North Peninsula Review header image of the St. Johns Bridge with the moon setting
  • BottleDrop to close at Delta Park – what’s next?

    BottleDrop to close at Delta Park – what’s next?

    By Barbara Quinn Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) has announced the upcoming closure of the Delta Park Redemption Center in North Portland. The center’s last day will be July 31, 2026. The closure is due to an ongoing dispute between OBRC and the landlord of the Delta Park Shopping Center, TMT Development. The dispute is…

  • BottleDrop, city discuss industrial zoned alternative sites

    BottleDrop, city discuss industrial zoned alternative sites

    After community objections to a bottle redemption center on N. Lombard St. near the St. Johns’ town center, the city Bureau of Permitting & Development and Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) have been in ongoing discussions about relocating the BottleDrop on industrially zoned property.  The same bureau canceled the Land Use Approval for the former Dollar…

  • BottleDrop resistance moves to OLCC

    BottleDrop resistance moves to OLCC

    I have had the pleasure of helping organize neighborhood opposition to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) plan to move their notorious Delta Park BottleDrop redemption center to the heart of St. Johns. OBRC needs to find a new home for this nightmare facility because their landlord is forcing them out of Delta Park due to…

  • BottleDrop offered 20+ alternative sites—deems none acceptable

    BottleDrop offered 20+ alternative sites—deems none acceptable

    A BottleDrop meeting organized by State Representative Travis Nelson was held in late June. Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) representatives were present along with St. Johns Neighborhood Association chair, RJ DeMello, member Kim Larson, and Mike Vial, a community leader. Also present was State Rep. Maxine Dexter and her staff, and City Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s…

  • City Council candidates’ positions on BottleDrop relocation to St. Johns

    City Council candidates’ positions on BottleDrop relocation to St. Johns

    The North Peninsula Review posed a question about the possible relocation of the BottleDrop to St. Johns’ Dollar Tree to the candidates running for a District 2 City Council seat representing North and Northeast Portland. Thirteen of the 24 candidates responded. Below is a two-part question from Mike Vial followed by the candidates’ responses (Some…

  • What’s brewing with BottleDrop?

    What’s brewing with BottleDrop?

    The BottleDrop situation has been fairly quiet the last few weeks. Too quiet in my opinion. While I believe that we have convinced Oregon Beverage and Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) that moving forward with the Dollar Tree location is not feasible at this time, I won’t rest easy until OBRC formally confirms that they are abandoning…

  • BottleDrop: Leaders respond to alarm

    BottleDrop: Leaders respond to alarm

    St. Johns-area residents have bombarded local government officials with concerns about the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) plan to take over the former Dollar Tree store near the St. Johns town center. The site would be used as a redemption center similar to the one currently at Delta Park. Nearly 500 people participated in the…

  • Massive turnout to oppose BottleDrop in St. Johns

    Massive turnout to oppose BottleDrop in St. Johns

    Nearly 500 people turned out for the St. Johns Neighborhood Association (SJNA) meeting on March 11, either in-person or by Zoom to discuss the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative purchase of the former Dollar Tree store at 7740 N. Lombard to be used as a BottleDrop Redemption Center. The in-person portion of the SJNA meeting was…

  • BottleDrop takes over St. Johns Dollar Tree

    BottleDrop takes over St. Johns Dollar Tree

    The former Dollar Tree store at 7740 N. Lombard, previously reported as a source of blight on North Portland’s main thoroughfare, has sold. In late December 2023, Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), the organization that runs the Delta Park BottleDrop, bought the property for $1.8 million. That’s more than double its assessed market value. In…