Prosper Portland Board selects Broadway Corridor master developer

Contact: Shawn Uhlman, Prosper Portland, 503-823-7994

Following a unanimous vote (5-0) by the Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners at its Wednesday, April 11 meeting, Continuum Partners of Denver, Colorado will act as the master development partner for the Broadway Corridor project . Continuum, led by CEO Mark Falcone, will serve as an advisor during the creation of a development strategy for the 32-acre Broadway Corridor project area, and once the strategy is completed, will have exclusive rights to negotiate Prosper Portland’s portion of the United States Postal Service property in northwest Portland.

The postal site redevelopment is a key opportunity site within the Broadway Corridor for high-density employment, mixed-income housing, and regionally significant cultural amenities.

After reviewing input from a community-led evaluation committee, leadership from the Portland Housing Bureau, Prosper Portland and Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office jointly recommended Continuum Partners to the Prosper Portland Board, citing the team’s comparable experience, aligned values, and passion for the envisioned project.

“This is a major milestone in moving the Broadway Corridor project forward,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “With Continuum Partners’ experience informing this work, we are taking an important step toward becoming the city we want to be.”

Prosper Portland Executive Director Kimberly Branam said, “In their proposal, presentation and interviews, Continuum Partners demonstrated the capacity, experience and commitment to be true partners in delivering an inclusive process and equitable outcomes. The Board’s action today is a crucial step in beginning to assemble a team which will ultimately include other local developers, contractors, vendors and suppliers to deliver on the community’s vision for the Broadway Corridor.”

Sam Rodriquez, a member of the Broadway Corridor Steering Committee and evaluation committee, said, “We’re very appreciative of the community inclusion, evaluation and vetting process that allowed us to move up our timeline for this decision. We are looking forward to working with Continuum and to creating pathways for local teams to participate in the process. ”

“At Continuum Partners, we believe that successful projects stem from a deep understanding of a community’s values, history, culture, climate and the unique character of its neighborhood and the region as a whole,” said Mark Falcone, company CEO.  “We have learned through other successful projects, such as Denver’s Union Station redevelopment, that we must first listen to ensure we fully understand the unique goals and objectives the community has for the project. Prosper Portland and the Portland Housing Bureau initiated the Broadway Corridor as a community-driven project. Continuum is fully committed to continuing and maintaining that effort, ultimately rounding out our team through an active listening and open dialogue process.”

In the next phase, the Broadway Corridor Steering Committee, ZGF Architects, Prosper Portland, the Portland Housing Bureau and now Continuum Partners will create a people-centered development plan to guide the Broadway Corridor development and achieve community aspirations.  That process will include significant community engagement and will define public benefits to be included in a community benefits agreement as part of redevelopment.