Eastbank Esplanade

Last updated
Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade
EastbankEsplanade3.jpg
Pedestrian path facing North towards the Burnside Bridge
Eastbank Esplanade
LocationSE Water Ave. and Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, Oregon
Coordinates 45°31′25″N122°39′58″W / 45.523718°N 122.666149°W / 45.523718; -122.666149 (Eastbank Esplanade midpoint)
Area10.69 acres (4.33 ha)
Opened2001 (2001)
Owned by Portland Parks & Recreation
The esplanade's floating section EastbankEsplanade.jpg
The esplanade's floating section

The Eastbank Esplanade (officially Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade) is a pedestrian and bicycle path along the east shore of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States. [1] Running through the Kerns, Buckman, and Hosford-Abernethy neighborhoods, it was conceived as an urban renewal project to rebuild the Interstate 5 bicycle bypass washed out by the Willamette Valley Flood of 1996. It was renamed for former Portland mayor Vera Katz in November 2004 [1] and features a statue of her near the Hawthorne Bridge.

Contents

Description

The project, designed by landscape architects Mayer/Reed, cost $30 million, [2] of which $10 million built a lower deck on the Steel Bridge. [1] The esplanade extends 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the Steel Bridge ( 45°31′37″N122°40′13″W / 45.526871°N 122.670403°W / 45.526871; -122.670403 (Esplanade north end at Steel Bridge) ) to the Hawthorne Bridge ( 45°30′46″N122°40′05″W / 45.512804°N 122.668059°W / 45.512804; -122.668059 (Esplanade south end under Hawthorne Bridge) ). [1] The south end connects to the Springwater Corridor, a rail trail that runs south to Sellwood, then east to Gresham, then south to Boring. The esplanade includes a 1,200-foot (370 m) floating walkway, the longest of its kind in the United States. [1] Connected to this is a 120-foot (37 m) public dock. [1] Thirteen markers along the esplanade correspond to the eastside street grid.

History

Construction began in October 1998, and the walkway was dedicated in May 2001. [1]

The esplanade was closed for 21 days due to high river levels in 2011, the first time it had been closed since it was built. [3]

On the same day in February 2015, two dead bodies were discovered along the esplanade. The events appear to be unrelated. [4] [5] [6]

Public art

Public artworks installed along the esplanade include Alluvial Wall , Echo Gate , the Ghost Ship sculpture, the statue of Vera Katz and Stack Stalk .

Eastbank Esplanade Portland.JPG
A large section of the esplanade

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Ghost Ship</i> (sculpture) Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

Ghost Ship is an outdoor 2001 sculpture by James Harrison and Rigga, a group of local artists, located along the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland, Oregon. It is made of copper, stainless steel, art glass, and two lamps. It is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

<i>Echo Gate</i> Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

Echo Gate is an outdoor 2001 sculpture by Ean Eldred and the architectural firm Rigga, located along the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was funded by the City of Portland Development Commission's Percent for Art program, and is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Vera Katz</span> Statue in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Vera Katz, also known as Mayor, Vera Katz, is an outdoor bronze sculpture depicting Vera Katz created by American artist Bill Bane. Unveiled in 2006, it is located along the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland, Oregon. Katz, a former mayor of the city between 1993 and 2005, supported arts and culture during her tenure and established Oregon's Percent for Art program. She was also instrumental in developing the Eastbank Esplanade, which is named after her. The sculpture has received a mostly positive reception and has inspired people to adorn it with clothing, flowers and makeup.

<i>Stack Stalk</i> Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

Stack Stalk is an outdoor 2001 sculpture by Ean Eldred and the architectural firm Rigga, located along the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland, Oregon.

<i>Alluvial Wall</i> Sculpture in Portland, Oregon

Alluvial Wall is an outdoor 2001 sculpture by Peter Nylen and the architectural firm Rigga located along the Eastbank Esplanade in Portland, Oregon.

The Willamette Escarpment is an escarpment that runs along the east bank of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States. The escarpment comprises two distinct sections: a 200-acre (81 ha) North Escarpment Unit, which extends from the Fremont Bridge northwest to the St. Johns Bridge, and a 75-acre (30 ha) South Escarpment Unit, which extends from the Sellwood Bridge north to the Ross Island Bridge.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Eastbank Esplanade". City of Portland. 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  2. "$30M pedestrian walkway project opens Friday". Daily Journal of Commerce. May 24, 2001. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
  3. John Tierney (2011-06-20). "Eastbank Esplanade reopens after river levels drop". KATU. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
  4. "2nd body found Thursday along Portland's Eastbank Esplanade, popular Willamette River path". OregonLive.com . Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  5. "Man's body found on Willamette River bank near Eastbank Esplanade". OregonLive.com . Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  6. "Police identify man found dead near Eastbank Esplanade; no signs of trauma or foul play". OregonLive.com . Retrieved 11 May 2015.