2. PIONEER COURTHOUSE SQUARE Built on the site of a former parking garage, Pioneer Courthouse Square was a pivotal development project. The 40,000 square-foot plaza is lovingly called “Portland’s Living Room” because of its role as a gathering space for events and activities. 1. MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY Although the library building was constructed in 1913, the Downtown Plan called for a complete restoration. It doubled the available public space with a new children’s library and commissioned art to emphasize the library’s Georgian revival theme. 4. 1000 BROADWAY BUILDING Known for its rose-colored windows and towering 15 stories tall, the 1000 Broadway Building was designed to host an underground theater, street-level retail space, and office space. The building provided a mixed-use space in line with the plan’s strategy—and changed Portland’s skyline forever. 3. TRANSIT MALL Two streets were designated for bus and pedestrian transportation, leading to what Portland now knows as the Transit Mall, hosting the MAX light-rail system and connecting multiple bus lines to the broader city. 6. MCCORMICK PIER Once the Downtown Plan was adopted, the McCormick Pier apartment complex took the title of first riverfront housing in downtown Portland. The 1981 complex boasted 304 units, a marina, and solar panels. 7. TOM MCCALL WATERFRONT PARK With the Harbor Drive freeway out of the way, the city’s waterfront was available for redesign. The Tom McCall Waterfront Park stretches the length of downtown Portland and regularly hosts events, markets, and stunning cherry blossom trees. 5. THE PORTLAND BUILDING The Portland Building was completed in 1982 to international fanfare and lauded as the first post-modern office tower. Designed by Michael Graves as part of a city-sponsored competition, the building fulfills the Downtown Plan’s goal to develop office space near government buildings. Fifty years after its adoption, you can thank the 1972 Downtown Plan for many of Portland’s iconic features and landmarks. Here are just some of the impacts prescribed in or made possible by the landmark document. A Lasting Legacy 6 7 2 3 4 1 5 CITY OF PORTLAND ARCHIVES
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