Portland, Oregon (2004)
Client: Portland Development Commission
To increase the success of their mixed-use development in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood the Portland Development Commission is conducting a feasibility study for a new public market. The Commission hired Project for Public Spaces (PPS), Bay Area Economics, and GBD Architects to conduct the study. The study examines the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating a market into their site. Aside from increasing access to local, fresh food, the hypothesis for the study was that the market would highlight other ongoing river-side projects and stimulate more residential and commercial development in the historic Skidmore/Old Town district.
To measure community support, gauge interest and concern for the project, and influence a design for the market that would best serve the local residents, the team of partners designed context specific surveys and interviews. Through the survey results, the team envisioned partnerships with community groups like the Community Gardeners, the Hunger Coalition, and outlying agricultural communities that want a place to sell their goods.
The potential project appealed to many downtown residents’ interest in building a local “food shed” within a public market in their city. The “food shed” would strengthen urban-rural linkages between city residents and farmers and increase access to a diverse range of agriculture products in a new residential community.