Ribbon Cutting Sets Stage for Improved Accessibility to a Rejuvenated St. Helens Waterfront
July, 2025
Redevelopment of the waterfront in downtown St. Helens, Oregon, took a significant step forward with a recent ribbon cutting that opens the area to improved public use and future growth. Members of the community gathered alongside project partners to formally introduce the greater accessibility, functionality and public amenities this work delivers.
This multidisciplinary effort was reflected in the range of Otak leads in attendance including members of our architecture, planning, structural, survey, transportation, and water resources groups.
About the Rejuvenated St. Helens Waterfront
In an area that includes several public buildings, like City Hall and the courthouse, the waterfront of downtown St. Helens represented a great opportunity for future growth and expanded public use. After a planning effort led by Otak outlined concept options that include redevelopment of an old mill site, work began on two projects aimed at rejuvenating the area.
The city moved forward with a proposed concept that led to the new riverwalk and its adjacent 1st and Strand roadway. Review of the recommended plans and concepts included input from the community and potential developers to best position the area for both immediate and future use.
Anchored by a circle turnaround that provides a point of interest along the river, the roadway design of 1st and Strand improves access for pedestrians and motorists alike. This includes direct connection to the new riverwalk where Otak worked as a subcontractor to Mayer/Reed to create a new public space ready to host a variety of events.
A number of aesthetic and functional improvements were part of the roadway design, from concrete treatments and bulb-outs with planters at intersections, to a new multiuse path and more clearly defined parking. With an eye on the future, an extension of utilities positions the old mill site for shovel-ready development.
