Portland Infill | Northwest Portland

[zilfondel]

how can they call this a tower?

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/gtbig2.gif
http://www.gatewaytowers.net/

NIce.

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/photo7int.jpg

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/photo6.jpg

I think it's safe to say that this won't add anything architecturally to the city. :rolleyes:

Not-so-surprisingly, only 1 unit is left. They actually had units under $120,000 (560 sq ft)!

[downtownpdx]

Apartments OK'd next to Couch Park

After extensive review, the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission approved plans last month for a six-story, 101-unit apartment building on Northwest 19th Avenue between Hoyt and Glisan streets.

SERA Architects looked to several other early 20th-century apartment buildings in the neighborhood to come up with a design intended to blend into the Alphabet Historic District. The new building will sit at the eastern edge of Couch Park.

Some residents objected to the size and mass of the building.

"It looks like something that belongs in the Pearl, not our district," David Goldwyn said. The architects met several times with Northwest District Association representatives, who in the end supported the plan. Given the sloping, half-block site, the roofline tops out at 65 to 72 feet high.

FRED LEESON
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1204255531237690.xml&coll=7

I noticed today (Sun) this property was fenced off -- glad to see this got approved!

I thought I read the NWDA had a problem with the courtyard not being wide enough, and it sounded like the developers might back out b/c it wouldn't be financially feasible to make that change. Guess not. This will be nice for Couch Park across the street, having more 'eyes on the park.'

[tworivers]

In the Outlook '08 section in Sunday's paper, there was an article on N Mississippi that mentioned a new project breaking ground this summer on the SW corner of Skidmore and Miss, across from the u/c Lofts. Three stories, office over retail, with a very unfortunate name: Numiss. Architect = Surround.

Also, the Chateau development is underway. It is on the northern half of the E-decor warehouse site -- looks like half-renovation, half-new construction. Judging by the rendering and plans, it looks to be a nice, if modest, addition to the street. ...just found the LUR (http://www.portlandmaps.com/detail.cfm?action=Permits&folder=2724328&propertyid=R223687&state_id=1N1E22CD%20%204000&address_id=582808&intersection_id=&dynamic_point=0&x=7644941&y=694605&place=3900%20N%20MISSISSIPPI%20AVE&city=PORTLAND&neighborhood=BOISE&seg_id=133897).

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=120940993606676700

Undoing of a vision

BACK STORY • Con-way has bold plans but ‘dialogue’ could doom them

By peter korn
The Portland Tribune, Apr 29, 2008
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/120941227629233400.jpg
Courtesy of Con-way INC.
Con-way Inc. has a bold plan for redeveloping some of the land its headquarters sits on in Northwest Portland. However, the heavy density of the proposed plan has neighbors worried.


