James Beard Public Market | Proposed
 

I like this idea and I hope it happens...with the demise of locating the market in the firehouse in Old Town, I think a Public Market @ Union Station is a great alternative and would really be a nice economic/tourist shot in the arm for that area...(forgive me if this has been posted or included in a previous post already).

From The NW Examiner:

http://www.portlandpublicmarket.com/...ory070115.html



Trading Spaces

Northwest resident Ron Paul looks at Untion Station as site for a new public market after the city nixes his group's designs on former fire station

By Allan Classen

Ron Paul has been on a seven-year mission to establish a public market in Portland. The former restaurateur and longtime Northwest District resident believes buying fresh food from local producers has enormous benefit for our health, our cities and the environment.

His saga took a hit last July when the city cancelled a project to move the central fire station to Old Town and free its current location for a public market. But Paul is not easily discouraged.

"Our position became: trade up," said Paul, the consulting director of the Historic Portland Public Market Foundation.

In "trading up," the organization has its sights on an even better location, a historic landmark with great visibility at the hub of transportation crossroads. They want to go into Union Station.

"Based on the number of other rail stations around the country exploring higher levels of commerce and food, what I'm wanting to explore is: Can a station accommodate rail traffic and a vibrant public market?"

The train station has actually been at the top of the organization's list of possible sites since Paul's group was formed. Notable rail stations in other cities have gone this route. Grand Central Station in New York City houses the Grand Central Market, and Union Station in Washington, D.C., has lots of small shops and restaurants, he said. Amtrak has a national campaign to upgrade and enliven stations it owns or uses.

Paul's initial idea was to wait for Amtrak's expected move to Portland's eastside, leaving Union Station largely vacant. But when the Bush Administration sliced funds for Amtrak, that possibility died.

Now he thinks a public market could co-exist with train service. But getting the train station ready for a new use would require major investment. It's in serious disrepair and needs perhaps $30 million in seismic upgrades and repairs. When it rains, "it leaks like a sieve," Paul admitted.

Diana Holuka, who manages the property for the city's Office of Management and Finance, confirmed that virtually every part of the structure-from the roof to the wiring to the foundation-needs work, and outside funding is needed. Leases with Amtrak and other tenants (such as Wilf's restaurant) cannot cover the needed work.

Because the national historic landmark is owned by the city, Paul believes city leaders will eventually find the resources to save and restore it.

"The city needs to take care of this asset regardless," he said. "There has been no compelling reason to fix it in the past, but the market becomes a catalyst to change that."

And to justify the investment, new uses and revenue streams would be necessary.

Paul estimates that preparing the station to include a market would cost an additional $5-$6 million, an amount that could be generated by grants and donations. His job now is to persuade the community and its leaders that a public market has that magnitude of potential.

"It would be an economic development engine par excellence," he said. "It brings people from far and wide."

After mulling these factors, "The balance in my mind began to tip," he said. "We don't need to wait for Amtrak to move out or wait for federal support to come in. We could do it locally."

At this point, the Public Market Foundation is seeking about $25,000 from City Hall for a study to see if the project could be feasible.

"We are at the very early stages of just exploring the possibilities," Paul said. "We know there are mountains of issues."

For one, if Amtrak is flatly opposed, it could end right there. That being so, Paul has approached the rail company gingerly."

Amtrak's initial reaction was more positive than we feared," he told the Pearl District Neighborhood Association last month.

Amtrak's lease runs through 2010, with an option to extend to 2015, said Holuka. The train company currently leases the concourse off the main lobby where Paul would like to put the public market. He also thinks its baggage area is largely unused and might provide an option.

Obsessed with food

Paul believes the city would support a major public market because, as the New York Times reported recently, "Portland is obsessed with food." The quote came from prominent New York City restaurant operator Danny Meyer, who was asked about a growing national awareness of where our food supply comes from, how it's produced and food quality. Portland was at the top of his list of American cities where people are going the extra mile for high-quality, locally produced food.

