Portland Parks & Recreation News

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

City intends to award the contract to design the North Park Blocks extension to PLACE Studio.

Project will include the design and construction of the block in front of PNCA and design of the blocks on the USPS site.

Is there a way to see the proposals that were submitted? Looks like Snohetta submitted a proposal.

[maccoinnich]

Not without a Public Records Request, but it wasn't a design competition so what they submitted was probably more along the lines of staff resumes, experience on other projects, etc.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Not without a Public Records Request, but it wasn't a design competition so what they submitted was probably more along the lines of staff resumes, experience on other projects, etc.

Thanks!

[2oh1]

Portland’s O’Bryant Square to be renamed Darcelle XV Plaza after legendary drag performer and civic icon

The City of Portland will change the name of O’Bryant Square to Darcelle XV Plaza next week in honor of legendary drag performer Darcelle, also known as Walter Cole, who died March 23 at age 92, city officials announced Friday.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Dan Ryan, who heads the parks department, called the decision a symbol of the city’s progress toward embracing diversity and the LGBTQ+ community.

...continues at OregonLive.com

[downtownpdx]

Very cool. Hopefully we get a quality public space that honors the name, too.

[maccoinnich]

I really hope this incentivizes the city towards creating a permanent redevelopment sooner rather than later. It's incredible that the park has been closed this long and they still don't have a design.

[2oh1]

Back to Square One:

Reimagining O’Bryant Square

Closed since 2018, O’Bryant Square will soon be demolished. By fall, the square will be simply an open space surrounded by trees. What should happen next?

READ THE DRAFT REPORT

https://www.portlandpf.org/obryant-square

I assume it's going to be a long process, just as Director Park was, but Director Park was worth the wait, so hopefully Darcelle XV Plaza will be too.

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I really hope this incentivizes the city towards creating a permanent redevelopment sooner rather than later. It's incredible that the park has been closed this long and they still don't have a design.

Yeah, and redeveloping it will go a long way toward changing the character of that part of downtown. It could be great.

[babs]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

I assume it's going to be a long process, just as Director Park was, but Director Park was worth the wait, so hopefully Darcelle XV Plaza will be too.



Yeah, and redeveloping it will go a long way toward changing the character of that part of downtown. It could be great.

It should really be the replacement food cart pod for the Alder food carts. This renaming probably takes that off the table. Downtown doesn't need another Directors Park style park, it needs a destination that adds energy and life. The Alder food carts provided that this site could as well. I fear the city will screw this one up.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by babs

Downtown doesn't need another Directors Park style park, it needs a destination that adds energy and life.

Oh, I agree. I only mentioned Director Park because it seemed like it took forever, but it was worth the wait. I certainly didn't mean to imply I'd hope for this plaza to resemble it. That would be bad.

Yeah, I'd love to see Darcelle Plaza be a food cart pod, though I doubt it'll happen.

[downtownpdx]

Something active would definitely be best here, maybe a few food carts and whatever other features would enliven the space into the night. While a very worthy and needed facility, the new mental health resources center across the street is an unfortunate location. This park already struggled with a seedy crowd over the decades, so they'll really need to be creative to make this a welcoming area.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I really hope this incentivizes the city towards creating a permanent redevelopment sooner rather than later. It's incredible that the park has been closed this long and they still don't have a design.

The current plan is that after demolition it will be graded flat and handed over to PP&R. PP&R will then design and construct a temporary park while the process for the final design unfolds. That will take 5 or more years, likely. That process will include master planning that will involve a shit ton of public/stakeholder participation. After that it will go to construction documentation then permitting/bid/construction.

It's going to be awhile.

