Downtown to Gain Retail Czar
Roland Chlapowski
| Downtown finding its inner mall Commissioner envisions retail district to compete with suburban shopping  With downtown retailers increasingly competing with suburban shopping malls for customers, city Commissioner Sam Adams and the Portland Business Alliance are looking at a new approach — treat downtown more like a mall. Adams says he hopes to formally announce a new public-private partnership to create and market downtown more like a coordinated retail district, or a mall, and “take it to a new level of operations and amenities” to help it do battle with suburban shopping centers such as Bridgeport Village in the Tigard-Tualatin area. Adams says the idea has its roots at a shopping center convention in Las Vegas last year, where he was struck by the thought that the new generation of malls, called “lifestyle centers,” were in effect trying to emulate neighborhoods. “We have the makings of the world’s best lifestyle center here in the central city,” Adams says, “but we don’t look at it like that.” The idea of taking downtown to the next level might seem delusional, given last year’s headlines about crime downtown, as well as the feeling of dread some downtown residents and business owners have concerning the two-year transit mall construction project slated to begin in January. That project involves putting light rail down Fifth and Sixth avenues between Portland State University and Union Station, which is expected to increase traffic congestion substantially during construction. “This is going to be a huge thing for downtown,” says Sandra McDonough, president of the Portland Business Alliance. But McDonough points to a recent report of a 19 percent drop in crime downtown, and says the concern over public safety is subsiding. As far as the transit mall goes, Adams says this is the perfect time to focus on downtown. He says the idea is to take the existing discussions of helping retailers survive the traffic jams during the transit mall construction, part of a city program called “Keep Portland Moving,” and use those to talk about better ways of helping downtown thrive. “We want to set our sights higher than simply keeping Portland moving,” he says. “This is keep Portland moving — and beyond.” Adams is sparse on specifics, and so is McDonough, saying discussions are at an early stage. However, Scott Andrews, president of Melvin Mark Properties and chairman of the board of the PBA, went further. “Sam came up with this idea five or six months ago that kind of said what we ought to do is instead of trying to turn this construction, which is obviously going to be destructive — not destructive, but messy for downtown — and use it as a tool to look at the marketing mix down there, and look at (downtown) as a shopping mall,” Andrews says. “I think the thinking is, Look, what downtown is competing against is a mall, so maybe if we thought and coordinated more like a mall, we would be better at competing with it.” One way to do that, Andrews says, is to hire someone who works with property owners to establish the right retail mix that can best compete with suburban malls in attracting shoppers to downtown, perhaps working out of the Portland Business Alliance. The idea would be to start with property owners and retailers on the transit mall, and “hopefully it would be so successful that you could expand it.” Of course, the idea of a retail czar working with City Hall and property owners to select what retail outlets are desirable could be controversial with some store owners already doing business here. It will be touchy, Andrews says, which is why he thinks it probably needs to be someone from out of town, who is not viewed as in bed with any particular downtown interest. In any case, it’s clear that Adams is tapping into a feeling among many downtown denizens and businesspeople, that City Hall has lost its focus on maintaining downtown as a place where people want to be. Sarah Shaoul, the former owner of Retread Threads, a now-defunct funky used-clothing store that was in downtown’s West End, says she agrees that downtown needs more focus. She says the danger is if the new strategy merely focuses on attracting new chain stores downtown, like what’s happened in the Pearl District with REI and North Face. “I’ve never seen the Portland Business Alliance really understanding (the importance to) keep the dollars local and support local projects,” she says. “I mean, I like the Pearl, but it’s kind of boring. … When you look at it closely, it’s just a bunch of mail-order catalogs lined up next to each other.” Rob Mawson, a consultant who until recently served as the president of the Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations. He says what’s needed goes beyond just one person working with property owners: It’s a serious mobilization to keep Portland moving. “I’m glad Sam is asking the question, and hopefully they’ll be able to steamroll this into something (larger),” he says. “If this is the endgame, then I think it’s not going to be successful — but if it’s the starting point, then I think it has potential.” |
Posted by Roland Chlapowski on May 26, 2006
(11) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Filed Under Downtown Portland, Jobs & Economy, News
Comments by site visitors
10,000 years of history and people think cities are the ones in trouble? Give me a break. The only reason Downtown is having growing pains is due to a bunch of business owners better suited running clackamas town center then cities. They don't get cities. A healthy city does NOT need suburbanites to survive. The missing link all along downtown was residents. All the good property was locked up in unproductive and downright nasty surface parking lots. Now that those are being developed with high density housing, Downtown is going to see a lot of improvements. Look at what happen to Vancouver BC once it has the critical mass of residents DT.
