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Portland’s pop-up drive-in
Redevelopment of the 33-acre Zidell Yards along the South Waterfront may be a few years out yet, but owners aren鈥檛 waiting to activate the site.
Constructing Capitol Hill: 220 years in three minutes
Some construction projects go on for years and years and years. Others are finished in what seems like no time at all. Capitol Hill, it turns out, is a mix […]
Time for Some Bold Planning
The city of Portland has spent the last eight years asking its citizens what their values are, and determining what kinds of overall policies should guide the City in the future with the recently completed Portland Plan. Now is the time to focus intensively on concrete outcomes.
How do we get the city we planned for?
One of the hardest parts about being a city planner is that we usually don鈥檛 get the chance to see our plans actually carried out the way we envisioned them. That鈥檚 often part of the job, because plans are meant to be 鈥渓ong range鈥�, in other words projecting a desirable future 20 + years away. And many planners don鈥檛 stay with a city long enough to see the results of their work. But th[...]
Bills face more legislative action
Bills before the Legislature have switched dance partners. The House bills are with the Senate, and the Senate Bills are with the House. A number of construction-related bills are up […]
Name that TriMet bridge
TriMet is beginning to toss around names for its newest baby, the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge, and the agency is looking for suggestions. The public transportation agency is currently engaged […]
Live or let die?: The likely fate of 10 bills in Salem
It’s make-or-break this week for several bills at the Oregon Legislature. House bills go to Senate committees next week, and Senate Bills go to House committees. I’ll be tracking the […]
UPDATE: Senate committee (finally) moves CM-GC bill
There’s an old saying in the Legislature when a Senate bill is moved to the House before it is fully cooked: “Let the House fix it.” State Sen. Lee Beyer, […]
It’s sink or swim today for CM-GC bill
Members of the Senate Business and Transportation Committee are going to do something today with a bill to change Oregon’s public contracting system. No. Seriously. They are. No kidding (probably). […]
Launching legislation 2013: lessons from past efforts
The 2013 Oregon Legislative Session will begin soon, and the Interior Design Collaborative 鈥� Oregon is returning with interior design legislation. The basic idea is to license commercial interior designers whose work impacts the health, safety and welfare of Oregonians in large occupant and public spaces such as hospitals, schools, senior care facilities, and assembly spaces. Having been heavily[...]
Good planning leads to healthy communities
A few weeks ago I mentioned the interaction of planners with other professionals. In the last decade it has become very apparent that there is a very close relationship between […]
Urgency of climate change demands action from planners
Last month I wrote about the connection between planning and climate change and energy challenges 鈥� and the urgency of doing something about climate change. By its nature, planning takes […]
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
