Darcelle XV Plaza explained

Darcelle XV Plaza
Location:SW Park Ave. and Washington St.
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Area:0.46acres
Created:1973
Operator:Portland Parks & Recreation

Darcelle XV Plaza (formerly O'Bryant Square)[1] is a square that was a small park and fountain at the intersection of Southwest Park Avenue and Southwest Harvey Milk Street in downtown Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It received the current name in July 2023. It was named after Hugh O'Bryant, Portland's first mayor.[2] [3]

The park has also been known as "Paranoid Park",[4] [5] "Paranoia Park", "Needle Park",[6] and "Crack Park". Aaron Mesh, writing for Willamette Week on an article discussing plans for a park space in Northwest District described city's reluctance to commit to a plaza because "junkie haven O'Bryant Square, or "Paranoid Park"—have been a security hassle."

Darcelle XV Plaza was home to Fountain to a Rose, a bronze fountain in the shape of a rose.[7]

History and features

In 1971, the property was donated to the city by Mr. and Mrs. William E. Roberts,[8] having once contained a quarter-block building and surface parking.[9] Development of the park and underground parking cost $1.25 million, backed by federal grants and bonds built on the projected parking revenue. The square and fountain were dedicated in 1973, and the park was named O'Bryant Square, for Portland's first Mayor, Hugh D. O'Bryant.[10] The park was popular in both the business and planning communities and in 1976, received a national design award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.[8]

Laurie Olin was brought on to redesign the park in 2006 when he was designing Director Park. Olin called O'Bryant "a real ugly duckling".[11] In 2007, The Oregonian called it "a relic of 1970s urban design".[12]

In March 2018, the park was closed indefinitely by the City of Portland, citing safety concerns related to structural issues in the underground parking garage.[3] On 12 April 2023, Portland leaders voted to demolish the plaza.[13] On July 13, 2023, the park was renamed Darcelle XV Plaza.[14] It is currently in the process of being redeveloped and is set to open in either 2024 or 2025.

The new park will feature a stage and a dog park, as well as a large shade sail covering the center of the park.[15] It will become the first city park in Portland to be fenced in.[16] As part of the redevelopment, Fountain to a Rose was removed in 2023.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Darcelle XV Plaza Portland.gov . 2023-07-25 . www.portland.gov . en . 2023-07-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230725180630/https://www.portland.gov/parks/darcelle-xv-plaza . live .
  2. News: Erickson. Steve. Mayor leads 'Happy (131st) Birthday' Portland. April 7, 1982. The Oregonian. B1.
  3. News: Portland closes O'Bryant Square and underground garage 'indefinitely' for safety concerns. OregonLive.com. 2018-06-15. en-US. 2018-06-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20180615163306/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2018/03/portland_closing_obryant_squar.html#incart_breaking. live.
  4. News: Welcome to Con-way Town. Mesh. Aaron. 5 Jun 2012. Willamette Week. 16 April 2016. The Parks Bureau is reluctant to commit to a plaza, since the ones downtown—including junkie haven O'Bryant Square, or "Paranoid Park"—have been a security hassle.. 9 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160609171447/http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-19295-welcome-to-con-way-town.html. live.
  5. Web site: Downtown business owners support new homeless shelter, but apprehensive. Hewitt. Lyndsey. Portland Tribune. en-gb. 2019-04-11. 2016-11-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20161117073516/http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/330648-210434-downtown-business-owners-support-new-homeless-shelter-but-apprehensive. live.
  6. News: Little Park Needs Less-Is-More Vision: Bring Less 'Vision' To Pocket Park; Park Block 5 Can Be An Urban Jewel, Unless Planners Cram In Too Many Amenities . Gragg . Randy . March 21, 1999 . . it could turn into another O'Bryant Square, another missing Park Block now unofficially known as "Needle Park.".
  7. Web site: Darcelle XV Plaza Portland.gov . 2023-08-28 . www.portland.gov . en.
  8. Web site: O'Bryant Square. Portland Parks & Recreation. 2014-06-23. 2010-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20100812032823/http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=488. live.
  9. Book: Mackenzie, Hilary . The Portland Park Blocks: their origin and development (thesis) . . Seattle . 1988 . 19841853 .
  10. "Downtown square dedicated". (December 7, 1973). The Oregonian, Section 1, p. 33.
  11. News: Sight Lines: Of parks and plazas . Gragg . Randy . November 8, 2006 . .
  12. News: Storm water utilized in designs for two parks . Leeson . Fred . February 28, 2007 . The Oregonian .
  13. News: opb.org . Portland leaders agree to spend $4.5M to demolish downtown’s O’Bryant Square park . Kristian Foden-Vencil . April 12, 2023 . April 15, 2023 . April 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415172241/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/12/portland-city-council-mayor-ted-wheeler-obryant-square-destruction/?outputType=amp . live .
  14. Web site: 2023-07-23 . Can You Tell Me How to Get to Darcelle XV Plaza? . 2023-08-01 . Willamette Week . en . 2023-07-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230725181029/https://www.wweek.com/culture/2023/07/22/can-you-tell-me-how-to-get-to-darcelle-xv-plaza/ . live .
  15. Web site: Darcelle XV Plaza Project Portland.gov . 2024-02-06 . www.portland.gov . en.
  16. Web site: 2024-02-02 . Proposed Fence Around Darcelle XV Plaza Draws Criticism From Portland Design Commission . 2024-02-06 . Willamette Week . en.

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