HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Pacific West > Portland > Downtown & City of Portland


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #5261  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 4:33 PM
sopdx sopdx is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 492
Quote:
Originally Posted by downtownpdx View Post
True, we have a long road ahead for a healthy, vibrant downtown and the loss of tenants on that block sucks. I think it's no news / surprise to anyone that the area around Voodoo is not what it was in 2019. It's right at the edge of Old Town. But I'd say it's much better than a year or two ago from my own experience - I walked around there on a recent Monday afternoon and it was clean, felt safe and zero tents or drug users in sight. a few newish businesses a block south of Voodoo. We parked on NW 1st/Davis, again no tents in sight. Too quiet of course but honestly a pleasant walk along the waterfront, to Midtown Beer Garden, back to Old Town.

I'm not around your neighborhood much and I totally believe you about the crap going on at the Safeway etc. I hope that new city leadership, a new sobering center and new drug use/possession laws come this fall, will steer us in the right direction and they saturate that area with more police and social service people rather than just move it around. Seems the shutdown of drug activity at 4th/Washington has pushed it to the library/Safeway area.

Meanwhile -- not a starry-eyed denial of DT issues -- but recognition of some people investing in the city and helping us turn the corner. The situation DT isn't black or white. (These are actually separate articles even though it doesn't look like it haha):

Portland apparel brand moves flagship store, recommits to downtown core https://www.koin.com/local/portland-...downtown-core/

Menswear store Milworks opens second U.S. store in 'high drama' downtown Portland space https://www.bizjournals.com/portland...-shipping.html
I agree. Hopefully, the re-criminalization of fentanyl and other drugs, effective in July or August this year, along with some movement of street camping bans (I know this is controversial) will make a difference.

Civic investment is core to effect change and start to create a more positive perception of downtown.

Concerts, ice rinks, and light festivals - although good - aren't going to do it. It needs to be permanent and sustainable.

I believe a market district could achieve this, but there are probably other investments or demonstrations of civic investments that could accomplish this as well.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5262  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 4:42 PM
downtownpdx's Avatar
downtownpdx downtownpdx is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,713
Quote:
Originally Posted by sopdx View Post
I agree. Hopefully, the re-criminalization of fentanyl and other drugs, effective in July or August this year, along with some movement of street camping bans (I know this is controversial) will make a difference.

Civic investment is core to effect change and start to create a more positive perception of downtown.

Concerts, ice rinks, and light festivals - although good - aren't going to do it. It needs to be permanent and sustainable.

I believe a market district could achieve this, but there are probably other investments or demonstrations of civic investments that could accomplish this as well.
Yeah the events alone alone aren’t going to solve everything — but they’re important in terms of bringing people DT who otherwise wouldn’t be there. I’d guess that most find a city that has challenges but is nothing like the dumpster fire portrayed by the Fox News outlets of the world. The more people who discover this, the more the narrative changes and a positive cycle starts to happen.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5263  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 5:14 PM
maccoinnich maccoinnich is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland
Posts: 7,421
I wish it were true that everything was fine, but I also don't think that someone reading this thread would come away with an accurate impression of the state of downtown. Indeed, the owner of Stumptown Otaku had some thoughts about that particular article about his business.

As downtownpdx posted, Portland Gear opened a new store in the Ace Hotel relatively recently. They'll soon be joined in the building by Los Burros Supremos. In 11W, Stumptown just opened their new cafe and will soon be joined by Milworks. Nike is recommitting to downtown with a remodel of their store to the current 'Rise' concept, and has opened an interim store in Pioneer Place (which is feeling a lot busier since Din Tai Fung opened). BASED General store is moving into the space vacated by Frances May, who moved into the former Santos Gallery rug store. Mahler Jewelers just opened a new store in Block 216 and Ben Bridge will expand their current store (and take over a vacant space at Broadway / Yamhill while work is happening). Ikon Lounge just opened where Saucebox used to be in the Broadway Garage, not long after Kilo d'Coffee and Sixt opened in the same building. Kim Jong Grillin just moved to the Cart Blocks and Tokyo Sando to the Midtown Beer Garden; two food cart pods that have opened since the pandemic. Seattle's Can Can Culinary Cabaret is working on a remodel of the Paris Theater adjacent to Voodoo; gay club Badlands is now hiring so that they can open in the former Embers space; and music venue the 400 looks like it may finally open this year.
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"

www.twitter.com/maccoinnich
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5264  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 5:28 PM
urbanlife's Avatar
urbanlife urbanlife is online now
A before E
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 11,798
Quote:
Originally Posted by maccoinnich View Post
I wish it were true that everything was fine, but I also don't think that someone reading this thread would come away with an accurate impression of the state of downtown. Indeed, the owner of Stumptown Otaku had some thoughts about that particular article about his business.

