09/03/1987 - Packet AGENDA
CITY CENTER PLAN TASK FORCE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1987, 7:00 - 9:30 P.M.
CIVIC CENTER - TOWN HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
13125 SW HALL BLVD., TIGARD, OR
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL: ASH COHEN COURSOLLE DEFFERDING
JUAREZ MARR PINKERTON
3. APPROVE MINUTES
4. REPORT ON RECENT LAND USE ACTIONS: NEWTON
5. BREAKFAST PROGRAM: ASH
6. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS AND GENERAL DISCUSSION
7. ACTION AREAS: NEWTON
8. MARKET STUDY: GROUP DISCUSSION
9. FANNO PARK MASTER PLAN
10. OTHER BUSINESS
11. ADJOURNMENT
MEETING OF CITY CENTER TASK FORCE
AUGUST 20, 1987
The meeting was called to order by Stuart at 7:09 p.m.
Present: Stuart Cohen, Michael Marr, Pam Juarez, Jerry Coursolle, and
Jolynn Ash
Absent: Don Pinkerton and Chris Defferding
Also Present: Peggy Byrd, Liz Newton, and Bob Jean
A motion was made by Mike Marr to approve the minutes of August 6, 1987, with
the correction of the spelling of Peggy Byrd's name. Jolynn seconded the
motion. The motion passed:
Liz reported on recent Land Use Action as follows:
1. Stash Teas has not yet made a decision regarding the Crow site
2. Wash. Circle - grading under way
3, Pac Trust - staff is reviewing a 2,2200 square foot building
4. Portland Fixture - Site Design Review approval
5: Moyer Theater construction is under way
Peggy commented that the Board of Directors from the Chamber of Commerce is
sending Stash Tea a letter encouraging their relocation to Tigard.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS:
Traffic
Don and Mike met with Bill about setting up a meeting with the State Highway
Supervisor to discuss the viaduct. Mike asked if the state would be receptive
to working out a joint funding effort. Liz said that she felt they would be
willing to discuss any possible solution.
Zoning
In Chris's absence, Jerry handed out a letter summarizing Chris's meeting with
Keith Liden on the current parking and landscape code provisions for the City
and downtown area.
The committee discussed the parking problems of the downtown and the possible
future problems that might occur with the kiss and ride Tri Met station. Bob
Jean informed us that Tri Met might be interested in a joint venture regarding
parking. Bob suggested that Mayor Brian could provide more information.
Parks
Mike and Pam reported on the Parks. They attended the Park Board meeting on
August 19, 1987, Mike gave a presentation on what the City Center Committee
is looking at for Fanno Creek Park. He said that we would like to form a
subcommittee to assist them in getting Fanno Creek Park going. Liz said that
Mike Schwartz is going to be on the subcommittee from the Park board. The
Park Board has a plan for bike paths throughout the area.
The Park Board is talking about going to the Council to request funds to
update the master plan. The plan was completed in 1980. It needs to be
updated to include modifications of the parks. Liz indicated that the update
needs to get started to have it completed by January: Staff has not been able
to contact the original architects to determine how much the update might cost.
Bob Jean pointed out that the City Center Plan is number two on the City's ten
goals for the year. The Parks are number nine. He said that the downtown is
a critical part of the City's Financial Strategies.
Jolynn reported on the Citizen's Breakfast. It was agreed that the invitation
would be kept simple and friendly. The invitation should include a list of
topics to be included in the presentation. We will have a brief question and
answer period. Pam, Mike, and Jolynn will meet to finalize the wording of the
invitations, taking into account the comments from the committee.
We have the mailing list: All board members together with Peggy will contact
business and landowners to invite them to the breakfast. The invitations will
be mailed out the first of September, and we will begin calling in the second
week of September.
The Marketing Consultant was discussed. Duane wrote to all the property
owners to see if they would be interested in participating in the market
study: Sea First and Albertsons were interested. Other calls he received
from the property owners were positive but they did not commit. It is still
questionable if the committee wants to request funds at this time for a
consultant. The consensus was that the Marketing Consultant option would have
the most creditability. Bob said that he feels that we still need the study,
but we should have more of a plan together first.
