Quote:
Originally Posted by pdxstreetcar
I'm not too crazy about the idea of putting the public market in Union Station at least not until (or if) the train station moves to the Eastside in the Rose Quarter. It might be a good location for one but I think it would be better to build a public market in one of the parking lots near the station (by Greyhound). I'd just like to see the station stay a station and keep its spacious and luxurious waiting room for rail passengers and to remain a gateway to the city for rail travelers. That said it would be nice to see some more retail at the station but nothing like a large market that overshadows the building's role as a railroad station.
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Its too bad we dont have the old Public Market building on the waterfront which was torn down in the late 60s, if it had lasted a little longer I'm sure it would have been appreciated as a real asset of value to the city and maybe converted back into a public market.
There was a recent alternative site to put the Public Market in the Beaux-Arts Federal Building at Hoyt & Broadway. Not sure if thats still a possible site for the market.
Whatever the plan for the public market is, I think it is critical to not over build it into some monument (as nice as it would be) so that the current vendors can afford the space and for the market to keep its slightly seedy and laid back feel.
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Excellent comments IMO. As I noted in an earlier post, I too would like the train station to remain a train station. I also agree that overbuilding a public market would not have the right feel. Neither would having a "new" building. I guess that's why they're looking at historic ones . . . to get that old and seedy feel.
So again, I feel the Galleria is best for this (probably should be including this on a public market thread . . . oh well). It wouldn't be overbuilt, it has transit access next to it on two sides, and within a block for the other directions of the streetcar and MAX, and it's in a dense urban area that would seem to have lots of customers (important for the merchants).
The train station actually reminds me EXACTLY of the old public market building (which ended up the Oregon Journal building before it was torn down -- located where Waterfront park is now).
Imagine, Portland once had a HUGE grand public market on the waterfront. For decades it was hugely popular, but eventually it sort of failed (not sure why).
When it was torn down it was undoubtedly seen as "progress." The reason I feel its similar to the train station is I feel we should preserve our heritage and the train station being kept as a train station would help do that. In the meantime as a train station, and if trains end up on the East side I do agree that Memorial Coliseum would be a great place for a new grand station -- hopefully with lots of access from mass transit as well as for taxis to pick up or drop off passengers etc.
I would hope Union Station could still be a transportation hub of some kind, and having shops or merchants would seem like a fine idea to be included. It would be very sad if it just sad dormant.
What a shame to lose this history, if it's not kept as a train station, but I do understand the slowness of the Willamette River crossings. However, I always thought the MAIN problems with high speed (passenger) rail service was that freight trains dominate the rails (they own them), and so have priority over access . . . plus there are many "crossings" along the way, and the trains have to slow down each time they come to another crossing.
I'm glad people are looking at uses for the Union Station -- especially if it stops being a train station. Just because I like the train station so much, I would rather have better bridges for the trains to cross rather than moving the station to the other side of the river and abandoning the grand historic building.