On a drizzly evening in January, about 25 people, many unfamiliar with one another, sit around a long conference table in an upstairs office at Con-way Inc. headquarters in Northwest Portland.
Most in the room live or work close to the trucking company’s property. Some are members of the neighborhood association, others represent various local businesses and nonprofits.
Craig Boretz, Con-way vice president of corporate development, has just finished a private presentation of a slide show of what he calls “an early stage master plan” for a development on Con-way’s parking lot-dominated property in Northwest Portland.
And early stage it is, with few of the architectural or planning details that will, in the end, determine the project’s success or failure.
But the vision that Boretz and project designer John Spencer have created is bold enough that even without detail, it begs reaction.
Northwest Raleigh Street has become a canal, modeled after similar thoroughfares in Amsterdam. Streetcar lines pass through the development. A public plaza leads into a series of tall buildings at the development’s center. The artist’s renderings appear to show an entire neighborhood built from the ground up.
The Con-way plan is bold and ambitious. It also, many in the city believe, represents a litmus test for the city’s commitment to urban density. It includes residential towers taller than any building in the Pearl District, along with parks and a community center.
Boretz and Spencer talk about affordable family housing and open spaces, greenway corridors for pedestrians and bicyclists, possibly even a neighborhoodwide heating and cooling system that could be more efficient than individual building systems.
But there is a trade-off, Boretz explains, and that is density.
Low-density housing – such as a collection of townhouses – is not financially feasible, he says. It won’t bring in enough revenue to cover what may be as much as $50 million just to put in below-ground parking, much of it for the 1,000 Con-way employees who work in the company’s two office buildings.
It won’t pay the bills for the public spaces and the community center that won’t yield any revenue at all for Con-way.
What would help pay for all that is what Con-way is proposing: thousands of housing units, many of them in large condominium and apartment buildings, possibly adding between 4,000 and 5,000 new residents to Northwest Portland’s current population of 12,000.
The lights in the room brighten and no more than a few seconds pass before Greg Theisen, vice chairman of the planning committee for the neighborhood association, offers the first reaction.
“I’m a little shocked,” Theisen says. “This is much more than I ever thought I’d see here.”
Kim Carlson, chairwoman of the neighborhood association transportation committee, warns Boretz that he should expect some “pushback” from neighborhood residents concerned about increased traffic.
At meeting’s end Boretz is asked when the public will be shown this master plan, and he says February or March. That public presentation has not been held yet, and it has not been scheduled yet. In fact, the renderings of the plan that were shown in January are no longer available for viewing.
Instead, the Con-way team has been making presentations to a number of neighborhood groups and governmental agencies, but without the slides.
Portland has seen a number of large-scale developments in recent years. But the Con-way project, on the largest undeveloped piece of property left in the central city, presents a crucible for the city’s commitment to density in a way the other developments could not.
South Waterfront is a neighborhood created from scratch. Its primary impact on the nearby Lair Hill area is the way it blocks views of Mount Hood.
The Pearl District rose from an abandoned rail yard. There was no backyard from which people there could shout that they didn’t want the development in theirs.
But the Con-way property, all 20 acres, is a bridge between the single-family homes off Northwest 23rd Avenue and the Pearl District. There are plenty of backyards from which people have started to say, “Not in mine.”
Board members of the Northwest District Association, probably the most vocal and mobilized neighborhood association in the city, already have begun to raise doubts about the Con-way vision.
And the initial protests over the Con-way plan have raised questions of another sort.
Planning, most experts agree, is what Portland does well. But big, bold designs? Not so much – possibly because they die in the planning process.
“The cautionary principle is very much alive in the DNA of Portland,” says Gil Kelley, director of the Portland Planning Bureau.
He lists bold project ideas that haven’t happened: Making underground Tanner Creek a free-flowing surface stream through the central city again, a Frank Gehry building proposed for the Pearl District that died for lack of funding, capping Interstate 405 and moving Interstate 5 away from the river on the east bank of the Willamette River – both plans abandoned for lack of money and civic will.
Kelley says Portland’s city government is open to big visions, but that the process of putting them into action has to involve dialogue with the public and city agencies. And he thinks those deliberations, in the end, benefit the city.
“There’s no reason boldness can’t occur here,” he says. “It just isn’t going to be the result of one developer walking in with a drawing and everybody bowing down. It might represent a little design by committee, but, generally, it has a truer fit.”
As for reaction to his initial talks with Con-way, Kelley says: “I had a mix of feelings. They’re at least pushing the envelope with some concepts.”
Vision lost in process

