“It feels very active,” said Flood, 34. “Compared to a year or two ago it’s a lot cleaner, all of the plywood has come down, less trash on the streets. It’s just felt like a more vibrant and interesting and engaging place to spend time.”

. . .

There are a few signs that people may be starting to feel better about downtown. Horvick notes that just 38% of Portland area voters polled from Oct. 9 to Oct. 13 had a “very negative” impression of the city center. In April’s poll, 51% had a “very negative” impression.