In this month’s Urban Design Panel, we hear from the City of Portland on the Montgomery Park to Hollywood (MP2H) NW Plan.
The MP2H NW Plan is a long-range plan for the area in Northwest Portland between NW Nicolai and Vaughn streets, west of Highway 30. The plan proposes to transition the industrial and employment area into a climate-friendly, transit-oriented future mixed-use district that includes opportunity for new employment, housing, and services. These changes would complement a planned extension of Portland Streetcar to Montgomery Park, via NW 23rd Avenue and NW Wilson/Roosevelt streets. In addition to new zoning regulations, the MP2H-NW Plan will apply the Design overlay zone to much of the area.
City staff are now creating a “character statement” for the plan area to help guide future projects that will be subject to design review. Staff is seeking feedback from the UDP, and other community members, on the draft character statement for the area.
Here’s a link to the broader MP2H Project website: Montgomery Park to Hollywood Transit and Land Use Development Study | Portland.gov
Speakers
Cassie Ballew, City Planner, Urban Design
Cassie has over 15 years of combined experience in planning, urban design and architecture. Her experience includes work as an architectural designer, as a planner conducting permit and land use reviews and as an urban designer, working on the development of design standards, guidelines and concepts for large area plans in Portland. Cassie previously helped lead the development of the urban design framework and character statements for the River Plan South Reach and West Portland Town Center Plans.
Barry Manning, Senior City Planner
Barry has over 20 years of experience working on long-range planning efforts, including town center and main street plans, and transit-oriented planning projects in Portland. He served as a District Liaison in East and North Portland and helped shape the East Portland Action Plan. In addition, Barry worked on updates to Portland’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan and Commercial/Mixed-Use zones.
Joan Frederiksen, City Planner
Joan is a Land Use Planner and is part of the planning team on the Montgomery Park to Hollywood (MP2H) – NW Plan. Joan has over 20 years of experience in current and long-range planning. Prior to working on MP2H she worked on the West Portland Town Center Plan and served as the West District Liaison for the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
Ryan Singer, AICP, Principal Planner, Long-Range Planning and Urban Design
Ryan has over 20 years of experience in planning in New York City where he led the Bronx Office of the Department of City Planning, served as Executive Director of the Board of Standards and Appeals, and Senior Director of Land Use and Commission Operations for the Department of City Planning. His work includes area-wide planning, development of urban design guidelines, strategic planning, and change management. Ryan has a master’s in urban planning from the University of Washington and is happy to return to his roots in the Pacific Northwest.