PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A beloved block of food carts in downtown Portland is getting wiped out by a high-rise hotel.
Plans have finally been revealed for a massive new building at SW Washington and Alder, right next to the City Target.
“That’s crazy,” food cart lover Josh Webb said. “A lot of people come here to eat every day. Food carts are like a staple around town.”
Rumors have floated around for years that food cart pods across the city were on the chopping block due to new development, but those changes are now becoming a reality.
The city posted a sign among the carts indicating what’s coming and on Wednesday, the Bureau of Development hosted a design advice meeting at which plans were unveiled.
Those who work in the area say it’s another sign of old Portland disappearing.
“We have a lot of dedicated customers who come here every day and we also serve a lot of tourists as well,” said Alisa Grandy, who started making Chinese wraps at her food cart more than 3 years ago.
“We thought we were safe for all this time, so it’s pretty devastating,” she said.
Renderings show a 33-story tower more than 400 feet tall, which will include event, retail and residential space. The architecture firm GBD testified it would be a very glassy tower with a slightly mirrored finish.
Senior city planner Ben Neilsen said developer BPM Real Estate Group has not given a timeline on when they might want the food carts out.
“Some of the other carts have already shut down or are for sale,” Grandy said. “Our thinking is, often these things take a very long time, so we want to keep selling for as long as we possibly can.”
Many of the vendors have been at the spot for nearly 20 years.
Nielsen told KOIN 6 News he didn’t know if those food carts would have a new spot to go to. “They’re open to any parking lot in town, but those are becoming fewer and fewer in the downtown and central city,” he said. “That’s mostly a landowner decision.”
What’s next
Nielsen said the next design meeting will be August 2 and more public comments will be allowed.
The new building will be part of the Green Loop, a new feature in the just-approved Central City 2035 plan. The site is adjacent to where a Green Loop connection will be, connecting the North Park Blocks with the South Park Blocks.