Greg Higgins says market a year

Portland’s public market story is basically a story about how hard “almost real” can be. The James Beard Public Market has been talked about for decades, missed multiple launch windows, and trained locals to be skeptical. But the project looks more concrete now than it has in years. Greg Higgins — one of the chefs most closely tied to it — said it’s about a year away, which lines up with the market’s current 2027 target and a site that is finally secured. ### What is this market supposed to be? It’s a year-round public food market in downtown Portland, planned for the ground floor of the historic Selling Building at Southwest 6th Avenue and Alder Street, near Pioneer Square. The pitch is not just “food hall.” The plan includes produce, meat, fish, dairy, prepared food, drinks, classes, and other retail — more like a market: it will host more than 40 small businesses. ### Why is Greg Higgins part of the story? Because he’s one of the people who has been carrying this thing for a very long time. In his OPB interview about retiring and selling Higgins restaurant, he said he has been involved with the public market effort for roughly 25 years through board work and development efforts. So when Higgins says the market is about a year away, that lands close. ### Why do people keep saying “finally”? Because this has been a multi-decade slog. The market effort dates back to the late 1990s in its current organized form, and even earlier as an idea. Over the years it cycled through different sites, fundraising pushes, and opening targets. In late 2024, backers said the market was finally a go and pointed to a 2026 opening. April 2027 instead. ### What changed to make it feel real now? The biggest shift is that the project has an actual downtown home and more committed capital behind it. The market group bought a nearby building in January 2025 after raising $3 million, and Prosper Portland approved a $2.68 million loan. Oregon lawmakers had already moved it out of the “nice concept” phase. ### Why did the timeline slip again? Turns out getting into the building exposed more work. Coverage of the latest delay said demolition revealed opportunities for a broader design and program vision, which is polite project language for “the scope got more complicated.” New renderings released in January 2026 also suggest a south-facing entrance. ### Why does this matter beyond one building? Because public markets are infrastructure for small food businesses. A market like this can give farms, bakers, fishmongers, butchers, and prepared-food vendors a lower-barrier way to reach customers than building a full standalone storefront. Prosper Portland says the project should create about 200 jobs ### What should people watch next? Watch for construction milestones, vendor announcements, and whether the 2027 date holds. Portland has heard optimistic timelines before. The difference now is that there is a site, public money, and a clearer operating vision. But until vendors sign, build-out finishes, and doors open, the market is still in the dangerous zone between promise and proof. ### Bottom line Higgins’ “about a year” comment matters because it compresses decades of drift into a real test. If the James Beard Public Market opens in 2027, Portland finally gets the civic food market it has been promising itself for a generation. If it slips again, the city’s most famous almost-project stays almost.