With 2024 Coming to a Close, Plazas Celebrates a Successful Year
As 2024 draws to a close, we celebrate an extraordinary year for PBOT's Public Street Plazas. These vibrant spaces have continued to transform neighborhoods into thriving hubs of connection, creativity, and resilience, bringing Portland's neighborhoods to life. From engaging community events to groundbreaking initiatives like the Seasonal Plaza Program and Ambassador Program, this year has marked significant milestones in the program. As we reflect on these achievements, we invite you to join us in celebrating the highlights of 2024.
Upcoming Plaza Partner Events
There are always events popping up at the plazas. Here is what's on our radar for the month. New events from our partners are also regularly re-posted on the PBOT Instagram page.
Saturday, Dec 7th
- Tree Lighting at Montavilla Plaza 4-6 PM. The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association invites you to celebrate the holidays with a special tree lighting in the plaza. Expect community, music, and holiday treats.
Saturday, Dec 28th
- Plaza Work Party, Arleta Triangle Square: 10 AM-12:30 PM. Make a good place even better! Gather at Arleta Triangle Square every last Saturday starting at 10 a.m. to paint, weed, clean, and meet your neighbors. Gloves, tools, and light refreshments provided.
Need help finding the plazas? Check out the Plaza Directory.
Want to throw an event at a PBOT Public Street Plaza?
Plazas are for Portlanders and we love to see them thrive! Want to throw a performance, dance party, craft market, seed swap, game night, neighborhood meet and greet, or something else? Reach out and email us at PortlandStreetPlazas@portlandoregon.gov and we can help you navigate throwing an event.
The Small Plaza Activation Process is intended to remove barriers for small-scale neighborhood-based activities that build social and community connections in PBOT plazas. Best of all, permits under Small Plaza Activation are 100% FREE.
Building Stronger Together: Partnerships at the Heart of Portland’s Plaza Program
PBOT's Plaza Program is guided by a comprehensive framework of seven key moves designed to ensure street plazas across the city are successful, inclusive, and sustainable. From fostering partnerships and developing mechanisms for co-investment to ensuring transparency, equity, and climate resiliency, these guiding principles aim to create vibrant and welcoming public spaces for all Portlanders. Today, we’re focusing on partnerships, a foundational element of the program that brings together community stakeholders to keep plazas clean, attractive, and engaging for the community.
We know that the success of public street plazas depends on strong partnerships with community stakeholders. Active plaza partners collaborate with PBOT to ensure these spaces remain clean, attractive, and vibrant hubs. In fostering partnerships, one key action is supporting the establishment of plaza committees. These advisory groups are designed to encourage broader participation and ensure diverse representation in plaza design and decision-making. This helps PBOT create spaces that better reflect the needs and character of the surrounding community.
This partnership model is exemplified by the Ankeny Alley Association, whose collaboration and leadership have transformed Ankeny Alley into a thriving community space.
Since its formation in 2016, the Ankeny Alley Association has been a vital force in stewarding the bustling Ankeny Alley Plaza. This diverse committee of building owners, business operators, Saturday Market representatives, Old Town Community Association members, and Prosper Portland has brought new energy to the heart of Portland. Key figures such as Manish Patel (Kit Kat Club), Keoni Wachsmuth (Dan and Louis Oyster Bar), Chris Pink (Portland Can Can), Angelina Webb (Angelina’s and Saturday Market Board), and Tom Carrolo (Beardsley Development) have joined forces to lead this collaborative effort.
"I’m the fourth-generation owner of Dan and Louis Oyster Bar, which has been in our family since 1907. This area has always had its challenges, but about 10 years ago, we found a way to close down the alley to cars and make it pedestrian-only. Slowly but surely, we’ve built traction, started the Ankeny Alley Association, and now we’re focused on activating the space to bring in positive energy to the area.”
-Keoni Wachsmuth, Owner
Dan & Louis Oyster Bar
In 2023 and 2024, the Association organized six festivals and sponsored a MusicPortland event series, continuing their support for the series into this year. Their vibrant programming and engaging events have brought new life to Portland's Downtown, and they’re already planning their next big project—a dazzling installation for the Winter Lights Festival. Stay tuned next month for updates on this exciting development!
The group is tackling challenges head-on, focusing on public space activation, crime prevention, and securing grant funding to enhance the plaza. With key objectives like a new stage and public seating in the works, Ankeny Alley has seen tremendous growth in participation and impact this year.
“There’s a lot of history with Ankeny Alley, being part of Old Town and connected to the Saturday Market. Here, the businesses have come together with PBOT to show it’s a safe environment. We just want to make sure downtown, and Ankeny Alley in particular, is a safe place to bring people back Downtown.”
-Manish Patel, Owner
Kit Kat Club
Other exceptional committees have also emerged, such as the Friends of the Commons at Concordia Commons, who were spotlighted earlier this year. Looking ahead to 2025, PBOT aims to further advance the key initiative of partnership building by creating stewardship agreements that clearly define the roles and responsibilities of plaza partners. Additionally, PBOT is committed to ensuring that every plaza has an active partner, formalized through a signed stewardship agreement.
Stay tuned for future articles as we dive into other Key Moves shaping the Plaza Program and strengthening its impact citywide!
A Year in Pictures: Plazas Celebrate an Astounding Year of Growth and Community
2024 has been a remarkable year for Portland’s plazas, filled with exciting milestones and achievements. As we approach the end of the year, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the most memorable highlights that made 2024 a standout year for public spaces across the city.
Do you have a great Public Street Plaza Photo?
We'd love to feature it! Share your best PBOT Street Plaza photo with the world by tagging @PBOTinfo on Instagram, Facebook, or X (formerly Twitter). You can also email them directly to our team at PortlandStreetPlazas@portlandoregon.gov.
Where can you find PBOT's Street Plazas?
PBOT has numerous active plazas that are ready for you, your friends, and family to enjoy. They are great places to grab a bite to eat, relax, enjoy live music, meet up with friends, and so much more. Check out our directory to find out about plazas near you!
What is the Portland Public Street Plaza Program?
Originally started during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist businesses and Portlanders, PBOT's Public Street Plaza program-built partnerships with community and local businesses to transform select streets into public spaces for cultural events, street fairs, pop-up markets, and more. The program uses PBOT's Livable Streets Strategy, adopted by Portland City Council in 2017 as its policy foundation to turn streets into inclusive public spaces that foster public life.
What started as a temporary solution is now becoming a permanent fixture in our city. The Street Plaza program reflects PBOT's commitment to climate action, mobility for all, and community building by creating spaces that everyone in Portland can use and enjoy.
Contact Us
Feedback, suggestions, partnerships, photos or event ideas? We'd love to hear from you! Email us at portlandstreetplazas@portlandoregon.gov.
Portland Public Street Plazas Funded by the American Rescue Plan
This project is funded by the American Rescue Plan, a federal economic stimulus bill designed to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession. The City of Portland is receiving $208 million of local recovery funds. Investments focus on three key priorities: houselessness response and household stabilization, business and commercial district stabilization, and community health and safety.
The City of Portland ensures meaningful access to city programs, services, and activities to comply with Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II laws and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, contact the Portland Bureau of Transportation at 311 (503-823-4000), for Relay Service & TTY: 711.