Why "expand" Interstate Avenue "urban renewal"?
If, as this article says, the district has "an excess of money and a lack of projects," then don't goof around making it bigger. Shut the district down, give that money back to the schools and county social services, and lay off a half dozen people at the do-nothing Portland Development Commission.
It's "for the children."
| Posted at 4:50 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
Never happen - Why would CoP and PDC give that money back to Mult County and the schools?
For them it's gravy to blow on a pet projects and it just gets bigger each year.
Posted by Steve | June 6, 2011 5:21 PM
They wouldn't shut it down if they had sucked up every penny they had. Then they would go to the city for more cash, and get it.
IMO government generally, and the city of Portland in particular, is so absolutely malignant that citizens' only recourse to escape from their rapacious greed and criminality is to get as far away from it as possible and hope you'll be under the sod before they catch up with you.
Posted by The Other Jimbo | June 6, 2011 6:06 PM
I live between Lombard and Willamette, between Chataqua and Denver.
I use St Johns frequently.
I wish Portland government could leave people alone. It is a nightmare here. I don't need central planning, redestributive government, and etc.
Let people make their own choices. I'm exhausted by my betters.
Posted by ll | June 6, 2011 8:01 PM
Shouldn't that be a sign that the URA has fulfilled its mission and should be allowed to prematurely expire? Portland got everything it wanted - take a state highway and turn it into an automobile-unfriendly street. Bike paths? Check. Streetcar? (Well, MAX functions more like a Streetcar than a light rail train on Interstate.) Check. Dense housing that is completely out of character of neighboring residences? Check. New Freddy's and New Season (with grossly undersized parking lot and about 10,000% more bike parking than it ever needs?) Check. Rename a street? (Portland Boulevard to Rosa Parks Way) Check. I'm sure there's some bioswales and bike boxes there too...
Posted by Erik H. | June 6, 2011 8:07 PM
No matter what they are saying they are not telling the truth or revealing their real intentions.
For one thing I think it ws already reported that Adams wants the district adjustment/expanion to fund whatever Memorial Colliseum plan he's grwoing fond of.
Another unspoken truth is the city and other jurisdictions cannot get play noney any other way. And most do not neet public/voter approval so adpoting UR plans can be anything the voters would never approve.
Clackamas County officials are reeling from the fee defeat and the UR petition heading to a vote.
It will require voter approval of the UR- McLoughlin Area Plan intended to initially fund their $25 million share of Milwaukie Light Rail then the usual UR mixed use infill so often ridiculued here.
There have been conversations in work County Commissioner work sessions exploring what to do wif they can;t come up with their "inter-governmental agreement" share".
Will TriMet demand or sue for the $25 million.
THAT would be sweet.
I ceratinly hope so.
Bring that on.
Adams, the PDC and the rest are scoundrels.
It's that simple. Anyone remotely similar should be loudly rejected in the public arena as unaccetable for public office.
Posted by Ben | June 6, 2011 8:28 PM
Portland "give that money back"?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
BTW, I think that Interstate gets my vote for the street that has been the most thoroughly screwed up in the whole city. Moreso than the transit mall even. Other candidates?
Posted by Snards | June 6, 2011 10:31 PM
"I think that Interstate gets my vote for the street that has been the most thoroughly screwed up in the whole city."
Take a drive up MLK. Almost all of the new construction is courtesy of easy money from PDC.
It's also all pretty much empty besides the LIH part coincidentally.
Posted by Steve | June 7, 2011 6:18 AM
I can't see why they would expand Interstate. Sam the Scam needs the urban renewal wiggle room to drop the turd better known as the "Innovation District URA" surrounding blighted PSU.
Posted by Garage Wine | June 7, 2011 6:26 AM
And why would the conventions center/rose district need any additional "incentives" to spru development?
It's already recieved ever imaginable linchpin including 10 year tax abatments for luxury apartments/commercial TODs.
With multiple MAX lines and and streetcars there should be a waiting line for developers wanting to "invest".
Posted by Ben | June 7, 2011 6:33 AM
I've been commuting to the same transit/bike unfriendly industrial park for almost 20 years, and MLK/Union/Grand used to be a decent alternative. It is now almost empty and I-5 has more traffic than I've ever seen, ever. I believe this is because the federal highway is about the only way left to effectively get through or across town.
But not to worry about 99E. I'm sure our tax dollars will soon be subsidizing more economically unfeasable public risk private profit developments of shiny condos and endless boutique shops to walk or ride the spiffy streetcar to.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | June 7, 2011 7:09 AM
Isn't this the area that they're saying is losing diversity because the original inhabitants are being priced out of their homes? And they want to yuppify it MORE?
Posted by Michelle | June 7, 2011 7:45 AM