Paul has been at the heart of that movement since he opened his first restaurant at Northwest 23rd and Quimby in 1983. (He later moved to Northwest 23rd and Everett and opened other eateries under his name in Northeast and Southwest Portland.) In the 1990s, he was part of a loose federation that included chefs, restaurateurs, architects, food writers and urban planners who formed the local nexus of the "slow food" movement.

Paul, who has spoken to groups about the problems of the modern industrialized food system and the growth of more natural alternatives, said, "Food consciousness is rising all the time." He believes that translates into rising demand for a public market that would offer local produce, meat and other food items.

"That ethos has begun to change with the success of Portland Farmers' Market. New Seasons and others have put a premium on local foods and organic food," he said.

Restaurants are increasingly getting all their greens from a particular grower, for instance, or all their beef from one rancher and promoting these sources by name, he noted.

"Increasingly, you're seeing that on restaurant menus," he said. "It all reinforces the consideration of local food. The pendulum is shifting now."

Joan Pendergast, president of the Pearl District Neighborhood Association, is ready to get on board.

"Everyone is eager to see the market- at least I am," she announced after Paul's recent presentation to her association.

Getting the money may be a harder sell.

Lew Bowers, a development manager for the Portland Development Commission, said the station is in the Downtown/Waterfront Urban Renewal Area and is thus eligible for low-interest loans and grants, but that program is being phased out and has no more uncommitted money.

"His concept and timing are right," said Bowers. "At some point, we're going to have to deal with Union Station."

In the short-term, however, "There are no funds available through the Urban Renewal Area," he said. "It may be a good idea, but we have no time or staff to actively pursue it. ... Our plates are full."

someone wake me up when they actually pick out a place. Since I've moved back to Portland 5 years ago this has 'been in the works' and yet they still don't even have a potential locations...jeebus...

I think what might be missing is a private developer (Like the new Gerding theater) aspect to this project-- Where the developer deals with the location, development of the building/structure etc. and PDC/Portland Public Market deals with the market aspect (sans the structural stuff).

I can't believe we don't have one yet! It would be nice to have it near the water somewhere. Perhaps by the Hawthorne bridge and they could incorporate the mid century modern building that's vacant. the patch of grass directly south of that isn't really ever used for much and they could incorporate the parking lot and space under the bridge.

There's not enough room at Union Station for a full-blown Public Market. And truck access is problematic.

Put it at Centennial Mills. Plenty of room for LARGE public market plus restaurants, shops, et al; right on the river; easy access from Naito for deliveries; a great termination for the 10th Ave Boardwalk.....

Doesn't anyone else see that this is a no-brainer?

Only big drawback is no easy transit access, and it's way out on the edge of the part of the city that most people go to. Would its seeming remoteness make it unviable?

no way dude, out at centennial mills it will wither and die, just like the other one did in the 40's. it's got to be very close to 10th and morrison, where max and the streetcar cross. srsly, who's going to patronize this thing? close-in transit users. very few people are going to drive in from beaverton, past all kinds of supermarkets and even farmers' markets to shop at a market in the pearl. so for it to be successful it's got to draw on the central city market and to that it has to be in the center of the central city area and very very easily accessible by transit. if it's downtown, there's a chance office workers might stop by on their way home after work - if it's out at centennial mills there's no way they will. and as to residents, in the center you're more or less equidistant from all the central city neighborhoods. centennial millz and the train station would a huge mistake.

Besides, the train station is currently in use.. for trains. Trying to convert the train station into anything else would be a complete travesty - just look at the spaces inside if you don't believe me.

30-40' ceiling, marble clad walls, very solemn and monolithic space. A public market needs to be eclectic and fun - these market supports should take a trip up to Pike's Place in Seattle or Granville Island in Vancouver.


and bvpcvm, you're completely correct. Remember the 3 most important aspects of architecture: location, location, location.

