News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 7 November
Two-way traffic soon to be restored to downtown marketplace.
Within the next two weeks, downtown Oregon City’s Main Street will convert back to a two-way street. Based upon two years of work that includes a range of downtown revitalization efforts, Federal and ODOT grant funding, as well as recommendations by numerous consultants, the City of Oregon City will stripe a new center line down Main Street in order to return the street to its original circulation flow.
A video animation produced by Funnelbox Production Studios in downtown Oregon City guides visitors through this new circulation pattern.
A two-way Main Street simplifies the circulation system in downtown Oregon City and provides more efficient access to on-street parking and side streets in the downtown core. The biggest change this year will be along Main Street between 6th and 9th Streets, which had been a one-way stretch of road when downtown was host to Clackamas County’s administrative offices.
“A two-way Main Street works in downtown Oregon City because we’re welcoming visitors off of 99E and making driving downtown a more simple and intuitive process,” said Lloyd Purdy, Director of the non-profit downtown revitalization program MSOC. “Downtown Oregon City is evolving into a retail and restaurant friendly marketplace, not just a center for creative professionals.”
A two-way Main Street circulation system will connect future development on what used to be 1st through 5th Street (currently Willamette Falls Development Site) to the downtown core and to infill development opportunities north of 10th Street. “A two-way Main Street becomes a unifying characteristic of our downtown marketplace,” said Purdy. “It’s a physical connection that benefits all downtown.”
The conversion back into a two-way Main Street wraps up the first phase a multi-phase, multi-year project that could ultimately culminate in more than $4 million in streetscape enhancements downtown from 5th to 15th Streets. The City of Oregon City working with ODOT and the non-profit downtown revitalization program, Main Street Oregon City, competed for and was awarded nearly $2.4 million in Federal and State funding for streetscape improvement infrastructure projects focused on making downtown Oregon City more pedestrian and visitor friendly.
An animated video illustrating the new circulation system of downtown Oregon City can be seen by clicking here.
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Posted in Home, News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 1 November
Hometown Hero and Artist Lee Kelly Installs Major Commissioned Public Art in Downtown Oregon City
A monumental scale polished stainless steel sculpture created by internationally recognized artist Lee Kelly is scheduled for installation in downtown Oregon City on November 1st.
Unveiling ceremony on Saturday, November 5th at 10 am on 8th Street in Downtown Oregon City.
Sculptor Lee Kelly is an internationally recognized artist with a career that spans 55 years http://www.leekellysculpture.net/. Last fall, his work was honored with a career retrospective exhibit at the Portland Art Museum. Based upon a $36,000 fundraising effort by the Rotary Club of Oregon City, Lee Kelly has been commissioned to create a unique piece of public art to be located at the foot of Singer Falls off of 8th Street in downtown Oregon City.
Lee Kelly (center) & Moontrap Intstall Crew on Nov. 1st
“When a downtown attracts a well known artist like Lee for a public art project, it’s a clear sign that good things are happening,” said Lloyd Purdy, director of the downtown revitalization program in Oregon City. “Public art like Lee’s sculpture ‘moontrap’ welcomes visitors, speaks to residents, memorializes anniversaries, and engages the community.”
Lee Kelly has lived in the area since the 1960’s. According to Clackamas County Arts Alliance Director Cheryl Snow, this will be Kelly’s first significant public artwork in Oregon City. Lee’s work on moontrap is also unique because of his close collaboration on this piece with his daughter Kassandra. The unveiling of this collaboration will be Saturday November 5th at 10 am at the base of Singer Falls.
Singer Falls in downtown Oregon City is a Works Progress Administration (WPA) era project that serves as a physical reminder of Oregon City’s history and heritage. As a gateway between “uptown” and “downtown”, Singer Falls is also an important connective corridor for Oregon City. Support for this public art is derived from an Oregon City METRO Enhancement/Beautification grant.
Public Art Project in Downtown Oregon City funded by Rotary and an OC METRO Enhancement grant.
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Posted in Home, News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 2 October
New Changes in an Old Downtown.
Our 166-year old downtown continues to evolve into a modern marketplace. Keep an eye out – especially when driving downtown. Main Street will be returning to a two way street in the very near future.
A two way Main Street is more visitor friendly, more intuitive to drive, and supports higher level of restaurant and retail activity.
This Fall Main Street Oregon City will return to a two-way street.
Posted in Home, News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 30 August
Take a look through the September 2011 edition of Oregon Business Magazine for a brief story about the entrepreneurial spirit found in downtown Oregon City.
Posted in News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 28 August
Downtown Oregon City’s Funnelbox Production Studios is the production team behind digital fitness hit Zumba – #1 on game charts for 11 weeks.
Zumba Fitness is a whole-body interactive video game based on the international dance-workout of the same name. Developed by Pipeworks and distributed by Majesco Entertainment, the game is available for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The game includes basic Zumba training, warm-ups and all-out exercises for different skill levels, all taught by famous Zumba instructors Tanya Beardsley, Gina Grant, and Zumba creator Alberto ‘Beto’ Perez.
