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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Build Out No Uwajimaya for Downtown Portland

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 3:44 PM

This isn't happening:

0707_oldtown_development_uwajimaya_sockeye_gbd_architects_rendering.jpg

Instead, we're stuck with this:

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The DJC reports that the deal for a downtown Uwajimaya has fallen through, after years of work between the Portland Development Commission and developer (and years of getting our hopes up).

The PDC had been trying to swing the $80 million mixed-use project since 2003, working with Sockeye Development to plan to turn a surface parking lot at NW 4th and Couch into a building with housing the famed Uwajimaya Asian grocery and 140 apartments. The deal ran into trouble in 2009 and the PDC tried a "creative financing" scheme to save it, which actually looked good for a while. Last year, the grocer and the developer signed a letter of intent to make the building a reality, but now it has all fallen apart.

Uwajimaya pins the project's collapse on the economic downturn and its slow performance in other stores. The PDC was slated to give the project $8.4 million in urban renewal dollars from the Downtown Waterfront Urban Renewal Area.

Sigh. I can't think of any upside to this, besides that the $8.4 million can now go elsewhere... except that this is the perfect project to receive that kind of urban renewal money. Think of the lost potential! The major grocery store and apartments on that block would have brought down crime, as it creates more eyes on the street. It would have been a good step for Portland's official Chinatown to actually have new Asian development. It would have made what's now a surface parking lot into a major destination. And it would have put aisles of cheap, strange foods at the fingertips of those of us who work downtown. Augh! The future memories of eating dried squid straight from the bag while watching Old Town club-goers walk by are slipping away.

Thanks to Graham for the heads up!

 

Comments (11) RSS

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1
what a huge disappointment.
Posted by KimS on August 3, 2011 at 4:18 PM · Report
2
A bummer for sure, especially since PDC will invariably end up spending that money on something far more worthless.

I'm still kind of confused as to why a big box store like Uwajimaya are cool, while Walmart is considered the demon spawn of retail, but I don't shop at either, so whatever.
Posted by Chuck Garabedian on August 3, 2011 at 4:25 PM · Report
3
I can't get umeboshi or natto miso at Walmart, Chuck. Or konpeito, mochi, enoki, kaffir leaves, cheap(!) soy sauce and vinegars and oils and enough sake to fill the Willamette.

I hate driving to Beaverton but sesame oil at any local (non-asian) market is like $8 for a 3 ounce bottle. Same with Sriracha. This is laaame.
Posted by cat & beard on August 3, 2011 at 5:04 PM · Report
4
@ c & b

You can get sesame oil at a reasonable price at one of the Korean markets around the east side. I like Boohan on 82nd.
Posted by jake on August 3, 2011 at 5:20 PM · Report
5
Downtown Fubonn, anyone?
Posted by Tommy on August 3, 2011 at 5:28 PM · Report
6
@ cat & beard: It's small, but Vieng Lao, an Asian grocery on North Killingsworth and I-5, has just about everything on your list; plus fresh fish and crabs (swimming) and a butcher and pretty good produce. All at great prices, far better than Uwajimaya.
Posted by Matthew Stadler on August 3, 2011 at 6:19 PM · Report
7
Building looks exactly like Museum Place, the one with Safeway on the 1st floor at SW 10th & Jeff
Posted by dwainedibbly on August 3, 2011 at 6:36 PM · Report
8
Shoot... Might be a net positive for the east side since a close in Uwajimaya might cannabalize some of the smaller markets out here. Lords knows we need all the small positives we can gather.

With that said, it would be splendid to have some non-low income housing in Old Town around the "new and improved" crack alley.

Then again, Fubonn v. 2.0 in Old Town would be tight. Keep it local, kids.
Posted by Mizzzzzzz on August 3, 2011 at 6:38 PM · Report
9
We really need a Don Quijote, but, still, this would've been cool.
Posted by Todd Mecklem on August 3, 2011 at 7:07 PM · Report
10
Well, damn, looks like I still gotta treck out to the westside every couple weeks for the wifes books and magazines. And strange food stuffs.
Posted by frankieb on August 4, 2011 at 8:12 AM · Report
11
Hate on Beaverton now you whiny Pearl Dwellers. Ha!
Posted by The Showstopper on August 4, 2011 at 1:45 PM · Report

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