Portland Kind To Its Veterans

Portland, Ore., is planning to keep its storied Memorial Coliseum and, like a lot of cities, is looking for alternate uses. Some of them are unique.

The Coliseum is no longer in danger of being demolished, but because it’s near the Rose Garden, it needs individuality. The 12,888-capacity building is drawing a reported 400,000 visitors a year but doesn’t have the concessions necessary to be highly profitable.

Meanwhile, supporters of the 50-year-old structure want the arena to maintain a presence as a sports and entertainment structure. Developers presented redevelopment proposals to the public Jan. 26 that included turning the Coliseum into an indoor roller coaster, an indoor skydiving park or a wave pool.

There were proposals that stood out, according to the Daily Journal of Commerce.

The NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers are proposing the arena’s capacity be scaled back, giving it more viability as a sports venue. It could also be converted into the Memorial Athletic & Recreation Center, which would include six city blocks worth of swimming pools, rock-climbing walls, a velodrome and racetrack.

There is also the Jewel in a Box proposal, converting the Coliseum into a multi-use office building with a goal of producing the fewest BTUs per occupant in the city. Another proposal is to upgrade the venue to satisfy historical preservationists and offer a nightly hot meal and cot for homeless veterans.

Then there’s BOXPlayhouse, presented by Aquarius and StastnyBrun Architects. They propose changing the arena into a virtual conference and entertainment center. Using a gigantic, concave television screen, the venue would house up to 6,000 people who could attend events in other cities without ever leaving Portland. The proposal includes an “interactive” bridge that would connect the arena to the waterfront, according to the DJC.

“They need to keep what is good there, and add to it,” said architect Stuart Emmons. “We have not taken good care of the coliseum, but it’s not too late to refurbish it as a Portland icon.”