The future of the Pearl District, Old Town/Chinatown, Goose Hollow, the West End, Downtown, South Downtown and/or South Waterfront was the subject of an issues and opportunities survey for the West Quadrant Plan, which will examine a range of land use, urban design, transportation, environmental and economic development issues in the area. Available online March 5 - May 10, 2013, the survey allowed people to share their ideas and preferences for West Quadrant areas, as well as input on topics such as housing, transportation and neighborhood services. Some big takeaways from the survey include:

1. The desire for more neighborhood services and grocery stores (especially outside the Pearl District) in almost every neighborhood
2. The need for housing diversity of both type and affordability, especially 2-bedroom units in Goose Hollow, the Pearl District and South Waterfront, and 1-bedroom units in other areas
3. Support for pedestrian and bicycle system and safety improvements
4. The desire for a full-range of parks and open space amenities, especially kid-friendly features
5. Better access and amenities along the Willamette River

Here are some sample responses from the survey:

Question 3: Improved access to destinations through (select 2):

Question 7: As the West Quadrant grows and diversifies, what services should be a priority for development? Select the three 

Question 8: While there are many parks in the West Quadrant, most of them cater to visitors or office workers. What recreational amenities would you like to see more of in the West Quadrant to meet the needs of many different types of users? Select the three you feel are most important.

Question 13: What kinds of green system improvements would you like to see in the West Quadrant? Select the two you feel are most important.

The survey results will be included in a summary of issues available online before the West Quadrant Charrette, June 10 – 14. If you would like to see the full survey results, please contact Kathryn Hartinger at kathryn.hartinger@portlandoregon.govor Elisa Hamblin (contact info below). 

The survey and West Quadrant Reader, a short newspaper-like document outlining issues, opportunities and ideas for Portland’s West Quadrant, are part of the first phase of the West Quadrant planning process. For more information about the West Quadrant Plan, please contact Elisa Hamblin at (503) 823-9714 or via email at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.

The West Quadrant Charrette is coming up soon — the second week of June. As the culminating event in the second phase of the West Quadrant Plan process, the charrette will develop design concepts and layers, test them against CC2035 Concept Plan goals and policies, and provide opportunities for stakeholder, staff and public input.

There are several times during the week for participation, and the general public is invited to attend two open houses. All events will take place at 1900 SW 4^th Avenue, Room 7A (7^th floor).

• Open House #1: Tuesday, June 11, 5 – 7 p.m., Informal review and Q&A
• Open House #2: Friday, June 14, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Formal presentation at 12 p.m.

To attend for a longer time and help develop ideas for the West End, Downtown and South Downtown areas, consider coming on Monday, June 10. There will be an opening presentation and three breakout sessions to choose from:

• Opening Presentation: 8:30 – 10:15 a.m., Review Goose Hollow, Pearl District, Old Town/Chinatown, South Waterfront concepts
• Breakout Session A: 10:15 am – 12:15 p.m., Concept development for Downtown, South Downtown and West End
• Breakout Session B: 1:15 – 2:45 p.m., Concept development for smaller areas within Downtown, South Downtown and West End
• Breakout Session C: 3 – 4:30 p.m., (Same as Session B)

Project staff will be working with other agencies, City bureaus and the West Quadrant Stakeholder Advisory Committee the rest of the week. The general public is also invited to attend Report Back and Q&A sessions at the end of the day on Wednesday, June 12 (4 – 5 p.m.) and Thursday, June 13 (4:45 – 5:15 p.m.). A week-long charrette schedule with all event details is also available for review.

But what the heck is a charrette?

A charrette is an intense period of design or planning activity. Often used to bring together multiple stakeholders during one timeframe, a successful charrette will generate many ideas and promote joint ownership of solutions.

Roughly at mid point in the process, the West Quadrant Plan team is holding the charrette to synthesize the research and ideas gathered so far with stakeholders and the public in order to move into the next phase of the planning process ― concept planning. The West Quadrant Plan will ultimately guide growth, development and investments in the western part of Portland’s Central City.

For questions or comments regarding the West Quadrant Charrette or the planning process please contact Elisa Hamblin at (503) 823-9714 or via email at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.

Photos courtesy of Bruce Forester and Sally Painter.

Do you live, work, go to school or visit the West Quadrant of Portland’s Central City? Do you care about the future of the Pearl District, Old Town/Chinatown, Goose Hollow, the West End, Downtown, South Downtown and/or South Waterfront? We’d like to hear from you.

Tell us what you think by filling out the West Quadrant Issues and Opportunities Survey, available online through May 10, 2013. Share your ideas and preferences for these West Quadrant areas, and give us your input on topics such as housing, transportation and neighborhood services.

The survey and West Quadrant Reader, a short newspaper-like document outlining issues, opportunities and ideas for Portland’s West Quadrant, are part of the first phase of the West Quadrant planning process. The survey is a starting point for the public conversation about the West Quadrant, and your responses will help the project team outline directions for the West Quadrant Plan.

For more information, please contact Elisa Hamblin at (503) 823-9714 or via email at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.

Downtown Work Session

Thursday, May 2, 2013

4:00 – 6:30 pm

1900 SW 4^th Avenue, Room 7A

The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is developing the West Quadrant Plan, which will guide long-range land use planning for the Central City on the west side of the Willamette River. Please join us for a work session to learn about the planning process and provide input on:

• Issues that should be addressed
• Opportunities and ideas for the future

This work session will cover all the areas within the Downtown Neighborhood Association boundary. During the event, attendees will split into small groups and discuss specific areas including the Downtown retail core and waterfront, the West End, PSU, South Auditorium and RiverPlace. Staff will use the feedback to prioritize issues that should be addressed moving forward in the planning process.

For more information about the West Quadrant Plan or this event, contact Elisa Hamblin at: (503)823-9714 or at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.

A meeting agenda can be found online.

The West Quadrant Plan team held three major public events in March. The West Quadrant Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) held its first meeting on March 11 and set the foundation for their work, identifying issues and directions for the West Quadrant. Upcoming meetings in April and May will continue these discussions at the system wide and neighborhood scale. A planning forum and charrette for the Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood, held on two consecutive Fridays in the White Stag Building, attracted full houses. Staff is working on a summary of key ideas and concepts from the events which should be available in early May. Similar efforts for Goose Hollow are helping staff to get a running start at the quadrant planning process. Feedback has been enthusiastic and informative.

To kick off the West Quadrant Plan, the project team developed the West Quadrant Reader and an accompanying online survey. A short newspaper-like document outlining issues, opportunities and ideas for Portland’s West Quadrant, the Reader is a starting point for the public conversation about the West Quadrant and will help people give feedback via the online survey. The West Quadrant Issues and Opportunities Survey seeks community input on topics such as housing, transportation and neighborhood services. It is available online through May 10, 2013.

Upcoming April Events

West Quadrant Plan SAC Meeting #2 (link includes meeting materials): Monday, April 1, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Downtown Neighborhood Workshop: Tuesday, April 8, 5:30- 6:30 p.m.

West Quadrant Plan SAC Meeting #3: Monday, April 22, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. 

For print copies of the West Quadrant Reader or to schedule a presentation about the project to your community groups — or if you have any questions about the West Quadrant Plan, please contact Elisa Hamblin at (503) 823-9714 or via email at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.