91视频

Portland’s Central Eastside Industrial District, once a blighted industrial area with dilapidated warehouses and empty buildings, is now one of Portland’s most vibrant areas, host to approximately 1,100 businesses and 17,000 jobs, according to the Portland Development Commission.

The area is adding jobs faster than almost any other district in Portland, said Brad Malsin, principal at Beam Development. However, new tenants are often knowledge-based 鈥� software, design, retail 鈥� instead of labor-based like construction, manufacturing and warehousing.

Portland Development Commission Senior Project Manager Geraldene Moyle said the construction, manufacturing and warehouse industries make up 37 percent of jobs in the Central Eastside, while social services, design, food, retail and other knowledge-based industries make up 47 percent.

This changing demographic has brought more pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers to compete with freight haulers for limited driving and parking space in the area.

鈥淏ig truck businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to function,鈥� Malsin said. 鈥淭he best we can say to them is that we are going to fight like hell to help you keep your ability to do business the way you want.鈥�

Malsin called the cooperation between the industries an 鈥渙rchestrated musical,鈥� but said he believes it’s possible for them to operate in the same area.

鈥淲e recognize that employment is changing and we want to accommodate both the technology and industrial (companies),鈥� Moyle said. 鈥淭he question is: How does an area evolve so they can coexist?鈥�

Debbie Kitchin, president of the Central Eastside Industrial Council, said owners of businesses in the area are concerned about freight movement and worried that residential tenants living in mixed-use buildings abutting the industrial sanctuary 鈥� such as those who eventually will reside in the 鈥済oat blocks鈥� development on the 1000 block of Southeast Belmont Street 鈥� may complain about noise.

鈥淲e need to maintain the viability of the industries that are already here,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need to work together to make (residents) understand that their way may be blocked by a freight truck or there may be noise at night.鈥�

Malsin said that change in the district is creating a 鈥渄ynamic tension鈥� that he feels is good for the area.

鈥淭he industrial sanctuary of the past is different than the industrial sanctuary of the future,鈥� he said. 鈥淐hanges are going to occur, one way or the other. It’s a healthy, but difficult transition that does make it more difficult for certain businesses to function.鈥�

Paul Delsman of Bremik Construction, which has offices at 1026 S.E. Stark St., said it’s a benefit to Portland that the idea of what constitutes industrial use is being 鈥渕assaged.鈥�

鈥淚f we could do like Phoenix did and sprawl, the industrial eastside would be abandoned,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause of the UGB we are having to repurpose buildings and are making this area an anchor of the community.鈥�

The Central Eastside Industrial District draws businesses and employees that embrace the 鈥済ritty鈥� feel of the buildings and former warehouses that have been repurposed to fit the new type of tenant.

Mark Twietmeyer remembers visiting his dad’s workplace, URS Electronics‘ office at the corner of Northeast Couch Street and Seventh Avenue, in 1969.

鈥淭his used to be the rough side of town,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he district is changing, there’s no doubt about that. Don’t even get me started on (the bicyclists).鈥�

Mark Twietmeyer took over the electronics company, which is still operating out of the same shop. But times have changed.

鈥淲e are getting a whole lot of people coming through who didn’t know we were here before,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey’re not always the type of customers we’re used to, but we’re getting more exposure.鈥�

Jan Mason, director of marketing for Mackenzie, a design firm with offices in the district, said her company is adapting spaces to keep the aesthetic but introduce modern amenities for a new type of tenant.

鈥淭he rawness is part of the draw,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith any evolving neighborhood the challenge is developing an understanding relationship between road transportation, bike and pedestrian traffic.鈥�

Malsin said that although it’s essential to organize a system that accommodates all types of industry and allows businesses to function, he believes the tension is a sign of a healthy economic environment 鈥� the type Portland as a whole is trying to cultivate.

鈥淚 came from Manhattan, where you don’t need a car,鈥� he said, 鈥渁nd that’s the model we want to get here. We’re designing buildings to be somewhat telling of the behavior we predict our tenants will have.鈥�

Malsin cited Division Street as an area that’s growing with a conscious intent to discourage driving and encourage alternate transportation.

鈥淲e’re approaching 20 to 25 percent of tenants who ride bikes, so we’re providing amenities like showers with locker rooms,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don’t have one bike storage area; we have two. If we are going to change people’s behavior, we’re going to have to make it uncomfortable for them to drive and to park.鈥