One of the last buildable lots on the east face of Mt. Tabor is staked out for construction. Beautiful views of Mt. Hood make homes in this area highly prized.

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Ng returns the bottles she collects to the Montavilla Safeway. She explained in her limited English that when the store closes, she’ll quit collecting bottles because it’s too far to walk to the next available bottle return facility.

Safeway’s Montavilla location will be closing at the end of March. It’s unclear what kind of store could replace it.

Don Bourassa and his wife Hilary moved to Montavilla in 2006. He says they were attracted by the affordable home prices as well as the character of this up-and-coming neighborhood. Don says things have improved even more than he expected since then. “I almost don’t want to give it away, how good it is now, because more people will come and the parking will be even worse,” he says with a smile.

Peter Emerson opened the Bipartisan Cafe eight years ago. “We’re about inclusion,” he explains. “That’s what bipartisan truly means.” He says he likes Montavilla because the neighborhood feels like a small town.

The Bipartisan Cafe specializes in coffee and pie.

The back alley entrance to Johnny’s Barber Shop.

The Montavilla Farmer’s Market opened in 2007, with 20 vendors selling seasonal, locally grown produce. Now that number has grown to at least 38 different vendors.

Custom Sheet Metal Heating & Cooling

The Montavilla Farmer’s Market runs weekends from June to October with a few stockup days in the winter months.

The tennis courts at Mt. Tabor Park overlook Montavilla.

Stark Street’s east-west run is broken up by Mt. Tabor. The busy thoroughfare becomes a quiet, hilly neighborhood street and, in some places, a dead end.

Many residents of Montavilla’s western neighborhoods say its proximity to Mt. Tabor Park for a walk or a jog make it a special place to live.

Crossing guards at Jim Bridger Elementary School stop traffic for students on their way home

The Slavic Church Emmanuel is located in the former Eastgate Theater.

Sara Hunt talked briefly with Heather Fitzsimmons as she walked past Hunt’s apartment January 29. Fitzsimmons died moments later after being hit by a car as she tried to cross Glisan.

A makeshift memorial has gone up at the crosswalk where 30-year-old Heather Fitzsimmons was hit and killed by a car while crossing the street on her way home. Someone has also put out flags for pedestrians to use to attract attention of drivers on the busy street.

Priscilla Nguyen and Kim Nguyen work side-by-side in the kitchen. The family have run a restaurant off and on at this location since moving to Montavilla 25 years ago. It was originally a Chinese restaurant because that’s what the public wanted Kim said. When they reopened three years ago they went with a Vietnamese menu.

Sesame balls are made fresh each morning by Priscilla Nguyen’s grandmother Toan Tran at the Hanoi Kitchen.

Limes, greens, sprouts and empty plates in the kitchen of the Hanoi Kitchen.

A petite guard dog protects a pickup while its owner gets a jump at Jackson’s Shell station on Glisan.