"Consumers will probably go both places."

For what? What can there possibly be that I need in the Pearl? And really the only reason I go downtown is because I work there, or for the occasional show at the Schnitzer. I would rather go to a mall in the 'burbs. I dont have to pay for parking, and there is far less chance of being harassed, stabbed, or shot.

A reading of the Oregonian this week points out the inconsistencies of Portland city governance. Yesterday, a story on how downtown retail business is performing poorly relative to the suburbs and how city government plans to spur a recovery. One of the biggest complaints of downtown retailers is lack of parking. Yet an article earlier this week quoted Commissioner Adams speaking about raising parking fees to dissuade people from driving automobiles and consuming petroleum (possibly part of a recent motion to reduce oil and natural gas consumption in the City). Somehow city commissioners think streetcars and light rail are a replacement for parking and one of the greatest mobility inventions of the 20th century,namely, the automobile.

Conclusion: Portland is building a mote around it and people outside downtown are saying: "fine. I didn't want to go downtown anyway."

1. How could people possibly go to both the Pearl and downtown? How can they cross the barrier of Burnside?
2. Why do the pro-car folks not understand that public transit helps them? A lot of the downtown parking and traffic issues result in part from commuters; those who take public transit to work leave space on the roads and in the garages for shoppers and casual visitors. Parking rates are a matter of relative indifference to shoppers if the business validate and pay.

the barrier of Burnside?

Thank you, Homer Williams. Actually, the problem is not the "barrier" (which doesn't exist if you know that green means walk, red means wait) so much as the distance. From Pioneer Place, 3rd and Yamhill, to the Pearl, which is what? something like 10th & Everett? Nobody but Chris Smith is going to walk that, or, if they have even more time to kill, walk seven blocks and wait to schlep around on the streetcar.

The Pearl has sucked the life out of downtown. MAX isn't going to reverse that.

What I am worried about with the downtown redo is that the Old Downtown Portland will be completely lost. Does anyone remember the old Rhodes Building? The old Rich's Cigar Store? Meier & Frank's before the May Company bought it? The Fred Meyer's on 6th & Alder? The old Farmer's Market? I know I sound like an old geezer but I don't want things to get TOO polished or cleaned up. I don't mind change, though. For example, I think Pioneer Place worked out, actually. "It fits where it sits" and replaced some not very attractive, aging, not high-quality retail buildings. The Pearl District is not attractive at all - it's just slabs of concrete. New is not necessarily better - didn't we learn this from the 60s & 70s? And, trying not to be hyper-picky here, but "mote" is spelled "moat." Thanks for letting me cough it up. Was born in Portland but won't say the year!

Hey Nostalgic,
You bet I remember. When I was first going downtown to M&F they still had elevator operators.