Lloyd District News

[DMH]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

Has there been any more discussion on the proposed home depot development? Looks like that's been 6 months now since it was announced.

I drove past the Vancouver mall last Saturday, and the parking lots were completely full. Very surprising to me. So it's not just that malls are dead (my assumption....only partially correct I guess), Lloyd is a special kind of really dead. And it's not like Vancouver mall is some kind of regional attraction mall, I bet Lloyd was even more of a destination its prime. Seeing that and I was like, oh man, that's really not good for Lloyd with maybe a total of 100 cars at the same time (Saturday afternoon).

YES, Lloyd Center was very much a major destination when it opened:

"The mall opened August 1, 1960 in a 100-store, open-air configuration. At the time, it was the largest shopping center in the Pacific Northwest and claimed to be the largest in the country."

I was a kid from California on vacation when my Portland relatives proudly showed our family Lloyd Center in the early 1960's. They declared it the largest mall in the world. At that time it was not covered, so it had impressive outdoor areas with seating, fountains, sculptures, and landscaping.

[downtownpdx]

I worked at a restaurant downtown for many years before covid and some Asian tourists came in, about 7-8 years ago, and asked how to get to Lloyd Center. I told them it was just a mall... not really worth even crossing the river. But had to laugh to myself that this was considered a must see attraction, still? It wasn't in nearly as bad shape as now but still not at all in its prime. It just needs to be demolished - and let's reconnect that neighborhood street grid, develop the movie theater lot, and give two sides of Holladay Park something lively and interesting at last. The Double Tree on the third side... well, maybe that'll be redesigned or meet a wrecking ball one day too, haha.

[2oh1]

Worst possible scenario: The Cascadia subduction zone earthquake hits. A.K.A., The BIG One. It causes widespread destruction across Portland, knocking down everything but that 🞵🞵🞵 🞵🞵🞵🞵 bunker of a mall. And even then, no one wants to go there.

Lloyd Center was in steep decline 20 years ago. At this point, I'm honestly shocked they haven't leveled it.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

I worked at a restaurant downtown for many years before covid and some Asian tourists came in, about 7-8 years ago, and asked how to get to Lloyd Center. I told them it was just a mall... not really worth even crossing the river. But had to laugh to myself that this was considered a must see attraction, still? It wasn't in nearly as bad shape as now but still not at all in its prime. It just needs to be demolished - and let's reconnect that neighborhood street grid, develop the movie theater lot, and give two sides of Holladay Park something lively and interesting at last. The Double Tree on the third side... well, maybe that'll be redesigned or meet a wrecking ball one day too, haha.

In the medium term I suspect the DoubleTree is a major redevelopment opportunity. It's very tired looking inside and in need of substantial investment, especially now that it's competing with the Hyatt Regency. According to the county, its market value is only $35 million, which I'd imagine puts it below the value of the land given that it's located on four city blocks.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

In the medium term I suspect the DoubleTree is a major redevelopment opportunity. It's very tired looking inside and in need of substantial investment, especially now that it's competing with the Hyatt Regency. According to the county, its market value is only $35 million, which I'd imagine puts it below the value of the land given that it's located on four city blocks.

Wow. That never occurred to me.

Nearly 25 years ago, the city pushed owners of the blocks on both sides of SW Jefferson between 10th and 11th on to sell together. This got the "new" Safeway on 10th & Jefferson built across the street from the old one (the "Psycho Safeway," for those who remember). The old Safeway was demolished and Eliot Tower was built in its place. It was a major catalyst for that section of downtown.

Could you imagine if Lloyd Center, the Doubletree and the Regal Cinemas lot could be sold and redeveloped together? Level it all. Reconnect the streets. Build a neighborhood around Holladay Park. Level the nonsense across the street from Lloyd Center too, along NE Weidler, where Pier 1 used to be. That's another 4 blocks, wasted.

The whole area is crying out for redevelopment, and the potential is incredible... but so much of it is 🞵🞵🞵🞵 🞵🞵 in the mall, including litigation that keeps everything at a standstill. It's somewhere around what, 37 city blocks?

...sigh.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Wow. That never occurred to me.

Nearly 25 years ago, the city pushed owners of the blocks on both sides of SW Jefferson between 10th and 11th on to sell together. This got the "new" Safeway on 10th & Jefferson built across the street from the old one (the "Psycho Safeway," for those who remember). The old Safeway was demolished and Eliot Tower was built in its place. It was a major catalyst for that section of downtown.

Could you imagine if Lloyd Center, the Doubletree and the Regal Cinemas lot could be sold and redeveloped together? Level it all. Reconnect the streets. Build a neighborhood around Holladay Park. Level the nonsense across the street from Lloyd Center too, along NE Weidler, where Pier 1 used to be. That's another 4 blocks, wasted.

The whole area is crying out for redevelopment, and the potential is incredible... but so much of it is 🞵🞵🞵🞵 🞵🞵 in the mall, including litigation that keeps everything at a standstill. It's somewhere around what, 37 city blocks?

...sigh.

