This morning city council approved a six-month extension of the Trail Blazers’ exclusive development rights in the Rose Quarter, but not without some pushback from ol’ Randy Leonard. Trail Blazer’s development group Portland Arena Management (PAM) has been engaging in some strategery to remake the Rose Quarter as “Jumptown”, a 24-hour “entertainment district.” PAM’s special development rights over Memorial Coliseum and the money-making Rose Quarter parking lots was set to expire November 24th, but the council vote today gives the group another six months to come up with a solid plan to redevelop the area.
Commission Leonard had this to say: “Mayor Adams would have been on solid ground if he’d come today and said that given that given that this agreement has been existence for nearly two decades, it’s time to look at another entity to assign the development rights to.”
But after the fingerwagging, Leonard went ahead and voted for the extension. By May 24th, the Blazers and Portland Development Commission are supposed to come up with a plan for initial improvements to the Rose Quarter, including a financial plan and a community benefits agreement.
A longer timeline clock is ticking on this area, too: $20 million in urban renewal funds for Convention Center Urban Renewal Area (which includes the Rose Quarter) expires in 2013.
Expires in 2013
Suuuure. I don’t think the city has ever let a URD expire.
Can’t let that pork for the Neil’s condo buddies be used for like…. services can we?
“Neil’s condo buddies”
Do people actually think that Neil Goldschmidt is sitting behind a metaphorical curtain somewhere pulling levers that, to this day, control City politics? Do people really, honestly think that?
@GLV
The answer to your question is yes.
pretty sure bojack does. but no one with a brain, no.
So will it be allowed to expire in 2013 or not?
Nobody seems to address that one…