The Portland Design Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a master plan to demolish Lloyd Center, including its historic ice rink.

The owners of the mall, Urban Renaissance Group, plan to tear it down in favor of multi-use development, complete with parks, housing, businesses and many different pathways.

The proposal initially received pushback from some community members, particularly because there had been no plans to replace Lloyd Center’s ice rink. The mall has had an ice rink since it first opened in 1960, and it’s the only permanent rink within Portland city limits.

Thomas Kilbane, managing director of the project, has said the mall and ice rink are no longer economically viable.

“The unanimous approval of this plan by the Portland Design Commission reflects years of meaningful community engagement,” Kilbane said in a written statement Thursday. “This vision transforms an aging mall that is no longer economically sustainable into a vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood with housing, retail, and open space where Portlanders can live, work, and play. Lloyd Center will always hold a special place in the hearts of Portlanders, and now it’s poised to play a leading role in the city’s revitalization.”

Members of the local skating community have been fighting to save the rink, including with a protest at Portland Mayor Keith Wilson’s office. A petition created by the Save Lloyd Ice Coalition, or SLIC, gathered nearly 4,500 signatures.

SLIC organizer Jenny Gilmore-Robinson told OPB by phone Friday that her group is still exploring multiple options to keep a place to skate in the area.

“This really isn’t the final word, and what I think has become really readily apparent is how much support there is, how much passion there is in the community for protecting this rink,” Gilmore-Robinson said.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/06/portland-lloyd-center-demolish-ice-rink/