[maccoinnich]

Via Portland Maps, proposed interim design for Darcelle XV Plaza (née O'Bryant Square):

Changes to CO 23-018966, which includes dividing into (4) distinct spaces, separated primarily by grades and materials. These spaces are: 1) Anchor Space: The North End recreation area will be graded into a large gently sloped ¼ minus compacted crushed rock event space (approximately 12,000 sf). We¿re working with PP&R Maintenance to consider the viability and maintenance of irrigated lawn versus crushed rock. The primary purpose of this space will be to hold programmed events and recreation features for the park. The programming would be ephemeral events and will vary from performances (music/ speakers) to recreation features (skate features/ mobile playgrounds / courts / etc.) imported to the site. Food carts are being considered as a possible addition to this space at a later date. We are proposing a small (under 200 sf) prefabricated structure or shipping container unit to be used as a utility chase, and or vendor storage unit. 2) Elevated Stage: Integrated into the Sloped Lawn (Area 3), will be a concrete platform stage(s) that serve small events. Power would be run to this stage for programmed vendors. 3) Sloped Lawn ¿ this central landscape feature will act as a lawn area for general seating and leisure, but will also serve the pragmatic need to transition grades for the site, resulting in two flatter multi-use areas (Areas 1 and 4). The irrigated lawn area will be approximately 4,300 sf and will average a grade of approximately 20%. 4) Plaza ¿ The hardscape plaza on the south end will be approximately 3,000 sf with a seasonal fabric sunshade overhead. The purpose of the space is to provide an entry location that is most associated with the new development to the southwest. It is anticipated to be used as for seating, small concerts and general leisure area with seating. This plaza will be the highest elevation of the property and sloped at 2% grade to the northeast, shedding water to a grassy slope.

[downtownpdx]

Sounds like a nice enough start. Now they just need to make it brightly lit at night with 24 hr security or park rangers.

[maccoinnich]

Portland Parks will invest $15 million to fully fund the Steel Bridge Skatepark



The Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) bureau will use $15 million in Parks System Development Charges (fees paid by developers) to build a skatepark near the Steel Bridge just west of Waterfront Park. The news was announced this morning by Parks Commissioner Dan Ryan, who said the investment will be enough to “fully fund” the Steel Bridge Skatepark.

The site has been eyed by advocates since 2001 when Portland’s first skatepark was built at Pier Park in St. Johns. The idea for a park in the 35,000 square-foot parcel bound by NW 1st, Everett, and Naito Parkway was first formalized as the “crown jewel” of 19 facilities in Portland’s 2008 Skatepark System Plan. In 2011, Portland-based DAO Architecture developed a plan for the site (available here) under the guidance of the City of Portland and an advisory committee. BikePortland has covered this project several times since an effort to re-launch the idea was first announced in early 2019.

...continues at BikePortland.

[urbanlife]

I really like this design.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at BikePortland.

Great news for that area! My understanding is there's really no way to keep the Burnside skatepark operational while the new bridge is being constructed.

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I really like this design.

NOW this is something fun to add to a boring bland waterfront. I love it. More stuff like this.

[uncommon.name]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

Great news for that area! My understanding is there's really no way to keep the Burnside skatepark operational while the new bridge is being constructed.

I love that this is finally happening after 23 years. I wish they had worked with Dreamland on the design though. Nobody designs better skateparks than Oregon based Dreamland.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by CorbinWarrick

NOW this is something fun to add to a boring bland waterfront.

Stop it.

Portland's Waterfront Park is literally one of the nation's great downtown parks and we're lucky to have it.

You hate Portland. I mean, you HAAAAAATE Portland. We know. When you graduate high school, move somewhere else, where you'd rather be.

Enough with the constant complaints.

In the meantime, how about learning something? Here's an excellent video about how Harbor Drive led to the creation of Waterfront Park:

The Forgotten Story of Harbor Drive: Portland's Demolished Freeway

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Stop it.

Portland's Waterfront Park is literally one of the nation's great downtown parks and we're lucky to have it.

You hate Portland. I mean, you HAAAAAATE Portland. We know. When you graduate high school, move somewhere else, where you'd rather be.

Enough with the constant complaints.

In the meantime, how about learning something? Here's an excellent video about how Harbor Drive led to the creation of Waterfront Park:

I’ve watched that before and it’s great. The idea and execution was perfect. But the waterfront is far from fulfilling a better potential. There should at least be snack bars/food carts selling drinks and such in our parks and the waterfront. Is this outlawed here for some reason? Other than a few festivals in the summer the place is boring..