May 22, 2003
(Updated) 'Box Store' Plan Proposed for Memorial Coliseum
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
National mainstream commerce would win out in a proposed plan for Memorial Coliseum:
Two large retail stores and two levels of parking would be built within the glass walls of Memorial Coliseum, if city officials select a plan offered by Paul Allen-owned companies and a major Portland developer.
The retail option is expected to be one of four under consideration when the City Council starts deciding next month what to do with the 43-year-old, 12,000-seat arena that has lost sports and events customers.
...
The proposed "urban home center" would create two stores of approximately 140,000 square feet each, separated by two levels of parking that would hold 950 parking spaces. Automobile entrance ramps would be added at the north and south sides of the existing building.
Mark Edlen, a principal of the development company, said he couldn't identify tenants at this point, but he mentioned Lowe's, Home Depot, Costco and Target as possibilities. The retail plan also calls for approximately 15,000 square feet of space in meeting rooms at the coliseum to be converted to a veteran's memorial learning center.
Other options, according to the article, include "revamping it to continue its life as a sports venue; remodeling it into a recreation center that would offer indoor sports activities; and making it a public community center in addition to a sports venue."
A competing option is a Memorial Athletic & Recreation Complex being proposed by Portland developer Douglas Obletz. Obletz said backers of his idea "are very much still in the game" and refining their concept and financing plan.
I'm still partial to the idea of an amateur sports complex, since it far better reflects Portland's DIY culture than does a shopping center. There will be a public hearing at the Coliseum on June 18 at 6:00 PM to discuss the various proposals.
Comments (1)
cordle on 23 May 2003
Ugh. I wish we could have something less corporate in that space. Artists spaces, independent bookstores, etc. I'd hate to see it turn into Washington Square, Clackamas, Jantzen, etc.