As you explore almost any Main Street in Oregon, you may be curious as to why so many active store fronts and businesses are on the ground floor, but why so many upstairs spaces are dark and vacant. Now there’s an effort to change that.
A new report looks at 33 main street communities across Oregon, including a look at why so many upper stories – almost half - go unused.
Kuri Gill is grants and outreach manager for Oregon Heritage, part of the state parks and recreation department. She told KLCC that sometimes these spaces aren’t ADA compliant, aren’t up to modern safety codes, or need major fixing up.
“It might take some funding to adjust the building a little bit toward a different use,” said Gill. “So if it had been offices and they want to do housing, then there’s more plumbing and more electrical needs, different things like that.”
Many unused upper spaces are historical, which could earn specific tax credits and revitalization grants. Reactivating these spaces may draw traffic and commerce to many Main Street areas, which could improve local economies.
The report – “What’s Up Downtown? A Playbook for Activating Oregon’s Upper Stories” - was released by Oregon Heritage and the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research & Engagement.
To access the report and tools, funded in part by the Oregon Cultural Trust, visit the Oregon Heritage website at www.oregonheritage.org.
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