Peter Finley Fry, a planning consultant to developers, says the multiple layers of bureaucracy that have a say in how a proposed development looks makes bold visions nearly impossible in Portland. One reason, he says, is the process takes too much time.
“The trouble is our planning becomes a process of compromise,” Fry says. “You might start out with an exciting vision and people who had that vision will fade away and people afraid of that vision will stay put. And the planning bureau draft will dumb it down and the planning commission will make it further dumbed down.”
In Fry’s estimation, the biggest obstacles to bold, visionary design such as Con-way has proposed are Portland’s neighborhood associations.
“We artificially empower mediocrity,” he says. “There’s a certain proportion of people who have fear of change anywhere. In Portland, those people are empowered with authority through the neighborhood associations.”
Fry says that when he first saw a picture showing Con-way’s proposed canal street, “I loved it.” His second reaction, he says, was thinking that it is unlikely he’ll ever see it in the real world “because of the fundamental lack of leadership at the city level.”
Without strong leadership from the mayor’s office, Fry says, the fate of projects such as Con-way’s are left to the bureau of planning, which inevitably result in compromise.
John Spencer, a Portland urban designer who helped envision South Waterfront years before being hired to work on the Con-way project, disagrees with Fry. He calls South Waterfront bold, and says it was made possible because then-Mayor Vera Katz was willing to actively support it.
Spencer says his years as chairman of the city’s design commission convinced him that it isn’t the city that’s keeping more visionary design from occurring in Portland.
“I would hear from people that it was difficult, but I was on a committee that was encouraging architects and their development clients to act more boldly,” he says. “It was easier to design a building that played by the same rules as the last building that got approved, and that was the safest and most predictable way to go.”
But Fry argues that the city’s lengthy approval process encourages designers to take the safer route because they want their projects approved. “That’s just human nature,” he says.
Striking deals or going public

Homer Williams, the developer who helped create the Pearl District and South Waterfront, says that with enough will and political capital, developers can put bold designs into place in Portland. But it’s hard, he says. And Con-way has taken a wrong first step, he believes.
By showing its preliminary master plan to groups with a stake in the development, including the neighborhood association, Con-way opened itself up for criticism before it was ready to deal with it, Williams says.
He says he learned from his experiences with the Pearl District and South Waterfront that he had to have agreements in place on specific pieces of developments before his plans went public.
With South Waterfront, he says, he secured commitments from Mayor Vera Katz and from Oregon Health & Science University on its investment in a campus that would be connected to its main campus by the tram. And those two weren’t the only ones with whom bargains were made.
“We got everybody around the table every Monday for months, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” Williams says. “PDOT, OHSU, PDC (the Portland Development Commission), (the) planning (bureau). We said, ‘OK, let’s make an agreement.’ ”
He says the parks bureau, for instance, wanted a greenway left along the Willamette River. In response, he and other developers agreed to give up the four acres of property along the river that is worth tens of millions of dollars.
In return, Williams says, the developers received commitments from the city for more height in South Waterfront buildings and more tax increment financing that made the Portland streetcar’s arrival in the new neighborhood possible. OHSU got its tram.
“It’s the only way to do it,” Williams says. “Let planning defend the plan. No developer can defend the plan. The developer has to be willing to take the bullets.”
But architect Jerry L. Ward, who lives within a mile of South Waterfront, says the fact that the neighborhood association as well as other property owners and public interest groups were not included in those early negotiations made the process unfair.
“The neighborhood association never knew about the heights (of South Waterfront towers) going to 325 feet until after all the amendments were signed and delivered,” Ward says.
Williams says he fears the Con-way plan, even with its green streets and sustainable design, is unlikely to successfully bridge the divide from vision to reality because criticism has begun and Con-way has no allies in place.
“I like the plan,” Williams says. “It was a bold plan. The minute they put that plan out to the public, I thought, this is going to be dead on arrival. It’s just sad.”
Boretz says he made a decision to include the public early, and he still thinks it was the right choice.
Specifically, Boretz says he didn’t want to follow the South Waterfront model.
“It wasn’t something I was comfortable doing – back room,” he says. “I just felt we needed to listen to what people were saying and respond to that in conceptual terms and not try to create special deals.”
Boretz says most of what he’s heard in response to his presentations has been positive, and that he’s not surprised at some neighborhood resistance.
“It may be because this is the first project I’ve worked on, but I don’t think it will be picked apart,” he says. “I think it is big enough and incorporates enough really good public benefit elements that it won’t get picked apart.”
The trouble with cars

