OLD TOWN / CHINATOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PART 1 OF 3) ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 1999 OLD TOWN/CHINATOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE Phil Kalberer, Chair Kalberer Company Chair, Vision Committee Anna Abraham Gregg Kantor Everett Station Lofts N.W. Natural Historic Old Town Association Mona Knapp Bruce Allen Bridgeview Community Margaret Bax Portland Development Commission Denis Lachman Bureau of Planning John Beardsley Old Town/Chinatown Property Owner Louis K.C. Lee Old Town/Chinatown Property Owner Doreen Binder Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association Transition Projects, Inc. Dan Lenzen Kristin Calhoun Concept Entertainment Corp. Regional Arts & Cultural Council Old Town Arts & Entertainment Committee Rich Cassidy Karen Moore Bureau of Traffic Management SERA Architects Ed Chan Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Genny Nelson Vicky Diede Sisters of the Road Cafe Bureau of Transportation Engineering Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association Sue Donaldson Nancy Sanders Bureau of Parks & Recreation Resident Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association Richard Harris Central City Concern John Tess Heritage Investment Corp. Emily House Historic Old Town Business Association Port of Portland Beth Irwin Association for Portland Progress PROJECT COMMITTEE Rick Gustafson Eric Hovee Shiels Obletz Johnsen ED Hovee & Company Thomas Hacker J. Hahn Lee Will Dann J. Hahn Lee & Associates Brandon Sanchez Thomas Hacker & Associates Suenn Ho Suenn Ho Design Carla White John Southgate Paul Morris David Frank Kia Buford Sarah Heinicke McKeever/Morris Portland Development Commission Funding for the Old Town/Chinatown Development Plan was provided by the Portland Development Commission. OLD TOWN/CHINATOWN DEVELOPMENT PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 Project Goals. ....................................................................................................2 New Developments...........................................................................................3 Development Opportunities/Challenges............................................................3 RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................5 Immediate Actions.............................................................................................5 Short-Term Actions............................................................................................6 Long-Term Actions ...........................................................................................7 Conclusions.....................................................................................................11 INVESTMENT STRATEGY..........................................................................................12 DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................................................15 Development Potential ....................................................................................15 Housing Inventory...........................................................................................15 APPENDIX A ISSUES .....................................................................................................................A-1 APPENDIX B PHYSICAL PLANNING .............................................................................................B-1 Identification of Opportunity Sites .................................................................B-1 Detailed Urban Design Study Areas................................................................B-1 Third and Fourth Avenues ..............................................................................B-3 Open Space ...................................................................................................B-5 Cultural Identity and Urban Form in Chinatowns ...........................................B-8 Trailways Block.............................................................................................B-12 Edges to the District.....................................................................................B-14 INTRODUCTION Historic Old Town/Chinatown’s Development Plan is designed to complement the spirit and implement the economic development objec- Old Town / Chinatown is Portland’s oldest tives of the Vision Plan. This unique public neighborhood, and one of its most diverse. and private partnership is built on a firm com- This is a community that is rich in resources – mitment to honor and preserve the historic its people, its buildings, its important location and cultural character of the neighborhood. in the heart of the Central City. It is a com- The foundation of the revitalization process munity with its share of challenges, but it is is a progressive partnership to ensure the also a community undergoing dramatic community maintains a social and economic change, with promising new public and pri- balance, providing mixed income housing as vate investments. The Old Town/Chinatown well as a healthy climate for the business Development Plan seeks to build on these spe- community. cial resources, characteristics and challenges. Old Town possesses a unique multi-cultural This neighborhood has witnessed a history of identity, including a rich heritage of Chinese, community revitalization efforts, each of Japanese and Greek communities. Portland’s which has achieved important results. These Saturday Market, a vibrant arts community include the creation of the Skidmore / Old and the Nightlife District combine to make it Town Historic District in 1975, coupled with a dynamic hub of creative activity. These the subsequent adoption of a development diverse aspects of Old Town/Chinatown will plan for the historic district in 1976. A serve as a magnet for cultural tourism. Chinatown Development Plan was adopted in Throughout the revitalization process, those 1984, and Chinatown was listed on the who live and work in this historic area will National Register of Historic Places in 1988. join with the City to ensure protection of the These planning efforts were tied to major historic and cultural assets that make up the public/community investments, such as: identity of the neighborhood. " Rehabilitation of the North Waterfront Park and the Japanese Memorial Garden. The Vision Plan has already resulted in signif- " Extension of the Transit Mall north of icant and positive change. More than 200 new Burnside. housing units have been constructed, serving " Acquisition and rehabilitation of Union a broad mix of incomes. The new Port of Station. Portland headquarters has been completed, and the Classical Chinese Garden is under- " Saturday Market. way. These projects represent a greater finan- " Restoration of numerous historic structures. cial investment in Old Town/Chinatown than " Construction of the Chinatown Gate. the prior 50 years combined. In December 1997, City Council adopted a The Old Town/Chinatown Development Plan, Vision Plan for Old Town/Chinatown. This identified as an immediate need in the Vision Vision Plan represented a major step forward Plan, utilizes the goals and components of the for the neighborhood. It brought together rep- Vision Plan to prepare a strategy for immedi- resentatives from the diverse elements of Old ate, short-term and long-term public and pri- Town/Chinatown – the business community, vate investments. The underlying premise for the Chinese businesses, residents, the social the strategy is to use public investment to fos- services and the Old Town/Chinatown Neigh- ter private investment in Old Town/China- borhood Association. The Vision Plan is a col- town, while maintaining the unique character laborative document which sets forth a series of the neighborhood. of agreements about how the neighborhood could move forward. The Vision Plan places The Development Plan is intended to serve major emphasis on the need for strong com- as a broad blueprint, and not as a block-by- munication among the diverse members of block prescription. The Plan is intended to the community, for balance, and for a com- evolve when new opportunities arise. It is mitment to the principles of the Good important that the Old Town/ Chinatown Neighbor Agreement. Vision Committee process continue through Old Town/Chinatown Development Plan – December 1999 1 the implementation of the Plan, to respond to cultural character of the neighborhood. And, new opportunities and to assure that the com- street modifications should be made to munity’s fundamental vision is sustained. enhance the pedestrian experience and slow traffic to reduce pedestrian/vehicular conflict. The Development Plan has been conducted in three phases. Phase 1 included background and analysis with data collected on the district and identification of a complete set of issues. Appendix A sets forth the comprehensive set of issues assembled during Phase 1. Phase 2 involved preparation of detailed physical planning analysis for three specific areas in the district. The three areas were the Third/Fourth Avenue Corridor from Burnside to Hoyt; the Trailways Blocks; and Burnside Street. Public workshops were conducted dur- ing each of the first two phases. The Phase 2 conclusions are included in this report as 3rd Avenue at Burnside Street Appendix B. Phase 3 contains the develop- ment recommendations for implementation. Economic diversity is encouraged by preserv-