#1,565 - Can Downtown Portland be saved? -4 developers give their thoughts

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Four people involved in major property development downtown — Homer Williams, Patrick Gilligan, Jim Mark, Vanessa Sturgeon — speak out on what people can see with their own eyes. The heart of Portland is in crisis.

But this story doesn’t look just at the problems. KOIN 6 News also looks at their suggested solutions and their reasons for optimism.

In conversations with these developers and with Mayor Ted Wheeler, one thing is clear: The time to act is now — and there are things that are moving forward.

Patrick Gilligan with Lincoln Property Company said he thinks “there’s just a lack of a sense of urgency coming from government officials.”

Jim Mark with Melvin Mark Brokerage Companies said it’s also a community mindset. “Unfortunately, right now, I think we have too much naysaying, you know, how can’t we do it?”

Vanessa Sturgeon with TMT Development said, “I definitely think downtown Portland is saveable.”

According to analysis for the Mayor’s Office, Portland’s central business district accounts for almost three-quarters of all gross income produced in the city, but another recent study said Portland’s downtown is one of the slowest to recover compared to other larger cities. The problems plaguing downtown Portland show up as empty storefronts. The current vacancy rate for commercial buildings is about 26-27%, which was initially spurred by how technology changed the way people work and shop.

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