But the key, Boretz says, will be solving the traffic problem. That’s why the master plan focuses on bike lanes and the streetcar, and why Con-way currently is drawing up a traffic study.
Boretz says he hopes Con-way employees live in some of the development’s housing. And maybe, he says, Con-way’s final design could change the way people in Portland think about traffic.
“I don’t know if this will be the development that will tip the scales, but people generally recognize they’ve got to find ways out of their cars,” he says.
Roger Vrilakas, a member of the neighborhood association planning committee, isn’t counting on people getting out of their cars. He thinks the Con-way development is going to lead to massive traffic jams in Northwest Portland.
He also says Con-way should not get the zoning variances that would be necessary to build its tall buildings and dense housing.
Vrilakas, who lives on Northwest Johnson Street, says he has heard all the arguments about inner-city density as the solution to suburban sprawl.
“Northwest Portland is already very dense,” he says. “If anybody has done their part in preventing suburban sprawl, it is certainly the people that live in Northwest. There is a point at which we need to start thinking about urban sprawl. Sprawl implies more and more and more. And that’s what they want – more. I want what everybody has agreed to. I don’t want more people, more cars, higher buildings.”
Vrilakas says Con-way possibly adding 2,000 housing units could mean a 40 percent increase in Northwest Portland’s population, and more drivers.
“Here’s a way to think of it,” he says. “Next time you’re in your car going down the street (in Northwest Portland), count 10 cars, and put four more in there. See if they fit.”
Juliet Hyams, president of the neighborhood association board, says there is not much support for the Con-way project among board members.
John Bradley, chairman of the neighborhood association planning committee, says he would like to see Con-way stick to current zoning designations with a variety of buildings, none taller than the currently allowed 140 feet.
But Carlson says she is “optimistic” that the neighborhood can find common ground with Con-way.
Carlson says she has seen the Con-way presentation at three showings, and she’s noticed it change in response to comments by board members, with one street that in the initial version of the plan was designated for automobile use later emphasizing bicycles and pedestrian use.
“This is a good problem to try to solve,” Carlson says. “We shouldn’t be whining about it. They can find friends in this neighborhood if there’s a little less presentation and more working together on it.”
Neighbors have concerns

There are plenty of people and institutions near the Con-way property who would like to work together with Con-way, and who are worried how the final project design could hurt them.
But small requests can be the undoing of bold vision, Fry says.
Parishioners from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, at the northeast corner of the Con-way property, have told Boretz they don’t want the church to end up in the shadow of tall Con-way buildings and they have asked that a small Con-way parcel behind the church – once a church school – be given back to the church.
Representatives of Food Front, the neighborhood’s longtime co-op, have told Boretz that they’d like to have a place as the new neighborhood’s grocery store – aware that if they don’t, and another grocer specializing in natural foods goes in, it could severely hurt the co-op.
Officials with nonprofit community center Friendly House would like to run the Con-way development’s new community center, and are afraid a competing community center could threaten Friendly House’s survival.
Tad Savinar owns two blocks of property a block north of the Con-way property that he hopes to develop, and is concerned that Con-way will develop first and in doing so will use up the infrastructure capacity of the area.
“The challenge of big-vision planning, to people who are adjacent to it, is that they have the horsepower to get to the finish line first,” says Savinar, who adds that much of the Con-way plan appeals to him. “My concern is, what happens if we want to build in 15 years? Will the transportation department say, ‘You can’t build because we’re already at capacity?’ ”
Savinar says he recently met with planning bureau officials who assured him he will be included in talks about the area’s growth.
Boretz says he recognizes the local neighborhood association will have some impact on the final design of the of the Con-way development, but he also knows he’s got an “economic engine” that won’t be easy for the city to put aside.
Con-way could spend between $1 billion and $2 billion in development costs over the next 10 to 15 years, Boretz says.
“That’s a lot of construction jobs and a lot of things that spin off those construction jobs,” Boretz says.
But the presentations Boretz makes now to various public groups are less compelling than the one he made in January. The only visual aid is an aerial view of the Con-way property.
Asked why in presentations he no longer shows the visionary slides of grand buildings, public plazas and canal streets, Boretz says: “We don’t want people to think we’re locked into it. We’re not. We love the concepts. We think they’re bold and they look terrific. But they’re just concepts right now.”

peterkorn@portlandtribune.com

[urbanlife]

you know I really hope this happens because it would change the face of Portland for the better. It would be amazing to have a South Waterfront style development that was focused towards middle and lower incomes and families.

