Tim Boyle was visibly thrilled last November to announce Columbia Sportswear was moving 45 employees to new downtown Portland offices.

A year later, the company is considering closing the Portland office after its downtown staffers reported a series of frightening run-ins with transients and car break-ins so frequent they've come refer to them as Columbia's "laptop donation program."

The company will decide over the next 90 days whether to relocate the downtown staffers, which now number 50.

It was just last Nov. 1 that Columbia hosted a grand opening attended by Mayor Ted Wheeler of the new Sorel brand headquarters. The new office is located adjacent to the company's retail store at the corner of Southwest Broadway and Taylor.

Sorel makes footwear and is one of a handful of separate brands owned and operated by Columbia.

The celebration did not last long as employees reported clashes with aggressive panhandlers and repeated car break-ins. One worker said her life was threatened. "It is a relief when the only thing we are dealing with is the garbage and human waste by our front door," Boyle said in an op-ed column submitted to The Oregonian/OregonLive. "Think about that for a minute."

"We knew it was an urban environment," Boyle said in an interview Friday. "We thought it was a good opportunity to be part of this millennial movement of young people setting up shop downtown. But at the end of the day, I have to ensure the safety of my employees."

A year ago, Boyle said the homeless issue plaguing the city did not make him think twice about relocating the Sorel operation, largely because of his faith in the newly elected Wheeler.

"Yes, there have been problems," Boyle said. "But our new mayor gives us confidence those issues will be addressed."

Boyle met with Wheeler last week to discuss his concerns. "I'm a big fan of Ted's," Boyle said. "But this is about the well-being of our employees. If we can't be assured we're moving in the right direction, we're going to have to make a move."

-- Jeff Manning

503-294-7606, jmanning@oregonian.com