PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland’s iconic Pioneer Courthouse Square turned 30 on Sunday, and the private nonprofit that operates the square celebrated with 1,984 free cupcakes.
KATU-TV reports (https://bit.ly/1kji9Wz ) thousands packed the square to celebrate the conversion of a once-empty piece of land into the heart of the city.
The Oregonian reports (https://bit.ly/1kjio3G ) the square was once home to an 1850s schoolhouse and, later, a luxury hotel.
A Portland-based design team won an international competition to design the square. The idea was to have the square active for as many hours per day as possible.
The multi-level brick plaza, with stairs that serve as seats, makes for a natural amphitheater and is home to more than 300 events annually.
The square needs $4.4 million in repairs and restoration work.
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