Rumor has it that there are rumblings in what Portlandians will come to know as Vera Katz Park. It’s true, construction crews have been onsite installing stone and re-grading the land so that the bioswales, native vegetation and the much anticipated water feature all work in concert as originally designed.

Those guys have to be cold out there, though, so please, if you see them as you show up for a Thursday matinee, tell them how much we appreciate their effort. Come springtime, we’ll have a brand new place to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the company of our neighbors.

What’s more, things are moving right along just across the street at the old Jim Stevens Armory Autoworks building. Deschutes Brewery has been renovating extensively, and Portland’s newest brewpub is looking closer to a reality every day.

And there’s even a new personal trainer just across 10th Avenue with a penchant for, shall we say, over the top, fitness.

The neighborhood just keeps getting better and even after 14 short months, it’s hard to imagine doing what we do anywhere else.