The Portland Design Commission on Thursday discussed a draft of the .

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) staff presented an overview of approximately 18 potential amendments to the comprehensive plan, zoning code maps, zoning code use allowances and development standards that are intended to facilitate housing production and revitalization in the Central City. The draft will be open to public review through Feb. 13.

The project is responsive to other efforts to revitalize the Central City, BPS Chief Planner Patricia Diefenderfer said.

“BPS began to research ways to maximize housing, including the analysis of current density allowances, floor area ratios and maximum building heights, specifically on how to structure bonuses to encourage large multi-bedroom units,” she said.

Amendments to the Central City 2035 Plan could include increasing allowable heights in certain areas, providing additional floor area ratio (FAR) bonuses, and more. Since the plan was adopted in 2018, the downtown area has experienced unprecedented trends in retail and office vacancy, according to the project’s website.

Other possible changes include rezoning parts of the Central City to provide greater development flexibility and encourage new housing, expanding land use allowances in Central Commercial zones to accommodate a broader mix of uses such as light manufacturing, repealing prohibitions of housing in parts of Central Employment zones, expanding allowances for retail and other uses in Open Space zones to support parks, adding a FAR bonus to encourage the development of multi-bedroom units, expanding allowable locations of food carts and pods, and providing more flexibility for temporary surface parking.

Since the pandemic, there has been a desire by the city to let food carts operate outside of surface parking lots, Senior City Planner Troy Doss said.

“The reason food carts have been in surface parking lots for so long is because they are regulated as a vehicle,” he said. “They can only be in vehicle areas or legally created parking lots.”

The food carts in Pioneer Courthouse Square were grandfathered in before provisions were changed, Doss said. The proposed change would be citywide and not just in the Central City.

BPS also proposes changing the requirement of 60 percent coverage of eco-roofs in the Central City to allow a mix of eco-roofs and solar panels, Doss said.

Another possible change would be to reduce the coverage of prohibition of ground-floor housing units. Commissioner Zari Santner expressed concern about potential losses of active uses at ground level. A reduction in the number of streets with prohibition of ground-floor units would need to come something that addresses quality-of-life issues, she said.

Improving livability in a neighborhood requires additions of amenities such as retail spaces and health care facilities, Commissioner Tina Bue added. The main goal of the project is to make sure the zoning code is not standing in the way of such development, Diefenderfer said.

People can submit comments on the discussion draft through Feb. 13. BPS will then create a proposed draft in March.

The Design Commission on Jan. 29 will finalize ideas to incorporate into a letter to the Planning Commission and the City Council with its recommendations. The Design Commission plans to vote on the letter during its meeting on Feb. 5.

A Planning Commission hearing will take place in April. Any revisions will be included in BPS’ recommended draft, which will go before the City Council in late summer or early fall. A final decision on the draft is expected by the end of the year.

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A vacant building near the Oregon Convention Center will be renovated into a 14,000-square-foot food hall, bar and event space. Also, a patio on the site’s eastern end will be able to accommodate 10 food carts.

The property, owned by Prosper Portland, is located at 910 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in the Lloyd-Holladay Tax Increment Finance District.

Prosper Portland’s Board of Commissioners on Wednesday passed three resolutions related to the project. These include a minor amendment to the Lloyd-Holladay Urban Renewal Plan to include the site as a priority project area, a revision to the property plan, and an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Metro to seek a $3 million loan for the improvements.

Prosper Portland purchased the property in 2005 with plans to develop a hotel to serve the convention center. Metro later identified a different location for the hotel – the eventual Hyatt Regency at the Oregon Convention Center – which required a reexamination of opportunities for the property at 910 N.E. MLK Jr. Blvd., a Prosper Portland staff report states.

“We heard significant input and interest from the community about repositioning the asset, particularly as a potential to take advantage of the opportunity to bring more local food options into Lloyd,” said Amy Nagy, a Prosper Portland development manager.

The project concept calls for a highly visible, high-traffic food and drink venue that complements activities at the convention center. Design priorities include a four-season gathering space, a flexible and dynamic layout, and a safe and professional experience.

Portland-based Parti Architecture LLC has completed preliminary schematic designs for the project. The team plans to submit plans to the city for design review in March.

The business plan calls for work with a third-party operator. ChefStable, a consulting and management firm that partners with chefs to build and operate restaurants, was selected for this role and will be the master leaser of the property. Food cart owners will then lease their spaces.

The total estimated redevelopment cost is $7.5 million. Prosper Portland invested $4 million and ChefStable invested $500,000.

The $3 million loan is contingent on approval by the Metro Council, which is expected to consider the proposal in March. The IGA includes a 4 percent interest rate and a 10-year payback period. Agreement on those terms will require approval by both the Metro Council and the Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners.

The project will involve interior renovations, seismic improvements and electrical work as well as partial demolition and build-out of the patio for the food carts, said Will Thier, Prosper Portland’s real estate manager.

