issues. They are looking at expanding that district, which would help with the long term redevelopment of the entire property.”

Estes said the city has hired a consultant to determine the legality and viability of expanding the URD. URDs are subject to legal constraints that generally make it impossible to include an entire city in an urban renewal district.

“We have to go through and look at this more in depth,” he said. “We have a slight amount of area to accommodate expansion [of the URD].”

The only remaining building on the Safeway lot is the Astoria American Legion hall. Estes said Astoria Mayor Willis Van Dusen and City Councilor Arlene LaMear sat down with Legion leaders, to discuss whether the organization would consider relocating.

“The report back was that they felt as though the American Legion should be assumed to stay where it is,” Estes said.

He said city leaders have noted that the American Legion building was once a beautiful historic structure. Could restoration be on the horizon at some point?

“I don’t know how much of that original architecture remains underneath the siding,” Estes said.

Besides, he added, the cost for such a project would be a big factor in any proposed restoration effort. The building is privately owned and belongs to the American Legion, not the city.

Estes said the city will continue to evaluate its options.

“We’re in the process of developing an action plan for these interim improvements and will continue to monitor the stability of the former Safeway block,” he said.