| Project Rating: |  |
| Project Snapshot: | A sleepy timber and agricultural town embraces tourism and revitalizes its downtown. |
| Project History: |
The historical heritage of Hood River can only be described as an embarrassment of riches. The town is located in the steep, scenic heart of the Columbia Gorge at the mouth of the Hood River. It has been an important center of trade since before European settlement in the mid-1800s, and established an important timber and produce packing industry by the turn of the twentieth century. By the 1980s, timber has faded as a part of the local economy, but the rich soils and spectacular setting of the Hood River Valley still made the world famous apple, pear, peach and cherry orchards there a popular tourist destination. Complementing the traditional fruit-packing trade was the emerging windsurfing industry and Hood River's growing role as a base for other outdoor recreation, including sailing, biking, hiking, climbing and skiing. The City of Hood River established an Urban Renewal Agency to finance much-needed improvements to the downtown infrastructure to reflect the new tourism-based economy. In 1997-98, a number of street improvements on Oak Avenue, State Street and adjoining side streets greatly elevated the appearance and pedestrian function of the downtown. Though modest, the projects show how simple design improvements can greatly enhance a traditional downtown. Click here for a series of recent local news articles that chronicle the street improvements and other recent downtown planning activities in Hood River, and provide a flavor of the local debate over new developments. |
| Best Ideas: |
The best improvement is what you don't see: utility lines along Oak Avenue and other streets were buried as part of the project. However, the street improvements in downtown Hood River are just part of the City's overall strategy, which also includes an excursion train - the Mount Hood Railroad - into the scenic Hood River Valley and waterfront redevelopment plan along the Columbia River. Other key elements to the project are administrative, including the use of an Urban Renewal Agency, Historic Downtown District with design guidelines and city ordinances that enable a business-driven Economic Improvement District to form. There are also numerous festivals and civic activities based in the downtown area that have re-established it the cultural center of the region. The Overlook Memorial Park is also an important new civic space, and is pictured in the gallery below. |
| Worst Ideas: | Like many cities who don't own their main streets, Hood River's sidewalk improvements along Oak Avenue were constrained by existing curblines, which presented serious limitations for the project. Intersections, in particular, are still too auto-oriented. However, the City's effort stands as a good example of how to work within the constraints of a reluctant state DOT, and still meet many local needs in the process. |
| Contact Information: |
Hood River City Hall PO Box 27 Hood River, OR 97031 (541) 387-5217 web: http://www.ci.hood-river.or.us/ |