If anyone should be worried its the "lifestyle" centers of the burbs. Once the neat factor wears off they do not have the built in residents to survive.
Posted by: cab | May 27, 2006 3:39:49 PM
mmmarvel:
Based on your negative outlook on all that is Portland I doubt I will change your mind.
But for those reading this that actually want a better downtown…
We can have a better downtown by bringing in more urban retail expertise, a stronger focus on improving downtown from the customers point of view, and a stronger public/private partnership to make it happen.
Portland’s downtown has more authentic amentias and more potential to offer than any so-called suburban lifestyle center. But we have to get our collective act together better.
Other cities have achieved results with the approach I am suggesting. As the story said, we are exploring the idea no one has been hired yet as you presumed in your comment.
I suggest you learned the wrong lesson on the tram: The key problem with the tram project was that from the very beginning it lacked the right experts on the job – the idea of hiring a retail district czar is intended to get the right expert on the job.
Regarding parking: Central Portland offers more parking – granted you have to pay for it during the day – than any suburban shopping mall. Most people take transit down town to go to work not shop.
Sam
Posted by: Sam Adams | May 29, 2006 8:10:30 PM
cab:
I agree with you when you said, “A healthy city does NOT need suburbanites to survive.” BUT we need a higher percentage of Portland purchases to happen in Portland and not in the suburbs.
Regarding your statement, “10,000 years of history and people think cities are the ones in trouble? Give me a break.
The only reason Downtown is having growing pains is due to a bunch of business owners better suited running clackamas town center then cities…”
On the retail side, we are not experiencing the “growing pains” you mention, just to opposite.
Your right, though, operating an urban downtown retail district is very different than operating a suburban shopping mall. I like urban shopping districts. I want to bring out the best in ours.
Right now, no one is managing our downtown retail district. What we have now is a bunch of well-intended but often uncoordinated efforts.
That’s why I am pushing to get the right talent and empower that person with the authority to break through the private and public inertia and bureaucracy to help retailers – especially the local ones that need it most.
This effort is about bringing out the authentic best in Portland's central city. If we do that we will hold our own against any artificially created 'lifestyle center.'
Thanks for your comments.
Sam
Posted by: Sam Adams | May 29, 2006 8:17:13 PM
Sam...
I'm not sure Portland needs a retail czar on its staff. Instead, I think the central city needs an advocate like, well, APP! Fundamentally, we are really missing the presence of a committed, nongovernmental central city advocate... a partner, booster, and member of the LOYAL opposition, as they say.
Posted by: Ethan Seltzer | May 30, 2006 12:22:29 PM
This talk of the mallification of downtown Portland is distressing.Bridegport Village is awful. It's an ersatz "environment," trying hard to emaulate what Portland already has: vibrant, interesting, walkable neighborhoods. The walking (and parking) experience at Bridgeport is miserable and the shopping experience -- with featureless cookie cutter stores -- is boring.
Portland is a CITY. Please don't turn it into a suburb.
Posted by: Cynthia Kirk | May 30, 2006 7:50:08 PM
Downtown also needs a Business Czar - not just for retail but to identify issues, and keep Downtown Portland competitive with outlying areas such as Kruse Way. Right now, there is visible flight of companies from downtown -- take a look at the office space availability statistics. It seems there is NOBODY at City Hall who even notices or cares about this flight... but empty office buildings mean fewer shoppers for the retailers.
Posted by: charlie weiss | May 31, 2006 10:42:43 AM
Commissioner Adams,
This is a great idea. Portland's citizens and its businesses are the city government's customers. Dedicating a person to proactively communicate with downtown retailers and property managers is critical. Likewise staffers should be communicating continuously with non retail employers to prevent surprises like Columbia's move out of the city. I'm not a fan of the transit mall reconstruction, but now is the time to plan for a dynamic and alive 5th and 6th that is active, safe and pleasant from 6AM to the late evening. Perhaps PSU could get involved in the studies.