Liz reported on the Action Area Zones Designation. The City Planner said that
it would be difficult to apply the action plan to developers. He felt that
the plans needs to be more defined on some of the requirements. He is
concerned that the plan will discourage business from locating downtown. Liz
is going to meet with Bill and review the action plan: The plan can still be
modified. Stuart feels that we must be careful not to send out the message
that we are difficult to deal with.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Mike questioned whether the City owns all the necessary property for the Fanno
Creek Park. Mike feels we need to proceed with developing a land acquisition
program. Liz said that they have already identified who owns the property and
the value. Bob Jean indicated that the budget committee is talking about a
park levy. They are meeting in September and November.
Peggy brought up the street sweeping schedule for downtown. A memo from Bill
giving the schedule was handed out.
A motion was made to adjourn at 9:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Pam Juarez
sb/0752D
!Iyon
e
School of Business University Corvallis, Oregon 97331
A PROPOSAL FOR A PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THE
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OF NE CITY OF TIGARD
September 1, 1987
Presented to: Prepared by:
Mr. Duane Roberts -.r. John Gottko
City of Tigard
s
1/O.S.U.-Gottko Proposal
BACKGROUND
The City of Tigard wishes to design a program to
optimally develop its Central Business District (CBD) . It
wishes to do so by developing a number of vacant CBD parcels
with an appropriate mix of light industrial, retail, and
recreational facilities as well as with housing. Besides the
primary economic benefits, there are also likely to be the
incremental rewards of "new energy and vitality" for Tigard.
The government of Tigard will carefully reassess zoning, and
other relevant considerations, as necessary and appropriate ,
to support this undertaking.
EXISTING APPROACHES FOR RESEARCH ON CBD DEVELOPMENT
While many U.S . cities of differing sizes, characterisTics
and goals regularly investigate, :and later implement , -economic
development plans, perhaps suprisingly little is known about such
important issues as the validity of alternative research approaches,
in conjunction with the particulAr.eityx•t=.Further;-:little 'iso known
about the "aftermath" of the many extensive studies of CBD
d&velopment: do cities base their plans on the research, and
if so, what. results?
"Macro," "micro," and combination "macro/micro" approaches
to retail market analysis have alternatively, been undertaken.
Projections of potential economic activity have typically been
developed based upon a rather simplistic series of "linearo, calcula:tic
(e.g. average expected sales per square foot per type of retail
class per capita) . Results are tempered with subjective refinements
or adjustments which supposedly tailor the data to
the particular city.
However, it has not been determined whether such projections,
or even their methods, are accurate and valid. Furthermore,
this "linear." approach precludes the opportunity of estimating
the economic potential of alternate new combinations of retailing,
light industrial, recreational, and housing activity. Finally,
it is not known how cities use the resulting mass of projections
and data to design their programs nor is it known whether these
programs meet with success.
a
2/ O.S.U. -Gottko Proposal
It is suggested that a different approach is needed wherein
the method is tied to a City's unique characteristics and its
unique ability to both design and carry out an optimal CBD
development effort.
METHOD
The proposed method will have three Phases.
Phase I
The proposed method will begin with a study of the CBD
development efforts by a sample of cities which are deemed
comparable to Tigard by the supplier and City of Tigard officials.
To the extent possible and available , the data which has been
generated by these cities' studies and economic development efforts
will be collected. The resulting development programs, and their
results, will also be determined.
Secondary data will also be collected for Tigard's CBD from
such sources as the Oregon Center for Population Research and
Census Center, Metro , Oregonian Mark4ting Research, Sales &
Marketing Management , and the Census of Population, and of
Retail Trade. It is expected that the City of Tigard will
assist in the culmination of the secondary data for Phase I.
Additional secondary data and other information collection
will be performed by the supplier.
Phase II
Using thia data, calculations will be made of the
components of economic activity in the CBD's of Tigard
and the sample of comparable cities. That is, what is the
economic activity per capita and per square foot, of light
industrial, retail, recreational, and housing sectors? For
various classes of retailers?
In sum, the Tigard CBD will. be compared to the sample
of CBD's and the following questions addressed and answered:
What conclusions did the other cities draw from their numbers?
Should Tigard draw a similar, or different conclusion to
its numbers?
Whlqt corresponding programs did the other cities design
and implement?
Could Tigard do the same thing? What are the alternatives?
