Thriving Downtown Portland a Model for Nation
Published Mar 06, 2007
Downtown Portland is a magnet for shoppers, diners and entertainment seekers – and for officials from other cities.
Downtown Portland is countering any doubts developers might have about the viability of central business districts.
Nordstrom knows, along with Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Macy’s and other prestigious retailers, that Portland’s 213-block Business Improvement District is a hotbed of commerce and services.
“The city, including its downtown core, is alive and well and bursting with energy,” Mayor Tom Potter said in January 2007 in his second annual State of the City Address.
Potter noted that Nordstrom and Macy’s “are both committing tens of millions of dollars to reinvigorate their stores,” that the Kimpton Hotels group has transformed an existing hotel into the Mobil Four-Star Monaco, and that another downtown hotel has reopened as the DeLuxe.
Officials in other cities also know about downtown Portland’s resurgence, and they frequently pick the brains of civic leaders here about it.
Keys to the success include a regional public transportation system that brings customers to downtown’s many stores, restaurants and entertainment spots. That wide array of businesses is another key – from national fashion stores including BCBG Max Azria and Jessica McClintock Boutique to locally owned specialty retailers.
For instance, 30-year Portland icon Finnegan’s Toys and Gifts is ensconced at 922 S.W. Yamhill St., and the store’s merchandise buyer, Karen Leppman, calls downtown “truly a destination” for both locals and tourists.
“There is stuff going on day and night, with the restaurants open, more hotels (available) and the stores staying open late,” Leppman says. “It’s obvious we’re all making efforts to accommodate everyone.”
Yet another healthy side of downtown Portland is the growing number of people who are calling it home. Condominiums are sprouting up in the Pearl District and South Waterfront neighborhoods, and the Portland Center Apartments and McCormick Pier apartments are being transformed into condos. Housing also is planned for the Central Eastside area.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS
Portland’s leadership is vigilant about keeping downtown appealingly vibrant and economically strong. The Portland Business Alliance partnered with downtown business owners and city leaders to launch the 2006 Downtown Marketing Initiative, designed to promote the area’s vitality. The Portland Development Commission – the city’s urban renewal agency – provides businesses with loans and technical assistance.
The TriMet regional transit agency and private developers have teamed up to create downtown’s largest-to-date developments. Highlights include a $200 million light-rail project and recent renovations to Portland’s historic Old Town neighborhood.
Downtown property owners also have provided $4 million for the downtown Clean & Safe Program, which encompasses the Sidewalk Ambassadors initiative, cleanup crews, a security force of retired police officers and four Portland officers, and downtown marketing.
“To feel safe, the area has to look clean, and the people who visit have to see security present,” says Bill Sinnott, director of the Clean & Safe Program. “We send a team out every day to watch for graffiti, document it with digital cameras and clean it up. Those photos then help with the prosecution of those responsible.”
Providing another layer of security are the Sidewalk Ambassadors, basically the concierge service of downtown’s core. They give directions and advice on dining and shopping options, and also serve as the uniformed “eyes and ears of downtown.”
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS, PARKING
Downtown property and business owners and elected city officials also have joined together to support a comprehensive approach to eliminating homelessness downtown. Through the Portland Business Alliance’s Real Change program, special parking meters accept donations in 25-cent and $1 increments to support services for the homeless. In addition, proceeds from a holiday-shopping discount card went toward opening a downtown day shelter.
In these and other ways, Portland leaders are addressing issues like panhandling, transients and parking, which were ranked in that order in a 2005 survey on matters needing improvement.
In a follow-up survey, parking topped the list. “That shows we’ve come a long way in improving things,” says Teal Davison, the Alliance’s downtown marketing director. “Now, if there is a panhandling problem, it’s addressed promptly, compassionately and respectfully.”
As for parking, about 700 businesses are offering it free with qualifying purchases.
All of these steps are incentives for further investment downtown. For example, besides the renovations at Nordstrom and Macy’s, Carl Greve Jewelers is relocating within the district, and Brooks Brothers is considering a downtown location.
“There are a lot of advantages to being downtown, says Deniz Anders of Nordstrom’s corporate communications office. “We didn’t even consider leaving the area.”
Story by Kelli Levey
Photo by Brian McCord
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