A market analysis and urban design and planning effort, the North Old Town/Chinatown (NOTCT) Redevelopment Strategy sets a framework for future redevelopment of the North Old Town/Chinatown area, part of Portland's Downtown Waterfront Urban Renewal Area. Initiated by the Portland Development Commission (PDC), the redevelopment strategy was established with the input of a 17-member stakeholder advisory committee, composed of area business and property owners, residents, social-service providers, and members of the city's Asian community.DAO led a team of economists and public-outreach consultants in the creation of a number of progressive development scenarios for North Old Town/Chinatown. The study area consisted of seven blocks, each with varying patterns of ownership, use, and historic character. A patchwork of vacant and underdeveloped parcels, as well as a mix of social-service agencies, posed distinct challenges. The district's cultural diversity and historic heritage, however, presented opportunities for near-term as well as long-range revitalization.The strategy's main objective was to economically reinvigorate the study area, while maintaining the district's essential scale, variety of activities, and historic character. Case-study research and charrette workshops were utilized to develop various scenarios involving different uses, architectural massing, urban-design principles, market economics, and phasing. The resulting framework presents a spectrum of alternative directions for the development of Blocks 24, 25, 26, and A&N, as well as for interconnected hierarchies of public and private open spaces and circulation systems. Adopted recently, the framework is providing guidance for future development of the district.
