What's been on my mind lately

My point of view on the redevelopment of the Lloyd Center

Lloyd Center exterior at night. Photo courtesy of Tristan Fortsch/KATU.

In recent weeks, hundreds of Portlanders have joined us at Council Chambers to offer their thoughts, questions, and concerns about the future of the Lloyd Center—a privately owned development in District 2 and home of a long-standing shopping mall, theater, and ice-skating rink. They’ve shared many memories, too. As a lifelong Portlander who lived in the neighborhood during my early years, I have many positive memories of the Lloyd Center. All of peoples’ Lloyd Center experiences, both past and present, are valid—and many are cherished.

Truthfully though, I’ve been grieving the state of the Lloyd Center for years. When I returned to Portland in 1997 and joined the Lloyd Athletic Club, I began to see the slow demise of this landmark of our city. It’s been a really long time since that space was used to its potential.

The fact is that the Lloyd Center is a privately owned property. Its developer requested that Portland’s Design Commission review the project’s Central City Master Plan—a completely optional step that signaled they were open to input from the City’s experts to ensure beneficial urban design outcomes at that site. The Design Commission dug into it, and they made an informed recommendation approving the proposal. I don’t want to change that. We have a process, we rely on experts to make the decisions they’re uniquely suited to weigh in on, and we can’t second-guess every move they make. My vote this week recognized this process and the work completed by the owners, developers, architects, urban designers, City staff, and the Design Commission.

I’m feeling energized by the trajectory of some of the small businesses that’ve used the Lloyd Center as a cost-effective business incubator space to refine their offerings and assess their businesses’ viability. Prosper Portland recently launched its Lloyd-Holladay Relocation Grant for Lloyd Center Mall tenants—both businesses and nonprofits—looking to relocate to another ground floor commercial space within the Lloyd-Holladay TIF District. A total of $153,000 is available with grants of up to $25,000 being awarded for moving expenses and tenant improvements. Meanwhile, Downtown Clean & Safe reported in June that several businesses previously operating out of the Lloyd Center, including Brickdiculous Shop & Gallery and Floating World Comics, are relocating to downtown’s Pioneer Place.

I recognize that change is difficult when positive memories run deep. I have hope that a more accessible, walkable neighborhood will emerge and revive the area as an economic and entertainment hub of District 2 and of our city.

More thoughts on the future of the Moda Center

The Moda Center. Photo courtesy of City of Portland.

All eyes remain on District 2, with an opportunity to renovate our world-class spectator venue, the Moda Center. My point-of-view is that there’s no scenario in which the Trail Blazers leaving Portland would be good for the heart and soul of our city, its vibrancy, or its economy.

However, the Blazers leaving is a real possibility. The new owner has made it clear, and he’s not bluffing. It’s time to get serious.

While we need to reach a final deal by December, getting the Mayor and City Councilors aligned on a final agreement in August would put us in an even better position to negotiate. If we can’t find internal alignment, we stand to lose out on funding offered by the State—which represents the lion’s share of the money on the table.

Right now, I’m singularly focused on the next, most important step we can take. We need a majority of the 12-person City Council to agree on terms that the NBA Commissioner and the NBA Board of Governors (the owners of all 30 NBA teams) can support. I think we have enough information to do that. If not, I suspect Blazers Owner Tom Dundon will try to persuade other owners/Board of Governors to support his interest in moving the franchise to another location.

As it relates to funding for a renovated Moda Center, PCEF has been a big point of contention. That fund is bringing in significantly more money than was originally projected. At the same time, the fund has already invested capital into private nonprofits and in City of Portland projects that involve the construction of physical spaces. Moda is a big ticket item, so it’s getting a lot of attention, but this practice of PCEF-funded capital investments isn’t new. In my view, PCEF is the only viable path forward that won’t drain precious resources from the City’s General Fund and wouldn’t raid reserves or impact the City’s ability to address basic needs like potholes, parks, or police. On top of this, it would further establish Portland’s brand of building elegant, energy-efficient buildings that reflect our city’s climate resiliency goals. Let’s promote Portland’s green industry brand and provide much-needed jobs for our hard-working partners in the trades and hospitality.

I had a great conversation about Moda with 105.1 The Fan's Isaac and Suke on Primetime this week—you can listen to the full segment online. City Council’s next work session on Moda is on July 22, so tune in then for the latest.

