According to the Pamplin Media Group, the city of Portland is converting a parking lot into a public park which will cost Portland Parks & Recreation $8 million. The funds will come from Parks System Development Charges assessed against new development. "Extending the North Park Blocks will add valuable green space to the Central City and give Portlanders additional access to the housing, offices, shops, and transportation routes which the Broadway Corridor project will offer," said Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. "Parks are an integral part of this new neighborhood that is adding thousands of new households and offices."
According to PP&R, when complete, the northernmost park block will transition straight to another new park on the redeveloped post office site. It will also help improve connections between the Pearl District and Old Town/Chinatown.
"The newest North Park Block will provide an important place for neighbors and visitors to relax, to play, and to reflect," said PP&R Director Adena Long. "We appreciate the partnership the City enjoys with key stakeholders, including area businesses and the highly-regarded Pacific Northwest College of Art, as this project continues."
The Pacific Northwest College of Art moved into a former federal building along the North Park Blocks several years ago. The Broadway Corridor includes the former U.S. Postal Service site just north of the college, as well as several adjacent blocks at the southern end of the Broadway Bridge. Its redevelopment will be one of the largest urban renewal project in Portland history, allowing for the creation of a new master-planned urban neighborhood.
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