Beaverton is embracing automobiles in order to revitalize the city.

A $150 million urban renewal district approved by Beaverton voters in November could help concentrate car and truck dealers into so-called auto malls on the eastern and western edges of town.

At first glance, the idea of using funds to support car and truck dealers with large asphalt parking lots would seem to conflict with such a traditional urban renewal project. But local businessman Mark Fagin doesn’t think so. Fagin chairs the Visioning Advisory Committee that generated many of the ideas for projects that could be financed by the district, which was approved 55 percent to 46 percent.

“For starters, the public clearly told us to work with the businesses who are already here, and Beaverton has a long history as the leading auto row in the region. And there is no reason that car lots cannot be pedestrian and environmentally friendly,” says Fagin, president of Gaston Sales and a candidate for the Beaverton City Council.

Read more at The Portland Tribune.