I believe I still have the tape of Sam saying this would never happen--that the industrial nature of SE Portland would be preserved.
And they wonder why they need an study to figure out why there's an outmigration of business from Portland versus other parts of the area. Dur.
http://victoriataftkpam.blogspot.com/2010/02/portland-100k-study-to-find-out-how-to.html

Idiocracy. That's a movie starring Luke Wilson. When I first saw it, it was hilarious because it seemed so fictional and far fetched. After seeing it again the other night, I got a sinking feeling in my gut as I started to draw parallels between that futuristic government and the city of Portland government mentality...

It was interesting to see the businesses they did interview. Only one was somewhat critical of the city, the Portland Spirit. All the others were architects, developers, non profits and other green washed types. They did not interview the business that the city screwed out of their loading docks through street realignment, or any business that is involved with real manufacturing. This exercise is typical. Ask tame respondents questions that answer the way you want and then develop the policy you want. I wonder how much that study cost, what consultants got paid and how many city staffers were also involved?

And forget any all day parking passes for the folks who actually WORK in the CES.
Go by trolley!

But I forgot...there won't be any work there anymore!

As far as I know, one of the planners on this, Peter Finley Fry, made his reputation (for years) on selling the sanctity of the Central Eastside as a workforce sanctuary. I guess he's on someone else's payroll these days. Considering his and Sam Adams's former positions on the issue--how having a central industrial enclave is vital to maintain a healthy city--how can they now advocate the slippery slope to a Pearl East? It sure is nice to have "planning" based on whose payroll our "leaders" are on at the time.

I have very mixed feelings about the CES (I'm a property owner in the area). The majority of the area is zoned IG1, complete with the "IS" (industrial sanctuary) overlay. This is very, very restrictive zoning as it largely prohibits office uses as well. The political environment in the CES has been very reluctant to change this in spirit of maintianing an inventory of close-in properties that can support employment. Okay, fine. The problem is that true "industrial" and distribution companies are locating out of the CES for a variety of reasons, to be sure, but the bulk of the properties in the CES a obsolete for today's industrial user.

I'm very much against the prospect of creating "Pearl East", but the City planners do need to recognize the conflict between current zoning of the CES, and the needs of businesses theat might (cough, cough) want to locate there.

Many of us feel that restricting development of housing (condo and apartment bunkers) in the CES is a very good idea, but we do need to loosen up on the type of employment that the IG-1 zone can support...if City leaders are ever able to figure out how to boost employment...

I won't hold my breath.

Peter Finley Fry, has always been on the above mentioned payroll. At the time of the 1st Burnside Bridge head fiasco he became partial owner of the old Templeton Building right next to the Burnside Bridge. They way over paid for that old warehouse, that has now been for sale for some time, so naturally it will benefit PFF and partners, if the real estate values were to increase.
However, the condo weasels, having now saturated the west side of the ditch, with vacant condos, it seems unlikely that a "Pearl East" would have much chance of success in the near term.
As an 'old timer' I find it very difficult to believe that anyone would now consider paying millions for a condo on the "wrong side" of the ditch, next to I-5, and across from the Hooper House to boot.
The parking meters will arrive as the city needs the money...for more consulting fees.

PD,
I too own property in the CES and the IG zoning is restrictive, unless you know someone at City Hall...nudge, nudge; wink, wink...
Let's go back in time to the Columbia Sportswear fiasco years ago when the city refused to grant that business the ability to move their offices and design operations to the CES in a warehouse they owned. Gert just up and moved to Beaverton taking all those good jobs with her. I think Verasam just said "so sorry".
The city's continued inability to adjust rather than careen through changes is just stupid and appalling.

Why do I suspect that the travel "choices" won't accommodate the choice to drive a car?

These two grafs seem to advise wage-earning, taxpaying SE residents that we have been paying for expensive infrastructure for a party being thrown sometime in the future for people (and values) not yet identified:

"The City benefits economically and socially from the intensification of this 
area.  The public is investing millions of dollars into the area’s infra‐structure; 
eastside streetcar loop, Morrison Bridge improvements, Burnside/Couch 
Couplet, Grand/King viaduct – all in construction ‐ and the substantially 
funded Southeast Light Rail. 
 
The reason for this study is to get ahead of the curve; identify values; 
educate stakeholders and public officials, and develop specific strategies to 
accommodate the movement of people and goods to and from their 
destinations.  The growth in development intensity as the economy improves 
and grows will create crippling congestion if measures are not identified and 
implemented in advance of the growth spurt."

The term "City," as employed in this document, is conveniently left undefined.

The comments here are very insightful of what Trolleys mean to Portland. The Johns Landing neighborhood should heed these comments as CoP Planners try to foist trolleys from SoWhat to Lake Oswego.

Trolleys are merely a means to densify neighborhoods, change base zoning, add all kinds of design reviews, increase land costs-thus tax coffers; all in the disguise of helping existing neighborhoods. The end result benefits outside developers, selected landowners, and keeps Planner jobs.

South Portland has a problem if/when trolleys succeed. It is now the regions most congested traffic corridor with five major traffic routes. There is no way to disperse any of the modes of traffic because of the tight confines of the topography of the river to the west hills. Add what trolleys bring (major density, etc.) and the neighborhoods of Lair Hill, Corbett, Johns Landing and Fulton will be lost and Pearlized.

Good luck CES and South Portland.