It’s your lucky day: My latest newsletter is here! Please click here to read it and to become a subscriber.
06.03.2026 14:38
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It’s your lucky day: My latest newsletter is here! Please click here to read it and to become a subscriber.
Formerly an architecture critic at The Oregonian, Gragg launched City of Possibility last year with the largest-ever survey of Portland architecture. They convene creative minds to explore projects and ideas to activate key downtown streets like Southwest Harvey Milk as well as our waterfront.
This week I met with urban landscape expert Randy Gragg, who serves as co-director of PDX Design Collaborative and Executive Director of the John Yeon Center at University of Oregon.
🎨 Jo Hamilton, “Figo House”
• Stadium District: Eleni Gerding is the publisher of Stroll Portland Heights Magazine, a social publication that highlights local events and news in Southwest Portland.
• Old Town: Specialty Coffee Supply focuses on empowering women producers and providing high-quality products and services to help create the best possible espresso drinks.
• Sellwood Moreland: Makerspace offers creative, project-based workshops on everything from letterpress, ceramics, fiber arts, seasonal, floral, painting, stained glass, collage, and more.
It’s also an opportunity to recognize and support some of our women-led businesses. Their influence can be seen all over District 4 (clockwise from top left):
• Multnomah Village: Northwest Wools is Portland’s oldest yarn shop! They have been serving the needs of knitters for more than 35 years.
Did you know Portland is considered the nation’s eighth-best city for women business owners? March is #WomensHistoryMonth, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
This is a great opportunity to enjoy live music and great weather in the heart of downtown. While you’re there, be sure to support our District 4 restaurants and small businesses!
This year’s lineup, which kicks off August 4th with Ani DiFranco and closes August 20th with Vince Staples, delivers long-awaited reunions from Sugar, The Breeders, and Acid Bath, plus “Boys and Girls in America” performed in full by The Hold Steady.
Get ready for summer in the city! It will be filled with music downtown.
For the fifth year, Pioneer Courthouse Square will host a series of PDX-LIVE concerts — and tickets just went on sale!
Yesterday I met with the Downtown Portland Neighborhood Association, which is open to anyone who lives, works, owns property, runs a business, or attends school downtown. We discussed arts venues, bureau oversight, transportation funding and more.
Our central city isn’t just the economic engine for the state of Oregon — it’s also the neighborhood where 15,000 people call home.
These range from shovel-ready infrastructure to long-term redevelopment plans. The Broadway Corridor (top) promises 2,000+ new homes and major public spaces, and the Steel Bridge Skatepark will provide all-ages and all-skills recreation in Old Town.
🎨 Prosper Portland (top) and Dao Architecture
This team will work to remove barriers and accelerate economic opportunities; reignite downtown for new patterns of work and culture; and track progress on a public dashboard coming this spring.
The task force has mapped 75+ projects that will contribute to a more livable, vibrant urban core.
That’s why Mayor Wilson announced the launch of the Central City Roundtable today, which will start meeting next week to advance recommendations from All In On Portland’s Central City, a roadmap developed by Governor Kotek’s Central City Task Force.
Big things are in store for District 4 — but it’s going to take a focused effort from the City of Portland and our partners in business, real estate, arts and culture, education, philanthropy, and community institutions.
Last year Mother’s launched “Bubbie’s Deli Board Pop-Up Menu,” offering New York deli favorites like house-smoked pastrami on house-made rye bread, chopped liver, matzoh ball soup, and rugelach. Check it out from 9am to 2pm Wednesdays through Fridays!
Last week I joined Councilor Zimmerman and our staffs for lunch at Mother’s Bistro & Bar, which has been serving delicious comfort food downtown for 26 years. Executive chef and owner Lisa Schroeder has been a wonderful cheerleader for our small businesses, and it was a pleasure to show our support.
It was fascinating to hear insights from the acclaimed artist, whose piece “Conductions: Black Imaginings II” is on view through May 3rd at the museum.
Did you know that about one-third of all museum visitors enjoy free or highly reduced admission?
Yesterday I visited Portland Art Museum for “A Conversation with Visual Artist Nick Cave” moderated by Rukaiyah Adams, Chief Executive Officer of the 1803 Fund, as part of Black History Month.
What matters most? What should we prioritize?
Staff at the events are available to provide information and to collect and record your feedback. We appreciate your time, your ideas, and your willingness to help shape the future of Portland’s transportation system.
The conversation continues tonight in District 1; Wednesday in District 3; and March 3rd in District 2.
The longer we wait to fill potholes, the more expensive the problems get. We need your thoughts about how any new revenue should be raised and used, and how we ensure strong accountability.
At Council’s direction, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is holding open houses in each district to get feedback on local transportation funding. Last week I joined Mayor Wilson and PBOT at the first of four open houses to hear from District 4 constituents.
Owner Josh Gordon came to my office hours last summer in Hayhurst to tell me about it.
“It’s actually pronounced ‘geese’ because birds migrate towards warmth in the winter,” he says. “We want to activate along the river during a time of year when it’s harder to enjoy these outdoor spaces.”
Did you know that District 4 is home to Portland’s first riverfront sauna?
It’s called Guss, and the mobile cedar sauna sets up shop every weekend at Sellwood Riverfront Park, where guests can sit in the heat before taking a “cold plunge” in the Willamette.
I also learned the latest about a proposed Performing Arts + Culture Center on campus to spark development in the downtown core.
This week I met with Portland State University President Ann Cudd (right) and PSU Foundation President Sarah Schwarz to receive an update on academic and philanthropic efforts at Oregon’s Urban Research University.
Plus: arts news about the Winter Light Festival, the 800th episode of “The Simpsons,” and the largest survey exhibition of David Hockney’s work in North America … Portland’s first riverfront sauna … and a chance to hear me sing Petula Clark’s “Downtown” with Councilor Steve Novick!
