Who We Are
We, the undersigned residents, community members, and concerned citizens of the Irvington neighborhood and greater Portland, are coming together to demand action regarding the future of the Lloyd Center property.

The Problem
Currently, Lloyd Center is a long-abandoned, failing mall with 90% of its stores closed. Its massive parking lots sit completely empty, and the real estate surrounding it has devolved into a massive dead space. Once you pass 15th Street driving down Broadway, the vibrant residential area abruptly drops off into a void that stretches all the way to the highway, suffering from a profound lack of order, care, and community.

The Impact on Our Community
This issue is actively impacting our community by:

Creating Public Safety Risks: Vast, unmonitored parking lots and largely abandoned structures naturally attract illicit activity. There are growing concerns and dark speculations within the neighborhood regarding human trafficking and other severe crimes occurring in the shadows of this empty property.
Perpetuating a Monument to Consumerism: Despite a growing populist narrative trying to save the mall as an "anti-establishment" move, keeping a corporate mall on life support is the exact opposite. Lloyd Center is not a cultural monument; it is a monument of consumerism.
Wasting an Incredible Opportunity: This massive plot of land in the middle of our city is an incredible missed opportunity. The dread and emptiness the current structure brings is preventing this space from thriving as badly needed affordable housing, green space, and useful event space.
We understand there is a small, vocal minority of current occupants resisting this change, claiming the mall is a "community space" because it houses a kettle corn stand, a lightsaber store, and an aging ice rink. We appreciate that these small businesses are trying to make a living, but this nostalgia is misplaced. These businesses can easily be accommodated in smaller, updated commercial spaces within a new development. Furthermore, the underutilized, deteriorating ice rink can easily be rebuilt in a better, healthier location. The sheer size of this land could host hundreds of similar community structures without keeping this decaying mall alive.

Our Demand
We respectfully urge the Portland City Council to take immediate action to:

Approve the demolition of the failing Lloyd Center structure and its empty parking lots.
Support the current owners' plan to replace the site with a comprehensive residential and mixed-use project.
Facilitate the conversion of this dead zone into a livable, thriving neighborhood that brings energy, safety, and true community back to the area.
By taking these steps, we can remove an unsafe, ugly monument to consumerism and build a healthier, more vibrant city. After countless failed attempts to bring this space back to life, we ask leadership to listen to the people directly affected by this issue, step away from these misconceptions, and stick to a definitive plan for redevelopment.

Please sign this petition to tell the Portland City Council that it is time to replace the Lloyd Center dead zone with housing, green space, and a safer community!