Willamette Week The need for strong, independent local journalism is more urgent than ever. Please support the city we love by joining Friends of Willamette Week. Pioneer Place Wants to Install New Security Gates. City Approval Could Take Up to 103 Days. For now, Portland’s highest-end retailers are hidden behind sheets of plywood and particle board. SHINING LIKE A DIAMOND: A downtown MAX train passes the boarded-up entry of Pioneer Place. (Brian Burk) Updated February 10 The first sign that Portland's economy is rebounding from a year of paralysis will come when downtown stores strip off their plywood facings. That transformation could take just a few hours.