Lets hope the next mayor will be on board with pushing this idea forward.

[pdxtraveler]

If the neighborhood fights too hard I am afraid that we will be left with parking lots. Con-way needs density to make the project work. As the article says it takes a lot to make the under ground parking affordable. So if the density gets thinned too much there is no project at all.

[twofiftyfive]

I noticed today (Sun) this property was fenced off -- glad to see this got approved!

I thought I read the NWDA had a problem with the courtyard not being wide enough, and it sounded like the developers might back out b/c it wouldn't be financially feasible to make that change. Guess not. This will be nice for Couch Park across the street, having more 'eyes on the park.'

The old buildings and their parking lots across 19th Ave from Couch Park are now gone, and the half block is nothing but dirt. My wife commented on how much of an improvement it already is.

[sowat]

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/121022610597100.xml&coll=7

Thursday, May 15, 2008

The empty lot at 1949 S.E. Division St. is going to stay empty for at least another year. Plans for the Seven Corners Condominiums, a proposed mix of market-rate and affordable condos above street-level shops, "have been put on ice for a year or so," says Michelle Haynes, housing development director for nonprofit Reach Community Development.
The reason? The condo market collapse. "We have a waiting list for our affordable housing units and don't anticipate any problem selling those. Right now, though, is a bad time to go ahead with building market-rate condominiums," says Haynes. Reach will reassess in a year. The agency's design-review approval from the city gives it until November 2010 to apply for permits.
REBECCA KOFFMAN

[MarkDaMan]

http://www.djcoregon.com/_images/articles/djcsecond%20-%200516%20shavergreen%20deca.jpg
Shaver Green apartment building will be sustainable and affordable
Groundbreaking is today for $16.2 million project in Northeast Portland
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 06:00 AM PDT Friday, May 16, 2008
BY SAM BENNETT

A once blighted piece of commercial property in Northeast Portland that was home to a used appliance store will be the site of a $16.2 million green, affordable apartment building.

Groundbreaking will be held today at 4011 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. for the Shaver Green Building, which has been designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold or platinum certification, while meeting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development income level requirements.

Occupants of the 85-unit building must earn at or below 60 percent of Multnomah County’s two-person household median income of $32,580.

Shaver Green will aim for 60 percent or better performance beyond the Oregon Energy Code, and will have a solar roofing system. It will also use recycled and prefabricated materials. Crews will recycle 95 percent of construction and demolition waste, and the 89,000-square-foot building will have a system that uses storm water for irrigation.

Armstrong Stafford LLC is the developer, Yorke and Curtis is the general contactor, and DECA Architecture is the design firm.

“Very few, if any, residential developments in the U.S. offer buildings that are sustainable, innovative and also accessible to those meeting minimum income standards,” said Wayne Armstrong, managing member of Armstrong Stafford, which owns Armstrong Development.

Rents at Shaver Green will be $710 for each of the 59 one-bedroom units, $848 for each of the 25 two-bedroom units and $981 for the single three-bedroom apartment. Ten of the apartments will be permanent supportive housing, or housing for those who are earning up to 30 percent of median income.

Armstrong said his development company is selecting finishes and building materials to achieve LEED goals and to keep cost as low as possible, while building living spaces that will last and remain affordable for at least 60 years.

“Our hope is that through this development, we can encourage other affordable housing developers to incorporate more sustainable elements,” he said. “We intend to demonstrate that a sustainable, high-quality building can have an impact beyond the local and regional green building market,” he said.

The development is being financed by Armstrong Stafford, as well as city, county and state agencies.

Rolanne Stafford, a partner in Armstrong Stafford, said such housing is needed in Portland.

“There are many hard-working and responsible people in Portland who are finding it difficult to keep up with the rising cost of housing,” he said.

