Third Avenue's vexing paradox

[PacificNW]

I see lots of retail downtown Seattle covering many blocks in many directions. The same in Boston. Both these cities, and including Portland, have national retailers in the mix as well as downtown enclosed malls. Seattle has 2 enclosed malls downtown. When I lived in Dallas and Houston retail was all but dead...it had relocated to the malls in the suburbs.

There is lots of construction going on downtown which complicates things. People who don't live or work downtown maybe waiting until things clear up a bit. Maybe the landlords of some of these "small, ground floor, spaces" could be encouraged to adjust rents for "one of a kind" Portland based shops. Establish a "creative zone" along 3rd avenue. Build some affordable housing on top of the city own parking garages and market rate condo's on the river front and then see what happens.

Also, there was talk at one time to add individual store entrances at street level for both Pioneer Square and Lloyd Center. I wonder what happened to that idea?