250 Taylor & Hyatt Unbound | 130'-0" & 245'-6" | 10 & 21 floors | Completed & Dead

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Interesting. They want to put 4-5 additional floors ON TOP of the Temple Bldg? I'm not sure that's the best way to respect the integrity of such an important historic landmark. Why wouldn't they just add that space on top of the adjacent new office building at the NW corner?

I'm really confused. They're tearing down the Lotus but only building three stories to replace it? And they're building on top of the Temple building? I realize this is a complicated site to build on, but still, I'm perplexed.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Interesting. They want to put 4-5 additional floors ON TOP of the Temple Bldg? I'm not sure that's the best way to respect the integrity of such an important historic landmark. Why wouldn't they just add that space on top of the adjacent new office building at the NW corner?

It looks like the new office building is resting it's fat on top of the Temple building. It just looks a bit wonky overall, it will be interesting to see how this turns out.

[rsbear]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

I'm really confused. They're tearing down the Lotus but only building three stories to replace it? And they're building on top of the Temple building? I realize this is a complicated site to build on, but still, I'm perplexed.

Certainly the most interesting solution to a complicate site build I can remember seeing in Portland. To me, it looks like the columns at the top of the Temple building are holding up the office space add-on on top. Kind of interesting. Can't wait to see the actual design proposal.

[eric cantona]

that's some fucked-up shit.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

that's some fucked-up shit.

Yes, that too. And there's no reason for it. It would be much easier to add that extra square footage onto the new office building. Why on earth would you want to pile 40-50,000sf of offices on top of such a beautiful landmark building? I can't imagine ANY commissioner signing off on such an idiotic scheme.

[96Pearl]

There are different max heights for the north and south end of the block, you cant just simply build higher on the new construction portion. I think it will be a really cool design, nothing wrong with shaking things up a bit.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by 96Pearl

There are different max heights for the north and south end of the block, you cant just simply build higher on the new construction portion. I think it will be a really cool design, nothing wrong with shaking things up a bit.

Actually, the entire block has a 350' height limit, an FAR of 9:1 and is eligible for an historic step down exemption. This proposal doesn't come anywhere near 350'. I'm all for shaking things up a bit, but not at the expense of the Temple Bldg.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Actually, the entire block has a 350' height limit, an FAR of 9:1 and is eligible for an historic step down exemption. This proposal doesn't come anywhere near 350'. I'm all for shaking things up a bit, but not at the expense of the Temple Bldg.

Are you sure about that? I remember seeing the zoning for this block showing a different height for the north side and south side.

[innovativethinking]

Is this going to be 19-21 stories still?

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

Are you sure about that? I remember seeing the zoning for this block showing a different height for the north side and south side.

Yes, I'm sure. In fact, I'm looking at the current Maximium Heights and FAR maps right now (current as of June 5, 2015). The entire block bounded by Taylor, Salmon, 2nd and 3rd has a 350' height limit and an FAR of 9:1.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by innovativethinking

Is this going to be 19-21 stories still?

Yes, the hotel tower appears to be 20 stories.

[96Pearl]

The northern half of the block has a max height of 130'. You are correct that the southern half is 350'. The Temple Building is being preserved, it is not on the historic registry and could be demolished, which is not the fact in this redevelopment project. Furthermore, 20,000 SF plates are much more valuable/efficient, from a real estate perspective, than 8,000 SF plates which is what the temple building has. The space needs to be leasable otherwise the project makes no sense in the first place.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by 96Pearl

The northern half of the block has a max height of 130'. You are correct that the southern half is 350'.

So, you're saying the maps on the City of Portland's website, showing the Maximum Heights (Map 510-3) in the Central City Plan District, are wrong?

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/34563?a=53363

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Yes, I'm sure. In fact, I'm looking at the current Maximium Heights and FAR maps right now (current as of June 5, 2015). The entire block bounded by Taylor, Salmon, 2nd and 3rd has a 350' height limit and an FAR of 9:1.

Yes, based off the city's zoning, they have since updated the whole block to 350ft, don't take it the wrong way, up until recently that block was zoned differently.

I guess we should be lucky if they don't tear the Temple building down and build a 350ft building on that block.

[maccoinnich]

So this is weird. When I first read 65MAX's comment about the height I assumed he must have been misreading the map, because I distinctly remember looking up the heights, and noting on here that the heights are split. So I looked it up again, and sure enough the map shows heights of 350' for the whole block. I then remembered that I had downloaded a copy of the zoning code earlier this year, and the map dated March 2015 has the heights shown as split across the block. Here's extracts of each:





Does anyone know what's going on?

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Does anyone know what's going on?

Gremlins?

OK, so I'm not hallucinating then. Obviously somebody has (very recently) updated the map since the last time most of you had seen it. Not sure what the impetus was for the change, but regarding the north half of the block, Ankrom Moisan doesn't appear to be taking advantage of it. It looks like they're trying to cram as much square footage as they can (under the old 130' height limit) by capping the Temple with 4-5 additional floors. It's visually overwhelming and I think it seriously detracts from the Temple.

Back to 96Pearl's comments, I totally understand the desire for larger floorplates in office buildings. But instead of a massive cap that suffocates the building underneath it, maybe those upper floors can step back away from the facade of the Temple so as not to be visible from the street below. Even just a 20' setback from the north and east sides would help to maintain the integrity of the historic asset while only sacrificing 3200sf/floor. The difference could easily be made up by adding one or two more floors onto the new office building. This could also provide a very nice terrace on top of the Temple for the new tenants.

[pdxtraveler]

The Temple Building is my favorite derelict downtown building, really excited about this! Now both my favorites are being redone, the other being 3rd and Davis that is going to be the Society Hotel.

[babs]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

So this is weird. When I first read 65MAX's comment about the height I assumed he must have been misreading the map, because I distinctly remember looking up the heights, and noting on here that the heights are split. So I looked it up again, and sure enough the map shows heights of 350' for the whole block. I then remembered that I had downloaded a copy of the zoning code earlier this year, and the map dated March 2015 has the heights shown as split across the block. Here's extracts of each:





Does anyone know what's going on?

Height limits should be eliminated in the central core. Economically, we will not see a 70 story building downtown but if someone wants to build a 30 story building in the core area, they should be allowed to do so.

[zilfondel]

Building over it could work. See: Hearst Tower


img from archdaily

[Derek]

The Electra in San Diego uses that method too. However, these buildings were built around (or inside of I should say) a gutted warehouse that utilized a full block. Adding floors on top of only a portion of the Temple Building.....it's hard to say if it'll work or not without seeing real renderings.