Nonetheless, RiverPark Plaza is just two months away from shell completion and, although the first tenant remains elusive, leasing agent Buzz Ellis of Doug Bean & Assoc. says there's still reason to be hopeful. "There hasn't been much leasing and there's more vacancy than there's been in a while, but as of late the activity level has definitely picked up."

Moreover, Doug Lindholm, VP of commercial properties for American Property Management, another Joe Weston company, says it's been a while since any office space has been built on Southwest Macadam, let alone abutting a riverfront park, so the building should stand out in the crowd a bit--whenever the crowd shows up.

"We feel very strongly about Southwest Macadam and that location, right on the river and the entrance to Willamette Park," says Lindholm, "and this is a patient developer who has got the staying power to ride through this recession, which from all indications has bottomed out (nationally)."