Old Town/Chinatown News

[colossalorder]

Seems like a really tough property to sell, especially with something like 10 years of Burnside Bridge replacement right next to the property.

Beyond the building, its pretty heart breaking to see Mercy Corps in this shape. They do amazing work around the world. I think its also just plain cool to have this amazing and prominent international aid organization here in town.

Of course, the real tragedy is all the end beneficiaries in really tough spots around the world that are losing access to food, healthcare, education, opportunity, etc.

[maccoinnich]

The adaptive reuse of the Oregon Casket building at 403 NW 5th Ave has been submitted for a Type I design review:

This case may be subject to the 100-day review timeline.Adaptive reuse of five-story, 25,000 gross square foot building, known as the Oregon Casket Building. Existing permitted use includes B, M and S-1 occupancy. Proposed use includes 34 residential units, including two live-work units at the ground floor, and one retail unit. Exterior scope of work limited to replacement of existing windows and doors and reconstruction of storefront along NW 5th. Existing utility vault under the sidewalk along NW Flanders and access to vault preserved. Stormwater: Existing stormwater conveyance and disposal preserved.

[DMH]

Hopefully all of you can access the following link to the Oregonian article. This is such great news from a loyal, long-time Old Town business owner who has a vision for a revitalized neighborhood.

Old Town Portland building sold to a longtime restaurant tenant

https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2025/0...old-to-a-longtime-restaurant-tenant.html

[colossalorder]

Legendary CC Slaughters to close. No reason given. I assume its partly long standing Old Town woes, but probably even more about Badlands opening. Badlands is a just a much better venue and is really packing them in.

https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment...nightclub-is-closing-its-doorsagain.html

[maccoinnich]

I'm sad out of a sense of nostalgia, but I went to CC's a month or two back my husband and some friends, and it was dead, at around 9PM on a Friday night. We left after one drink... for Badlands.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I'm sad out of a sense of nostalgia, but I went to CC's a month or two back my husband and some friends, and it was dead, at around 9PM on a Friday night. We left after one drink... for Badlands.

Sadly that's how it goes for bars. I remember a couple favorite bars that I liked closed and my wife asked me "when was the last time you have been to any of those bars?" That's when it hit me that they were already just memories for me and the new bar hopping crowds have found their own places to make their own memories at.

[maccoinnich]

A Portland theater with a tawdry past will reopen as a burlesque venue



After closing in 2019, the historic Paris Theatre in Portland’s Old Town is preparing for a long-awaited comeback, this time as a burlesque and cancan venue under the ownership of Seattle-based Can Can Productions.

The Paris Theatre has been through many iterations over its life — as a vaudeville hall, a punk club, a DJ venue and, yes, a porn theater.

“ That’s the one that sticks out the most from the general public,” said Chris Pink, owner and artistic director for Can Can Productions. “However, I would say that most people I talk to, inevitably someone has their own Paris Theatre story. It was an all-ages punk club. It was a rock club, it was a this club, it was a that club.”

...continues at the Oregonian.

[colossalorder]

Honestly, this seems really exciting. I was looking at their website from Seattle venue and it seems like a really interesting set of shows that feeds the Portland and voodoo doughnut vibe. Has anyone ever been to Seattle show?

[maccoinnich]

Plans revealed for Portland's first office-to-housing conversion



One of Portland’s first office-to-residential projects is taking shape as the developer awaits building permit approval.

Design Research Office filed for building permits to convert the Oregon Casket Building at 403 N.W. Fifth Ave. in Old Town into a 34-unit apartment building with ground floor retail space and two ground-floor residential units.

The project conversion is expected to cost around $10 million. Construction is anticipated to break ground by spring of next year.

Jonah Gamblin with Design Research Office said the 25,000-square-foot building is an excellent candidate for an office-to-residential project because of its open floor plan.

