"By 1931, the need for more roadway space led to a street widening project on both East and West Burnside... On the east side, the first floor of many buildings became an arcade to accommodate a new sidewalk as the old sidewalk gave way to another traffic lane."

Dan Haneckow, Cafe Unknown: Hung Over on Burnside

They were called the Arcades: Those buildings on East Burnside with their upper floors above the sidewalk.

They date to a 1928-1929 street widening project which added two extra lanes to East Burnside, at the expense of the sidewalks.

When the sidewalks were re-installed, it was at the expense of bordering storefronts.

Of the original ten between Union (MLK Blvd.) and SE 11th, five remain.

Links

Wikipedia: Burnside Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burnside_Street

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