Before visiting the Gateway district, I reviewed the extensive research that has been conducted about the neighborhood by PoSI, DistrictLab, and may other contributors. Located in Southeast Portland, the Gateway district is one of five pilot Ecodistrict sites in city. I was attracted to this district for a couple of reasons; first because it has an incredibly ethnically diverse population and as pointed out in much of the research, it does not have a central area in which activity is based around and the community stems from. While the lack of centralization plays a significant role in the cohesion of the area now, it is particularly important to consider this when thinking about the growth of the area. As the Gateway EcoDistricts Pilot Study pointed out, with out having a central organization there is no way to bring together various interests in a way that creates coordination between them (1). PoSI and DistrictLab have worked extensively with the community to put together a list of priorities that they have for their neighborhood.  First they looked at critical issues that needed to be addressed in the area. These included social interaction and investments in education and economic development. From this analysis the priorities were derived. The top three that emerged were, increasing connectivity, both physically and socially, creating an “identity” for their district and improving security and appearance. After reading these conclusions, I was interested in creating a building that could act as the center for the community, something that would provide amenities for everyone while making a significant impression on the community. My initial aspirations were to design a multicultural market, with gallery space, non-profit offices and educational facilities. My impressions changed slightly after visiting the area and the site I had in mind.

Water Tower to the South

Site (looking South)

A little history

Gateway was built on farm land providing dairy, berries and trucks in the late 1920’s. Housing  primarily consisted of small homes on large lots, with businesses mostly existing on NE Halsey St. After WWII, veterans and their families moved to the area. The David Douglas School District was subsequently established and quickly gained a reputation for its quality education. In 1954 Gateway Fred Meyer opened and began the revolution of commercial development in the area. Mr. Meyer located the store in its current position and coined the name Gateway for he envisioned it to be a “gateway” to east Portland from the Banfield freeway. People today still consider the Fred Meyer area to be the center of the district. In the 70’s many of the commercial landmarks that make up the “Gateway Regional Center” were built. In the 80’s it became part of Portland proper in order to reach the urban amenities. I-205 and the Max were built in 1983 and 1984 which made Gateway a significant transit hub.

I have to admit that when I first encountered the Gateway district I was not inspired.  I was overcome by the amount of corporate stores, strip malls and lack of historical character. It was overwhelming to think about the changes that would need to take place in order to achieve the goals of the community and vision encompassed by the EcoDistrict. In order to ignore the automobile traffic crossing between seas of parking I had to think about the district from another perspective, one that would allow me to draw on the positive aspects of the area. As I opened my eyes to new possibilities, I realized that it is areas like these that need the most attention. Gateway has the essentials to create a wonderful place; people, of all ethnicities, desiring to create a community, existing infrastructure with space for new developments, and an eclectic building stock, open for a new style to transform them and give character to the neighborhood.

Works Cited

DistrictLab. Gateway Ecodistrict Pilot Study. Rep. June 2010

Portland Sustainability Institute. Pilot Report: Gateway EcoDistrict Development. Rep. 2010-2011

Portland Development Commission. Gateway Regional Center.http://www.pdc.us/ura/gateway.asp

Portland Development Commission. Opportunity Gateway; Concept Plan and Redevelopment Strategy. February 2000.