Downtown Portland
Reimagining the
Harvey Milk-Oak Street
corridor.
A community effort to transform Harvey Milk and Oak Streets into a green, pedestrian-first corridor connecting downtown to the Willamette.
Proposed plaza - SW Harvey Milk St between 4th & 5th
The Problem
Downtown isn't working.
Portland's downtown has lost the foot traffic and ground-level activity that once defined it. Vacant storefronts and underused streets are slowing recovery and discouraging investment.
The Harvey Milk-Oak Street corridor is the most promising lever for change - it has the open fabric, the zoning, and the waterfront proximity to anchor a real turnaround.
The Solution
A pedestrian-first greenway to the waterfront.
People's Tributary is a community-led effort to transform Harvey Milk and Oak Streets into active green corridors - managing stormwater, reducing urban heat, supporting pollinators, and hosting neighborhood life.
We start this summer with a public plaza on Harvey Milk between 4th and 5th, adjacent to the Expensify Midtown Beer Garden - the first step in a connected pedestrian path to the Willamette.
2026 Summer Program
A modular, movable plaza.
Installs in days and flexes from a quiet weekday street to a full event closure. Moves to different block faces throughout the year to activate the full corridor.
Modular Planters
Trees and pollinator-friendly plants brought to the street.
Seating & Tables
Benches, tables, and platform seating that reconfigure with the day.
Flexible Layouts
Partial closure weekdays, full closure for events - always with emergency access.
Climate-Responsive
Manages stormwater, reduces urban heat, supports biodiversity.
The Opportunity
Where downtown's next economy takes shape.
The Harvey Milk-Oak Street corridor is the ideal destination for businesses and residents ready to co-create the future of downtown livability - anchoring resilient, equitable outcomes at the intersection of economic opportunity and bold civic experimentation.
About
The people behind People's Tributary.
Core Group
- Jeff KovelSkylab Architecture
- Reiko IgarashiSkylab Architecture
- Matt AllenExpensify
- Charles KelleyGreen Urban Design
Partners
- Expensify
- Design Portland
- Skylab Architecture
- Green Urban Design
Help us seed downtown's next chapter.
Sponsors, partners, and community members are welcome. Donate to support the summer installation.
Donate