USS Portland commissioned in namesake city

The crowd looks on during the commissioning ceremony for USS Portland (LPD 27). (U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Zach Holden)

PORTLAND, Ore. – During an official commissioning ceremony held in front of over 5,000 guests, the crew of the USS Portland (LPD 27) brought their ship to life, April 21.

The Honorable Patrick Shanahan, deputy secretary of defense, officially placed the Portland in commission, the 11th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship to join the Navy’s operational fleet.

“The City of Roses has a ship worthy of its creative spirit and industrious heritage,” proclaimed Shanahan. “The acceptance trials are over and her officers and crew are ready. Wherever her flag flies, in foreign ports, on the high seas, in weather fair or foul, this ship will carry the spirit of this city on the Columbia River.” While addressing the audience, Shanahan emphasized the importance behind the naming of the Portland, while touching upon the history of the first two ships to carry the name Portland.

“This is the first ship to be named exclusively for Portland, Oregon,” said Shanahan. “Her officers and crew will write the next chapter, and do so with pride. This ship will carry our power and goodwill anywhere they are needed.”

Since departing Pascagoula, Miss. the ship and her crew have sailed 9,930 nautical miles, conducted a crossing the line ceremony, and sailed through the historic Panama Canal on their way to their designated homeport of San Diego.

“Since Dec. 1775, commissioning ceremonies have been an honored naval tradition celebrating, accepting, and welcoming a new ship into the fleet,” said Capt. J. R. Hill, Portland’s commanding officer. “When USS Portland was brought to life during today’s ceremony, I was humbled as I thought back to the dedication and passion the crew demonstrated throughout our journey to this culminating moment.”

Speaking on behalf of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson, deputy CNO Vice Adm. Dixon Smith went down memory lane, recalling the history of the Oregon Shipyard, which during the height of World War II launched 24 ships in only 30 days.

“The USS Portland has joined the ever growing list of reasons for Portlanders to be proud,” said Smith. “The men and women of this crew come from all across the nation and will soon sail, perhaps into harm’s way, to keep us safe here at home.” Upon conclusion of the ceremony, guests were invited to tour the 684-foot war fighting vessel, where they could experience the state of the art design that will continue to sail decades from today with future generations of Sailors and Marines aboard. “Portland’s motto, ‘First Responders, Brave and Determined’ made having the ceremony in Portland — with the city’s first responders present — even more meaningful for all in attendance,” said Hill.

Prior to commissioning, Portland underwent multiple phases to prepare her join the fleet.

The ship’s formal recognition of transition from concept to reality began Aug. 2, 2013 at Huntington Ingalls Shipbuilding during the keel laying ceremony when the ship’s sponsor, Bonnie Amos, engraved her name upon a plaque, as a symbol authenticating the keel.

A mast stepping ceremony was then held May 20, 2016. This time-honored naval tradition symbolizes the moment a shell becomes a ship, and her crew honors that tradition by placing mementos into a time capsule for future Portland Sailors to discover.

Portland was officially launched May 21, 2016 after a ceremonial christening was held Feb. 13, 2016.

Today, Portland boasts a heavy arsenal of capabilities beneath the hood. Amphibious transport dock ships are versatile players in maritime security with the ability to support a variety of amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions, operating independently or as part of amphibious ready group (ARGs), expeditionary strike groups (ESGs), or joint task forces (JTFs). In addition to performing their primary mission, the San Antonio-class ships support anti-piracy operations, provide humanitarian assistance, and foreign disaster relief operations around the world.

Sailors run to man USS Portland (LPD 27) during the ceremony. (U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. Zach Holden)

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Prosper Portland picks Continuum Partners to oversee Broadway Corridor development – Portland Business Journal

A Denver-based developer will likely head up one of the most prominent development projects in all of Portland.

Prosper Portland is expected to select Continuum Partners LLC as the preferred development partner to lead the development of the 32-acre Broadway Corridor, which includes the 14-acre post office site at 715 N.W. Hoyt St. and several other nearby properties.

Based in Denver, Continuum describes itself as "a national leader in large scale, mixed-use, urban projects." The company’s list of projects includes everything from apartments and hotels to new neighborhood districts. Continuum also served as the master developer on the $500 million Denver Union Station Transit Center redevelopment. That 14-year project is credited with spurring as much as $2 billion worth of development, including hotels, offices, shops and restaurants, hotels and apartments and condominiums.

"This is a huge project and this is a big decision," said Kyra Straussman, director of development and investment for Prosper Portland.

Back in November, Prosper Portland issued a request for qualifications looking for developers who had the experience to head up the long-term planning and development effort for Broadway Corridor. The list was narrowed to three finalists in March, including Continuum, a team headed up by McWhinney — also a Denver company — and the New York based Related Companies.

Prosper Portland officials, city partners and a 43-member steering committee vetted the finalists and wound up choosing Continuum. Prosper Portland commissioners will consider the recommendation of Continuum at its meeting on Wednesday.

At the same meeting, Prosper Portland is also expected to approve a $2.1 million contract with ZGF Architects for consulting over the next 16 months on a master plan for the Broadway Corridor project.

Straussman said that Continuum rose to the top of the list over the other finalists despite the fact that the developer’s pitch didn’t include local partners. McWhinney’s submission listed the James Beard Public Market and TEDx Portland among its local team members; it was also working with local developer Beam Development. Related Companies’ team included Melvin Mark Companies and Central City Concern.

"Some folks felt very positively and warmly about the teams that put together the local partners," Straussman said. "Continuum took a totally different tack and said we see ourselves at the beginning of initiating a partnership with you. Some liked that more open-ended approach that Continuum brought."

The selection of Continuum will find the developer negotiating a memorandum of understanding with Prosper Portland. No money will change hands, but Straussman said Continuum did have to make a commitment of their own funds for pre-development in its submission.

The developer also had to be willing to enter a community benefit agreement as part of the qualification process. Such agreements require developers to provide certain benefits or amenities to local communities.

Continuum, ZGF and other subcontractors will work on developing the master plan for Broadway Corridor over the next 16 months. The resulting plan, according to Straussman, will be "a definition of our aspirations for the development of all the properties that are in the Broadway Corridor." It will also size up transit options, housing, public amenities and a host of other considerations.

An initial framework plan for Broadway Corridor, developed in 2015, envisioned 4 million square feet of mixed-use space on the post office site alone. Development of the post office property, according to the original Broadway Corridor RFQ, is expected to generate more than $1 billion in development value and investment.

Prosper Portland’s earlier framework plan for the corridor also envisioned approximately 2,100 new housing units, including 700 that would be affordable.

Straussman said a main goal moving forward on the Broadway Corridor development process will be "radical transparency."

"This project started with active listening at the grass-roots level," she said. "There will be countless portals for folks to give their opinions. It’s an example, not just for Portland but for the whole country, of how you can do large-scale development in a community-driven way."

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