Highlights Report
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HIGHLIGHTS Accomplishments of Portland’s Downtown Plan Central City Plan Albina Community Plan Outer Southeast Community Plan City of Portland Bureau of Planning Mayor Vera Katz Commissioner-in-Charge May 2000 Skidmore’s Fountain, donated to Portland in the 19th century, bears the inscription “Good citizens are the riches of a city.” Highlights Accomplishments of Portland’s Downtown Plan Central City Plan Albina Community Plan Outer Southeast Community Plan City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Planning May 2000 Portland City Council Mayor Vera Katz Commissioner Charlie Hales Commissioner Jim Francesconi Commissioner Dan Saltzman Commissioner Eric Sten Portland Planning Commission Steve Abel, President Rick Michaelson, Vice President Amanda Fritz Rick Holt Marcy McInelly, AIA Ruth Scott Ethan Seltzer Ingrid Stephens Bureau of Planning Mayor Vera Katz, Commissioner-in-Charge Gil Kelley, AICP, Director Michael Harrison, FAICP, Chief Planner Colleen Greer Acres, PhD, AICP, Senior Planner Barbara Sack, AICP, City Planner Ellen Ryker, City Planner Stephen Oringdulph, Graphic Illustrator Kirsten Force, Graphic Illustrator Tien Nguyen, Graphic Illustrator, Technician Carmen Piekarski, GIS Specialist Amy Schwartz, Communications Manager Anne-Elizabeth Riis, Community Service Aide Carolyn Sharp, Community Service Aide Photos by Barbara Sack, Carolyn Sharp and other Bureau of Planning Staff. The Bureau of Planning wishes to acknowledge the Portland Office of Transportation’s publication, Elements of Vitality: Results of the Downtown Plan, prepared for the 1998 RailVolution Conference. The Bureau also wishes to acknowledge the publication From Downtown Plan to Central City Summit: Trends in Portland’s Central City 1970-1998, prepared for the November 19, 1998 Central City Summit. Both documents contained valuable and important material used in this document. Table of Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 1 Downtown Plan ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Background .............................................................................................................................................. 7 Major Plan Concepts......................................................................................................................... 11 Downtown Today .............................................................................................................................. 13 Highlights ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Central City Plan ................................................................................................................................ 49 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 49 This is one of over twenty Major Plan Concepts......................................................................................................................... 53 ornamental drinking fountains Central City Today ............................................................................................................................. 55 donated to the city by lumber Highlights ............................................................................................................................................... 57 baron, Simon Benson. Albina Community Plan ............................................................................................................... 101 Background .........................................................................................................................................101 Major Plan Concepts.......................................................................................................................105 The Albina Community Today .....................................................................................................107 Highlights .............................................................................................................................................109 Outer Southeast Community Plan ........................................................................................... 139 Background .........................................................................................................................................139 Major Plan Concepts.......................................................................................................................143 Outer Southeast Today ..................................................................................................................145 Highlights ............................................................................................................................................ 147 How Well Have We Done? ......................................................................................................... 167 The Downtown, Central City, Albina and Outer Southeast Community Plans covered widely different geographic areas and dealt with significantly different issues and solutions. The Downtown Plan was incorporated into the Central City Plan. 0 6850 13700 20550 Introduction The City of Portland recently celebrated the Multnomah County, and the management anniversaries of four major planning of natural resources in the Johnson efforts. The year 1998 marked the 25th Creek watershed. anniversary of Portland’s Downtown Plan and the 10th anniversary of the All four plans were comprehensive. Their Central City Plan. scope included transportation, housing, eco- nomic development, parks and open space, These plans set the stage for the transfor- natural resources, urban design, and land use. mation of Portland’s core into a vibrant Large scale planning efforts had previously city center, now recognized nationally for focused on a limited set of concerns, such its attractiveness and efficient develop- as parking, commercial revitalization, or ment. The year 1998 also marked the housing. The Downtown Plan, Central City Plan, 5th anniversary of the Albina Commu- Albina Community Plan, and Outer Southeast nity Plan and the 3rd anniversary of the Community Plan, on the other hand, evaluated, Outer Southeast Community Plan. balanced, and integrated the different elements so that each action was taken in light of its The Albina Plan set the direction for the effect on others. Extensive citizen involvement revitalization of Portland’s historic inner shaped the content of these plans and con- north and northeast neighborhoods. The tributed to their success. Outer Southeast Plan paved the way for Waterfront in Downtown Portland. Top, 1940s the Gateway Regional Center, the urbaniza- This report identifies and illustrates key showing The Public Market Building. Middle, tion of recently annexed portions of mid- accomplishments attributable to each plan. 1960s showing Harbor Drive. Bottom, 1970s, after Harbor Drive’s closure and redevelopment into Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Introduction 1 In the 1960s, city leaders, in partnership River District (formerly the Northwest with citizens and business leaders, began Triangle and North of Burnside districts), drafting a bold new plan to arrest the University District, Goose Hollow, and decline of Portland’s central business North Macadam. district. Departing from the approach of earlier urban renewal planning efforts, the Today, Portland is considered one of the City relied extensively on citizen and country’s most livable cities, and its plan- business leaders in formulating the Down- ning approach is considered a national town Plan. It promoted the square mile of model. The City’s active planning efforts Downtown Portland as everybody’s neigh- have dramatically improved Portland’s borhood and specifically sought citizen physical environment and image, efficiently input. Whereas earlier plans for the city accommodating the growth in population core had emphasized improving automo- and employment over the last two and a bile access, this approach recommended half decades. Downtown is vibrant, func- the creation of a lively pedestrian environ- tional, and attractive with a new public ment. Proposals included new public open square, waterfront park, and exciting retail spaces, a transit mall with wide sidewalks, core. Air quality is much improved, and public art, and improved transit service. commuting by mass transit has become Whereas earlier plans had advocated for a easier because of the new light rail line and smaller retail and office core with parking improved bus service. With the construction and warehousing at the edges, this plan of the Performing Arts Center, the renova- called for a mix of complementary land tion of the Paramount Theater, and the use The statue of Portlandia rests on a ledge above uses in Downtown. Proposals included of Downtown open spaces for concerts and the Portland Building on SW 5th Avenue. increasing the amount of housing and other events, Portland’s cultural activity structured parking near the retail core and equals that of many larger cities. Portland was a different place in the late preserving historic buildings and districts. 1960s than it is today. It was smaller in The improvement of Portland’s core has population and area.