As downtownpdx posted, Portland Gear opened a new store in the Ace Hotel relatively recently. They'll soon be joined in the building by Los Burros Supremos. In 11W, Stumptown just opened their new cafe and will soon be joined by Milworks. Nike is recommitting to downtown with a remodel of their store to the current 'Rise' concept, and has opened an interim store in Pioneer Place (which is feeling a lot busier since Din Tai Fung opened). BASED General store is moving into the space vacated by Frances May, who moved into the former Santos Gallery rug store. Mahler Jewelers just opened a new store in Block 216 and Ben Bridge will expand their current store (and take over a vacant space at Broadway / Yamhill while work is happening). Ikon Lounge just opened where Saucebox used to be in the Broadway Garage, not long after Kilo d'Coffee and Sixt opened in the same building. Kim Jong Grillin just moved to the Cart Blocks and Tokyo Sando to the Midtown Beer Garden; two food cart pods that have opened since the pandemic. Seattle's Can Can Culinary Cabaret is working on a remodel of the Paris Theater adjacent to Voodoo; gay club Badlands is now hiring so that they can open in the former Embers space; and music venue the 400 looks like it may finally open this year.
This is what I feel gets missed when some only focus on the negatives. Does Portland still have a lot of issues to deal with that have been piling up over the years? Absolutely. Is Portland getting better with lots of new signs of improvements with new businesses opening up downtown? Absolutely.

It always bothers me when people think in absolutes as if it can only be all bad or all good, when the reality is that it is changing for the better but there is still a lot that needs to be done. I am hopeful for this change in city government, and I can't wait to see what happens when the next building boom comes along.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5265  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 6:09 PM
maccoinnich maccoinnich is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland
Posts: 7,421
Also, I'd add that University of Toronto data shows that as of March, foot traffic in Downtown is up 14.1% (exceeding the 9.3% median rate of change in the US and Canadian cities they're studying). Regardless continued issues that Downtown faces (and believe me, I get it) the trend is positive.
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"

www.twitter.com/maccoinnich
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5266  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 6:54 PM
downtownpdx's Avatar
downtownpdx downtownpdx is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,713
Quote:
Originally Posted by maccoinnich View Post
Also, I'd add that University of Toronto data shows that as of March, foot traffic in Downtown is up 14.1% (exceeding the 9.3% median rate of change in the US and Canadian cities they're studying). Regardless continued issues that Downtown faces (and believe me, I get it) the trend is positive.
Thank you for pointing out all the positive activity happening. Of course there’s a lot of work to do and some parts are faring better than others, but overall the city is moving in the right direction.

Also saw that foot traffic article and it’s good to see the improvement. Just for comparison on this particular study Seattle was up about 9% and SF down about 20%.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5267  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2024, 11:19 PM
babs babs is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 396
Downtown will turn based on the faith of business owners who want to improve things. But don't hold your breath that the new city council will be the magic ticket for a turnaround. Looking at the candidates running, I'm not optimistic.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5268  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2024, 1:02 AM
downtownpdx's Avatar
downtownpdx downtownpdx is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Portland
Posts: 1,713
Yeah we definitely need a council that takes this seriously. Haven’t looked at candidates yet, but the new structure with a city manager will hopefully help streamline things and we can get more concrete policy.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5269  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2024, 6:45 PM
urbanlife's Avatar
urbanlife urbanlife is online now
A before E
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 11,798
Quote:
Originally Posted by babs View Post
Downtown will turn based on the faith of business owners who want to improve things. But don't hold your breath that the new city council will be the magic ticket for a turnaround. Looking at the candidates running, I'm not optimistic.
Having a mayor and city manager that hires department heads will help have qualified people running each department and will make it so the city council can focus more on legislation. It isn't going to magically fix everything but it will fix one problem which his how the city government functions.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5270  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2024, 7:20 PM
DMH DMH is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Portland (part-time); warm foreign countries (part-time)
Posts: 512
Quote:
Originally Posted by babs View Post
Downtown will turn based on the faith of business owners who want to improve things. But don't hold your breath that the new city council will be the magic ticket for a turnaround. Looking at the candidates running, I'm not optimistic.
I cannot speak for any other district's candidates, but I am quite enthusiastic about two candidates with whom I am acquainted in my district. They have already been very active and proactive over here, so I know that if we are fortunate to see them elected, we will be better represented x 10 compared to the distant and silent commissioners now in charge. I just need to decide who will be the 3rd candidate to support in the primary.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5271  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2024, 8:43 PM
maccoinnich maccoinnich is online now
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland
Posts: 7,421
FWIW there's no longer a primary and in the general you'll be able to rank up to six candidates.
__________________
"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"

www.twitter.com/maccoinnich
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5272  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2024, 11:34 PM
DMH DMH is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Portland (part-time); warm foreign countries (part-time)
Posts: 512
Quote:
Originally Posted by maccoinnich View Post
FWIW there's no longer a primary and in the general you'll be able to rank up to six candidates.
No wonder I could not find City candidates in the May Primary voter's pamphlet.

That detail (voting only in the General) escaped me during months of discussions of the new city council system.
Reply With Quote
     
     
End
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Pacific West > Portland > Downtown & City of Portland
Forum Jump



Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:23 PM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.