"It's not bad, but it has weaknesses," says Don Mazziotti, executive director of the Portland Development Commission, the city's urban renewal agency. "There's been a lot of discussion that the Downtown retail market is operating at less than its capacity and, therefore, its potential; it's still the hub of retail activity, but. . . we need to keep it that way."

A request for proposals will be issued next week and a selection will be made in mid-September. Mazziotti says he's looking for firms with experience in market analysis, merchandising, location analysis and retail theme identification, and who have direct relationships with major retailers around the nation and a strong sensitivity to the needs of the smaller, local independent retailer.

"We expect firms to form teams to compete for the project," says Mazziotti. "It's unlikely a single firm or individual will be able to address all the needs we've identified."