Lloyd District News

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/retail/2025/0...the-citys-coolest-startup-incubator.html

How Portland’s ‘ghost mall’ became the city’s coolest startup incubator
Updated: Jul. 25, 2025, 11:42 a.m.|Published: Jul. 25, 2025, 5:00 a.m.
By Samantha Swindler | The Oregonian/OregonLive

In this transitory moment, something magical is happening at the Lloyd Center.

The anchor department stores are all gone, and in their place, things have gotten a lot weirder and a lot cooler.

Yes, the Northeast Portland mall still has a Barnes & Noble. And a Game Stop. And somehow, an actual Hot Topic.

But the space that once held a Foot Locker now houses an art gallery. The former Spencer’s is a pinball museum and arcade. The old Brookstone is a theater that hosts magic shows. Regularly scheduled pop-up markets and events make it feel more like a street fair than a traditional mall.

The Lloyd Center has 90 tenants, including about 60 independent retailers, nonprofits or activity spaces open to the public.

They are housed in the ruins of formerly well-known chain stores. The entrance to quirky vintage reseller Bauhaus Mode, for instance, has a faux tiled roof from what clearly used to be a Hollister.

“We’re almost just squatting in this capitalist temple,” said Jason Leivian, owner of Floating World Comics. “It’s a beautiful space, so we might as well use it.”

Plans to demolish and redevelop the 65-year-old mall have no firm timeline. So, for now, cheap rent, unlimited parking and plentiful square footage have lured start-ups and nonprofits to the mostly empty mall.

“It’s a dream scenario for an entrepreneur,” said Matt Morrison, owner of Legion Sabers, a company that sells Star Wars-inspired light sabers next to the ice rink. “It really is like a startup incubator for new creative retail, and I think Portland really needs that.”

...

...(continues)

[maccoinnich]

Well this should be a very positive change for this edge of the Lloyd District. Perhaps of note: 2 of the 4 blocks are inside the boundaries of the new Lloyd-Holladay TIF District.

Transformative housing development planned for Lloyd District



The owners of four blocks of real estate in the Lloyd District are moving ahead with plans for a transformational housing development.

The blocks are owned by Dominican Friars, an 800-year-old Catholic religious order that’s been in Portland since 1893.

Blocks 62, 67, 68 and 211, located along Northeast Third Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street, will house both market rate and affordable housing projects from Cairn Pacific and Gorman & Company.

The Dominicans envision a multi-phase project that will both improve the parish campus on Blocks 68 and 211 and attract investment to the city of Portland.

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

[maccoinnich]

Building permit issued yesterday for the AEG/Monqui venue:

901 NE LLOYD CENTER - Renovation of below grade area and construction of a new 2 story multi-purpose event structure; demolition of existing above-grade area and skybridge under separate permits *** w/24-100606-MT ***

[downtownpdx]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Well this should be a very positive change for this edge of the Lloyd District. Perhaps of note: 2 of the 4 blocks are inside the boundaries of the new Lloyd-Holladay TIF District.



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

Great to see this happening in that area. Any idea how tall they can build?

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Great to see this happening in that area. Any idea how tall they can build?

250' for Block 62 and 305' max with bonuses for the other three blocks.

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

250' for Block 62 and 305' max with bonuses for the other three blocks.

Of all the times I drove past these blocks, zero idea it held a church and a monastery and all owned by one organization. Just know it has that busy drive-through Starbucks, that somewhat dated housing building (the monastery maybe?) and that empty one story building that housed the filed office for the Hyatt construction for a few years.

Good to see.

[sopdx]

I got this from the DJC and miraculously, I could see the entire article. It outlines the plans for each block.

Hopefully the access remains...

https://djcoregon.com/news/2025/09/12/holy-rosary-church-portland-redevelopment/

[PhillyPDX]

Walked by on Friday night, and the old Nordstrom's completely down now. They've been working a lot on the demo the last few weeks. Looks so weird w/o out it there.