A request for proposals will be issued for a construction manager/general contractor in May or June, Prosper Portland spokesperson Shawn Uhlman stated in an email. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and require nine to 10 months to complete. The estimated opening date is late summer 2027.

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Project name: The Spot

Location: Madras

Completion: November 2024

Size: 3,150 square feet

Owner/Developer: J and C 5^th Street LLC

Architect: Open Concept Architecture

Engineers: Eclipse Engineering, H.A. McCoy Engineering & Surveying, Solera MEP Design Services

General Contractor: O’Brien & Company

Submitting Company: O’Brien & Company

Other Key Participants: City of Madras, Madras Redevelopment Commission

Subcontractors: Bend Heating and Sheet Metal, Benham Falls Asphalt, Central Oregon Concrete, Central Oregon Garage Door, Elite Construction Contracting, Elite Electric, G.W. Paulson Co. dba Baptista Design, Gale Contractor Services, Johnson Resources, Joshua Hittlet Drywall, JR Fire, KYA Painting, Oleachea’s Fine Finish Cabinetry, Pearl Plumbing, Rain Water Diversions dba BR Continuous Guttering, Rock Solid Roofing, Solid Fab Works, Storjohann Inc. dba Bend Fencing

A first-of-its-kind community hub is breathing new life into downtown Madras, offering residents and travelers alike a place to connect over food, drinks and entertainment.

The Spot features a taphouse with a second-story covered balcony, food carts and a heated outdoor patio. It represents owner Andre Jackson’s vision for economic revitalization in this Central Oregon community. The project, built by O’Brien & Company, was intentionally developed to stimulate local economic growth while providing a flexible, year-round gathering place.

The building’s innovative design blends indoor and outdoor spaces with overhead garage-style doors with glass inserts. When fully opened, these doors connect the building to the patio, creating a bright atmosphere filled with natural light. The venue’s warm wood and clean modern details create a lively space designed for year-round enjoyment regardless of weather conditions.

Despite challenges from the site’s condensed nature and proximity to the highway, the design-build approach allowed for real-time adjustments to construction plans. Advanced building materials, including ZIP System Insulated R-sheathing, were incorporated to enhance efficiency and durability. The project also prioritized high-performance audio and internet infrastructure to support live entertainment.

The Madras Redevelopment Commission provided crucial financial backing for the project. The City of Madras and its building department guided construction to ensure compliance with zoning and safety codes.

Jackson, who relocated from Portland to invest in Madras’ future, has already purchased an adjacent lot to expand the community’s event space.

The Spot hosts live music, trivia nights and student performances, fostering cultural engagement and providing a platform for local artists. Middle and high school students are actively invited to perform, promoting youth engagement in the arts. Regular community events including bingo, karaoke and sports viewing parties transform The Spot into an interactive gathering space rather than just a dining destination.

By drawing foot traffic to local businesses and serving as an economic hub in an area largely influenced by highway traffic, The Spot strengthens downtown Madras’ ecosystem while encouraging walkability.

“The Spot is all about connection, both within the Madras community, and as a regional hub,” Jeremy Cogdill, Open Concept Architecture managing principal, said in the project submission form. “It’s a ‘living room’ at an important intersection between the east and west sides of the mountains, that aims to bring people together through food, music, and conversations around a fire pit.”

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On a recent weekday, chef and Big’s Chicken co-owner Ben Bettinger scooped blackened Fresno chile peppers from a rotary roaster outside the restaurant in downtown Beaverton. Inside, a crowd of customers lunched on chicken sandwiches sauced in the peppers.

Also on Southwest Watson Avenue, a short line formed at the sidewalk window of The Whole Bowl. Close by, others slaked their thirst at Loyal Legion, a bar with 72 beers on tap.

It was a scene that would not be out of place in Portland’s trendy commercial corridors. But it was in Beaverton, the Washington County suburb perhaps best known as the home of Nike‘s corporate headquarters.

Downtown Beaverton in 2022 looks very much like Portland circa 2019.

In addition to the three aforementioned businesses, Great Notion Brewing, Ex Novo Brewing, The Sudra, Afuri Izakaya, Salt & Straw and Top Burmese were born in Portland and expanded into Beaverton. Another, Breakside Brewery, is in permitting to open a Beaverton location.

When the pandemic hit, suburban real estate saw an uptick in popularity as urban areas were hit with rising vacancies and lower rents. Businesses such as restaurants followed their customers by opening in Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego and other suburbs.

In Beaverton, the trends were sharpened by recruitment efforts and grants from the city government. Restaurateurs said they were lured by opportunity – fewer competitors and a large employment base led by Nike and Intel – and a red-carpet welcome from the city.

“At the time, it just seemed like a pretty untapped area,” said Bettinger, co-owner of Your Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which owns Big’s Chicken, Laurelhurst Market, Ate-Oh-Ate and other restaurants.

Big’s Chicken opened first on Northeast Glisan Street in Portland in 2017 before expanding to Beaverton in August 2018. The business was aided by a Beaverton storefront improvement grant that paid for a neon sign made by Ramsay Signs in Portland’s Holgate neighborhood.

