Former Portland Kmart destroyed by fire

[Super S]

The former Kmart at 122nd & Sandy in Portland caught fire a few days ago and looks to be destroyed:

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/202 ... scene.html

This building has sat vacant since Kmart closed, and in recent years, became covered with graffiti. There have been talks of redevelopment, but neighbors have opposed it while the building rapidly deteriorated.

[babs]

The neighborhood opposes a warehouse at the site due to diesel fumes..yet during the hay day of Kmart, all those car trips created far more pollution. I personally think it's a great site.for an apartment complex but since I don't own the land, it's not my choice. Almost anything is better than a vacant Kmart being used as a homeless campground.

[storewanderer]

This may be for the better as it will hopefully force redevelopment to occur.

If nothing else the building will get cleared away and it will just be a big vacant space.

[Super S]

The neighborhood opposes a warehouse at the site due to diesel fumes..yet during the hay day of Kmart, all those car trips created far more pollution. I personally think it's a great site.for an apartment complex but since I don't own the land, it's not my choice. Almost anything is better than a vacant Kmart being used as a homeless campground.

Back in the 1960s, when the store first opened, emission regulations were largely nonexistant. Even modern diesels are subject to stricter emission requirements. And I think that it would be a better use of the site. But this part of the U.S. is pushing hard to make everything electric (a subject for another forum) and I would be willing to bet it wouldn't be opposed to the warehouse if this was the case. Electric is not proven dependable in the trucking business at this time.

In any case, this building has been an eyesore for a while now. Sad ending but probably for the best at this point.

[storewanderer]

There is now concern the fire has release significant asbestos into the air in the surrounding area. It is unclear what type of harmful effects this may have on individuals in the area.

It has also been noted the Kmart building was being lived in by homeless people and had previously been used as a training facility for the fire department.

In any case it is probably for the better the building burnt down.