91视频

The Portland City Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted agreements that lay the groundwork for redevelopment of the 32-acre Broadway Corridor in Northwest Portland.

Commissioners approved the community benefits, development and intergovernmental agreements that include guarantees for workforce rules, participation by women-owned, minority-owned or disadvantaged contractors, affordable housing and more.

Mayor Ted Wheeler, in a news release, stated that the vote 鈥渁dvances a once-in-a-generation opportunity to develop the Broadway Corridor in a true partnership between city bureaus, community organizations and private partners, with equity as the driving force of transformation.鈥�

The vote allows developer Continuum Partners of Denver and Prosper Portland to accelerate plans to redevelop the area bridging Old Town Chinatown and the Pearl District with a mix of housing, offices and retail space.

Vivian Satterfield, spokeswoman for the Healthy Communities Coalition, hailed the passage of the community benefits agreement.

鈥淚t’s really a historic achievement we’ve made,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is the city’s first comprehensive community benefits agreement that goes beyond workforce (rules).鈥�

For example, the Portland Housing Bureau will be required to conduct outreach to prospective Black, Chinese-American, Japanese-American and American Indian tenants 鈥� groups with historic ties to the neighborhood.

Among the next steps is to appoint members of the oversight committee that will work to ensure compliance with the terms of the community benefits agreement. Members will be drawn from the Healthy Communities Coalition 鈥� an organization of racial justice, community and environmental groups 鈥� as well as the developer, Prosper Portland and neighborhood organizations. Prosper Portland’s executive director 鈥� currently Kimberly Branam 鈥� will be empowered to make final decisions, with appeal avenues to Prosper Portland’s board and City Council.

The agreements will provide broad outlines for how Broadway Corridor development proceeds, Satterfield said.

鈥淲e were just able to put up some scaffolding, some ideas, from where we are now,鈥� she said.