O’Bryant Square will be demolished, but the park’s future is still undetermined

Anna Del Savio

2 years ago

A long-abandoned square in downtown Portland, recently known only for its drug dealing and graffiti, is going to get a major upgrade, and the community is invited to take part. This photo was taken before the square was blocked off. (Courtesy photo: City of Portland)

PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) — Portland is set to demolish O’Bryant Square Plaza this year, but the park’s future shape is still undetermined.

Earlier this month, Portland City Council approved a $4.5 million contract to demolish O’Bryant Square Plaza, a small park that has been fenced off since 2018 and has become a frequently graffiti-and-trash-riddled blight on Southwest Washington Street.

The brick plaza sat atop a city-operated parking garage, which had structural issues that led to the site being closed.

The city has allocated $2.4 million for plaza “design and activation,” but the funding hasn’t been used yet. Parks and Rec had requested those funds during last year’s budget process, but the money ended up going to the Portland Bureau of Transportation for the demolition. The $2.3 million was added in increments through later budget amendment processes, Portland Parks and Recreation finance and planning manager Bob Del Gizzi said.

By this fall, the plaza will be flattened, leaving an empty canvas that could become a public gathering space that builds community and draws more people into downtown — or it could become a grassy edition of “Paranoid Park.”