Communities in the Portland metropolitan region are seeing streetscapes and skylines change with multifamily, mixed-use developments located near transit that not only provide needed rental housing, but create jobs and generate economic activity. Two transit-oriented projects tell a story repeated throughout the Portland region and the nation: the smart money is on development projects that push economic recovery.

Every downtown and Main Street has a unique story to tell, claims Michele Reeves of Civilis Consultants. Reeves works with business and property owners in the region's downtowns and Main Streets to help stakeholders develop their district's civic identity by uncovering its unique story. Through her revitalization curriculum, Reeves analyzes the business mix, grid and circulation, vacancies, infrastructure, zoning, design review, parking and retail execution of a district and develops recommendations for increasing sales per square foot and enhancing ties with the community.

Learn about recent research on the impact of the built environment on health at a free presentation at Metro, 600 NE Grand, Portland, on Friday, Nov. 4, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Dr. Lawrence Frank, the author of Health and Community Design: The Impact of the Built Environment on Physical Activity, will present information from his book and lead a discussion on public health, land use and transportation.

Today the Metro Council voted 6-0 to add 1985 acres to the region’s urban growth boundary for future housing and jobs. (Councilor Rex Burkholder was excused.) This represents less than a one-percent expansion of the region’s urban footprint to accommodate thousands of additional households and workers over the next 20 years.

Metro won't be locked in to buying the property even if it is the winning bidder. Project partners envision a park-like setting that honors the region's history and also provides economic redevelopment opportunities for Oregon City.

On Friday, Aug. 19, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission approved the urban and rural reserves map for Washington County, which was approved by the Metro Council and the Washington County Board of Commissioners last spring.

This decision, combined with LCDC’s decision last year to approve the urban and rural reserves for Multnomah and Clackamas counties, completes four years of collaborative effort to provide significant protections for farmland and natural areas while supplying enough land for good jobs and vibrant neighborhoods for the future. No other metropolitan area in the United States has ever attempted—let alone achieved—such a thoughtful and far-reaching plan.

Maximize access for the exchange of goods, services, labor, entertainment and social contact and minimize transportation. According to Ian Lockwood, national expert in livable transportation, it's the formula for vibrant, successful cities that support local economies and promote walkable, sustainable communities. In town to speak about the connection of transportation to successful places, Lockwood presents a compelling case for the ways in which Portland can make changes that could transform the city.

Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette packed her bags for Puerto Rico in March to discuss Metro's sustainable land use policies with professional planners and students at Universidad Metropolitana in San Juan. Collette was joined by GBD Architects President Phil Beyl and two graduate students from Portland State University.

Metro's transit-oriented development program knows how to make the most of the resources it has. Since its inception, the funding for Metro’s transit-oriented development program has remained constant despite the significant expansion of the regional transit system and the number of areas eligible for investment with TOD funds. It comes down to leveraging what you have – and what you do best. The soon-to-be-released strategic plan for the TOD program charts a course for further leveraging available funds and targeting locations for developing compact, transit-oriented communities that encourage travel by transit, walking and bicycling. In the course of its 10-year existence, the Metro TOD program has successfully leveraged $30 million in existing funds into over $300 million in private investment in transit-oriented development projects within the region.

It can start with something as simple as taking up the carpet covering beautifully-aged wood floors in a historic building or removing plaster from the façade of a downtown landmark to reveal the original brick beneath. Sprucing up one building can inspire the owner next door to do the same, and before long, the entire block and beyond becomes – or goes back to – the lively downtown it once was. This is the premise that Michelle Reeves of Rethinking Urban Places is bringing to her downtown revitalization work in Tigard and Oregon City. Metro has partnered with Reeves and the two cities to promote making the most of what downtowns already have with efforts that lead to on-the-ground results.