Latest News
Press Release | May 1, 2026
More Workers, More Activity: New Signs of Momentum in Portland’s Central City
Portland, OR — The Mayor’s Central City Roundtable convened today for its second meeting amid signals pointing to increased workplace activity and renewed investment across Portland’s Central City.
In recent weeks, several major employers and institutions have taken steps to expand or reestablish their presence in the Central City:
-
Last week, OnPoint Community Credit Union held an open house to celebrate its new 17,000-square-feet brand in downtown Portland at SW Broadway and Washington.
-
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon signed a long-term lease for its headquarters at 200 SW Market St, and expanded from approximately 60,000 to 100,000 square feet.
-
Accounting firm Geffen Mesher & Co. signed a long term lease in the same building for 30,000 square feet.
These announcements add to the momentum created by other recent moves, including:
-
UpStart Collection’s decision to consolidate its coworking locations by taking over the 5th floor of the “Big Pink” U.S. Bank building.
-
Portland State University’s decision in the fall of 2025 to increase its in-person presence, bringing more students, faculty, and staff into the Central City.
“OnPoint is proud to expand service to consumer members while providing resources dedicated to over 50,000 area businesses,” said OnPoint CEO, and Central City Roundtable member Rob Stuart. “This decision underscores our continued investment in the vitality and future of Portland’s Central City.”
These developments come alongside a broader wave of Central City activity highlighted in the Mayor’s State of the City speech on April 17, such as:
-
The return of Nike’s flagship store. With a presence in downtown since 1990, the newly renovated Nike Portland store opened as an elevated sport, community and culture hub.
-
Uniqlo’s decision to open a new Central City retail location across from Pioneer Courthouse Square.
-
New ownership and reinvestment in major Central City office buildings, including Big Pink and the Black Box building.
-
The relocation of National University of Natural Medicine to South Downtown.
Together, these actions point to early momentum across the Roundtable’s key indicators, including increased office activity, more active storefronts, and more people out and about in the Central City at all times of day.
“We are seeing more workers returning, more investment, and more activity,” said Mayor Keith Wilson. “Activation leads to more activation. That’s why my budget proposes adding $800,000 to existing Prosper Portland resources for retail, grocery stores, and restaurants to make storefront investments citywide with a focus on the Central City.”
The Mayor convened the second meeting of the Central City Roundtable on May 1, in which the members agreed on shared key performance indicators of progress and a plan for working groups around core areas of focus. The Roundtable brings together leaders from business, education, real estate, and the nonprofit sector to stay aligned around near-term actions and track visible progress over time.
“We are focused on what people can see and feel,” Wilson added. “More activity, more workers, and more reasons to be in the Central City. We’re creating results through hard work and determination.”
The Roundtable will continue to meet regularly and share updates on the website as progress continues.
Press Release | February 24th, 2026
Mayor Keith Wilson to Launch Central City Roundtable on March 6
PORTLAND, Ore. — Mayor Keith Wilson today announced the launch of the Central City Roundtable, a cross-sector leadership group that will align public, private, and community partners to accelerate progress in Portland’s Central City spanning both sides of the Willamette River.
The Roundtable, which will hold its first meeting on March 6, is intended to advance recommendations made in the All In On Portland’s Central City roadmap developed by the Governor’s Central City Task Force. The group will build on the Mayor’s existing initiatives to improve public safety and end unsheltered homelessness, and includes leaders from business, real estate, arts and culture, education, philanthropy, and community institutions.
“Portland has a downtown like no other, and the latest foot traffic statistics prove what we all know—the energy is coming back,” said Mayor Wilson. “We're assembling a cross-sector team of senior leaders capable of transforming that spark into an innovative, ambitious, sustainable civic revitalization. We have all the ingredients we need to attract opportunity and supercharge the kind of economic activity that lifts our entire community.”
The Central City Roundtable will be co-chaired by Mayor Wilson and Nolan Lienhart, Director of Planning and Urban Design at ZGF Architects. Lienhart brings extensive experience in placemaking and civic collaboration and will help guide the Roundtable’s work on activation and long-term competitiveness.
“We’re at a pivotal moment,” said Lienhart. “A vibrant Central City benefits the entire city, region, and state. We can build on the momentum of recent successes, such as the Rothko Pavilion at the Portland Art Museum and the James Beard Market, which links Portland’s food scene to Oregon-grown products. We also have visionary master-planning developments, like Broadway Corridor and those led by Albina Vision Trust and OMSI, that have the potential to redefine Portland’s Central City for a generation. But realizing that potential will take more than capital investment. It will take creativity, shared accountability, and a willingness to work across traditional boundaries.”
The Central City Roundtable will help identify and remove barriers and align capital to accelerate economic opportunities. In addition to project development and finance, the Roundtable will focus on reimagining and reigniting downtown for new patterns of work, culture, and community life. The group will track progress on a public dashboard that will be shared later this spring.
Wilson emphasized that Central City recovery depends on strong public-private partnerships and shared accountability.
“Government cannot do this alone,” he said. “That’s why I’m asking for guidance and partnership from leaders in all sectors. Together, we can restore Portland as the heart of the region, and as a nationally competitive hub for innovation and opportunity.”
More information about the Central City Roundtable and its membership is available at pdxcentralcityroundtable.com.