Meet Kobi Flowers, one of our summer interns 🌸

Summer intern Kobi Flowers and Councilor Dan Ryan at the 2026 Good in the Hood festival.

Last month, we welcomed Kobi Flowers to the team as one of our office’s summer interns. We knew how awesome it was to work with Kobi because she interned with us last summer. Kobi grew up in North Portland and is a graduate of Jefferson High School and was the 110th Queen of Rosaria during the 2024 Rose Festival. Now she’s a junior studying political science at Howard University. Here’s what Kobi had to say in her own words about what she loves about Portland, her intern experience, and her advice for high school seniors in Portland.

Q: What's your favorite spot in Portland?

A: My favorite place in Portland is the Alberta Arts District. I love the sense of community there—from the local businesses and colorful murals to the different restaurants and events happening throughout the year. It's a place that really reflects the creativity and diversity of Portland. And no trip to Alberta is complete without stopping at Salt & Straw for some ice cream. It's one of my favorite traditions and always makes the visit even better. Whenever I'm there, I'm reminded of what makes Portland such a special place to call home.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience interning for Councilor Ryan’s office?

A: Interning for Councilor Ryan's office has given me a behind-the-scenes look at how local government works and the impact it has on peoples' lives. I've had the opportunity to attend community events, support outreach efforts, take photos for social media, and connect with community leaders across Portland. One thing that's stood out to me is how much collaboration goes into creating positive change.

One area I'm especially passionate about is education, so it's been meaningful to see how local government can support students, families, and schools through partnerships and community investment. This experience has strengthened my desire to pursue a career in public service and has shown me that making a difference often starts at the local level.

Q: What words of advice do you have for high school seniors in Portland who are deciding what's next?

A: My biggest piece of advice for high school seniors is to not limit yourself to just one path or feel like you have to have your entire life figured out right after graduation. Don't write your life in pen—write it in pencil. Give yourself the freedom to grow, explore new opportunities, and change directions if something no longer feels right. Some of the best opportunities come from simply being open to trying something new. Trust that every experience is teaching you something and helping shape the person you're becoming.

Out and about: Community snapshots

City Councilor Dan Ryan with constituents at one of the Moda Center listening pop-up events held across all districts in mid-June 2026.

A big thank you to all of the Portlanders who came out to McCoy and Irving Parks in mid-June to learn more and share their thoughts about the future of the Moda Center. Listening to all of your perspectives will make me a better leader on this issue.

I heard clearly—and nearly unanimously—that constituents in District 2 want the Moda Center's primary tenants, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Portland Fire, to be here, in Portland. Most folks told me that they understand why the arena’s primary tenants are asking their landlord, the City, for facility upgrades. Opinions differ on the HOW to pay for those upgrades, and that’s what we’ll be working to figure out in the coming weeks and months.

Darcelle's son and daughter (center) cut the ribbon at the plaza's soft opening alongside Councilors Clark and Ryan and Mayor Wilson. Photo courtesy of Allison Barr/The Oregonian/OregonLive.

On June 18, I had the honor of saying a few words at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Portland’s new Darcelle XV Plaza—a beautiful, dynamic, and activated public events space in the heart of downtown. Darcelle XV created a welcoming environment for everybody. Darcelle reflected what Portland aims to be: an inclusive city for all.

While I was Parks Commissioner, I was happy to help get this space renamed and to advocate for its reimagining. I believe giving locals and visitors positive reasons to spend time downtown by activating public spaces is key to creating the thriving central city that we want. Portland Parks & Recreation, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Downtown Clean & Safe, and other project partners and stakeholders collaborated to push this project over the finish line, and I’m so thankful.

Councilor Ryan at the Juneteenth Oregon Festival on June 20, 2026.

In recognition of Juneteenth and in celebration of the Black community in Portland and beyond, I spent June 19-20 in community with my neighbors and friends.

On the morning of June 19, I joined the Bridge-Pamoja community in partnership with the Coalition of African and African American Pastors and Imams (CAAAP) for their Interfaith Black Clergy Prayer Breakfast. The following day, I attended the Juneteenth Oregon annual festival and celebration at Lillis-Albina Park. 

Afterward, I felt particularly reflective about the meeting of Juneteenth. It marks our nation’s second independence day, and it's a time to honor Black liberation, resilience, and achievement. 

