Press release from PDC:
CAC approves changes in two URAs
In August 2009 the Portland Development Commission asked a Community Advisory Committee to examine several key issues in two north and northeast Portland urban renewal areas as part of the North/Northeast Economic Development Initiative. After months of public involvement, the 21-member CAC voted at its Wednesday, May 19 community meeting to approve eight separate recommendations regarding policy issues and boundary adjustments for the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (ICURA) and Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area (OCC URA).
“The approval of all eight recommendations really speaks to the collaborative process we used throughout this project,” said John Jackley, PDC’s Director of Communications and Business Equity. “We brought together the traditionally underrepresented communities, representatives from neighborhood associations, higher education, businesses and the unions to support a common vision of more jobs and more resources for residents and small businesses in north and northeast Portland.”
The adopted recommendations included policy issues dealing with prioritization of investment in the two URAs, the establishment of a Community Benefits Agreement for the Rose Quarter development, recommendations for the Portland Housing Bureau and five URA boundary adjustment recommendations.
The boundary changes include expanding the ICURA to include 75 acres along NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, 103 acres in the St. Johns Town Center, 33 acres of the Alberta/Killingsworth node, 28 acres along the south side of Lombard Street and 186 acres currently in the OCC URA along Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
For more information on this process and to review next steps visit: http://pdc.us/four/nnestudy
A new “Cartisans Market” is in the works on NE Garfield between Beech and Failing. Sassafras Consulting is currently looking for carts that serve food, sell artisanal products, crafts and more. They are also looking for an urban farmer that would like to grow food for the food carts and for sale at the market. And finally, they are looking for filmmakers, performance artists, musicians and more to activate the space as a summertime community funtime space. They know the King Neighborhood is filled with talented people so they would like to get the word out. 
