PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Portland City Council is set to vote on Wednesday to determine the future of Portland’s southeast waterfront.
City commissioners will vote on a $15.4 million investment in infrastructure for the OMSI District.
The district project has been in the works since 2008.
KATU spoke to Erin Graham, the president and CEO of OMSI, about the need for development. She said new roads and utilities are crucial for the area’s future.
“Currently, we’re surrounded by a lot of surface parking lots and brown fields, and to support the district development and the neighborhood of the future, we need those utilities,” she said.
Graham said it will take 10 to 12 years to fully develop the district, but OMSI is eager to get started now.
Once it is done, she said the district would be home to 1,200 units of housing and 300 square feet of mixed-use space.
She said OMSI is also working with tribal partners to reestablish tribal presence on the Willamette River.
Graham plans to testify in favor of the investment ahead of Wednesday’s vote.