A Continuing Debate: The Future of the Central Eastside

An article by Yuxing Zheng in today's Oregonian brings up a topic that has been raised countless times over the years, although an ever more relevant one: the future of the Central Eastside Industrial District.

This time, the debate is not about the possible introduction of housing to the district, which was prompted in the past because of the gangbusters growth multifamily housing projects in the Pearl. Instead, Zheng's article portrays the attraction of creative industry business to what has heretofore been an industrial area.

The article focuses on two businesses, architecture firm Group Mackenzie and software developer Coaxis, who jointly bought the Holman building at the foot of the Hawthorne Bridge. The building is ideally situated, with downtown only about a 3-minute walk over the Willamette. And yet it was sold to the two firms by the Portland Development Commission for only $400,000. Good deals still about in the Central Eastside, and not just on parcels owned by PDC.

While I think the district is developing nicely without being cramped by housing, consider this: The community of longtime Central Eastside businesses has fought for years to maintain zoning that doesn't allow housing, except for along major arterials such Martin Luther King Boulevard, Grand Avenue and Burnside Street. But if the Central Eastside is becoming less and less an industrial sanctuary, does the need such a division of uses still apply? After all, the best urban places are ones where a variety of uses--offices, housing, open spaces--exist together.

I'm not necessarily advocating that the Central Eastside be re-zoned now to allow housing. But I wonder if this era, where old warehouses coexist near swanky restaurants like clarklewis and architecture firms like Group Mackenzie or Myhre Group (another CE resident), is bound to someday give way to an era where people finally do have the chance to live along the riverfront.

Comments

[Ray Whitford]

I do believe the Lower Eastside Industrial Area will evolve into a "creative hub" eventually. I see (just like was the Beam plan for the BB) the area having the norm as: live in work space, software companies with connected or near by housing (S/W coders pull allnighters when the code is due, lots of testing and lots of de-bugging), and other creative types in advertising, architects, interior designers, theater/video artists, musicians, etc..

As for the waterfront, maybe this evolution in the corporations and individuals who work/live in the CEID will say, "OK, When is that freeway going to stop hogging the river?" And only then will the local politicians decide that its safe to get in the water.

Ray

[Ray Whitford]

Whoa, ... some debate here.

Well, If I could get the river opened up, how would I go about it? With multiple steps over many years would be my suggestion.

First is build the tunnel system for I5 and US26 under the Willamette River with access near Hawthrone and Division (US 26 traffic goes North on 12th to Division which is a West bound one way street from 10th to the east boundary of Ladds Addition. Clinton is the East Bound route.

Second is move the Union Pacific line to a tunnel alignment under the Lloyd District to start opening up the area near the river and the Convention Center.

Third is create the 8th/9th Below Grade Alignment of I5 to the Morrision Street Interchange. This allows the closure of the ramp to the Morrision and 99E.

Fourth is the tunnels to carry the I5 North and South traffic onto the Banfield using separate tunnels before and after the 12th Street Bridge. West bound traffic going North on I5 can use a tunnel right after the Lloyd Center exit. The East bound I84 traffic from I5 South will have a tunnel portal closer to 10th Ave.

Fifth will then be the final section of the new I5 alignment on 8th/9th between Hawthrone and Morrision.

Sixth is the connecting two tunnels for I5 North to meet up with I84 West bound and for I5 South to connect with the 8th/9th Alignment. All tunnels and ramps should two continuous lanes at each split. This means at major break point (forks in the road) there will be four lanes. No more split center lanes.

Tunnels under the Lloyd District have exit and on ramps for the Rose Quarter/Convention Center area.

Seventh, the Eastbank Freeway and Marquam Bridge are dismantled and broken up and an 100 foot wide green space (minimum) created with a terraced (paths) slope to allow swimming, marinas, or floating resturants. Land formerly used by I5 is used for development in the Oregon Convention Center/Rose Quarter and helps connect the river to the Lloyd District.

Eighth, the High Speed Rail line construction is started from just North of the current 99E Bridges near Division to bring the trains in Portland at an elevated level for quick movement into the Trails End HSR Station just West of the new bus station. The trains would be elevated above the Hawthrone and Morrision Bridges and would then move below the Burnside Bridge. This slope will help in slowing down the trains plus give the train riders a one of a kind view West at the skyline.

Nineth, ramps for buses are retained on I84 from 8th to the new Trails End Transit Center Bus Depot located on four levels of parking in between Grand and MLK with 99E service on the cross street directly North.

Tenth, throughout these steps, the freight lines from Powell to the Steel Bridge are moved underground.

All these changes really depend on the Columbia River Crossing plan (if it will include High Speed Rail capacity) and the decision by the City to move the Train and Bus stations to one location side by side with better access to the train line and major highways.

So, duh, we get our river back by moving roads around in most of these steps.

Ray