NoPo needs a Movie Theater!

Still no movie theaters in North Portland. What's the problem? Jantzen Beach could use a cinema, Regal! Kenton Park could use one, as well. The only options for NoPo residents are to drive to St. Johns, the Lloyd Center, or Downtown Vancouver (not an option during rush hour). The first company to step in and build a movie theater in the vicinity of Interstate and Lombard is going to make bank.

North Portland Needs a Movie Theater!

CommunityWalk Map - North Portland Theaters
North Portland has very few theaters in the area, yet this is one of the largest residential areas in the city. Here is a map I created on Community Walk. As you can see, there are a few theaters serving the North Portland community. Unfortunately, none of these theaters are very convenient for the majority of North Portlanders.

• The Regal City Center in Vancouver is literally in another state! This theater is always a joy to visit, but traffic can be a bit daunting. The main downfall of this theater is access.
• The Lloyd Center Theaters are okay, but they're a bit distant to be very useful for people in North Portland. Again, access is the problem.
• The St. John's Theaters are great. They both allow drinking of beer, but they both have one downfall: There are only two screens in each! During the times they're actually playing something you want to see, you will be treated to a long drive into St. John's. Access isn't as bad as some of the other theaters, but it's still no walk in the park.
• Kennedy School is a great discount theater, but it's still a bit east to be a comfortable distance. Limited by 2 screens, this theater doesn't give much selection either.
  

Once you study the map, it becomes evident that North Portland really could use a movie theater of its own. None of the above referenced theaters play artsy films. And I suppose that's okay. There are plenty of art house cinemas in the city. If we really want to go to one, we can go downtown. Although, the lack of an art house cinema is certainly a huge opportunity for any entrepreneur. North Portland has seen a recent increase in the number of sophisticates and members of the creative class.

There are several places in North Portland where a cinema could be placed:

• Jantzen Beach Shopping Center. There are plenty of large buildings here, many of them under utilized.
• Delta Park area. This space is relatively unknown and hidden from most Portlanders. The huge buildings here are also under utilized and could easily be converted.
  
• The Expo Center. What better place to have a large cineplex than at the end of the Max line?
• Kenton Park could use a single or double screen theater. Proximity to the Max line is excellent and there are plenty of residents in the area who would use it.
• Mississippi is another great location for a one or two screen theater. The only problem there is a lack of space and parking.
• Down the Interstate corridor. There are plenty of large buildings here and even some open spaces that could be converted into theater space. Parking is plentiful, there is a college nearby (PCC) and a Max line affords easy access. The area near Killingsworth and Interstate would be perfect for this.
  

The first person to step in and put a cinema in North Portland stands to make a lot of money. While the few theaters in the area are adequate for meeting the needs of most of us, I do think it's about time we had something closer to home.