PF Chang's Closes Doors in the Pearl

The Stumptownblogger reports about what is happening to the "vibrancy" of the Pearl District.  You know, the neighborhood we're all supposed to want to be like?  The district hat wouldn't exist without huge amounts of redevelopment TIF (tax) funds and tax-supported streetcars.  Depending on what you call blight, and I guess PF Chang's is not high end enough for the Pearl and belongs in some un-blighted area instead.  Where land speculation and development in hopes of getting public funds for a project hasn't altered the landscape.

Go to downtown LO and see how many small, owner-run businesses are still around and count them again in a year or two.  Better yet, go back a few years and do the same.  What happened to the wonderful bread bakery on B Ave?  Wherever urban renewal goes, rents to up, and that is the plan - to get more property taxes from the property.  After spending tax money to do it.  And in areas that aren't blighted.  Did I get that right?

Have you kept count of favorite shops that have left town due to urban renewal and rising rents?

From the Lake Oswego Review one year ago on the closing of the Upper Crust Bread Co. on B Ave.

“If you want people to make private in- vestments to create businesses in an area, there’s no upside to somebody investing—like me—all of the money I put into that building, to not be able to get it out now,” she [Seeger] said. “As much as we love our customers, through this experience I couldn’t recommend anyone open a business in this community. The people who live in this community deserve so much better.”