Rob W
Posted by: Rob W | May 31, 2006 4:39:12 PM
Unfortunately it is still very uncomfortable to walk down the mall. The dominate group are the panhandlers, drug users and the disenfranchised. If you go to the most successful downtown retail areas of any major US or European city, the dominate group are business people or shoppers. I believe it is important to have a good tenant mix and to promote the downtown retail experience, but first and foremost, downtown must be a place where shoppers want to be. The purchasing power resides within easy reach of downtown, but the environment is neither welcoming nor comfortable. If I have an out of town client with me, I walk down Broadway to avoid the Mall.
Downtown retail suffers along the Buss Mall and Max lines. A Retail Czar might help, but not until the panhandling, loitering and drug use and dealing are removed from downtown, and especially the transit areas. Customers for the retail shops must want to come downtown and feel comfortable walking on the streets and using public transportation.
Posted by: Charles Conrow | Jun 1, 2006 9:08:05 AM
When I think of downtown I think of drugs, mental illness and depression. This is not a place to come hang out, let alone spend money.
What Portland needs is a central meeting place "alive" with local commerce and community interaction.
I'm not sure there's immediate hope for the bus mall location. Not sure I'd limit my thinking to 5th and 6th as "downtown."
The Galleria space is dead and screaming to be transformed into a public market spot. Something like seattles Pike's Market minus the water. But this space would be even cooler! Upright floors of fresh produce, local goods, cafés and other commerce. The center of that sinking ship should be busted wide open to floors and floor of people--interacting, buying, socializing, living and supporting our awesome city!
Portland can do better than this! Robert Putnam of Harvard University calls Portlnad the most "civically engaged" city in all of America. He uses our city globally as a model to inspire others! Use this. Build on this. Think outside the box damnit and build something spectacular!
Make it another green building! Whatever. Just use what this town is known for and build upon it. Move! We have one of the most innovative towns in America. Keep the momentum going!
Posted by: Stacee Wion | Jun 3, 2006 9:54:50 PM
Downtown has lost much of its appeal. It's an abundance of homeless or runaway street kids and their dogs begging for change on every block. It's prime retail spaces on highly visible corners that sit empty for years. It's multiple vacancies in the "crown jewel" of downtown retail, Pioneer Place I and II. It's third rate stores moving in, while the Pearl, Bridgeport, and Tanasbourne get the premier stores. The Macy's remodel will help, though I would have liked that to have been Bloomingdales, with the relatively nearby Lloyd Center store remaining Macy's. Downtown is going downhill fast. To say "well, it's in better shape than many other cities", is just not good enough anymore.
Posted by: David Meltzer | Jun 7, 2006 5:59:48 PM
Post your comment
Please note: your email address, although required to post, will not be visible. We remove inappropriate or offensive content, and content deemed improper by State and City election and ethics law. The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of the office or the City of Portland.
Goody, another bureaucratic high paying job, another "undefined" or "define the duties as you go" kind of job - shoot, I could do that. In addition it's another public-private venture, we all remember how well that is doing on the tram fiasco, but just because the idea doesn't work shouldn't stop us from trying it again.
Yes, again I think it's going to be a HUGE waste of taxpayer dollars, but when you ignore what city government should be doing, you have time for stupid pet projects like this.
Bottom line, downtown as it presently exists and in the mode in which is being shoved will always have a tough time against out-of-town malls for one simple reason - cars. When you take public transportation downtown you are severly limited as to what you can buy, because whatever you buy you need to be able to carry around with you. If I buy a few things at the mall and I want to do more, I can put them in my trunk and continue to shop or whatever - never happen downtown. Not to mention that when I'm done at the mall I go to my car, get in it when I want to and go directly home - versus public transportation when I HAVE to WAIT for when it arrives, then I have to ride it to where ever I parked my car, then go to my car, put my meager purchases in it and THEN drive home. No real competition - the malls will always win hands down. And we won't even get into all the rather undesirable people that I have to contend with downtown that usually aren't in the malls. But that's just my opinion, I may be wrong (but I'm probably not).
Posted by: mmmarvel | May 27, 2006 9:09:20 AM