What's New
What's New and Different in Portland, Oregon — 2008
How to cover something new in Portland? Let us count the ways.
Attractions/Arts & Culture
Museum of Contemporary Craft Reopens in New Space
The Museum of Contemporary Craft – one of Portland’s oldest cultural institutions – reopened in July 2007 in its new home on Portland’s North Park Blocks. This location doubles the size of the 70-year-old museum, providing generous space for the museum’s permanent collection, an assemblage of more than 1,000 craft objects, including works in ceramic, glass, metal, fiber and wood. The galleries will also support curated exhibitions, educational programs and a retail craft gallery. Of special importance to convention and meeting planners, the new space offers a flexible, dedicated room (The Lab) for lectures, artist demonstrations, tours and special events. The museum’s new location is at 724 N.W. Davis St., Portland, Ore. 97209; 503.223.2654.
Sarah Brown, Museum of Contemporary Craft, 724 N.W. Davis St., Portland, Ore. 97209; 971.255.5514; sarah@contemporarycrafts.org; www.contemporarycrafts.org
Oregon Zoo’s Black Bear Ridge Opens
The March 2007 opening of Black Bear Ridge marked the completion of a 10-year, $36 million project to create the Oregon Zoo’s massive “Great Northwest” exhibit. This multifaceted exhibit – designed to foster respect for and stewardship of the Northwest’s diverse ecosystems – offers a journey from the crests of the Cascade mountains to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Within the Great Northwest experience are Cascade Crest, featuring mountains and mountain goats; Cascade Canyon Trail, with a suspension bridge kids will go nuts for; Eagle Canyon, telling the stories of the bald eagle and endangered salmon; Cougar Crossing, with its namesake big cats; Trillium Creek Family Farm, where children can visit the barn to pet goats and sheep; Elk Meadow, home to majestic elk; Steller Cove, whose above and below-water viewing areas introduce visitors to sea otters, fish and Steller’s sea lions; and, finally, Black Bear Ridge.
One of the best ways to see the roaming residents of Black Bear Ridge is from the Cascade Canyon Trail’s 100-foot-long suspension bridge, which gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the bears. Sharing this newly opened area of zoo with the bears are several bobcats. The design and construction of Black Bear Ridge was completed with sustainability and animal interests in mind. For example, black bears are great climbers, so it was considered essential to not remove the existing trees during construction. The bobcats also received a few perks, including an overturned tree stump transformed into a heated den.
Bill LaMarche, Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road, Portland, Ore. 97221; 503.220.2448 (direct), 503.226.1561, ext. 0 (main zoo number); bill.lamarche@oregonzoo.org;
Linda D’Ae-Smith, Oregon Zoo, 4001 S.W. Canyon Road, Portland, Ore. 97221; 503.220.5716 (direct), 503.226.1561, ext. 0 (main zoo number); Linda.D'Ae-Smith@oregonzoo.org; www.oregonzoo.org
Transportation
In January 2007 Portland joined an elite group of U.S. destinations with an aerial tramway. Portland’s new aerial tram is now carrying both local residents and visitors between downtown Portland’s South Waterfront District and Marquam Hill, where the Oregon Health & Science University campus is located. Designed primarily as a neighborhood connector that allows commuters to forgo using cars, the $57 million tram – much like the hugely popular Portland Streetcar – has proven to be an equal hit with tourists. As the gondolas make their three-minute journey from the South Waterfront to Marquam Hill, riders enjoy picture-perfect views of the Willamette River, Mount Hood and downtown Portland. Each bubble-inspired tram car is designed to hold 79 passengers. Other U.S. aerial trams include the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the Roosevelt Island Tram.
Portland’s two tram gondolas are named “Walt” and “Jean.” “Walt” pays tribute to Walt Reynolds, the first African-American to graduate from OHSU; “Jean” honors Jean Richardson, Oregon’s first female engineering graduate from Oregon State University. Names were also chosen for the two tram stations: The station atop Marquam Hill is called Chameffu, which means “on the mountain” in the native Tualatin language; the station at South Waterfront is named Chamanchal, a Tualatin word meaning “on the water.”
Harry Lenhart, Media Manager, OHSU, 503.494.1360, lenharth@ohsu.edu, www.portlandtram.org
New MAX Light Rail Line Under Construction
When it comes to sustainable mass transit systems, bigger really is better. TriMet, the Portland area’s regional transit authority, is currently expanding its popular MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) light rail train system. The existing 44-mile light rail network is already hugely popular with visitors: MAX’s Red Line connects Portland International Airport to downtown (a 37-minute ride on luggage-friendly low-floor trains); the Blue and Red lines link upper Washington Park (home to the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, the World Forestry Discovery Museum and Hoyt Arboretum) to the central city (10-minute ride); and the Yellow Line transports trade show attendees from the downtown Portland hotel core to the Portland Expo Center (34-minute ride).
The new line – dubbed the “Green Line” – will open in September 2009 and connect Portland’s historic Union Station (Amtrak) to the campus of Portland State University (PSU) before continuing to its terminus at the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall. This north-south route will travel through the central city, making it a breeze for arriving Amtrak passengers to access the downtown hotels. Portland’s visitor information center, which is located at Pioneer Courthouse Square, will be one of the stops (approximately a five-minute ride) on the line.
Construction of the future Green Line includes not just the laying of track along downtown Portland’s Fifth and Sixth avenues. It also encompasses significant street improvements: installation of public art, refurbished roadways and sidewalks, bike lanes, additional lighting and new shelters. And prior to the opening of the Green Line, in fall 2008, TriMet will introduce its fourth generation of MAX trains: Siemens S70/Avanto light rail vehicles. The new trains feature a sleek look, a smoother ride and more seating than their predecessors.
