director park director park officially simon city park portland state oregon opened cost million covers space underground parking garage connects underground fox tower park avenue west tower located downtown nearly half acre urban park lacks natural areas contains little vegetation features park include fountain artworks cafe distinctive glass canopy director park designed design firm portland based architectural firm park originally planned corridor consecutive public parks stretching downtown portland plan included today proposals connect sets park blocks arose 1970s businessman proposal director park planning began construction began history reserved public use portland didn actually donate land city historian stated stretch imagination cited philanthropist like partners record clear visionary character land speculation helped spawn litigation portland western city comparable size wrote editorial stating crucial blocks lost greed government reluctance poor estate planning adverse court decision park land previously surface parking contained early food cart institution snow white_house developer wanted block 1970s held significant meeting fate called opposed downtown parking magnate plans turn block space story parking structure called park avenue plaza said parking structure like putting dead corpse said story garage won away chance special try special decade proposed park february later described march reunite north south park blocks favor director recommendation area favored new park block thematically consistent development blocks foundation raised patrons agreement building owner donate building way park blocks including portland chapter plan saying sort impression people came downtown work shop gain rural experience idea reunite dead moving spotlight sex abuse scandal disapproval plan tired swimming upstream city council park originally titled designed designed new_york square los_angeles new_york competed team budget million included renovations square renovated developer previously donated million asked park named deceased wife donated surface space park space underground spaces additional parking connecting parking park avenue west tower time budget city public steering committee headed willing away naming rights exchange funding local developer donated million plaza asked city commissioners maternal grandparents simon simon born russia helen born poland met portland plans announcement park avenue west tower drove stake heart started headed suspended conversations cash build surface funding budget increased million construction began park originally expected completed late dedicated october performance total cost nearly million million million million private donations mainly june announced park needed repairs replace wooden beams glass canopy steel beams design park paved light granite includes square feet glass canopy space cafe meeting requirement space devoted commercial activity 9th avenue 10th avenue allowing pedestrians greater priority avenues closed larger events director park finalists award meant recognize outstanding example public open space enriched surrounding community finalists portland square houston discovery green ultimately won prize wood beams glass canopy determined plan replace september steel beams agreed pay replace wood beams city paying additional upgrade steel beams park operations cafe run local elephant park branch local chain replaced cafe tenant early elephants pays rent year park cost estimated run year
Director Park