OPB’s First Look: Filling vacant storefronts in Portland’s Old Town

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Good morning, Northwest.

A pilot program emerged in 2025 to help fill vacant storefronts in Portland’s Old Town, but so far none of the businesses have opened.

Today’s newsletter starts with a look into why businesses with the No Vacancy project have struggled to open their doors. OPB’s Jess Hazel reports.

In other news, we look at how taxes have grown in the Rose City since the pandemic and why a federal farm bailout may not offer much support to Oregon wheat growers.

Here’s your First Look at Wednesday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

Pilot program finds mixed success filling vacant storefronts in Portland’s Old Town

It’s no secret: Businesses in Portland’s downtown have been struggling. There is a lot of vacant retail and office space, and foot traffic has been down ever since the pandemic.

In early 2025, Prosper Portland partnered with the Old Town Community Association to fund a pilot project called No Vacancy to help fill some of the empty storefronts in that neighborhood.

But so far, none of the businesses getting support from the No Vacancy project have actually opened. (Jess Hazel)

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3 things to know this morning

• Oregon wheat growers say the Trump administration’s $12 billion bailout for farmers will cover only a fraction of the cost of producing their crop. (Alejandro Figueroa)
• As voters and lawmakers have levied taxes against high earners, companies and other groups in Portland, some leaders argue that the growing burden has led to a poor business climate. (Kyra Buckley)
• The month-old union representing Portland City Hall staff has filed its first labor complaint against city management, accusing Councilor Loretta Smith of firing an employee in retaliation for labor organizing. (Alex Zielinski)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Oregon immigrant rights attorneys sue to stop warrantless ICE arrests (Mia Maldonado)
• Road damage from Washington flooding to cost at least $40 million (Jake Goldstein-Street)
• Warriors run away for 119-97 win over the Trail Blazers, who played without their leading scorer (Janie McCauley)
• Oregon gets blown out by No. 8 Nebraska​​​​​​​ as the Huskers extend their winning streak to 21 games (Eric Olson)

There’s no glass recycling facility east of Washington’s Cascades. So, groups are shipping used containers to Portland

When glass enters a landfill, it can take years for it to break down. But for many communities east of Washington’s Cascades, keeping it out of the landfill isn’t easy.

That’s because there are no glass recycling facilities.

“Unfortunately, a lot of glass still winds up getting buried, but we’re doing what we can to change that,” said Ron Shaw, who heads up Yakima Recycles Glass.

For several years, the nonprofit has been collecting empty glass containers in the area. But the logistics of getting it to a recycling facility can be challenging. Not only is it labor intensive, but it’s also costly. (Courtney Flatt)

Learn more

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