October 13, 2003

(Updated) Officials Break Ground On Controversial South Waterfront Development

Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.

Early this morning, officials gathered to break ground on development of the South Waterfront Plan (see also this page from the Portland Development Commission):

By this time next year, half-done buildings will rise from the muddy shores near the Willamette River, the first structures of the largest development project ever embarked on by the city of Portland and local private firms.

...

Portland's newest neighborhood could generate up to 10,000 jobs, attract as much as $1.3 billion in investment money from public and private sources, provide 2,700 housing units, and breathe new life onto the Willamette�s banks near north Macadam Avenue.

"This project is worthy of a great city, and of the river that changed it," said Portland Mayor Vera Katz.

There a very small item on this from OPB, and according to The Business Journal of Portland, "Oregon's congressional delegation has helped win $5.8 million in federal funding" for the project, including money for OHSU programs and buildings, and for affordable housing, infrastructure, and streetcar expansion.

Those interested in the continuing opposition to various aspects of the development project, including the aerial tram to OHSU, should visit the Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill Neighborhood Association for news and details on that side of the controversy.

In related news from The Oregonian last week, developers and the City have reached a deal to "naturalize" a section of riverfront "along the Willamette near the Ross Island Bridge."

Also of general interest to this sort of thing is an article in last Friday's Portland Tribune about the "to renew or not to renew" debate over various urban renewal areas, and whether or not it's time to let some of these special zones return to contributing their generated taxes to the City's general fund.