[maccoinnich]

Via Portland Maps, a Otak has requested Early Assistance for a proposal to convert Calaroga Terrace into market-rate housing (with IZ units):

The proposal is to remodel the existing facility from a senior-focused residence into a market-rate multifamily residential building, incorporating affordable housing units in compliance with the City of Portland Inclusionary Housing regulations. As part of this transformation, the Client plans to upgrade all major building systems¿including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing¿to meet current code requirements. Exterior improvements will include the replacement of all windows and balcony sliding glass doors, as well as full exterior repainting to enhance the building¿s visual appeal.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Via Portland Maps, a Otak has requested Early Assistance for a proposal to convert Calaroga Terrace into market-rate housing (with IZ units):

Is this part of the recently-announced multi-block housing redevelopment project by the Holy Rosary order that owns a few abutting blocks just south of NE Weidler?

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Via Portland Maps, a Otak has requested Early Assistance for a proposal to convert Calaroga Terrace into market-rate housing (with IZ units):

So what is....happening to all the old people that currently live there? Looks like it's partially an assisted living facility currently. Maybe I shouldn't ask...

[sopdx]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

So what is....happening to all the old people that currently live there? Looks like it's partially an assisted living facility currently. Maybe I shouldn't ask...

Soylent Green

[maccoinnich]

Lloyd Center owners buy former Portland Sears site for $9M



KKR Real Estate Finance Trust has closed on the former Sears store at the Lloyd Center Mall as part of its redevelopment efforts.

The joint venture with Urban Renaissance Group closed on the site at 1260 N.E. Lloyd Center in early September for $9.1 million, according to public records. The acquisition helps KKR “support the ongoing redevelopment of the property,” according to SEC filings.

Sears closed its Lloyd Center location in 2018. The 143,000-square-foot building was put up for sale in March after then-owner CAPREF Lloyd Center East LLC filed for bankruptcy protection.

The building was the final piece of KKR’s plan to redevelop the Lloyd Center Mall into a mixed-use development with up to 5,000 units of housing. But redevelopment of the Portland mall has been slow moving.

KKR is continuing to work through the entitlement process for redeveloping the mall, which is often the longest part of the development process.

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

[maccoinnich]

Developers Break Ground on New Lloyd Center Music Venue
Monqui and AEG Presents’ 4,000 seat venue will open in early 2027.



Entertainment companies Monqui Presents and AEG Presents broke ground on their new Lloyd Center music venue at a press conference Oct. 22.

Standing in what was once the women’s shoe department of the now-demolished Nordstrom and what will soon be the music venue’s lobby, business leaders from Monqui, AEG and Lloyd Center all shared their visions for what a few of them called “a game-changer” for the Portland live music scene.

Gov. Tina Kotek spoke at the press conference about how the venue will be a boon to Portland’s robust culture of music and performance and to the Lloyd District.

...continues at Willamette Week.

[PhillyPDX]

Does this end the weird saga for the ownership of that one anchor store space in the mall? Maybe this means the developer can take next steps toward their master plan?

https://www.oregonlive.com/retail/2025/10/shuttered-lloyd-center-anchor-sells-for-9-million.html

[colossalorder]

What do they do with those shovels after the photo op is over? I know its a ridiculous question, but I've always wondered.

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by colossalorder

What do they do with those shovels after the photo op is over? I know its a ridiculous question, but I've always wondered.

What is Home Depot’s return policy?

[llamaorama]

Maybe you can rent shiny shovels from one of those places that rents out tents and tables and whatever for weddings and other special events.

[mhays]

The larger general contractors often keep stashes at their central equipment yards. Some spend a little more money than others.

[maccoinnich]

Food cart pod proposed near Oregon Convention Center

• Prosper Portland plans food cart pod near Oregon Convention Center.
• Project aims to showcase Portland culture to visitors.
• Cart pod could open in 2027, pending approvals.

Plans are moving forward to bring an icon of local culture to Portland's visitors.

Prosper Portland is selecting an operator to run a new food cart pod and bar across from the Oregon Convention Center, catering to visitors looking for a taste of Portland.

“We welcome a lot of people from out of town, and so being able to present sort of our best foot forward and present something that is quintessentially Portland and is really engaging and welcoming is something that is going to benefit the city writ large,” said Will Thier, real estate manager for Prosper Portland.

The cart pod is planned for 910 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., across the street from the Convention Center and the newish Hyatt Regency Portland hotel. It’s a high-traffic spot for visitors to the city who are often looking for “Portland things to do.”

The project is still early in the development feasibility stage, Thier said. The team received three responses from local venue and pod operators to its request for interest and qualifications. A selection is expected in a couple of weeks.

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