Finding a path forward in downtown Portland

Task force needs to clearly define a vision for success and seek actions that support the vision rather than recycle ideas from the past

When it comes to the decline of downtown Portland, Oregon’s leaders seem to be working their way through the stages of grief. They’ve been through denial, anger, bargaining and depression and have arrived at the stage where things usually bog down in Oregon: creating a task force.

In the Kubler-Ross grief model, acceptance is the fifth stage. And that’s what creating a task force often means – acceptance – because the task forces rarely find and successfully implement solutions.

Whether it’s coincidence or a reaction to Gov. Tina Kotek’s appointment of a 47-member task force, there’s been renewed efforts to “fix” downtown in the past 2 months.  Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler urged downtown employers to require their workers to come back to the office and requested that Oregon State Police officers be sent to Portland to help enforce traffic laws. Portland City Council voted to prohibit public drug use, though that action requires a change in state law. Portland City Council also designated downtown Portland as an enterprise zone designation and be made eligible for the tax benefits that come with that designation.

None of these tactics are the solution to the problem. Some might help lessen the misery currently apparent on downtown streets and/or make the area safer. But any successful long-term solution must do more than that. Portland must give people a reason to want to be downtown.

When downtown Portland was successful – and as long ago as it seems, that was less than a decade ago – it was because the central city had a vibe and tangible amenities that were a magnet for people. The city needs to re-establish that pull, but it won’t be as simple as re-creating what we used to have. That’s the core problem with Wheeler’s suggestion that employers bring workers back to the office, and to a lesser extent with the enterprise zone designation. It’s an attempt to recreate the past. The other problem is that it asks downtown businesses to ignore a present that is different from the past for more reasons than the presence of homeless tent camping and the decriminalization of drugs.

The businesses that succeeded downtown before the pandemic, riots and overall upheaval won’t necessarily find success today – even with tax incentives. The increase in online retailing makes shopping a less viable draw for downtown. Relying on downtown workers provides a similar challenge. Though the number of people working from home has dropped from the pandemic peak, it has become entrenched as a “benefit” that some workers strongly desire. Businesses that require workers to come to the office on a regular basis could be at a disadvantage in competition for the best workers.

So, what will work as a vision for a downtown that people will want to work, visit or live in?

I’ve written before about the need to convert underutilized space into housing. Where feasible, that should be the first choice. The city should be as flexible as possible with permitting, zoning and tax incentives to make those conversions possible. But because of costs, infrastructure and other practical concerns, some buildings and locations are not suitable for conversion. And a vibrant downtown must be more than just a residential neighborhood.

Here are some other rejuvenation ideas that the task force should consider:

Identify the businesses that fit downtown and recruit them. Enterprise zones initially were designed with manufacturers in mind, though they are not limited to manufacturing. Manufacturers are a difficult fit downtown. In fact, there are a limited number of businesses that would both qualify for enterprise zone benefits and function well downtown. Portland traditionally has struggled to attract the types of companies that occupy the most vibrant downtowns – financial services, corporate headquarters, international consulting firms, etc.

The best obvious fits for downtown Portland are climate- and clothing-design companies. The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence provides another opportunity, though Portland will face stiff competition. The task force should identify what other businesses could thrive in downtown Portland.

Revive the arts. The pandemic decimated some of Oregon’s leading arts organizations. However, unlike traditional retailing, live performances do not necessarily face a permanent reduction in demand. The task force is ideally positioned to facilitate private-public partnerships to help arts organizations and performance venues downtown to recover. City and state leaders also should help develop a plan renovating or replacing aging Keller Auditorium. The Keller is at least a generation behind the times, lacking the flexibility and amenities of new venues like the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York – or even the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton. Discussions about upgrading the city’s signature performance venue are in the early stages and should be accelerated.

Fix the Rose Quarter. Not everyone considers the Rose Quarter to be part of downtown, but

a vibrant Rose Quarter unquestionably benefits downtown. There is no place to go but up. Lloyd Center is an underutilized hub in search of viable vision for the future. The Portland Trail Blazers have missed the playoffs two straight seasons and their star player, Damian Lillard, is seeking a one-way ticket out of town. Some see a Major League ballpark and team as the key to renewal, but that’s the longest of long shots. More realistic would be new ownership of the Blazers that is willing to invest in the surrounding area. Phil Knight wants to buy the team. Jody Allen, who inherited control of the team when her brother died, so far has been unwilling to sell. The city and members of the task force with connections to Allen and her associates should do anything they can to help break the stalemate.

Create a new, positive identity. Even when Portland was thriving it attracted attention as much for quirkiness (think Portlandia) as for success. Since late 2018, the attention has been almost all negative. The task force should identify Portland’s successes (yes, there still are some) and promote them aggressively.

Mark Hester is a retired journalist who worked 20 years at The Oregonian in positions including business editor, sports editor and editorial writer.