What has resulted front the other cities' efforts?
a Officials from the City of Tigard and its business
community will be interviewed as a part of Phase II, as will
some of the officials involved in the sample of other cities'
efforts. Phase TT will culminate in the derivation of alternate
3 O.S.U.-Gottko Proposes
CBD development "scenarios" for Tigard. These "scenarios"
will encompass such elements as park improvements, public parking lot
railroad crossings and bridges, and other "nuts and bolts"
considerations. . '-.The. "scenarios" will also include . bo.th
realigned and new mixes of light industrial, retail, recreational,
and housing activity in the Tigard CBD . City of Tigard
officials will participate in preparing the "scenarios. "
Phase III
A small sample of CBD economic development "experts:' will
be identified, selected, and interviewed. These experts will be
presented with background on Tigard, its CBD and development
objectives, as well as the "scenarios~ Experts will be asked
to comment on the probability of success of each of the
"scenarios. "
. Phase III will conclude with the recommendations for the
most desirable development program for the City of Tigard's
CBD. y�{'
The method, in sum-r
Phase I. Secondary data and other information collection.
Phase II. Data analysis and preparation of development scenari;
Phase III Expert Banal interviews and recommendations for
gity of Tigard CBD development program.
COSTS AND TIMING
Phase I will require the collection of relevant existing
secondary data and other information, with the asistance of
the City of Tigard. This is expected to take one .month.
Phase II will require data analysis, and the interviewing
of 'various officials. Phase II also- requires- the- preparation
of scenarias, in conjunction with City of Tigard officials.
This will take tw®:::month$:
Phase III will require identifying, then locating and
interviewing an expert panel. Finally, recommendations..will
be made. This is expected to take two months.
Throughout the three Phases, O.S.U. M.B.A. students will
work under close supervision of Dr. Gottko. The project will
require six months to complete, and will cost $7000.
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1987 PORTLAND BUSINESS TODAY 5
ION 10011hk am
C x t
A-%� n A0 & L0111
i y
W-i7gM``z 1,
'Village aregive �Tualatin a new downtown
By DAVE RODEWALD
LJ
TUALATIN—City officials have
taken an important step in help- ' i f r r; „�, i ( � -= _ —_ =' _
ing the city build its very first -
1 1 �"K��T� fff 11�-' '❑ �� 1 '�
S ,Y downtown. e
r ,
The city has never really had ' " f`�' -
one,said Jeffrey Tashman,the ci-
ty's urban renewal manager. So -
the City Council set out in 1982 to
build Village Square, a develop- _
ment that would change that.
Now the city has acquired most r .
•
f the 6.5 acres needed for the
!� ..
protect, which is bordered by - _ _ - - • -
a'
Boones Ferry Road on the north,
•r tJ13
Martinazzi Avenue on the east, A site plan, right, shows one version the 6.5 acre Village I ,
Nyberg Road on the south and Square in Tualatin, but does not include a recent.proposal.to [ _
84th Avenue on the west. include the eight acre Hervin property. The development is - - .- • .r,i �_ -
And the council recently designed to open on a public square and create a•village-like
approved a motion to look at the atmosphere for the downtown, said Gary Reddick, of the
option of expanding the plans by architects, Kaplan, McLaughlin, Diaz. Above, an artist's ren-
acquiring 8.5 acres that was pre- dering. ....... - - --
viously used as the main plant for
Blue Mountain Pet Foods, a divi tin bought 19 parcels for a total bree said. Grubb & Ellis Co. has Pacific Rim specializes in retail
sion of the Hervin Co. price of $2.4 million. been named the leasing agent, development,but has done some
The property is bounded by Tashman said the city is now in and Gary Reddick of Kaplan mixed use, Hembree said. The
Nyberg on the north, Martinazzi the midst of design review,as well McLaughlin Diaz is the architect, company's projects include the
on the east and Tualatin- as closing the purchase price for he said. Hood Center shopping mall in
Sherwood Road on the south.The selling the land to the developer, Tashman said the original de- Gresham and the McMinnville
Clark Lumber property separates Pacific Rim Development Corp.of velopment was to include office Town Center,he said,adding the
the Hervin property from the Walnut Creek, Calif. space as well as retail,.but the firm is looking at three other Ore-
other part of the project. developers felt that a retail space gon properties for development..