Have you seen the density proposed for the north end of the Pearl? 5 years ago Jamison Square and Tanner Springs Park were remote. I wouldn't consider them remote anymore. The only potential drawback I see is that there is no direct streetcar or LR service there, although the Boardwalk helps to connect it to the streetcar. It's only a few short blocks away, and it'll be a shop-lined, amenity-rich walk.

Out of curiosity, what kind of rail service does the Pike Street Market have? How close is it to where most Seattlites live? Is it even on the way home for most Seattlites? It seems like Pike Street Market is more of a destination than a neighborhood market. What about Granville Island? Same questions. Nobody walks to GI. I don't even think they have bus service there, the streets are too narrow. GI does have a water taxi, something that would be very likely at Centennial Mills as well.

The problem with putting it around 10th and Morrison is you're limited to a 200' x 200' block. Fine for a neighborhood market, but not big enough for a destination market.

Centennial Mills as public market site. No easy transit access? Don't you think that a loop off the present streetcar route will be an inevitability? Solves that problem.

That would be really easy to do. How about a circulator that runs just on 10th and 11th, from NW Overton to SW Mill (at PSU)? That would increase the frequencies on the busiest part of the current line.

how big of a market is portland hoping to support? taking a quick look at google earth, pike place market is about 800' long, but it's also very narrow. something half the size (for example) could, i imagine, be squeezed in to a regular-sized block downtown. and i really don't think the density planned for the north end of the pearl makes any difference - centennial mills is still on the way to almost nowhere, it's very inconvenient for people on their way home from work, and even with the streetcar going over the broadway bridge it's still about 6 blocks from the nearest possible station. i don't know grandville island at all, but the pike place market is smack in the middle of residential and a mere four blocks from westlake center, which, as far as i can tell, is the nearest equivalent to pioneer square in seattle - so i don't think it's a relevant comparison.

Think about how much private development opportunity there is around Union Station--Old Town needs a landmark and the new Max can bring in the people. It's right off Glisan and Broadway, and within walking distance from the Pearl. I think this would be a huge win for Portland.

Westlake Center to Pike St Market is 2000 feet, about 8 Portland blocks. Not that that's really relevant, b/c Pike Street Market was successful long before Westlake Center was there. Also, Seattle was smaller then than Portland is now, so why would we want something half the size of PSM? I'd also argue that PSM is not really "on the way" to anything. It's very much a destination.

I say put it at the mill, and if it's worth coming to then people can just take a 3 min walk from the end of the street car.

The 3 vacant blocks between 6th and Broadway and Glisan and Johnson would also be a great location for a public market. Ground floor and mezzanine market, 3rd floor restaurants, apts and/or offices above, basement loading docks/deliveries, then public parking below that. This obviously would have to be a MAJOR public/private venture.

Save Union Station for trains and associated retail.

What about the Post Office site? If the majority of buildings were demo'ed, but the main building gutted, expanded, and made to look a little more pleasing, the market would work great there. There would still be enough room on the site for a park and condo towers, the Streetcar currently is only blocks away and will be expanded across the Broadway, providing two streetcar stops. The new MAX line and bus mall would also be only two blocks away.

65 MAX, I agree about using those vacant blocks for the market.

No rail service to either, unless you count the part-time tourist oriented streetcar between Science World and GI on weekends. Pike Place is right along the heavily travelled 1st Avenue transit corridor, and the #50 bus takes you right to GI's doorstep. A couple of more blocks walk will take you to the transit exchange at 4th Avenue and Granville St.

But yeah, both PP and GI seem to be more destinations in and of themselves largely catering to tourists as well as locals, and serve a much greater area than the immediate neighbourhood. The Vancouver area does also have smaller pocket markets at Lonsdale Quay (at the northern Seabus terminus), Westminster Quay (in New Westminster) and in Richmond.