A generation ago, before the days of Pioneer Place, the Galleria was part of a small constellation of downtown shops along with Nordstrom and Meier & Frank. It was pioneering retail in the urban core. But for the last several years, this prime real estate has remained largely vacant. Now, however, the Galleria may finally be resurrected.
The Western Culinary Institute has already made a successful move to the property and makes an ideal anchor tenant. But as much as 40,000 square feet of rentable space remains, despite the fact that the Galleria is right on the MAX line, across the street from a Smart Park garage, and only two blocks from Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Of course part of this architectural black hole can be attributed to nearly a decade of squabbles between members of the Naito family, who own the building. As the Portland Tribune reported in late June, the Bill Naito Company took over the Galleria three months ago and has hired real estate broker HSM Pacific Realty to fill the long-vacant space. HSM was involved in leasing the Brewery Blocks, and the Galleria is viewed as a similar opportunity.
Although it’s still too early to tell if this latest effort to make the Galleria live up to the potential of its location will succeed, it does give us license to consider what this building could be. The Tribune article mentioned the possibility of tenants like Crate & Barrell, which sought space in the Galleria years ago and was turned away. But is retail enough?
Traditionally the building has been inwardly focused, like a mall. It seems as if one of the primary steps toward making this a viable building is to re-engage its connections with the street. That already has happened with the Made In Oregon shop there, and hopefully that will continue.
I don't think prime real estate should go empty this long without a really long hard look at the building. Finding tenants is of course the top priority, but I hope Bill Naito won't stop there.
Hopefully the ultimate future of the Galleria is to become less like an early-generation mall and more of a flexible, light-filled urban space. And after all this time vacant, perhaps a more comprehensive re-thinking of the building--its program, its layout, its desired occupants and the experience of being inside--is what the Galleria really needs. This building needs imagination as much as it needs people to sign leases.
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