I could not agree more with you. Allow me to reprise my earlier suggestion in this thread. The City or a developer should craft a visionary master plan and level all of the Lloyd Center buildings. Extend the 200-ft central city street grid fom Irvington south through to Lloyd Blvd. Yes, through the Double Tree Hotel site. Make the new NE 12th Avenue corridor south from NE Broadway into a tree-lined pedestrian and bike promenade to Holladay Park. The promenade would connect Irvington to the new neighborhood and the park. It is a beautiful park that should be a focal point of a vibrant neighborhood.

[downtownpdx]

Absolutely! ^

[DMH]

Now here is a big move that would bring long-hoped-for change:

Portland mayor backs pitch to turn Lloyd Center into MLB ballpark; RedTail golf course also in play

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2023...ys-redtail-golf-course-also-in-play.html

[urbanlife]

Which Lloyd Center has always been the obvious choice.

[maccoinnich]

Just a reminder that we have a thread dedicated to the Portland Diamond Project.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Just a reminder that we have a thread dedicated to the Portland Diamond Project.

Thank you. I opened your link to the Portland Diamond Project and found the last posts were in 2007. So, it was...out of sight...out of mind.

I copied my post above to that thread so now maybe Diamond Project will jump to the front of the line.

[rsbear]

Originally Posted by DMH

Thank you. I opened your link to the Portland Diamond Project and found the last posts were in 2007. So, it was...out of sight...out of mind.

I copied my post above to that thread so now maybe Diamond Project will jump to the front of the line.

The first page of the Diamond thread is from 2007. The 28th page has postings from today.

[petcarpdx]

I saw something I don't remember being stated so clearly in the Keller Auditorium replacement proposals (originally linked by maccoinnich here). From Urban Renaissance Group's proposal on page 28 (emphasis mine):

As the new owners of Lloyd Center, we are very interested in the opportunity to explore the possible relocation of the Keller Auditorium within our planned redevelopment of the Lloyd Center site.

...

We are developing a Master Plan for the site but we have not yet begun the formal entitlement process, so we are not in a position to share details of our plan.

I may have just forgotten, but prior to this has there been such a definitive statement about their plans to redevelop the site? Regardless, we'll all be happy if that site ends up serving our city better in the relatively near future.

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by petcarpdx

I saw something I don't remember being stated so clearly in the Keller Auditorium replacement proposals (originally linked by maccoinnich here). From Urban Renaissance Group's proposal on page 28 (emphasis mine):



I may have just forgotten, but prior to this has there been such a definitive statement about their plans to redevelop the site? Regardless, we'll all be happy if that site ends up serving our city better in the relatively near future.

Not that I've seen. Just speculation. I think most "official" has been the half-arsed attempts to bring the mall back.

ALSO of note at Lloyd district: The developer for the crappy proposed Home Depot is also throwing their hat into the ring. Guess they aren't sold on the Home Depot after all?

Does Portland own the venue? Is that typical? I thought most performing arts centers are private/non profit owned. Why is Portland involved at all?

[DMH]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

Not that I've seen. Just speculation. I think most "official" has been the half-arsed attempts to bring the mall back.

ALSO of note at Lloyd district: The developer for the crappy proposed Home Depot is also throwing their hat into the ring. Guess they aren't sold on the Home Depot after all?

Does Portland own the venue? Is that typical? I thought most performing arts centers are private/non profit owned. Why is Portland involved at all?

The City of Portland owns Portland's Centers for the Arts, which include the Keller, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and Antoinette Hatfield Hall which houses the Newmark and other theater spaces.

[PhillyPDX]

Looks big for Lloyd center redevelopment.

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2023...d-mall-build-housing.html?outputType=amp

[downtownpdx]

At looong last, a vision for this mall and neighborhood. Several years down the road, but it's exciting to see something besides ongoing life support for a 1960s mall, ha!

[maccoinnich]

Transformative Lloyd Center plan could add 5,000 homes, demolish mall



Near-silent since 2021, Lloyd Center owners Thursday unveiled a grand plan for the 29-acre property in which most, if not all, of the mall will disappear in a $1 billion-plus metamorphosis.

Where that money will come from, and who will pay it, are yet to be determined. Owners are filing designs with the city of Portland this week and believe first-phase homebuilding could start in two to three years.

Urban Renaissance Group and KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc.'s (NYSE: KREF) vision accommodates up to 5,000 new homes, a headquarters office campus if the right company comes along, retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues and, of course, the cherished Lloyd Center ice rink.

Through the transformation, mall floors would give way to airy open space. Roads would cross the property in a "goalpost" shape, connecting to Holladay Park to the south and Northeast Halsey Street due north. A "12th Avenue Promenade" would welcome walkers.

If development and sports plans align, there is room for a Major League Baseball stadium, but owners would need to tweak their designs.

Transforming a 1960s mall into a neighborhood by developing individual parcels across several phases could take a decade or more. Owners who've signed 32 mall leases and many tenant renewals since taking over in 2021 stressed the shopping center remains open for now.

Yet by the end of redevelopment, none of the mall might be left, said Tom Kilbane, URG managing director. Inside URG's sixth-floor office in downtown's Morgan Building, a slideshow revealing the plans, Kilbane described this as a once-in-a career project.

"You don't want to screw it up," he said.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

ZGF and Field Operations!

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

ZGF and Field Operations!

Also - Urban Renaissance Group says that they are open to an MLB stadium.