Part 2/12:
Arriving on a Friday afternoon, the reporter describes Portland’s downtown as eerily deserted, even during what should be busy hours. The usual hustle and bustle of office workers, tourists, and shoppers is noticeably absent. Traffic flows smoothly around the city, with minimal congestion, indicating a sharp decline in daytime activity. This absence of foot traffic points to a broader issue: many office buildings have been abandoned or vacated, and businesses have yet to return or relocate elsewhere.