"We are trying to create a of less than 110,000 square feet Hembree said he was impres-
downtown, where none existed we are trying t0 Cre- could not accommodate enough sed with the Tualatin area, and
before," Tashman said. ate a downtown , shops to make the area viable. believes it is a place poised for
On Aug. 10 the council voted where none existed "We wanted to make enough of future growth because of its prox- v
unanimously to look into the before. 9 a statement that people will drive imity to Interstate 5 and Portland
to the area for shopping on a re- and because the area has had
prospects of buying the Hervin —Jeff Tashman,
property, although such a pur- gional basis," Hembree said. steady growth.
city of Tualatin For the project, Pacific Rim is very chase would require a public P j In a ve short time it will be-
hearing and a change in the Tual- looking for major clothing and. come an area with identity," he
atin Urban Renewal Plan, Tash- Pacific Rim has not been comparative goods—big-ticket said.
.man said. named as the developer for the items that require comparative
Village Square was given its Hervin property, but is in the shopping—retailers to lease
:
birth in the 1982 Review and Up- running, said Harold Hembree, there, Hembree said
date of the Urban Renewal Plan. senior vice president for op- Pacific Rim, with 4.5 million
The document concluded that erations for Pacific Rim. He said square feet of retail development
property in the city's downtown the Hervin property is positioned under its belt, has established a
was broken in too many small lots to blend well in the development, partnership with Quadrant Corp.,
to have meaningful development. but that overall plans have not a Weyerhaeuser Co.unit with sub-
been firmed. stantial holdings in the high tech-
The plan suggested the city "It is a viable site now,but we nology Sunset Corridor area.
step in and package a develop- think that with the Hervin site in- . That partnership could provide
ment site,Tashman said.Follow- eluded it becomes a project that some of the funding for the Village
ing that recommendation,Tuala- is instantly marketable," Hem- Square project,Hembree said.
y
Medford merchant resists the .exodus
By BILL MacKENZIE
of The Oregonian stalls �' s
John Norris, the owner of the
Norris Shoes store in downtown
Medford, is getting used to people .
asking about the future of his
store.
/
.r
"You're not going to go out of
business, too, are you. asked a ti
customer while paying for some
purchases earlier this month. "
"We only hear that about 50 `
times a day,"lamented Norris.But M
he understands why they ask.
Downtown Medford, which has i
served as the social and business
hub of the Rogue Valley since the t
late 1800s, is sick,if not terminally
Doris Grosch, the manager of
downtown's F.W.Woolworth store,
has watched with despair over the «. s
last few years as major downtown
'il t r
department and clothing stores
have closed and others prepare to
join the exodus. "
-a rt'• A. � .. .. ,
"The more places that closeiis w
downtown, the less traffic we
have," observed Grosch, who ad-
mits
d mits that even Woolworth's is con- The Oregonian/ROBERT PENWELL
sidering reducing its 14,000 square Jeffery Machin, assistant manager of the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, says he doesn't think the
foot operation to a smaller 7-Eleven mail can be blamed for downtown Medford's decline. "Our opinion is we've increased the size of
type store. the pie, rather than dividing it up more,"he said.
There's a tendency for a lot of
Medford residents to blame down- As late as the 1940s, downtown. town attractions and the evolution Many local retailers believe,
town's deterioration on the Rogue Medford was still the largest com- of an"I don't care"attitude. however, that the mall simply
Valley Mall at the edge of town. mercial area in the Rogue Valley . added property and busi added more retail space to a mar-
The mall dumped 279,000 square. and had no significant competition, ket that was already badly oversa-
feet of leasable space onto the Med- according to Scott Clay, a member ness owners just sat on their back- turated. As Norris put it, "There's
ford retail market in 1986. It also of the Southern Oregon Historical sides and let it happen, said
Singler. "The mall was just the so damn many people in this area
deposited all the indoor vegetation, Society. The first shopping centerselling so damn much stuff to so
skylights, and ubiquitous national to challenge downtown's domi- icing on the cake.". few people."
chain outlets like The Limited, nance, Medford Shopping Center, Jeffery Machin, assistant man- Medford has made sporadic at-
Waldenbooks and Foot Locker that went up in the late 1950s. ager of the mall,even questions the tempts to deal with its•downtown
have played such a large role in the Bill Singler,.mayor of Medford assumption that the mall has hurt problems, but little more then a
malling of America. from 1968-1972, sees downtown's downtown. According to Machin, pile of plans has come out of the ef-
James Eisenhard, city planning decline as a gradual process involv- the mall's 82 stores, by drawing forts.There was even a proposal by
director, is unwilling to make the ing the multiplication of such shop- customers from northern Califor- a California developer in the 1970s
mall the villain in downtown's. ping centers, the creation of new nia and six Southern Oregon coun- to build a downtown shopping cen-
demise."Things have been going to commercial areas with the location ties,.has "increased the size of the ter. But it went nowhere. "That's
hell downtown since World War of Interstate 5 interchanges north retailing pie rather than dividing it what has a lot of people leery now,"
II,"he observed, and south of town,the loss of down- up more." Clay said.