Funnelbox Production Studios, located in Downtown Oregon City, was approached by Pipeworks to capture the live-action dance sequences with the instructors on a green-screen stage, then edit the footage into loops and, using professional post-production techniques, create the color-processed silhouettes that appear in the game. In addition to hours of dance footage, Funnelbox filmed fitness stars Beto, Gina and Tanya giving advice and detailed descriptions of dance styles and Zumba moves.
The live-action portion of production was undertaken at Funnelbox’s professional sound stage using a RED One camera package and extensive grip and lighting equipment. Nearly one-hundred hours of footage were processed in post-production by our editors and motion graphics artists.
“The Funnelbox team is a hard working and creative group of professionals,” said Robb Crocker, President and CEO of Funnelbox. “When we partner with creative firms like Pipeworks the results are innovative and world class.”
The post-production process was the most involved, with more than a terabyte of footage had to be scoured to find just the right sequences, then perfected frame-by-frame to the smallest detail so they would seamlessly fit into the game world created by Pipeworks.
Zumba has been an international sensation since Beto brought the workout to the States and started the Zumba Fitness program in 2001. According to the official Zumba website, “the Zumba program has grown to become the world’s largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 12 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 110,000 locations across more than 125 countries.” It has been described as an ‘exercise in disguise’, providing participants a calorie burning workout that’s fun, social and entertaining.
The Zumba Fitness video game was produced for the launches of the Kinect for XBox 360 and the PlayStation Move, making it one of the first games created specifically for this new technology.
Since it’s release in November of 2010, Zumba Fitness: Join the Party has become a surprise hit, reaching more than three million sales in August [one million sold since June alone]. Released in the UK by 505 Games, Zumba hit the top of the charts in April and as of this writing has held the Number 1 spot for eleven straight weeks.
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Posted in News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 25 August
Downtown Car Show: fueled by Columbia Insurance and Busch Family Furniture.
From 10 am to 4 pm, Main Street Oregon City will be bumper-to-bumper with cars, trucks and motorcycles of all types, makes and models. Join us for a fun day downtown.
Last year this event attracted more than 250 vehicles and about 3,000 visitors. We expect this year to be bigger and better.
Drivers are encouraged to enter Downtown Oregon City
via 12th or 14th Streets.
Visitors are welcome to park for free in the City Parking Lot at 13th and Main as well as on the bluff – go ahead and enjoy the elevator ride into downtown.
Registration fees from entry vehicles are used to fund charitable activities in Oregon City.
Join us downtown for another great event on September 17th.
Posted in Home, News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 24 August
The first of several planned streetscape enhancement projects focused on downtown Oregon City have begun — pedestrian focused improvements will continue through summer.
Last year the City of Oregon City competed for and was awarded about $2.4 million in Federal and State funding for infrastructure improvement projects focused on making downtown Oregon City more pedestrian and visitor friendly. This summer, contractors will begin work on the first phase of a multi-phase, multi-year project that could ultimately culminate in more than $4 million in streetscape enhancements on Main Street between 5th and 15th Streets.
The first phase of the project, beginning this month, includes returning Oregon City’s Main Street to a two-way — retail friendly road. This will be followed by pedestrian scale enhancements to the intersection of 10th and Main Streets. “Our 166 year-old downtown is ready for these improvement projects,” said Nancy Kraushaar, City Engineer and Director of Public Works, “We’re taking the next step in revitalizing downtown Oregon City.”
Improvements to downtown Oregon City’s pedestrian-scale infrastructure will have a positive impact that reinforces the idea that in downtown Oregon City people take priority. Unique small businesses flourish when the downtown marketplace is pedestrian friendly. Downtown Oregon City can continue to evolve into a fully mixed-use neighborhood when the streetscape design and vehicle circulation improvements are implemented.
“Improved vehicle circulation makes it easier for visitors to navigate downtown. This is a plus for downtown development and new business starts,” said Lloyd Purdy, Director of the non-profit Main Street Oregon City, “Making our downtown more pedestrian friendly with better lighting, crosswalks and pedestrian-focused intersections supports a more vibrant and active downtown.”
The majority of the $2.4 million in project funding for the downtown improvement projects comes from Federal and State funds via several grants from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The intent of this project is to make downtown Oregon City a more pedestrian and retail friendly and environment in order to support the revitalization of the downtown marketplace.
The next step of this multi-phase downtown improvement project will occur between 5th and 10th Streets with the replacement of worn out sidewalks, curbs and cross walks, as well as the installation of new energy efficient streetlights.
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Posted in Home, News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 19 July
Oregon City’s Signature Event July 30th Returns to Main Street for Second Year with Beer Tasting.
Oregon City’s upcoming First City Celebration on Saturday July 30th in downtown Oregon City celebrates the community’s connection to its youth and families, local creative spirit, and Oregon City’s location as a gateway to the Willamette Valley wine region; and new this year — area breweries.
“Throughout our history Oregon City has been centrally located to a lot of unique microbreweries,” said Tiffany Carlson microbrew tasting coordinator for the First City Celebration. “It’s time Oregon City celebrated our community’s connection to hops, malt, great water and innovative brewers.”
