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This special section was created for Portland’s Central City: A National Model by Journal Communications Inc.
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Look Both Ways
Two commercial districts are models for the nation
The continuing renaissance in downtown Portland is making the area prime for new retail stores, condos and office buildings.
City leaders are proud of the fact that the Downtown Portland Business Improvement District is the second-oldest in the country.
And for good reason.
The Downtown Portland BID has become a model for other cities across the country.
Why? For starters, downtown Portland shopping is hopping, thanks to a 63-block area known as “The Largest Mall in Oregon” because of all its retail stores.
In addition, the downtown district boasts 4,000 condominiums that have been built over the past five years, and another 5,000 new condos are on the drawing board.
Plus, a major initiative keeps downtown Portland clean and safe.
“Since 1988, our downtown property owners have funded extra cleaning and security services, creating, what we believe, is the cleanest and safest downtown in the country,” said Ron Beltz, chair of the Downtown Portland Business Improvement District. “This program includes security officers and a cleaning crew that operates 24 hours a day, all of whom work closely with the city to ensure downtown maintains its sense of vibrancy and livability.”
Just across the Willamette River is another Business Improvement District that is garnering attention these days. The Lloyd BID is experiencing its own growth spurt.
“The Lloyd District is geographically constrained in the north and northeast sections of the city, so we only have 22,000 people who work here compared to 85,000 who work downtown,” says Rick Williams, executive director of the Lloyd Transportation Management Association. “But our plan is to have 40,000 employees by 2015, all without increasing car traffic. So while downtown is focusing on clean and safe these days, our BID is focusing on accessibility for visitors coming into and leaving the district.”
That easy access is important because not only is the Lloyd District home to thousands of workers, but it houses the Oregon Convention Center and the Rose Garden Arena, where the NBA’s Trail Blazers play basketball. It also features the Lloyd Center Mall, which is the most visited mall in the state of Oregon.
“To get all these visitors in and out of our BID, we have developed an excellent light-rail and bus system, plus a streetcar is being discussed,” says Steve Day, chair of the Lloyd Transportation Management Association.
“The ideal situation for us is to have people park their cars downtown, then take light rail into our district,” he continues. “And that is certainly happening, with the Lloyd Center Mall alone accounting for 15 million light-rail trips per year. Accessibility and cutting down car traffic – those are big goals for us here in the Lloyd BID.”
Williams adds that the Lloyd District also puts a premium on safety, and even employs a full-time neighborhood district attorney to prosecute criminals.
“We have seen a 52 percent crime reduction since the district attorney was hired,” Williams says. “It’s just another reason why we are becoming such a model BID.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Jeff Adkins
