James Beard Public Market Withdraws from Downtown Site

It appears the empty downtown parking lots on either side of the Morrison Bridge will not be home to the highly anticipated James Beard Public Market. According to the Portland Architecture blog, the James Beard Public Market’s board of directors abandoned the idea of the location over the summer and is currently assessing new areas in Portland. The Market’s executive director, Fred Granum, says the on ramps from Naito Parkway onto the Morrison Bridge posed the main challenge, as a risk to pedestrians.

Will the Market ever be actually built? Granum went on to say that the board is assessing new locations and should have one selected within the next few months. Currently, the area around OMSI and another downtown site are being looked at. The James Beard Public Market first announced plans to open in Portland all the way back in 2010.

• James Beard Public Market abandons downtown Morrison Bridge site [Portland Architecture Blog]
• All Previous James Beard Public Market Coverage [EPDX]