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More than 7,000 construction jobs will be created by the 3 million-square-foot mixed-use development proposed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

The master plan, designed by ZGF Architects, was formally submitted to the city of Portland for approval in December after roughly 14 years of planning. The site will span over 10 city blocks from Clay Street to Caruthers Street in the city’s lower east side.

The new neighborhood expects to produce more than $11 million in annual property tax revenue at full buildout and generate $22 million in annual income tax revenue, based on a report by EcoNorthwest.

Edlen & Co. is advising as the developer for the site.

What will the site include?

Little details are known about the projects that will appear in the district as it is still early in development. However, two main aspects of the district have been unveiled, one of which is a third-of-a-mile waterfront park along the Willamette River. The other is housing — the site expects to have up to 1,200 units, where at least 20 percent will be for low-income families.

The vision behind the district is centered on innovation, culture and science. OMSI’s CEO Erin Graham said it expanded from the museum’s mission and hours of community listening.

A direct output of those conversations, Graham added, was the park.

OMSI is working with Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission on the park concept to recenter the tribal presence on the Willamette River. It will include a public green space, plazas and hands-on outdoor science programs around indigenous ecological knowledge and culture. The project also aims to restore the riverfront habitat.

The land, the river and the tracks

Unlike the Broadway Corridor and the Conway master plan in Northwest Portland, which fit seamlessly into Portland’s grid, OMSI is in a tricky spot. The 18.5-acre site is separated from nearby neighborhoods by bridges on either side and the river and the Union Pacific Railway tracks surrounding it.

ZGF’s Nolan Lienhart, director of planning and urban design, said this distinguishes its form from other urban networks around town. Graham added it will make the site feel more organic.

However, developer Jill Sherman said the site’s location is a challenge the district will have to overcome. In many ways, she added, it is a great site, especially with the access to the river, but there is a disconnect that will hopefully change over time.

The project already had two significant wins in this department and potentially a third on the way. In 2015, TriMet completed the MAX Orange Line and Tilikum Crossing connecting the OMSI site to the greater Portland Metro area. In addition, last year, the state of Oregon committed $5 million toward the construction of a new Water Avenue, a critical infrastructure piece of the plan.

The new street would run the length of the site and parallel to the train track connecting the entire east end of the district to an arterial.

Currently, the only roads in and around the site are Water Avenue, which swoops past a Portland Community College building and goes straight to the OMSI parking lots, and Loop Road that circles a parking lot.

In the proposal, the current Water Avenue would stay (listed on site plans as Old Water Avenue), and the new arterial would bound the street with Loop Road.

The third win may come in a bicycle and pedestrian pathway. The city of Portland included the OMSI District Masterplan in the for the future Green Loop. A portion of the 6-mile bike and pedestrian way would run through the south end of the OMSI District and over Tilikum Crossing. A pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the rail tracks is also under consideration by the city.

The future phases of buildout

The entire buildout will likely take 10 to 20 years – dictated mainly by the market.

As the developer, Sherman said she’s hoping to see a relatively balanced amount of housing and commercial office uses within the district. The key will be to have people around during the day, primarily workers and residents, in the evening, so the neighborhood is active, and the ground-floor retail is supported.

The neighborhood plans to be a hub for innovation, art and learning.

“I think that can make it a really exciting place for businesses that work in STEM industries or who are makers,” Sherman said.

Process of Approval

According to a representative for OMSI, the first land-use hearing is scheduled for March 31. From there, it could take at least six months with city planners before a vote of approval occurs.