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

[maccoinnich]

Building permit now under review for the conversion of the Oregon Casket Building:

OREGON CASKET - Office to Residential Conversion - Modify existing 5-story building to convert existing B, M, and S use building to 34-unit apartment building; includes partial retail space on ground floor, new mezzanine floor for residential units on ground level, and window and door replacement throughout the building *** w/25-083562-MT ***

[maccoinnich]

On Prosper Portland's Board of Commissioners agenda for Wednesday:

Action Item: Authorizing the Acquisition of Real Property Located at 125 NW Fourth Avenue
Will Thier, Real Estate Manager
Onome Egbedi, Real Estate Portfolio Analyst

Report 26-02
Resolution 7635

[maccoinnich]

TriMet to purchase former Greyhound terminal in Old Town



The former Greyhound station in Old Town across the street from Union Station will soon house TriMet buses if a plan to purchase the building goes through. At a meeting this morning of Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), TriMet General Manager Sam Desue announced a plan to reallocate funds currently set aside for zero emission buses and instead use it to purchase the Greyhound building for use as a bus layover facility.

“Due to our current financial situation, where we are reprioritizing the use of these funds,” Desue told fellow members of JPACT. “We currently have more busses that we need for our current operations. However, we’re not taking our foot off the gas regarding zero emission busses and purchases for the future.”

Desue went on to explain that TriMet intends to purchase the two-acre property at 550 NW 6th Avenue and convert it from a Greyhound terminal into a layover facility that can house up to nine, 60-foot spaces for TriMet buses. Currently, TriMet bus operators on the frequent service FX-2 Division Line layover in the transit mall on NW 5th and 6th avenues. TriMet says housing these buses indoors will be safer for operators, spur much-needed urban development in Old Town and satisfy a commitment TriMet made with the City of Portland in 2016 to not use a public street for extended layovers.

...continues at Bike Portland.

[Socinus]

It's better than nothing, but not nearly the big win I was hoping for this big block. Ideally they will be able to build out some sort of subsidized commercial space to encourage small business for this area, though with the completely unmanaged Oasis day center flooding that block with active drug dealing and drug use I am not hopeful.

[MarkDaMan]

The irony of the statement from the TriMet spokesperson is not lost on me. The "we're cancelling this years order of electrical buses but we're not taking our foot of the gas regarding zero emission buses". In fact, they're keeping their foot on the gas for gas powered buses.

Desue told fellow members of JPACT. “We currently have more buses that we need for our current operations. However, we’re not taking our foot off the gas regarding zero emission buses and purchases for the future.”

https://bikeportland.org/2026/01/15/trimet-to-purchase-former-greyhound-terminal-in-old-town-398927

[colossalorder]

Quite a bit of activity in Old Town on a perfect Portland day. I stumbled into a bunch of new spots around the North Park blocks that I hadn't noticed before.

A really vibrant arts scene, full of people, events, speakers, etc. All very fresh, interesting and healthy feeling. So glad to see it. I don't know if they are new or I just never really hit it right, but glad I did. The park was very activated too with people enjoying the space.

https://landdd.org/
https://nwmoca.org/
https://www.imperfecta.xyz/
https://www.instagram.com/thewritersblock.studio/
https://ily2online.com/

[maccoinnich]

Prosper Portland votes to take possession of 2 Old Town buildings



Prosper Portland will take back two buildings that were part of a larger project to revitalize Old Town.

Prosper’s Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to begin foreclosure proceedings on the buildings at 208 and 234 N.W. Fifth Ave. The buildings were purchased by Future Stack LLC, doing business as Made in Old Town, using a $7 million loan from Prosper Portland.

Prosper will take back the two buildings through a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure and begin due diligence on the properties. Prosper will then release Made in Old Town from all other liabilities related to the loan.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal.

[downtownpdx]

New restaurant planned for shuttered Old Town nightclub

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2026/05/29/azul-kitchen-bar-jones-club-old-town.html

115-nw-1st by Ryan Miller, on Flickr

A long-shuttered nightclub space in Old Town might get new life as a Beaverton businessman looks to help boost the vibrancy of the block.

Alex Guerra, who owns a restoration and construction business, has big plans for a nearly 7,000-square-foot vacant storefront at 115 N.W. 1st Ave.

Guerra is planning Azul Kitchen & Bar, where he envisions lunch and dinner hours. On the weekends, he wants the space to host nightlife entertainment after dinner hours.

He is finalizing the lease on the space and has started the process for a liquor license. If everything goes as planned, he hopes to open in mid-August.

(continues/paywall)