Vanport Square Opens on MLK

Commissioner Adams joined developers Ray Leary and Jeana Woolley, PDC Commissioner Charles Wilhoite and Carl Talton to celebrate the grand opening of Vanport Square - located on NE Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd & Alberta. Sam's remarks follow:

Thank you Ray for that introduction. It's wonderful to join you all here today on this brisk morning for a project opening that warms the heart.

As a resident of North Portland's Kenton neighborhood - who uses MLK daily -- I'm excited about this development and what it means for our City.

MLK is a critical boulevard in the City of Portland. It connects the Oregon Convention Center, the Central Eastside, the Lloyd District, Emanuel Hospital, PCC's Cascade Campus, Trail Blazers Boys and Girls Club, the Skanner, Observer and Asian Reporter newspapers, and numerous parks, churches and schools. The boulevard provides a connection through Portland's most diverse neighborhoods.

Studies show that 28,000 cars drive along MLK Boulevard each day. Now that's a tremendous opportunity for businesses located along MLK, but it's also an opportunity to get people out of their cars and onto the Streetcar system.

I hope you can envision with me a time in the not too distant future when the Streetcar line will extend from downtown to the Central Eastside and Lloyd District all the way up MLK. This will help reduce the congestion on the Boulevard, and will also make it a more walkable street, which is what retailers along here need to grow and thrive.

But today we are gathered for the opening of the Vanport project and there is much to celebrate about this project.

Vanport Square is a hard-fought triumph for Ray and Jeana, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Blouvard and for PDC - and we're grateful to them for that fight. We would not be here today if it weren't for their perseverance, vision and creativity.

The result is a project that will support 75 jobs - and 16 businesses that have the opportunity to own a business AND build equity in their property on MLK. At the same time, the large plaza will be a gathering place for the entire community.

With this success, this project sets the stage for new commercial activity, new vitality and new development on this Boulevard.

Ray and Jeana's tribute to the City of Vanport and the residents who lived there also sets the tone for any new development: the past is not forgotten; the past remains with us today.

I'd also like to acknowledge former Mayor Vera Katz - for her involvement in this project - and Mayor Potter - who could not be here today but sends his congratulations - for all the support he has shown in this effort.

So, to Ray and Jeana, to all the citizens who volunteered their time at countless meetings, to the City staff involved - a big thank you.

I look forward to joining you along MLK for other celebrations of this great boulevard.

Thank you.

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