Newspaper unknown, from Oregon Historical Society Vertical File – “Vanport,” October 22, 1944
Big Postwar Industrial Center Proposed to Save Vanport City
By Florence Dannals
Postwar bugaboos of Vanport City turning into a ghost town, of thousands of shipyard workers who wish to remain in Oregon facing unemployment and of industrial stagnation and hard times affecting the area all will go up in a puff of smoke if the far-reaching plans of the Portland Housing authority to convert the area into an industrial center find favor, believes Chester A. Moores, chairman of the authority.
He has submitted to Washington, D.C., with the backing of Mayor Earl Riley and the city planning commission, recommendations which would convert the 790 acres in Vanport City and East Vanport into a model industrial center and has based the recommendations upon a close survey of the facilities available and of the interest which has been indicated by industrialists who wish to find sites in the Northwest.
Public Buying Supported
While pointing out that as long as homes are needed by workers in the area, no steps will be taken to demolish the buildings, Moores nevertheless believes that an orderly plan should be developed by experts to lay out the acreage to attract industries. Since the original proposal to convert the district into a rehabilitation center for returned service men and their families has met with disfavor, the housing authority believes that the wisest use of the property would be to demolish the homes as they are vacated and eventually place the entire 790 acres on the tax rolls for public buying.
In supporting the plan Mayor Riley asserts “It is my opinion that the use of the Vanport City area for industrial purposes will guarantee Portland’s future. This model industrial area will give Portland a very distinct advantage over other Coast cities in offering inducements to industry. The property is ideal, being close to rail lines and water, close to transportation and all other facilities.
Others Assist Moores.
Working with Moores were other members of the Portland housing authority, Herbert J. Dahlke (vice chairman), Harry T. Cappell, H. J. Deltoff and Sanford E. Norby. They consulted the Portland Chamber of Commerce, city planning commission, the Oregon State Federation of Labor, the American Institute of Architects, the Oregon Building congress, Portland Realty board, Portland Homebuilders association, and various other civic and official organizations.
In submitting the proposal to Frank M. Crutsinger, regional director of federal public housing authority in Seattle for forwarding to Washington D.C. Moores pointed out that in passing along the recommendation the committee is “firmly convinced that the distinct, almost unique advantages and adaptability of Vanport City for comprehensive industrial development, inspire us with the challenge hope that we may convert what might have been a troublesome blighted area into a constructive community asset which can be made to exert a tremendous influence upon the future prosperity of Portland.”
50 Industries Interested
“Furthermore, we happen to know there are upward of 50 industries, including many of national importance, now interested in locating plants in the Portland area. Yet we believe that we can prove that it is presently difficult to provide industrial sites to meet their requirements. A model industrial district of Vanport City’s proportions would fill an urgent community need.”
In urging that the Portland Housing Authority be given the disposition of the property, Moores recalled that Vanport City is 2 1/2 times larger than any other housing project in the United States, except for the second largest at McLoughlin Heights, in Vancouver, and that the authority has been managing the 18,092 housing units during the war emergency under temporary schedule.
