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Donning a bright orange hard hat and reflective safety vest, Portland Mayor Tom Potter on Thursday climbed aboard a backhoe at downtown’s newest park. With a thumbs-up, he dumped the first load of gravel at the site, kicking off construction of South Park Block 5.

The $6 million project, now in the works for more than a decade, got its start under former Mayor Vera Katz with a much more modest budget and a shorter timeline. But Portland Parks and Recreation and its partners on the project had a vision for the park that far outstripped the city’s funding, Zari Santner, director of Portland Parks, said.

Once a surface parking lot, the site between Southwest Taylor and Yamhill streets and Southwest Ninth and Park avenues will be replaced with a brick plaza, complete with an outdoor caf茅, glass canopy and water fountain. 

鈥淲e could have done it with a skinnier budget,鈥� Portland Parks Commissioner Dan Saltzman, said. But, he said, the city was willing to pay more for a good design.

鈥淭hat’s the expectation many Portlanders have of us,鈥� Saltzman said.

In the end, the city raised enough money to build the park through a mix of city funds, a Portland Development Commission grant and private donations.

鈥淓veryone stuck with it. There wasn’t a moment we though it wouldn’t happen, even as the budget climbed,鈥� Chet Orloff, chairman of a committee that planned the park, said.

Tom Moyer of TMT Development Co. donated the land for the park, which sits on top of his new underground parking lot, and gave the city an additional $1 million to jumpstart the project. Then last year an anonymous donor gave the Portland Parks Foundation $1.6 million, enough to complete the park. The donor will receive the right to name the park, with final City Council approval.

At its prime location 鈥� in the central business district just one block from Pioneer Courthouse Square and on the MAX light-rail line 鈥� the city hopes the park will further stimulate economic development downtown and discourage crime.

鈥淭hese are the kinds of amenities that attract people (and businesses) to Portland,鈥� Potter said. 鈥淭he more good people hanging around downtown, the more it displaces people who want to cause problems.鈥�

The park is one of several projects at that location, including Moyer’s planned 33-story Park Avenue West tower across the street, which nearby businesses say they expect will boost traffic in the neighborhood.

鈥淭here was a little uncertainty about what would happen for a while, but Mr. Moyer’s going to transform the area,鈥� said Steve Crandell, executive director of the Church of Scientology in Portland, which plans to renovate the Stevens Building a few blocks north at Ninth Avenue and Washington Street. 鈥淎nything that brings people downtown is good.鈥