Future of Waterfront Park

[downtownpdx]

Let’s hope this one sticks. Glad to hear they’re planning renovations to make this happen. I’m vaguely remembering McCall’s as a place that didn’t really activate the area around it, so it’s nice to see they’re planning a grab and go outlet next to the fountain. If the Hawthorne Bowl redesign is successful this could really help activate the park around here.

[eric cantona]

RFQ dropped today.

[eric cantona]

https://www.portland.gov/business-opport...01241094-portland-waterfront-park-design

[downtownpdx]

Nice to see some reinvigoration of the waterfront starting to take place. The former Harborside is finally leased; the Portland Spirit is planning a new restaurant/takeout spot in the former Rose Fest headquarters building next to Salmon Springs Fountain; the Hawthorne Bowl is due for a possibly major facelift; and this will hopefully revitalize a 40 year old waterfront hotel:

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2026/07/22/amaterra-buys-riverplace-hotel.html

Amaterra buys Portland waterfront hotel, plans to spotlight location, wine and food

Portland-based Amaterra Hospitality Group revealed Wednesday it has purchased RiverPlace Hotel, a cornerstone of the Willamette River banks just south of the Hawthorne Bridge at 1510 S. Harbor Way. Amaterra owns the acclaimed Amaterra Winery in Portland and Amaterra Kitchen + Social Club in Bend, which it opened in spring 2025.
…
The hotel is also close to riverfront trails, parks and downtown Portland. The RiverPlace Kitchen and Bar specializes in regional seafood and other locally sourced dishes.
Amaterra Winery in Portland's West Hills early last year was voted the region's second favorite restaurant in the Business Journal's most popular restaurants survey, which considers any restaurant opened in the previous three years as new. It was No. 1 on the list in 2024.
Amaterra is owned by Portlanders Colleen Nistler, Werner Nistler Jr. and Marcus Breuer. The trio is "centered on restoring vitality and energy to Portland’s waterfront while preserving the authentic character that has made RiverPlace a favorite among visitors and locals alike."

(continues/paywall)

[maccoinnich]

Public Works Committee is getting an update on the Waterfront Park tomorrow. Of note from the presentation slides is that 50 teams responded to the RFQ. I'll be fascinated to learn who the teams were.

[eric cantona]

Waterfront Design Competition shortlist:

• BIG
• SWA
• Studio Egret West

[maccoinnich]

Those are some big names. I'd love to know who else went after the project (and also who they're partnered with locally).

[eric cantona]

I've seen the list of the fifty firms that submitted, and it's impressive. Not publicly available for some reason.

Design Portland just released some info in anticipation of the presentations coming up on 9/23 (I'm going to miss it!!!):

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group, New York, with Jennifer Bonner / MALL, Portland

BIG is a global group of architects, designers, urbanists, landscape professionals, interior and product designers, researchers, and inventors who believe that "by hitting the fertile overlap between pragmatic and utopia, architects can find the freedom to change the surface of our planet to better fit contemporary life forms."

Jennifer Bonner / MALL is a female-owned boutique practice with interests in material innovation, including mass timber and precast concrete applied to ordinary construction logics allow for unexpected new forms

The team includes Structural Engineer Jacobs, Landscape Architect PLACE, Civil Engineer Sherwood Design Engineers, Electrical Engineer PAE, Sustainability Consultant Atelier Ten, Exhibition and Experience Designers Plus And Greater Than, and Amen, Amen. Studio for Brand Identity.

SWA Group (US) with PLACE (US) and Thomas Phifer and Partners

The team unites waterfront expertise, local knowledge, and architectural craft. For 69 years, SWA’s employee-owned, independent-studio model has driven landscape innovation worldwide. They endeavor to "pair the reach of a global practice with the candor and creative friction of a design collective, restlessly pursuing public spaces that serve more purposes, welcome more people, and reject generic answers."

The team includes Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineer KPFF, Ecology and Sustainability consultants Great Ecology, and Electrical Engineer PAE.
swagroup.com / place.la / thomasphifer.com


Studio Egret West, UK, with West of West, Portland/LA

Employee-owned Studio Egret West integrates urban design, architecture and landscape architecture in award-winning work including Mayfield Park, Earls Court and Bratislava Southbank.

West of West will contribute architectural design, waterfront activation, adaptive reuse and deep understanding of the city’s culture, agencies and built environment.

The Team includes Knot Studio, Sherwood Design Engineers, PAE, KPFF and Broadwick.


The jury who made the selections:

Co-chairs

Prof. Maurice D. Cox, Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design, Harvard GSD
Carol Coletta, Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow at the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, Johns Hopkins University


Members

Robin Ganser, Managing Partner, Coen+Partners
Kimberly Branan, Chief Trade and Economic Development Officer, Port of Portland
Gabe Sheoships, Executive Director, Friends of Columbia Gorge
Amanda Lowthian, Senior Director of Destination, Industry & Public Affairs, Travel Portland
Zari Santner, Former Director, Portland Parks & Recreation
Willie Levenson, Founder, Human Access Project

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

The jury who made the selections:

Co-chairs
Prof. Maurice D. Cox, Emma Bloomberg Professor in Residence of Urban Planning and Design, Harvard GSD
Carol Coletta, Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow at the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, Johns Hopkins University

Members
Robin Ganser, Managing Partner, Coen+Partners
Kimberly Branan, Chief Trade and Economic Development Officer, Port of Portland
Gabe Sheoships, Executive Director, Friends of Columbia Gorge
Amanda Lowthian, Senior Director of Destination, Industry & Public Affairs, Travel Portland
Zari Santner, Former Director, Portland Parks & Recreation
Willie Levenson, Founder, Human Access Project

I'm a little perplexed by the lack of big D designers on the Jury. Cox and Gasner are urban planners, and Santner is a Landscape Architect that spent the bulk of her career at PP&R in non-design roles.