O'Bryant Square

O'Bryant Square is a square that was a small park and fountain at the intersection of Southwest Park Avenue and Southwest Harvey Milk Street in downtown Portland, Oregon, in the United States. It is named after Hugh O'Bryant, Portland's first mayor.[1][2] Although officially named O'Bryant Square, it is also known as "Paranoid Park",[3][4] "Paranoia Park",[4]"Needle Park",[5] and "Crack Park".[4] Aaron Mesh, writing for Willamette Week on an article discussing plans for a park space in Northwest District described city's reluctance to commit to a plaza because "junkie haven O'Bryant Square, or "Paranoid Park"—have been a security hassle." [3]

O'Bryant Square Park
Park signage in 2014
LocationSW Ninth at Washington
Nearest cityPortland, Oregon, U.S.
Coordinates45°31′17″N 122°40′48″W
Created1973
Operated byPortland Parks & Recreation

History and features

In 1971, the property was donated to the city by Mr. and Mrs. William E. Roberts,[6] having once contained a quarter-block building and surface parking.[7] Development of the park and underground parking cost $1.25 million, backed by federal grants and bonds built on the projected parking revenue.[7] The square and fountain were dedicated in 1973.[8] The park was popular in both the business and planning communities[7] and in 1976, received a national design award from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.[6]

Laurie Olin was brought on to redesign the park in 2006 when he was designing Director Park.[9] Olin called O'Bryant "a real ugly duckling".[9] In 2007, The Oregonian called it "a relic of 1970s urban design".[10]

In March 2018, the park was closed indefinitely by the City of Portland, citing safety concerns related to structural issues in the underground parking garage.[2]

  • Closed off O'Bryant Square taken in April 2019
  • Soul of Portland mural at the restroom building at O'Bryant Park

References
  1. Erickson, Steve (April 7, 1982). "Mayor leads 'Happy (131st) Birthday' Portland". The Oregonian. p. B1.
  2. "Portland closes O'Bryant Square and underground garage 'indefinitely' for safety concerns". OregonLive.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
  3. Mesh, Aaron (5 Jun 2012). "Welcome to Con-way Town". Willamette Week. Retrieved 16 April 2016. The Parks Bureau is reluctant to commit to a plaza, since the ones downtown—including junkie haven O'Bryant Square, or "Paranoid Park"—have been a security hassle.
  4. Hewitt, Lyndsey. "Downtown business owners support new homeless shelter, but apprehensive". Portland Tribune. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  5. Gragg, Randy (March 21, 1999). "Little Park Needs Less-Is-More Vision: Bring Less 'Vision' To Pocket Park; Park Block 5 Can Be An Urban Jewel, Unless Planners Cram In Too Many Amenities". The Oregonian. it could turn into another O'Bryant Square, another missing Park Block now unofficially known as "Needle Park."
  6. "O'Bryant Square". Portland Parks & Recreation. Retrieved 2014-06-23.
  7. Mackenzie, Hilary (1988). The Portland Park Blocks: their origin and development (thesis). Seattle: University of Washington. OCLC 19841853.
  8. "Downtown square dedicated". (December 7, 1973). The Oregonian, Section 1, p. 33.
  9. Gragg, Randy (November 8, 2006). "Sight Lines: Of parks and plazas". The Oregonian.
  10. Leeson, Fred (February 28, 2007). "Storm water utilized in designs for two parks". The Oregonian.
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