Midtown project promised to transform Bayside. Instead, it became the face of Portlands homelessness crisis. [Video]

It was supposed to usher in a new, brighter era for Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.

More than a decade ago, a Florida development company announced sweeping plans to turn 3.25 acres in the beleaguered Bayside – once the site of junkyards and industrial uses – into a lively neighborhood with 800 market-rate apartments in four 165-foot towers, 100,000 square feet of retail space and ample parking.

While initially met with enthusiasm from city officials, a group of residents and others opposed the scope of the project, which they said conflicted with the city’s comprehensive plan. Ultimately, Portland greenlit a scaled-down proposal about half its size.

Now, 10 years after the city first approved its plans, the lots are still awaiting transformation while Portland and the development company remain mired in a complicated web of lawsuits in multiple courts, litigated by a revolving door of attorneys.

Today, concrete construction barriers outline the rectangular …