Examining Coliseum & Rose Quarter proposals (part 1): Trail Blazers imagine Jumptown

 

Last Friday, January 8, was the deadline for submitting proposals to the City's Rose Quarter Stakeholder Advisory Committee for redeveloping Memorial Coliseum and the Rose Quarter.

Many ideas have now been submitted, from a roller coaster to an aquarium. But there seem to be two serious, viable proposals currently being offered: the Trail Blazers' "Jumptown" scheme, and developer Douglas Obletz's Memorial Athletic Recreation Complex.

First we'll start by looking at Jumptown and then, in the days ahead, look in depth at the MARC and any other proposals that seem to have a chance of going forward.

As it happens, both Jumptown and the MARC are surprisingly similar. Although neither scheme started out this way, both now include (1) an approximately 7,000-seat arena; (2) a sports museum; and (3) facilities for amateur fitness and recreation.

 

The first major difference between Jumptown and the MARC is Jumptown's broader scope. Although I believe this stage of the Advisory Committee process only called for ideas pertaining to Memorial Coliseum, Jumptown is an entire scheme for the Rose Quarter and even beyond. It envisions new buildings along the waterfront across Interstate Avenue. It imagines a new residential neighborhood north of Broadway where the massive, aging Portland Public Schools headquarters now exists. And within the Rose Quarter itself, Jumptown imagines a mix of hotel and entertainment space.

The Jumptown scheme divides the district into sub-areas such as "The Yard", consisting of the two arenas, and "Jump Street", consisting of restaurants and bars just north of the two arenas where they meet Broadway.

As has been reported by various media looking at Jumptown, the area would also include a new practice facility for the Trail Blazers, and these basketball courts and exercise areas would also be made available to the public.

With former Nike executive Larry Miller heading the team, the Blazers have also made ties with the Swoosh to possibly bring in a museum. Whether this would be a museum devoted to the history of Nike itself or to sport or Oregon sport in general is unclear. My guess is that Nike would simply take over the Oregon Sports Museum and brand it with the Swoosh. As a sports fan myself, I wouldn't mind seeing the likes of Steve Prefontaine, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods immortalized in this museum, but I'd rather it be the likes of Prefontaine, Dan Fouts and Bill Walton.

Then there is the veterans memorial, which the Blazers are contemplating moving to the northwest corner of the Rose Quarter beside the Broadway Bridge. Their proposal has this to say about the veterans:

"Our current work-in-progress approach focuses on creating better access, visibility and connectivity for the memorial aspects of the Coliseum.  We intend to meet this objective in several ways. First, we’re considering a new park-like setting as a memorial, perhaps on the parcel adjacent to the Broadway Bridge, to honor Oregon veterans of all wars, not just those who served prior to 1960. Our hope is that the new space will foster contemplation and remembrance, while better connecting the memorial to the river, an important part of Portland’s shipbuilding past. Second, we believe a new iconic memorial element at the entrance to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at concourse level will increase visibility and prominence.  Third, we will designate a large meeting space in the building, accessible at all hours, specifically for veterans’ gatherings and other uses as veterans see fit. Veterans have requested that this element—originally proposed during the initial construction 50 years ago—be incorporated into our approach."

 

I'm still trying to digest all these schemes, words, plans and ideas regarding Jumptown. But at first glance, I see things to be both excited and wary about. In terms of wary, there is the fact that the Jumptown scheme seems to remove Memorial Coliseum's entry canopy, which is protected in the building's National Register listing and is an essential part of the architecture. I also worry about this big investment in a commercial district that, based on the involvement of The Cordish Company (the Blazers' development partner) could be crassly corporate, banal and (if I may lay down a rancid stereotype) a magnet for overgrown frat boys from the suburbs.

At the same time, one has to applaud how far the Blazers have come since first discussing an entertainment zone inside the Coliseum itself. They now are committed to preserving the building as a multi-purpose arena, with only nominal changes to the seating bowl itself (something called a "party platform" at the top of the bowl). What's more, they have hired one of this generation's most talented yet underutilized architects in Portland: Rick Potestio. Having Rick on the Blazers' team helps give the Coliseum a watchdog against the ill-advised whims of Cordish.

