Portland Open Thread

[2oh1]

AHAHAAHAAA!!! I completely missed that too! Funny how we often see what we expect to see, eh?

[2oh1]

Am I clear on how voting for Mayor works? We're voting in May, but if no candidate gets 50% of the vote, there will be a November runoff. But if a candidate does get 50% of the vote in May, he or she will be our next mayor. Yes?

I had no idea Brady was leading in the polls.

25% Brady
16% Hales
10% Smith
28% undecided
...does this imply 21% other?!

The poll is from February and has what I hope is a stupidly small sample (940 respondents, of whom 555 are registered to vote). Then again, I wonder how many people will actually vote for mayor.

Still, I'm surprised to see Brady in the lead. Perhaps that's why she's pathetically limiting any debates she'll take part in... to protect her lead.

[Mr. Walch]

Hey all. I would assume that such an astute crew would be aware of this, but if not....



A Mayoral Debate
Designing Portland’s Future
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21

Doors at 5:30 p.m.
Debate at 6 p.m.
University of Oregon, White Stag Block
70 NW Couch St
Admission FREE
Join us for a conversation with the three leading candidates for mayor—Eileen Brady, Charlie Hales, and Jefferson Smith—about how each would grow and enhance the city’s future livability through development, urban design, and historic preservation.
Moderator: Randy Gragg, editor-in-chief, Portland Monthly magazine

Portland is internationally renowned for its 40-year legacy of urban revitalization, with new light-rail lines, streetcars, historic renovations, lively plazas, neighborhood regeneration, and pedestrian-friendly urban design. But in an era of tighter financial resources and widespread recognition that the city’s famed livability has failed to extend to large swathes of the city, what will Portland's next mayor do to advance and broaden the legacy?


I'll be there. I want to hear them all speak together. I was open to Brady, saw her speak and felt a lot of doubt and then the read the "Evolution of Eileen Brady" in the March 7th Willamette Week. She seems like she is trying real hard to misrepresent her resume. I am now leaning Hale. After two pretty do-nothing mayors who didn't seem to have it in them to fight for their goals for the city I want a Vere Katz like character. Portland is at a special place in its history and needs to some one who has the vision and drive to take Portland to the next level.

[MarkDaMan]

You are correct 2oh1. Adams took 58% of the vote in May 2008 and won the race outright, although he still didn't take office until January 1. It works the same way for the commissioner's seats too.

[cab]

Smith and Hales are splitting the vote of more progressives voters. Lets hope brady doesnt get 50% and Hales and her can go at it. Hales is very smart and quick. Putting him next to just her I think he can close the gap and pull it out. Brady would be a bad mistake for PDX. She'll run the city like a suburban strip mall, she is the Portland Business Alliance. Hales is well traveled and educated on the core of city management, jobs, transportation, law. He really could be a great Mayor in the mold of Katz.

[Shilo Rune 96]

Vote in the latest Poll: http://ht.ly/9NUFc

[MarkDaMan]

Wow, that's surprising. Jefferson Smith is winning in an unofficial PBJ poll? Is it his online supporters, he's been amazingly adept at using social networks. Considering the publication, and their audience, this doesn't make sense to me.

[twofiftyfive]

Not only does Brady support the CRC, but she doesn't understand the concept of sunk cost:

I know there’s a temptation to say, given all the mistakes to this point, that we should just throw out the whole thing and start over. But doing that would set us back years because we would have to start the whole federal permitting process over again from scratch. And don’t forget - we’re already into this for over $140 million.

Just what we need--a mayor who will throw good money after bad.

[2oh1]

Is Brady the only one doing any advertising? Her ads are the only ones I'm seeing. Not a good sign.

[65MAX]

No, I've seen a lot of ads for Hales and saw one for Smith yesterday.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

No, I've seen a lot of ads for Hales and saw one for Smith yesterday.

That's good to hear! I'm pretty sure I'll vote for Hales, but I still need to learn more about Smith.

Some recent numbers from an April 2nd article in the Oregonian:

An EMC Research survey of 403 likely voters showed Hales and Brady nearly tied at 25 percent and 23 percent with Smith trailing in a head-to-head comparison. However, 39 percent of respondents said they were undecided. "There was no pre-message," said Jessica Moskovitz, campaign manager for Hales, who commissioned the poll.

The field changed slightly after respondents heard positive messages about the three candidates taken from their campaign websites, a standard polling practice. Hales then got 32 percent of voters, compared with Brady's 21 percent and Smith's 19.

[davehogan]

If you want to see a speech by him called "The Secret to Making Democracy Work" you can watch it at http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxC...tland-Jeffer-2. He's also against the CRC for from what I've heard some fairly intelligent reasons, and has some pretty great endorsements for being such a far-behind candidate.

[RainDog]

What is this?



I always see it when I take the MAX downtown and a while back I saw some work being done on it... but nothing saying what it is.

[MarkDaMan]

It was built to be retail. I believe it's leased to Art DeMuro/Venerable Properties who developed and own the White Stag/UofO campus across the street. What they're doing inside there, I haven't a clue.

[mmeade]

It was built to be retail. When the building that housed Saturday Market and their storage became Mercy Corps, there was a huge need for storage close by. The retail never materialized, and Saturday Market vendors store their things there. I believe that is also the reason for the obscure film on the glass.

There was good news late last year, it sounds like the U of O will be expanding into the space:

http://djcoregon.com/dailyblog/2011/...t-fo-old-town/

[Grantenfuego]

It seems strange to me that of all the vendors at Saturday market, none of them are doing well enough or feel secure enough to rent some retail space. I guess, maybe, they're doing too well with a tarp and a table they don't see the need for a permanent space. Who knows?

[mmeade]

Originally Posted by Grantenfuego

It seems strange to me that of all the vendors at Saturday market, none of them are doing well enough or feel secure enough to rent some retail space. I guess, maybe, they're doing too well with a tarp and a table they don't see the need for a permanent space. Who knows?

That same argument can be made for all food carts in Portland. Some businesses are just based on having lower overhead.

[Norelco]

I'm new to the forum (have been lurking for a long time). I don't see a thread on the "Norelco" building, and since we are in the process of buying a unit there, I thought I'd get your take on it.



I've read that it was a financial flop when it was first built, but I admit that when we visited Portland many years ago for an event at Keller, we found ourselves thinking "wouldn't it be cool to live there."

[PacificNW]

I have always liked the look of the building...and what a great spot sitting across the street from the fountain and performance hall. Years ago I was visiting a friend who lived in the building...I liked the space. I had heard they decided to rent when the condo market was soft....are they now on the condo market? Congrats, btw.

[bvpcvm]

Didn't the developer build an identical building in Honolulu?