US IF --ht twixt, tween
"Wvitalizin," downiftlowl'I 'Alban ug,
By BILL MacKENZIE ly the greatest disappointment.
or The Oregonian start
In 1983 Pay Less abandoned a The revitalization of Albany's Albany's downtown recovery, 19store that occupied an entire city
83 1986: block in the heart of downtown.
downtown began in 1981 with a
wake — not for a dear, departed Net new businesses to downtown Albany:8.7 The Albany Downtown Association
friend but for an about-to-depart Net new jobs in downtown Albany-154 negotiated the sale of the building
downtown building. 'Rehabilitation projects in,downtown Albany 29to a developer who converted it
Local historical groups gathered Estimated expenditures on rehabilitation projects,,$3,143;500 into the handsome 48,000-square-
at the 71-year-old Burggraf building foot,two-story Two Rivers Market.
in sadness at the o u i l d i n.g's Source:Albany Downtown Association The market opened for business in
impending destruction to create a How's downtown doing? October 1984 with a variety of
parking lot.It was one more step in shops on the first floor and offices
the destruction of downtown. Percent of shopping done downtown by Albany residents: 13 on the second.
In many towns such a display of How often Albany residents shop downtown: Because of the Two Rivers
public concern would have led Once a week 27% project, plus numerous other his-
nowhere. Albany's mayor, Donald Ev�rYty✓a�we kq E;- T1G°� xi his-
torical rehabilitation projects
Brudvig, respor}ded by.ere a J ; tic�tn5lg�iittorie � efo 2a:r 4�Tt' tl�yxough4utthf downtown,business
citizen's task force to come ftp with and residential area,there is a feel-
-come
plan to rejuvenate downtown Median amount per rp down#own:?$18 ing of optimism about downtown
while avoiding the. continued 1Nhat'people like.most ab ut downtown Albagy .appearance;and Albany's future. The feeling is
destruction of its architectural her- atmosphere enhanced by the attention some
itage. downtown-oriented promotions
After eight months of weekly Source:Marketing Research Project,Linn-Benton Oommunity College, have received.For example, one of
meetings, in March 1983 the task June.1987 a series of summer concerts at Ab
force came out;with a report recom- bany's downtown Monteith River-
mending a comprehensive down- In 1986 property owners within program of downtown beautifica- park drew 7,500 people.
town revitalization program. the district began paying $1 per tion, promotions, business recruit- "We're trying to dispel the image
As a consequence, in 1982 the $1,000 in property values to support ment and rehabilitation. of, Oh Yeah, Albany — the place
downtown merchants formed the the association. The first year this Although downtown Albany can that smells bad", said Doug Sweet-
Albany Downtown Association and generated$26,000;projected income still be described as generally land, manager of the Albany Area
the city supported it with $149,600 for 1987 is $28,000. This is supple- sleepy,its charm has been restored Chamber of Commerce.
in.funding through 1985. The city , mented by dues and private contri- and there is some evidence of sue- But now downtown is facing
then provided a means to replace butions. cess in-maintaining a retail pres- . what.may be its greatest threat, a
the city funds by creating an eco- All the money and community ence. The most noticeable success true regional mall on the outskirts
nomic improvement district. effort have gone into a organized came about in the face of potential- of town.
— — Real estate ads, ®13
— —— The Oregonian;Sunday,August 30,1987
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merchantsulowntown
play u their s e . alties,
intaining or restoring a viable
moneysr-tend e are i ' • convenient town requires a coordinated
' page
of-actions. Some elements
that should be considered in any pro-
By BILL MacKENZIE that has accompanied the flight of general sional offices, government facilities and gram;according to downtown redevel-
ofThe Oregonian staff retailing has been so severe that.the.critical flrms offering services demanded by down- opmentofficials,are:
Where else would you hold the parades? mass necessary for downtown's survival as a town workers. 0Identify downtown assets.