I want to be careful about passing judgment one way or the other on Jumptown just yet. When it comes to Memorial Coliseum, I am not just an impartial blogger or journalist but an advocate for the building as part of the Friends of Memorial Coliseum leadership. What's more, it is impossible to separate completely the plans for the building versus plans for the larger Jumptown district and scheme. So far what I see is a preserved Memorial Coliseum, and I like that (the removed canopy not withstanding). I also like the density that would be added to the Rose Quarter with a highrise hotel and other projects. There hasn't yet been enough rigor applied to Jumptown other than the Coliseum to judge whether the architecture itself would be good or bad. It seems too large and ambitious at first glance, but first glances sometimes don' tell you much.

One also must touch upon the process itself. The SAC's deliberations will ultimately give way to a request for proposals - essentially acknowledging that at the end of the day this is a private, for-profit initiative. But Memorial Coliseum is a public building, and thus it's arguable that it should not be treated as a for-profit venture. I'd rather see an RFP for the rest of the Rose Quarter but something less profit oriented for the Coliseum. At the same time, I wouldn't want the process to give our beloved Blazers enough animosity or frustration to consider leaving town.

Over the days and weeks ahead, I'll be giving Jumptown further scrutiny and encourage you to do the same. And for those interested in making their voice heard (other than in Portland Architecture's lovely comments section) or just learning more about the Coliseum, PDC is hosting folks from 5:30 to 8:30 at Memorial Coliseum on January 26.

Comments

[billb]

You hit the nail on the head B , the MC is a public building , and a fine Historic Landmark work of Architecture.
Surrounding it with cheesy suburban development is so
Un-Portland. There is a distinct lack of Architecture in Jumptown.
Skyroofs and Reflective Glass towers are just right for LA ...
[beat LA]
Hey Blazers , how about creating
a framework for micro projects so that 100 Cool [under employed] Portland Designers and Architects could create a Design District of Local Pubs / Shops /Clubs , are you listening City Council? This is a PUBLIC property , and we need some PUBLIC GOOD.

[Steve L.]

I like bill’s idea of opening the area to a number of smaller developments that would be less risky, incremental and would spread the opportunity. The city could encourage minority businesses to move back into area. I also like the idea of making MC a public community center.

I understand using Memorial for medium sized concerts, but why would smaller acts choose to perform in this corporatized sterile Jumptown when there are a growing list of great, small, accessible, music venues in Portland? Can this Jumptown succeed as a business with such strong dynamic grassroots competition? I got the stuck in gridlock between two arenas and a Nike Museum blues…

This area is already a traffic nightmare for Blazer home games but I see four or five new high-rise towers in these illustrations, do they address getting all the people in and out of this area?

The inclusion of the Public School property seems like an unnecessary complication. Was PPS involved with developing this plan or did they request inclusion?

The entry canopy is one of my favorite parts of memorial Coliseum.

[Kenny Bauer]

I think it's a great plan. I also like the towers and atrium areas to take advantage even in the rainy weather. No ugly Burnside bridgehead buildings please. The renderings here are awesome. Portland could use alittle pazzazz. Put away your freakin' Birkenstocks and let something with some vision happen for a change.

[Steve L.]

I consider our Urban Growth Boundary, Metro government and our system of neighborhoods to be visionary ideas. I also consider our public waterfronts, parks, our drinking water system, and what’s left of Portland’s neighborhood school system to be the result of visionary ideas.

More recently Death with Dignity and Vote by Mail…

[Ken Bauer]

Agree Steve. But when something's different & not S.O.P., People, not all, seem to want to shoot it down because it's not "Portland". Portland can change with the times and still be a great place. I don't know if i'm explaining this right, but, Portland going forward isn't a totally bad thing.

[Andrew]

A few additional things in this plan that I've taken note of:

It appears that they are envisioning returning some sort of retail streetscape to Broadway on the south side of the street where those parking garages are. This would be a nice nod to the past if done right.

On the potentially-not-so-cool side of things, just north of the grain facility the original streetcar tracks and cobblestones that once led to the first steel bridge on Holladay Steet are popping up through the pavement. In the rendering, it looks like that area may get a thorough makeover. I would very much like to see the old tracks and cobblestones uncovered/preserved and turned into a micro streetcar-history park.
Dan Haneckow wrote a great story about this spot a few years back. (http://www.cafeunknown.com/2006/11/forgotten-portland-one-of-my-favorite.html)

[dennis]

it's as if they needed to add in the Parks Neighborhood to make it look like they are doing more than what they really are with this proposal.

