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Thursday, August 11, 2005

By Lori Mendoza
Special to the Oregonian

Ever since real estate developer Art DeMuro moved into his home in Irvington 12 years ago, he had his eye on the little corner market a few blocks away.

Built in 1916, the worn building on the corner of Northeast 15th Avenue and Brazee Street served as a neighborhood grocery store. But a substandard remodel years before stripped the building of its original Italian Renaissance Revival style, and the small market had continued to deteriorate. Each day as DeMuro passed the building, he never lost his vision of restoring the corner.

"The historic building was gone," says DeMuro, a member of Portland's Historic Landmarks Commission. "I saw an opportunity to highlight the historic look but include a modern appeal."

In February, DeMuro began a $750,000 remodel that incorporates the historic look and feel of the original market with modern tones. Constructed with multicolored stucco, bronze trim and 7-foot glass storefronts, the new building features bi-fold doors and reed-glass transoms.

In the shadows of the Arts and Crafts and English Tudor-style homes along the neighborhood throughfare, the new Irvington corner burst into life in July with the opening of its first business, Mio Gelato.

Mio Gelato, an Italian-style gelateria and espresso bar, instantly became a meeting place for neighbors stopping in for a taste of gelato made fresh daily, panini sandwiches and homemade soups and coffee.

"This is exactly what I had hoped for," DeMuro says. "I wanted a place that would draw neighbors together."

Gelato seems to be doing the trick. On just about any night, people fill the indoor and outdoor tables, and a steady stream spills out the door for a scoop.

Diana Kerman brought her daughter and grandchildren who are visiting from Seattle in for a treat. It's the second time in a week she's been to the cafe. Both times, she's run into neighbors.

"There's no place for people to sit and talk in the neighborhood," says Kerman, who lives five blocks away. "This is a great improvement."

After swimming nearby with his two children and two other families, Jon Ulshmet met up with everyone afterward at Mio Gelato. "If such a thing were possible, this place is bringing this neighborhood even closer together."

Parking is at a premium with only one of three stores filled, and some people wonder what will happen when the yoga center opens in November. DeMuro says he's also negotiating a lease for a high-end Mexican restaurant or wine and cheese bar that could open by the end of the year.

For Victor Solis, who lives two blocks away, it was a convenient stop on his way home. Just steps from the bus, he popped in for something cold to take home to his wife. Although he enjoys gelato, he can't help but miss the convenience of the old corner market.

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