Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area
Urban Renewal Area (URA) Fast Facts
| Created: | August 1986 |
| Expires: | August 2018 |
| Total Acres: | 692.3 |
| Boundaries: | View the Central Eastside URA boundaries. |
| Neighborhoods: | Portions of Kerns, Buckman, and Hosford-Abernethy. |
The community, PDC Commission, Planning Commission and City Council have to determine whether there are needs important enough to justify amending the Plan to preserve the ability to issue debt beyond the URA's expiration date.
Overview
The Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area is located along the eastbank of the Willamette River. Warehouse, distribution and manufacturing uses are throughout the area, with retail uses primarily concentrated along arterial streets (Martin Luther King Jr., Grand, Burnside, Belmont, Hawthorne and Powell). The district is considered a key employment center for the Central City, and urban renewal efforts are focused on creating and maintaining jobs in the area through business development assistance and redevelopment financing. Major employers include Pacific Coast Fruit Company, Portland Community College's Workforce Training and Professional Development Center, McCoy Door & Stair and Portland Electric.
Objectives of the Urban Renewal Plan include transportation and pedestrian improvements, streetscape improvements, and the creation of the Eastbank Esplanade on the eastside riverfront.
The development of the Esplanade provides recreational opportunities along the river, previously limited by its proximity to the I-5 freeway.
The Esplanade, completed in 2001, extends from the Steel Bridge to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)—another attractor in the district.
Strategies for future redevelopment in the district focus on the areas surrounding the Hawthorne Bridgehead, the Burnside Bridgehead, and the Martin Luther King/Grand Avenue Commercial Corridor.

- Encourage expanded opportunities for housing and jobs while retaining the character of established residential, neighborhood and business centers.
- Improve the level, distribution and stability of jobs and income for resident industry, businesses and people.
- Enhance the Central Eastside as a near-in job center featuring a diverse industrial base with compatible, supportive and appropriately located commercial and residential activities. Encourage the vitality of existing firms, provide an attractive climate for complimentary ventures, and offer a positive environment for adjacent neighborhoods.
- Implement the Willamette River Greenway Plan to preserve a strong working river while promoting recreation, commercial and residential waterfront development south of the Broadway Bridge. Increase accessibility to the river and enhance greenway areas as a public resource, and improve the environmental quality of life for adjacent and nearby neighborhoods.

Do you want to start or expand a business?
Business Finance Services — www.pdc.us/bizfinance
Economic Opportunity Fund (EOF) — www.pdc.us/eo
Are you looking to develop your property?
Commercial Property Redevelopment Loan Program
Do you want to finance repairs to your house?
Home Improvement — www.pdc.us/homeimprovement
Are you interested in buying a house?
Home Purchase — www.pdc.us/homepurchase
Will you be adding employees to meet increasing demand?
Quality Jobs Program (QJP) — www.pdc.us/qjp
Enterprise Zone — www.pdc.us/ezone
Do you have a business that needs a facelift?
Storefront Improvement— www.pdc.us/storefront
All committee meetings are open to the public. The Commission appoints members to represent a broad range of interests. CES-URAC every other month to discuss project prioritization and to make funding recommendations to the Portland Development Commission.
How to Get Involved
The URACs represent a diverse composition of URA and citywide stakeholders. Members are often drawn from neighborhood and business associations, non-profit organizations, project partners, business owners and representatives, citywide civic groups, and citizens at large. URAC members are appointed by the PDC Board of Commissioners and can serve up to two consecutive three year terms.
The Commission is always looking for new community members who may be interested in serving on PDC advisory committees, whether the focus be on a specific urban renewal area, project or program. PDC encourages interested Portland citizens to apply by completing our online PDC Advisory Committee Application.
Central Eastside Urban Renewal Advisory Committee (URAC)
- Meeting Materials
- January 11, 2009: Agenda
- December 14, 2009: Agenda
- November 9, 2009: Notes, Briefing Paper
- October 12, 2009: Notes, Briefing Paper
- September 14, 2009: Notes, Briefing Paper
- July 13, 2009: Notes
- June 8, 2009 : Notes
- April 13, 2009: Notes
- March 9, 2009: Notes
- February 9, 2009: Notes
- January 22, 2009: Notes
- January 12, 2009: Notes
Maps
- Central Eastside Accomplishments Map
- Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area Boundary Maps
- Central Eastside Storefront Target Areas
- Central Eastside Zoning Map
Publications
- Adopted Budget - 2009
- Central Eastside Reporter
- Burnside Bridgehead Status Updates
- Eastside Burnside/Couch Couplet Fact Sheet- 2007
- Portland Streetcar Loop Development Strategy- 2008
- All Central Eastside Publications
General PDC Activities in the Central Eastside URABusiness and Development Assistance Programs
|
Public Participation and Advisory Committees
Housing Activities and Rental Information
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| View the e-mail archive | Unsubscribe from our e-mail Lists | |
| Find us on: | |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Portland Development Commission | 222 NW Fifth Ave | Portland, OR 97209-3859
Phone: 503-823-3200 | Fax: 503-823-3368