That's just one of the problems confront- viable economic entity is no longer present. Focusing on specialized retail.shops that
down-
ing small towns around Oregon as they try to In most cases,however, the issue is more can carve out a niche for themselves can be Identify existing and potential decide how to preserve their downtowns. whether a weakened downtown can restruc- particularly rewarding. "We just have to be town leadership.
The issue is,of course,much more serious ture itself to adjust to a new reality.As Bur the best kind of entrepreneur,be unique and ESolicit funds from merchants, prop-
than losing parades. "Personal mobility and ton Nudelman, a partner.in the Downtown offer services the mall doesn't," said Dottie erty owners and All levels of govern-
the regional shopping concept have simply Stutzman, the owner of a floral shop in ment.
caused downtowns to wither," said Lee < downtown Albany. Focus on service; improve custom-
Bogle,a program associate with Elie Oregon "I can't think of Numerous small towns have found that er.relations.
Downtown Development Association, which with the right incentives,there are plenty of
focuses on helping struggling downtowns., anything unique about retailers willing to take a chance. ®Cross-promote by having downtown.
Downtowns around Oregon are confront_ ,11,.41,. "Retailers are incurable," said Francine flrms'refer business to each other.
Ing vacant stores, deteriorating buildings, the problems faced-.byt, 'Corriere, manager of Albany's Two Rivers ®Boost sales through joint retail pro-
declining pedestrian traffic and public facili- Market."They're like farmers.They have to motion.
ties that have run to seed. H i I ISboro. do it.
According to Robert Sprague, managing Towns such as Hillsboro and Medford ®Package downtown information for
partner of Retail Consultant Services in New have already learned that government of- developers.
Hampshire, the downtown share of the Development Specialists Co. of Portland, flees and-banks can offer a potentially lucra- ®Fine-tune merchandising skills.
national retail market has declined from 97 observed, "It's a misconception that when tive source of downtown business. In fact, Focus,on,specialized products and
percent to 15 percent since-1958.,, 'shopping centers appear downtown will'dis-; ;the biggest.fight the Hillsboro Downtown eri)ic s;:don't try to compete with'the,''
Urban analysts generally agree that the appear." Business Association has had on its hands in malls.
biggest challenge conflrog downtowns is: The first step in preserving downtowns is ; the past couple years has been the retention
competition from mass-mer&l hidisers con recognizing that no particular downtown has of county government offices and jobs down-
centrated at malls or"strip centers.Thatcomm- been singled out to bear the pain. As Bob town. business contributions and others by manda-
petition is affecting big cities as well as small Anderson, president of the Hillsboro Down- In some Oregon towns business interests tory assessments on property owners.
towns. town Assocation said, "I can't think of any- are banding',together in loose coalitions to Protection of downtown's position can
To illustrate, a 1986"report prepared for thing unique about the problems faced by promote a particular section of downtown.In also be enhanced by judicious use of zoning
the Portland.l)evelopment Commission con- Hillsboro from any other town in the United Medford for example,a group of Main Street power. As Greg LeHaie, a storeowner in
eluded that the Portland central business States." merchants are coordinating physical downtown Hillsboro, observed,"Money will
district's share of metropolitan area retail The second step toward downtown revital- improvements and promotions. go where the city fathers want it to."
sales has fallen from 17 percent to 4 percent ization is the identification of new markets In other cases, formal downtown associa- As for making downtown more attractive,
since 1958. In the meantime, the metropoli- that have not been captured by the ubiqui- tions are being created to develop and coordi- and thus more appealing, although beautifi-
tan area outside of downtown Portland has tous shopping centers that are strangling nate downtown programs. Some, like Hills- cation and rehabilitation projects can be
witnessed the construction of over 9 million downtown: This means making downtown boro's Downtown Business Association, helpful, care must be taken to avoid seeing
square feet of leasable store space in major an inviting and convenient place to be. have full-time managers. such projects as a solution in and of them
shopping centers. It also means concentrating on attracting Some downtown organizations are sup- selves.
