Portland, OR a model for Omaha?

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 8:58 pm

Omahans inspired by Portland, Ore., efforts

BY JULIA MCCORD

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

Eight Omahans working on a master plan to revitalize midtown Omaha went to Portland, Ore., this week to see what that city has done.

Portland has been a leader in redeveloping old neighborhoods and commercial districts. The Omaha group was impressed.

They were captivated by the city's light rail system and the boldness of the entrepreneurs who had transformed crime-infested neighborhoods.

They were impressed with the post-industrial Pearl District, which is now bustling with urban retail, office space and housing.

They liked the way the city, nonprofit groups, corporations, developers and neighborhoods worked together on projects.

And they are convinced that the same good things can happen in Omaha given the right mind-set.

That means thinking big, thinking bold and thinking long-term, said John McClelland, senior vice president at Mutual of Omaha.

Bob Bartee, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, agreed.

"You need to think boldly and creatively and not let costs be the sole deciding factor," he said. "And you need prominent champions who are passionate about this work."

Mutual of Omaha and UNMC are part of a consortium of businesses, corporations, neighborhood groups and institutions that is funding the master plan, which is called Destination Midtown.

It is due out in May.

Bartee and McClelland were joined on the two-day trip by neighborhood representative Bonnie DeSmet-Bacon, small-business owner Terry Koopman, city planner James Thele, mayoral aide Pete Festerson, Mutual of Omaha's Christine Johnson and Destination Midtown project manager Doug Bisson.

The group left Monday morning and returned home Tuesday evening.

DeSmet-Bacon said she was so excited about what she saw that she could hardly sleep Monday night.

While she is impressed with what Portland has done, DeSmet-Bacon said, she returned home with a new appreciation for the bonds forged during the Destination Midtown process among neighborhoods, corporations and the city.

"We're definitely headed in the right direction," she said. "We're at a perfect spot to develop a real urban environment where all socio-economic groups can work, live and play right here."

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 1:27 pm

This quote is particularly interesting:

"They were captivated by the city's light rail system and the boldness of the entrepreneurs who had transformed crime-infested neighborhoods."

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 5:57 pm

Portland's light rail system rocks. It goes all the way to Hillsborough and I can't remember how far east, going through the Yamhill district. If only Omaha would learn from them. We could have included a light rail along the new Dodge street development.

futrecndvlpr · Post by **futrecndvlpr** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 11:06 pm

PDX is starting expanison of the light rail system agian to go farther south, I believe all the way to Wilsonville and I think it is going to start working it's way North, the 15 or 20 year plan has it crossing the river to Vancouver. It is definately an awesome system.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:09 pm

I would go so far as to say that Portland is the ULTIMATE example for what Omaha should strive to be, and CAN be.

When I found out that Doug Bisson was taking this trip with people from the steering committee, I was soooooo happy. As we all know, sometimes it takes actually seeing great urban spaces in action to actually "get it."

I hadn't seen this article yet, edsas, so thanks for posting it.

I'm actually having lunch with Doug tomorrow, so I'm really excited to hear about how the trip went!!

futrecndvlpr · Post by **futrecndvlpr** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:30 pm

adetter: Are you going to have anytime this summer to get out to the NW and check it all out? Maybe instead of Western Nebraska this year, you should shoot for PDX. The Peal District is really something to envy. For some light reading you may want to check out the newest redevelopment project, the South Waterfront/North Macadam project. Speaking of mass transit, they are going to be using a skytram going from the waterfront up the mountain/hill to OHSU, the main medical center in the city!