Councilors Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, and Ryan, artist Arvie Smith (center), and members of the Piedmont Neighborhood Association at the sign-topper celebration on June 20, 2026.

The highly anticipated installation of commemorative street sign toppers along Rosa Parks Way was completed late last year. On June 20, we celebrated the accomplishment! The sign toppers were designed by local artist, painter, educator, and Piedmont resident Arvie Smith, and they were installed to honor the legacy of Rosa Parks—depicting the civil rights icon looking out the window of a bus.

This project was a collaboration between the Piedmont Neighborhood Association, Portland's Office of Arts & Culture, and Portland's Bureau of Transportation, and it was set into motion when City Council voted to rename N and NE Portland Boulevard to Rosa Parks Way in 2006. The community was resolved to see this work through, and I’m so happy for them!

Councilor Ryan (center) at a recent Alameda Neighborhood Association meeting.

I was delighted to be able to join the Alameda Neighborhood Association at the Fremont United Methodist Church for their monthly meeting on June 23. I was glad to have such a robust conversation with so many neighbors. The discussion was wide-ranging, exploring topics that included:

💬 How City Council can work together around shared priorities for the City
💬 The budget process and why the Mayor can't break tied votes on all items
💬 Moda Center financing and how it impacts the broader vision of a dynamic Albina 
💬 The need for City Council to create a strategic plan to address Portland’s economic viability

Thank you to the Alameda Neighborhood Association for inviting me out and for their interest in diving deeper into the challenges and opportunities we face as Portlanders. Listening to all of you improves my decision-making!

Councilor Ryan and his partner Amo at the Darcelle XV Plaza grand opening and community celebration on June 25.

A few days after the ribbon-cutting event, on June 25, I celebrated the grand opening of the Darcelle XV Plaza alongside the entire community. What an incredible evening it was! The plaza itself is beautiful and so unique-to-Portland, and seeing it fully activated and embraced from vision to reality was wonderful. 

I was humbled, and surprised, to receive recognition for my role in this work during the event. I remain filled with gratitude—many thanks to the teams at Downtown Clean & Safe and the Portland Metro Chamber. I'm truly honored. 

The beautification of our parks, plazas, and squares is a partnership with community. Together, we are all part of activating downtown and bringing back our economy. Please make plans to enjoy lunch, catch up with a friend, or attend an upcoming event in the beautiful Darcelle XV Plaza this summer. ☀️💖🎊

Councilors Pirtle-Guiney and Ryan alongside the Mysti Krewe of Nimbus at Good in the Hood 2026.

On June 27, the weekend after the Juneteenth Oregon Festival, I was back at Lillis-Albina Park for Good in the Hood! The city’s longest-running multicultural music and food festival, Good in the Hood has been around for more than 30 years. During the parade, it was great to see so many old friends along the route and groove to Councilor Smith's playlist! 🎶 A big thank you to the whole community for showing up to keep this important Albina tradition alive.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly re-opened St. Johns Library.

📚🎊 The renovated, expanded St. Johns Library is open now! 🎊📚 The updated library is larger, more modern, and reflective of its diverse neighboring communities. Its new features include learning and play space for children and their families, a teen room for technology, connection, and creativity, modern checkout systems, new public art, and more.

I was happy to be able to celebrate the library's grand re-opening with so many community members in late June. Thank you all for your patience during the remodel—I hope you’ll find it was worth the wait.

Councilor Ryan and Community Warehouse Executive Director Anna during a tour of the nonprofit's furniture bank.

Recently, my staff and I had the opportunity to visit District 2’s Community Warehouse—a nonprofit furniture bank that collects goods and redistributes them to those in need, to the tune of 65 homes furnished every week. From mattresses and dining tables to pillows, couches, and dish sets, it's one of the largest furniture and home goods banks in the US. The organization has served Greater Portland for 25 years, with locations in NE Portland, Gresham, and Tigard, and they say demand has increased by 150% since the pandemic began.

Many thanks to Anna Kurnizki, who started as an intern in 2012 and is now the nonprofit’s executive director, for the invite and for leading our tour. To learn more, including how to donate or volunteer, visit their website at communitywarehouse.org.

Upcoming meetings and events

• 7/14: City Life Committee Meeting
• 7/15: Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole Meeting
• 7/15: City Council Meeting
• 7/16: City Council Executive Session
• 7/16: City Council Meeting
• 7/19: Portland Pride Parade 🌈🌈🌈

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