In some cases the damage to downtowns and retaining specialized retailers, profes- ported by city funds, some by voluntary See DOWNTOWN, Page D4.
o -
D4 2M IN THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, AUGUST
Coalition ere
coordinates promotions
DOWNTOWN,from Page 1711. "We're going to be.all right, but
A town is not necessarily any we're never going to.be the same
more economically viable just downtown we were 25 years ago,
because it is beautiful.Similarly,a nor is any other small town down-
refurbished building does not town."
represent progress unless a viable Although it may be of little com-
business can be found to go in it. fort to downtowns, some of the
In this respect,downtown boost- shopping centers are facing prob-
ers need to avoid the temptation of lems, too. The Rogue Valley Mall,
luring new businesses at any cost. for example, is counting on cus-
For example, inexperienced tomers from a broad area that in-
entrepreneurs who see downtown eludes Grants Pass and Klamath `
as an incubator tend to suffer a Falls.
high failure rate. Fred-Meyer has a full service
"That's the cycle we're trying to store scheduled to open in the sum-
get out of, marginal businesses mer of 1988 in Grants Pass and
coming in and staying marginal or opened another full-service store
not staying at all," said Bill in Klamath Falls earler this
Osborn, executive director of the month. Both of these stores are
Hillsboro Downtown Business expected to lure away some of the
Association. Rogue Valley Mall's clientele.
Another mistake downtown Many independent retailers are
boosters can make is to ignore the also finding'themselves stretched
political realities of their town. thin by the terms of mall leases
According to Nudelman, local that place the smaller shops in the
government is frequently hesitant position of subsidizing the anchor
to devote a large a share of limited tenants.This occurs where the an-
resources to downtown when chors are given the incentive of ,
;; council members represent a lot paying no base rents to attract
of people who neither shop nor live them to'the mall.
downtown. ,
In the end, what happens to Shopping centers are also begin
downtowns will probably depend ning to face the same problem as
as much on uncontrollable market many downtowns, an excess of
forces as on the efforts of local gov- available retail space.
ernments and committed individu- According.to John Chapman,
als. Whichever plays a larger role, research director for the Interna-
downtowns are going to be differ- tional Council of Shopping Cen-
ent. ters,there are now 28,500 shopping
The situation was summed up centers in the country occupying
by Shirley Huffman, the mayor of 3.7 billion square feet of leasable
Hillsboro. space.
i
i
By BILL MacKENZ1E
of The Oregonian stall 0 0' 0
The windows of a vacant store
on Hillsboro's Main Street tell therDowntowngroo wth
story. 1983�i 986.;
A decal on the door announces, crease in:newbusiness-
"Downtown Hillsboro Welcomes es:38
You"; emblazoned in yellow paint Net increase'An downtown
across the display windows is the employees:105
message :`New Location—Beaver- Rri:vate capital invested in
tori Town Square."
It is a sign of the times that the rehabilitation and new con
owner of the store that used to struction:$2.3 million:
occupy the site served last year on Source. Hillsboro Downtown
the board of an organization creat- Business Association
.. ......... ... .
ed in 1981 to prevent the accelerat
ing flight of businesses from down- Western Fest,a weekend entertain-
town. ment and crafts fair.
The organization, the Hillsboro Osborn also points to the success
Downtown Business Association, of downtown boosters in persuad-
receives an assessment of$2 per ing the Washington County govern-
$1,000 of assessed property values ment to keep its offices.and its 850
in a 19-block core area of Hillsboro. employees downtown in A Tiew Pub
Additional income is generated by lic'Serviees Building.
downtown events and membership Were it not for those government
dues. offices, downtown Hillsboro would
According to Bill Osborn,execu-
be a wasteland.But even that could
prove to be a two-edged sword, a
"Do directorwntown had
the association, Catch-22 situation" as Hillsboro
"Doan identity pro Mayor Shirley Huffman put it.
leIt had no unifying imagee When the new building is com-
because people were all doing their pleted in the spring of 1989,and all
own thing." county offices are,consolidated, 10
Osborn says he thinks the down- more of the county's downtown
town revitalization effort has been office sites will be vacated,
a clear success.He points to the net As Greg LaHaie, the owner of
increase of businesses and employ- LaHaie's Man's Shop on Main
ees in the core area and the prolif- Street, said, "The biggest positive
eration of downtown promotions for downtown is the courthouse
and events such as a Saturday expansion. The biggest challenge.
morning Farmers' Market and will be to capitalize on it."