The Portland Trail Blazers have released their vision of the Rose Quarter’s future. On ImagineJumptown.com they lay out ideas to create “a world-class mixed-use sports and entertainment district in one of Portland’s most vibrant neighborhoods.”
The Blazers are already giving a nod to the transportation component of their vision. Saying the project will “better connect the area with adjacent neighborhoods” they also specifically call out how they’ll make the area more bicycle-friendly. Here’s the key excerpt from their “Fast Facts” page:
JumpTown will accommodate biking:
JumpTown will provide enhanced amenities for cyclists, including added bike parking and an improved bike corridor to and from the Esplanade to the Vancouver/Williams couplet. Each day, more than 10,000 cyclists travel this route, and the northbound section east of the Rose Quarter needs improvement for cyclists. JumpTown’s vision is to make a district with world-class green amenities, including thoughtful accommodation of Portland’s thriving bike culture.
Whatever happens with the Rose Quarter (Blazers are just one group who will submit a proposal), the transportation component will loom large over the project. Currently, even with recent improvements through TriMet’s transit center, the area presents bike traffic challenges because it’s smack-dab between downtown and several neighborhoods with very high rates of bicycle usage.
We’ve also reported on hopes from track racing enthusiasts that the redevelopment might include a new velodrome.
The City’s effort to determine the future for Memorial Coliseum is heating up. According to City of Portland Planning and Sustainability Policy Advisory Amy Ruiz, they plan to launch an open call for concepts on the project later this afternoon. In January they’ll host a public presentation of a short-list of the best ideas. From those, 3-5 ideas will be recommended to City Council who will then pick their favorites (could be all of them) and ask for a more in-depth proposal.
Stay tuned to this project at RoseQuarterDevelopment.org and ImagineJumptown.com.
FYI Blazers may be the only team to submit a proposal (rather than a vague vision) because of their unique contractual rights to development in the RQ.
The velodrome idea pops up everywhere.. tonite I heard it floated as a possibility for Portland International Raceway..
The missed possibility I see in this draft concept is the use of the RQ as a transport hub from the Esplanade and Broadway bridge to much of inner eastside, connections with npgreenway and sullivans gulch. Fixing the UP rail-line to straighten out the ‘S’ curves coming off the Steel Bridge, bridging Interstate Ave to allow connection from the old Red Lion site on the river to the RQ. Old Paul has a zillion bucks, if he wants to dream big,some of it better be on his dime. But this ‘entertainment district’ could redifine the RQ and connect it to the river, which would have many benefits for all of Portland.
Why? That’s the only question anyone should be asking? Why is the city going to put millions of dollars into a project that will repeat entertainment offered all over town? If the Blazers want to do this. Let them pay for it.