PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — From the homeless problem to concerns about public safety to the president recently calling Portland a “war zone,” the Rose City’s reputation has taken a beating lately.
Add in a tough business environment and a downtown office vacancy rate that’s among the highest in the nation at around 35%, and that beating turns a little rough.
However, against that backdrop, auto magnate Jeff Swickard is moving ahead with major investments in the city.
Swickard recently purchased the U.S. Bancorp Tower, fondly known as “Big Pink,” at a bargain price of $45 million — a fraction of the record $372 million it sold for in 2015.
More recently, Swickard purchased the BMW of Portland near Providence Park.
Swickard, a University of Oregon graduate, joined Eye on Northwest Politics to talk about why he’s bullish on Portland despite its issues.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
Ken Boddie
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