The Portland City Council is considering how to use a property the city now owns after a massive mixed-use project collapsed during years of legal wrangling.
Portland Mayor Mark Dion says city councilors have a number of ideas on how to use the prime real estate in the Bayside community.
“We have accessibility to housing,” said Dion. “So, we want to see what does affordable housing look like in that space, what the density is. (And) there are pretty strong voices that there should be a notable Park constructed down in that neighborhood.”
Developer Federated Cos. planned an $85 million project on the property, which was delayed for years by local opposition and a lawsuit.
The project died in 2018 after Federated missed a key permit deadline, and a lengthy court battle followed.
The city took over most of the property over as part of a $15 million settlement with Federated last year.
This week, the city hired the Boulos Company to determine the best use of the land in the neighborhood behind Trader Joe’s.
Dion says they’re waiting on that independent analysis on use of the land and will then move forward with public input.
“I and the counselors are going to try to determine a public facing process so the community can come in and give us their expectations of what that neighborhood should look like moving forward,” said Dion.
