South Park Blocks
Three Downtown Parks (Park Block 5, O'Bryant Square & Ankeny Park)

The Portland Development Commission is working with Portland Parks & Recreation on the Three Downtown Parks project. There are three components to this planning project as depicted in the photo below: a new park at South Park Block 5 (SPB5), renovation of O'Bryant Square, and planning for Ankeny Park.

Construction of SPB5 is expected to take place in 2007-08, following completion of the below-grade parking structure. Renovation of O'Bryant Square will take place at the same time. While the project includes a schematic plan for renovation of Ankeny Park, no funds for renovation of Ankeny are available at this time.

The cost to design and construct SPB5 is approximately $2.5 million. The first $1.5 million is funded through the Portland Development commission's South Park Blocks Urban Renewal Area. Tom Moyer, from TMT Development Co., has generously pledged the second $1 million. Funds for initial renovation of O'Bryant Square are provided through the 2002 Parks Levy and the South Park Blocks Urban Renewal Area.

ZGF Partnership was selected to design the three parks. The team includes landscape architects Laurie Olin and Mayer/Reed working in cooperation with artist and designer Tad Savinar and architect Robert Thompson of TVA Architects.

For more information on the planning efforts underway, please visit the project page from the Parks Bureau. There you will find updates from the first public meeting.

At the second public meeting, the design team will present conceptual designs for the three parks.

Following the open house is a lecture by renowned landscape architect Laurie Olin entitled "Civics & Delight: Aspects of Public Space Design."

Olin serves as the Three Downtown Parks project Design Landscape Architect and is one of this country's most distinguished landscape architects. His work includes Bryant Park and Battery Park City in New York, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, and social housing in Frankfurt, Germany.

Publications

• View a complete list of PDC Publications.

Contact Information

• Todd Juhasz
  503-823-3815

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