May 14, 2004
Public Process Begins On PDC's Plans For Block 75
Planned Development Includes Rumored 'Home Depot'
Today's Portland Tribune offers an overview of the current state of debate surrounding a controversial plan within the Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area:
Specifics on the controversial project, which is centered on a block now occupied by a warehouse and former homeless shelter, haven't been available.
However, sources say the plans include a parking garage, 300 to 400 mixed-income housing units and a 10- to 12-story office building. The proposed retail anchor would be a big-box store, probably a Home Depot.
At least two major criticisms have been raised about this project. First, opponents do not want urban renewal money going to a "big box" retailer such as Home Depot. Second, they are concerned that a large retailer such as Home Depot would be disastrous for the many local small businesses in that area of the City which serve the home improvement market.
On Thursday, May 20, at 4:00 PM, the Central Eastside Urban Renewal Advisory Committee will be meeting at Goodwill Industries, located at 1943 SE 6th Avenue, in classrooms B and C. Actual details -- of some sort -- are expected to be presented at this meeting. In addition, a community meeting for concerned neighbors and residents will be held on Monday, May 17, at 6:30 PM at Anne Hughes' Kitchen Table Cafe, located at 400 SE 12th Avenue.
Also, via email earlier today a Buckman resident wrote with a couple of claims. As of this writing, we've done absolutely nothing to confirm them, so they should be taken as open questions rather than as clear fact. Readers are invited to weigh in if they happen to know something.
First, according to this reader, PDC is supposedly not confirming at this point that Home Depot in fact is involved. "So," they urge, "the phrase 'Home Depot-like' is advised to avoid niggling bureaucratic sidestepping." In addition, this reader also says there is an entirely unconfirmed rumor that Home Depot is considering a "backup site" at SE 10th and Belmont.
Other than these two points, the reader poses several questions which more or less fall in line with issues reportedly raised by the Central Eastside Industrial Council, which according to the Tribune article "said it would not take a position until it gets more information from PDC, including a market analysis that looks at a major retailer's impact on existing stores and wholesalers, a traffic study, a parking plan and a site plan."
Comments (1)
Dave Lister on 14 May 2004
b!X,
I interviewed Don Mazzioti of PDC on this issue for an article in a local publication. He told me during that interview two things that I found noteworthy. He said the overall impact for business in the area will be "beneficial due to increased customer draw" and that "no tax money or subsidies for an anchor retailer are intended". Some of the CEI businesses are pretty upset with what they see as a direct competitor being planted in their midst. The folks at Winks Hardware, in particular, who had to relocate from NW after the Pearl development.