Daisy Kingdom's Future Awesome
Posted by: kmikeym
In the ongoing story of the future of Daisy Kingdom building it appears things are moving forward! In the April 28th ('06) Tribune, Daisy Kingdom Could Bloom Again, developer Jim Winkler explains more of his plan to create a block of arts and culture in the North Park Blocks and gives a date for the first time.
I think I originally saw this news in the beginning of the year, also in the Tribune (Jan 24, 2006), which told of Winkler's purchase of the building for $3.5 million and his plans to turn the first two floors into galleries and the top two into offices. Especially interesting was the idea that the spaces will be "office condos" and the galleries will be purchasing, not renting, their new homes. Winkler talks about bringing the Pearl to Broadway and predicted the North Park Blocks would be an arts destination in one year (which would be January of 2007).
This project was also mentioned a year ago in Willamette Week's Gossip Column from April 2005: First Thursday could get smaller-geographically, that is. Several of Portland's better-known art galleries are negotiating with developer and art collector Jim Winkler over a potential new home in his North Park Blocks building at 134 NW 8th Ave., former home of the Daisy Kingdom fabric store.
According to the April 28th, 2006 Trib article the new space will be ready by January 2007 and include the Contemporary Crafts Museum and Gallery, a new gallery by Charles A. Hartman (formerly of San Francisco), Blue Sky Gallery, Froelick Gallery and a second location for Augen Gallery.
Winkler says he could have made more money leveling the block and building condos, but he'd rather "accelerate the redevelopment of Old Town by tying into what’s going on at Everett Station Lofts, Butters Gallery and the stuff David Gold is trying to do with the Goldsmith block".
The development of Winkler's art block plus the renovation of the Custom House into a hotel (summer of 2007) and David Gold's involvement with the Portland Art Center in the Goldsmith Building (PFA on that coming soon) will continue to help improve the neighborhood and expand the exciting block that includes Motel, Just Be, Backspace, and Ground Kontrol.
Additionally, Winkler has won awards for his commitment to sustainable projects (such as Adidas Village; Troutdale Terrace Apartments, one of the most environmentally advanced affordable housing projects; and One Waterfront Place), so this is a chance to further Portland's green reputation.
Future City Charter
Posted by: kmikeym
A great article in the Trib from Nick Budnick covering the plan to change the Portland City Charter. Tom Potter formed a 25-member Charter Review Commission last November and they have decided that they need more time.
So far the recommendation is that the city should indeed scrap its form of government and replace it with a system that has a strong mayor overseeing a "chief administrative officer" who runs the city bureaucracy. This would mean that our city commissioners would no longer administer city functions, but be relegated to legislative and policy functions.
So the proposed changes will not go before voters in November. No mention on when the changes would go before voters, but near the end of the article it is mentioned that the charter-reform debate likely will set the stage for the 2008 mayoral election, in which many City Hall observers expect Potter to run for another term.
Charter Review Blog
City Charter
Charter Review Commission Resolution (PDF), includes a list of commission members
Mayor Potter Says, "Our Secret is Out"
Posted by: kmikeym
On his somewhat recently launched blog, Mayor Tom Potter does a round up positive Portland Press:
- Best place to live (Men’s Journal);
- Best city to have a baby (Fit Pregnancy);
- Best city for cycling (Bicycling);
- Best walking city (Prevention Magazine and APMA);
- One of the top 10 cities for the arts (AmericanStyle);
- Top 20 for high tech jobs (AeA’s Cyberstates report)
- Third best place for indy filmmakers (MovieMaker Magazine).