Mary Fetsch, Director of Communications, TriMet, 503.962.6403, fetschm@trimet.org, www.portlandmall.org or www.trimet.org
Hotels
The Nines to Open September 9, 2008
A 331-room Luxury Collection Hotel (Starwood Hotels & Resorts) is scheduled to open in downtown Portland on September 9, 2008. Known as “The Nines,” the hotel will occupy the top nine floors of the historic Meier & Frank Building; a stylishly renovated Macy’s department store will fill the building’s lower five levels. A key component of the $133 million project is converting the top floors of the former department from a solid box to a hollow square. The creation of this atrium will give all of the hotel rooms – even those on the interior – access to a view and natural light. The interior rooms will overlook the glass-roofed lobby area, while the exterior rooms will enjoy city views. The hotel’s plans also call for an atrium restaurant on the lobby level, a rooftop lounge, a 7,000-square-foot ballroom, and 7,000 square feet of additional conference, meeting and banquet facilities. An elevator lobby on the Morrison Street side of the building will provide dedicated access to the 8th floor’s grand lobby. The address for the new hotel will be 525 S.W. Morrison St., Portland, Ore. 97204.
For the project’s eco-conscious renovation efforts, the developer, Sage Hospitality Resources, is seeking LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. While still preserving the elegant detailing of the 1908 Meier & Frank Building, Sage was still able to incorporate water-conservation plumbing, which will save some 400,000 gallons of water per year, as well as energy-efficient mechanical systems. The Nines will also contract with renewable energy sources and, when open, implement a “green housekeeping” policy.
For decades after its opening, the Meier & Frank Department Store was one of the largest retail outlets west of the Mississippi. In 2005, Meier & Frank, whose original Portland store had opened in 1857, was acquired by Macy’s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Meier & Frank Building was designed by Portland architect A. E. Doyle and is one of the earliest examples of a terra-cotta-type commercial palace.
Ashley Bleimes, P.R. Account Representative for The Nines, 212.255.6541, ashley@hawkpr.com
Portland’s Hotel Modera to Open this June
Hotel Modera, an upscale boutique property, will open in downtown Portland in June. The new hotel is actually the transformation of the old Portland Inn City Center, which is undergoing a massive multimillion-dollar renovation. Embracing the mid-century style of the original building, the hotel will feature a clean, retro-modern design complemented by warm earth tones and an expansive courtyard. The Modera intends to offer first-class service and amenities that will appeal to both business and leisure travelers.
The five-story Hotel Modera has 174 rooms and suites and covers nearly a full city block. Its courtyard will feature fire pits, plenty of outdoor seating and a “living wall,” a wall planted with native vegetation in an unusual, vertical manner. The property borders TriMet’s new light rail line, which will open in September 2009. Dubbed the Green Line, this rail route will connect Portland’s historic Union Station (Amtrak) to Portland State University and beyond. TriMet has commissioned sculptor Michihiro Kosuge to install artwork along the transit line. This artwork will include three sculptures fronting the Modera’s courtyard. The Hotel Modera is located at 515 S.W. Clay St., Portland, Ore. 97201; 503.221.1611; www.hotelmodera.com.
Kate Ottum, P.R. Account Representative for Hotel Modera, 503.241.1124, kate@coateskokes.com
Aloft Hotel Breaks Ground in Portland
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and its new lifestyle brand – aloft hotels (the brand is expressed entirely in lowercase letters) – has partnered with Pollin Hotels III to break ground on Oregon’s first aloft hotel. The 136-room property, scheduled to open in late summer 2008, is being constructed at Cascade Station, a mixed-use commercial development near the Portland International Airport (PDX). When completely built out, Cascade Station will include hotels, retail space, restaurants and offices. The area is already connected to both downtown Portland and PDX via the region’s MAX light rail system. Pollin Hotels currently owns the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel and the Hampton Inn Portland Airport, both located close to the Cascade Station development.
The Portland aloft project will reflect a concept developed by the creators of the luxury W hotels. Currently, the design for the hotel calls for loft-like nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows, which will create a bright, airy environment; ultra-comfortable signature beds; stylish bathrooms with oversized walk-in showers; and high-tech office/entertainment centers featuring wireless Internet, “plug-and-play” (a one-stop connectivity solution for multiple electronic devices), and 40-inch flat-panel high-definition television sets for optimal sound and viewing. The hotel will also have a pool, on-site restaurant and other amenities. The physical address for the property will be 9920 N.E. Cascades Parkway, Portland, Ore. 97220. For more information, visit www.alofthotels.com.
David P. Porter, General Manager, aloft Hotel, 503.281.2500, dporter@aloftpdx.com
Hotel Fifty Transforms Existing Property
Hotel Fifty, an independent full-service boutique hotel, has opened in downtown Portland. The new property is actually the former Four Points by Sheraton Hotel Downtown Portland and will be undergoing a major renovation from February to May 2008. Sonnenblick-Eichner Company, a real-estate banking firm specializing in commercial properties, arranged financing for the $7 million renovation and re-branding project, which includes a redesign of the hotel’s exterior, an upgrade of the restaurant and lounge, and a complete remodel of the guestrooms, bathrooms and common areas. When the renovation is complete, the property will offer high-end residential-style accommodations for both business and leisure travelers. The 140-room hotel is entirely nonsmoking.
Situated conveniently on the MAX light rail line in downtown Portland, Hotel Fifty is across the street from the Willamette River and Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park – a major venue for festivals and a popular walking/jogging locale. The hotel is located at 50 S.W. Morrison St., Portland, Ore. 97204; 503.221.0711. For more information, visit www.hotelfifty.com.
Christy Luther, P.R. Account Representative for Hotel Fifty, 206.682.6979, christyl@richmondpr.com, www.hotelfifty.com
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