Nike- and Melvin Mark-backed Polka Dot Downtown set to return as businesses seek bizjournals.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bizjournals.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Saving Downtown
A grassroots group aims to save small businesses in Portland’s city center from financial ruin.
Jim Mark, CEO of real estate developer Melvin Mark, walks around downtown Portland most days of the week, and is more familiar than most with the property damage that has occurred over the past several months stemming from the Black Lives Matter protests.
He has become frustrated with what he perceives as the inaction of elected officials to try to prevent criminal defacement of property, such as broken windows and graffiti, which has led businesses to board up their windows and storefronts.