During the First City Celebration on July 30th, visitors to this signature event downtown will be able to sample beer from a range of local microbreweries setup for the day on 8th Street. 8th Street is actually home to one of Henry Winehard’s first breweries and now home to the Busch Family Furniture store.
One of the breweries planning to participate in the First City Celebration in Downtown Oregon City is Fire Mountain Brew House located six miles west of Carlton. Owner and brewer, Henry Gorgas, opened this brew house with his wife Sherry and business partner Henry Dietzman in 2009 with 39 barrels of English style beer. This year he plans to produce over 400 barrels (12,400 gallons).
“We offer the best darn English style stout in the state,” said Henry Gorgas. “We use the highest quality ingredients – much of it local – to brew a range of beers, each with a great flavor profile.”
Henry designed all the recipes produced by Fire Mountain Brew House including their signature Oregon Pale Ale, Bad Henry English style IPA, Bogart IPA and 2011 summer brew Tanline. These microbrews are distinct because they are steam fired and horizontally fermented 12-15 barrels at a time, an unusual process in the local brewing industry.
Downtown will be a busy place on Saturday, July 30th. Events and activities scheduled between 11 am and 9 pm include more than 60 art vendors lining Main Street, kids and family activities in Liberty Plaza, live music, wine tasting at the foot of Singer Falls, and new this year beer tasting from area breweries.
“We’re excited to bring local breweries to downtown Oregon City,” said Tiffany Carlson microbrew tasting coordinator for the First City Celebration. “Unique beers in a unique downtown really compliment each other.”
Main Street between 9th and 6th will be closed to traffic along with 8th and 7th streets for the Saturday July 30th First City Celebration. Event details can be found at www.downtownoregoncity.org The First City Celebration is produced by Main Street Oregon City, Three Rivers Arts Guild and the Rotary Club of Oregon City with support from an OCCIT grant. Presenting sponsors include Wildish Construction, Winestock, the Abernethy Center, Christmas at the Zoo and print media sponsor the Oregonian.
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Posted in News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 14 July
Oregon City’s Signature Event Returns to Main Street for Second Year.
Oregon City’s upcoming First City Celebration on Saturday July 30th in downtown Oregon City celebrates the community’s connection to its youth and families, local creative spirit, and Oregon City’s location as a gateway to the Willamette Valley wine region.
This year’s First City Celebration on July 30th also celebrates a local project of special significance – the restoration of the Oregon City Arch Bridge – the first bridge crossing of the Willamette River. This is one reason, Arch Bridge contractor Wildish is the presenting sponsor for this signature event in Downtown Oregon City.
“We work on signature projects throughout Oregon and Washington,” said project manager Josh Smith from Wildish. “We’re a local Oregon contractor and we want to make sure the people in the communities we work in know we care about their health and safety.”
Wildish is a general contractor for heavy civil and highway construction projects including transportation, airports, streets, dams and bridges. The family owned company was founded in 1935. More than a quarter of the company’s work around the region includes restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures, many like Oregon City’s Arch Bridge.
“We understand how important Downtown Oregon City is to this community,” said Josh Smith. “We’re pleased to participate in this event and build connections with Oregon City and West Linn.”
Project manager Josh Smith says his core crew has a deep level of expertise working on complicated projects like the Arch Bridge restoration. “Coordinating this level of scale and scope for a retrofit like this takes a huge level of detail. It’s the leadership and experience of our Division Manager of 35 years Tim Hendrix and our General Superintendent of more than 20 years Scott Vogl who make Wildish the right company for this job.”
Even with the Arch Bridge under renovation, downtown will be a busy place on Saturday, July 30th. Events and activities scheduled between 11 am and 9 pm include more than 60 art vendors lining Main Street, kids and family activities in Liberty Plaza, live music all day, wine tasting at the foot of Singer Falls, and new this year – beer tasting from local area breweries.
Main Street between 9th and 6th street will be closed to traffic along with 8th street for the Saturday July 30th First City Celebration. Rail Road Avenue will remain open. The First City Celebration on July 30th is produced by the non-profit Main Street Oregon City, Three Rivers Arts Guild and the Rotary Club of Oregon City with support from an OCCIT grant. This year’s presenting sponsors include Wildish Construction, Winestock, the Abernethy Center, Christmas at the Zoo and print media sponsor the Oregonian.
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Posted in News & Press
Posted by Lloyd Purdy on 12 June
Celebrate the unique heritage, identity and character of Oregon City with the First City Celebration in Downtown Oregon City on Saturday July 3oth, 2011. This day long festival features local artists, regional wineries, area breweries, and talented musicians.
Oregon City is a City of Firsts and we’re pleased to celebrate our community’s creative spirit, location as a gateway to the Willamette Valley wine region, and our historic downtown during the First City Celebration.
Visitors are welcome to join us in Downtown Oregon City beginning at 11 am until the music stops (around 9 p.m.) for music, food, wine, beer and artwork.
The producing partners of this special event – the non-profit Main Street Oregon City, the Three Rivers Artist Guild and the Rotary Club of Oregon City would like to thank the First City Celebration event sponsors WILDISH, the Oregonian and the OCCIT grant program.
Posted in Home, News & Press