“Every step of the way, the city (of Beaverton) was there to support us,” Bettinger said. “It’s not like you feel in Portland sometimes.”

Beaverton’s efforts to lure restaurants began about six years ago, said Michael Williams, economic development manager for the city. In meetings with Washington County’s top employers, the business officials told city staff that Beaverton needed more to do to attract top talent.

“They wanted it to have more restaurants and food carts and breweries,” he said.

The city of Beaverton offered matching grants for tenant improvements to convert non-restaurant spaces into restaurants. The city spent approximately $1.5 million on 30 grants, which flowed from federal funds.

“It’s been wildly successful,” Williams said. “I think we had a good strategy and we had good timing – a little luck, too.”

Loyal Legion overcame competition from other interested parties to lease a historic former bank building at the high-profile intersection of Southwest Farmington Road and Watson Avenue. The beer hall was planned before the pandemic, but didn’t open until November 2021.

“We moved on this space once it became available,” General Manager Adam Keefe said.

Both Bettinger and Keefe mentioned unprompted that Beaverton diners, accustomed to table service, had some trouble getting used to counter service. Eateries have increasingly moved to counter service to save on labor costs.

The boom in Beaverton’s restaurant sector is inextricably tied up with other social and economic trends. Population growth in Washington County has outpaced that of Multnomah County and the state. Washington County grew 0.8 percent from July 2020 to July 2021 to 605,036 residents, according to Census data collected by the Portland State University Population Research Center.

Beaverton opened the 43,000-square-foot, $55 million Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in February. The cultural showpiece is near The Round, where government offices and a MAX light-rail stop come together. A food cart pod, BG Food Cartel, is a short walk away. The cart pod includes some food carts that left Portland for the suburb, including The Frying Scotsman, a fish-and-chips cart that was displaced by construction of the Block 216 Ritz-Carlton tower.

“Now we’re hoping it will bring high-density housing near the MAX stops and maybe an office or two, because offices are looking for amenitized spaces,” he said. “It’ll be tax base for the city, and I think the residents are liking the choices they have.”

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Food carts displaced by development of the Block 216 mixed-use tower may gain a new home nearby.

The city of Portland, food-cart owners and advocates are at work on a plan to relocate the businesses to Ankeny Square, a few blocks northeast of their previous location.

The parcel is bordered by West Burnside Street, Southwest Ankeny Street and Southwest Eighth and Park avenues. (The square is not to be confused with Ankeny Plaza, at Southwest First Avenue and Ankeny Street.) Neighboring businesses include Bailey’s Taproom, Santeria Mexican restaurant and the U.S. Outdoor Store.

About 30 food carts could fit around Ankeny Square, said Keith Jones, co-director of Friends of the Green Loop. The carts would be parked in the streets, which are sparsely trafficked, and not in the small square itself, Jones said.

Jones met Tuesday with staff from Commissioner Chloe Eudaly’s office, food-cart owners and city bureaus.

“It’s looking good,” Jones said.

Eudaly’s chief of staff, Marshall Runkel, has been spearheading the city’s search. He could not be reached for comment.

Ankeny Square could become a long-term home for food carts, Jones said.

“That’s what we prefer, honestly, over the North Park Blocks, because the North Park Blocks would have been temporary,” he said. “This way, this could be permanent.”

The area may have infrastructure – including public restrooms, electricity, water and storage – available for cart owners, Jones said.

“We’re actually going through right now and measuring out all of the carts, because they’re all different sizes,” Jones said. “We’re figuring out which ones can go where.”

The square is a short walk away for thousands of downtown workers, and close to popular tourist stops such as Powell’s City of Books.

“I’m really happy they’re finding a spot for those businesses that are being uprooted,” said Kristen Stovel, co-owner of North of West, a boutique at Southwest Ninth Avenue and West Burnside Street.

Dozens of food carts were evicted from Block 216 on June 30 to make way for a 35-story tower that will have a Ritz-Carlton hotel, condominiums and office space. At its height, the Block 216 pod had more than 50 food carts and grew to be an international attraction.

Their displacement caused consternation among foodies and cart owners, many of whom are first-generation immigrants.

Ankeny Square hosted a few food carts in two previous attempts. The experiments did not go well.

“One cart would be open; they would get frustrated,” said Geoffrey Phillips, owner of Bailey’s Taproom and The Upper Lip, two craft beer bars at Broadway and Ankeny Street. “Without having multiple carts open at the same time, it wasn’t going to get the foot traffic it needed to sustain itself.”

Phillips expressed optimism that a larger pod would succeed at the location.

“If 30 carts are there, I definitely think it could work,” he said.

City officials have discussed closing some of the streets near the square to vehicle traffic and eliminating curbside parking spots. A Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman referred questions to Runkel.

The pod plan comes as more development is slated for West Burnside Street. Miami developer Lennar Corp. has won design approval for a seven-story multifamily building with 138 apartments and ground-floor retail space at the location of the shuttered Firestone tire shop at 815 W. Burnside St. A construction permit for the project is under review.

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