Orenco Station, Ten Years Later

Led by project manager, Michael Mehaffy

WHERE: Under the big oak tree just north of the Blue Line MAX Orenco Station
WHEN:  July 10, 2008, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
RSVP:  by July 8, 2008 to mvnewurb-1@yahoo.com in order to get materials that will enrich your tour.

"Perhaps the most interesting experiment in New Urbanist planning anywhere in the country."  Alan Ehrenhalt, The New York Times, June 2000

What are the lessons learned from Orenco Station, good and bad?  What are its successes in sustainable urbanism, and the goals still to be achieved?  What does it suggest about reforming the American suburban settlement pattern?  What are the issues of "masterplanning" versus other more incremental forms of neighborhood growth?

We will tour the community and discuss its design features and tactical approaches, in response to regional policy goals, economic and market conditions, and evolving best practice standards.

Michael Mehaffy, tour leader, was project manager of Orenco Station for the master developer, PacTrust, during its initial development from 1997 to 2003, and continues to be associated with projects on remaining unbuilt sections of the neighborhood. Active in the Congress for the New Urbanism for many years, he works in Portland and internationally as a project consultant and designer, and also lectures and publishes widely.

NOTE:  If you arrive late, you may be able to catch up to the group.  Our path will take us north on Orenco Station Parkway, through the Town Center and Central Park, over to Ashberry Park on Rosebay Avenue, and finally ending at the New Seasons Grocery building.