It looks like they are just proposing a new hotel building, a rebuild of a sports museum, and a new memorial, with a few other fictional buildings scattered around.

I am not against any of these developments, I think the city is in need of a new war memorial, which would be a good moment for an actual design competition that is in addition to this project.

The hotel makes sense because that is no different than a hotel attached to a concert or theater venue or a convention center...I am sure lots of people would enjoy getting a room next to the Rose Garden and making an event out of a basketball game. It also could make for an easy location to house visiting teams (that is of course, if they are thinking about that.)

The museum makes sense there, as well as having Nike's logo on it. I never could understand why one of Oregon's biggest companies that is known world wide has little to no presence within Portland...I mean Coca Cola has their name on a tower in Atlanta.

But beyond those few things, the rest of the rendering looks like filler. Much of what is happening in "the Yards" looks like the buildings are trying to awkwardly work with their surroundings, which they will be filled with what? Office space, hotel rooms, condos, apartments?? Seriously, do they actually think this will pan out well for them?

The Rose Quarter is and will always be a destination area, no one is going to wander through there, people go to the Rose Quarter to go to something. These plans should focus more on that. I am fine with there being a collection of bars and restaurants and hotels in the district, especially if they are trying to push this Jumptown idea...because they need to understand that just because you call this area Jumptown doesnt mean it has the same meaning that it once did.

Why not push for a stronger presence by creating a real jumptown that is an actual reflection of the people that once lived within that part of the city. A museum and memorial towards our black community and our jazz community that was displaced by the MC. Having that tie into the sports museum and bars within the area that would allow people to potentially hear great jazz again. (of course Portland does have Jimmie Mak's which is still amazing.)

But in the end, I will believe it when I see it, much like the Bridgehead, we can imagine all these things that we want, but that doesnt mean they will really happen.

Heck, if we are thinking about the future of this area, why not think about the possibility of this area becoming the hub of HSR as well, that combined with everything else would turn this area into an important focus point for the city...I think this proposal is thinking way too small.

[Mud]

The PPS site should be reserved for MLB baseball. It is the best place in town. With that move, focus all of the commercial (retail and dining/drinking) development on Broadway and Weidler and actually connect them with the rest of the city...meaning cover that portion of I-5 and build over the top. Until this area is actually connected to something for a pedestrian, it will always be lifeless when there's no event happening there. I think that tucking office and residences into the "Yards" area would be good but the bulk of the commercial focus should be on Broadway/Weidler.

[Walter]

Looks like a good start to me. This development will not be easy and it will probably take years until it is fully built out.

It will be a tough nut to crack. This area is a suburban-urban hybrid where there are not tons of formulas to making it work. The concept that does seem to work for these kind of locales is the "festival marketplace" which seems to be the direction this is on. To make this a place of the greater Portland area while integrating it in the downtown core are two totally different things. Indeed the forces which really want convient parking and the forces which want some really urban are pretty opposed. Thus I do not envy the Blazers/ Cordish's job here, there will always be someone unhappy with what is proposed.

I remember being quite excited by the muse between the RG and MC, but there was just not the density to allow those places to survive on non game days. Let's bring on some density location: it needs it.

By the way, I like the canopy of the MC too, but it takes up a lot of real estate.

See you all at the PDC meeting.

[Walter]

Go Blazers!

Let's ahave some density and bring Portland into the Rose Quarter!

(No, I am not being paid to say this.)

[paul]

this isn't going to work any better than what we already have if a large residential component is not a part of the plan. Why not plan to have people be a built-in component by living there to help activate the area during slow times of the year? Just bringing in more stores/restaurants and museum type things that will be cool to visit ONCE isn't the answer to the problem. Something like that will just be a fad for awhile, then slowly fade back into the current situation of today's Rose Quarter - a hulking waste of prime property along the riverfront with nobody there. I'm just not sold that this thing isn't going to turn into a lonely suburban strip-mall island in the greater fabric of the downtown. I hope I'm wrong.

[Keith Daly]

I looked at all the plans at the public meeting and really appreciated this one best. I was shocked how many other proposals had some form of modifying or removing the existing building to an extent it would not be preserved. And how few people making the proposals new nothing of the historic nature of the building - why would I hand a project to someone who didn't understand the building as a historic structure?

My only complaint was that their proposal did not show the perspective of the city looking from the plaza - I really think that we'd be blown away at how much this site could tie the two sides of the river together.