The construction team includes: Froelich Consulting Engineers and TM Rippey Consulting, structural engineers; MGH Associates, civil engineering; Alder Geotechnical, geotechnical consultant; Hunter-Davisson, mechanical systems engineering; Brightworks, LEED consultant; Brocks Energy Associates, energy modeler, and Professional Roof Consultant, waterproofing consultant.

Armstrong is the owner of Armstrong Development Inc., which has 19 years of experience in commercial construction, general contracting and development in California, Washington and Oregon. The company has completed bid-build and design-build projects for 24 federal and state agencies.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/05/16/Shaver-Green-apartment-building-will-be-sustainable-and-affordable-Groundbreaking-is-today-for-162-m

[Castillonis]

Belmont East Condominiums (Summer 2008)
http://www.belmonteast.com

800x407
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0282_800x407.jpg

Belmont East Condo sign 800x561
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0283_800x561.jpg

Close up of corner 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0284_800x600.jpg

[Castillonis]

Balconies 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0234_800x600.jpg

Wider view 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0233_800x600.jpg

Retail 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0236_800x600.jpg

Closeup of wood 600x720
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0238_600x720.jpg

NOTE: I took these photos a while ago on 06May08.

[Castillonis]

http://www.2121belmont.com

1240x261
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/21stBelmont_1240x261.jpg

800x555 from south west on Belmont
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0279_800x555.jpg

Closeup of main entrance 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0263_800x600.jpg
Exterior Surfaces 800x651
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0280_800x651.jpg

NOTE: I took all of these photos on Saturday 24May08.

[philopdx]

What progress! Looking at the render, I thought it would be glassier. And the the color of the glass looks bluer in the render as well. Maybe it's due to the cloudy day.

I do wish they could have figured out some way to break up that brown space on each flank. Looks like two flayed slabs of roast beef. Overall, though, it's not bad.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2521786418_c7e54a3faa_o.jpg

[NJD]

The footings for H45 phase 2 just started after 6 months of inactivity. Curious to see if it will contain live/work condos like phase 1, or if it is destined to become expensive rentals.

Two blocks up Hawthorne, the Portland Impact site is up for sale. Looks like the Hawthorne Condos developer couldn't get his project off the ground before the condo fizzle. Hopefully the next buyer will want to redevelop the site, and hopefully he/she will have a better vision...

[Castillonis]

I had been watching that site and was about to take a photo to show that the project was delayed or had ceased to exist.

[bvpcvm]

Just noticed, while walking home, a sign for a new 4-story building at 2653 NW Thurman. The site is currently occupied by some nasty 70's apartments, which I will be glad to see go. Web site is www.2653Thurman.com. To me the design seems acceptable, nothing special about it, but nothing offensive either. About a year back there was a design review or pre-app conference for this site; the design was quite different as I recall.

[sopdx]

I like the fact that it's not a mega building, however I wish them luck selling them. I'm sorry they didn't include a den or another area that could be used for sleeping instead of one bedroom.

[zilfondel]

This is interesting: the building has no parking.

14 units + 2 commercial units

[bvpcvm]

the crappy apt at this location doesn't appear to have any parking either.

also weird: they're all 600-s.f. 1-br units. even on the top floor.

[Leo]

the crappy apt at this location doesn't appear to have any parking either.

also weird: they're all 600-s.f. 1-br units. even on the top floor.

The small size and lack of parking are probably related... Larger apartments would be a hard sell without parking. It's nice to see 600sf apartments that are not tunnel lofts, though ...

[MarkDaMan]

I would consider something slightly above $2, but $275 is steep. Good neighborhood though.

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=47126&a=201003

link to google streetview image (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=45.532447,-122.691171&spn=0.010898,0.027294&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.52995,-122.69049&panoid=8J9iflgtqjcXeWNX56OO1Q&cbp=1,224.19409695477498,,0,-2.024443260959914)

currently a 1-story building (home of that 3d image museum and an interior design firm, not sure what else). that section would be replaced by a 6-story building; the existing 2-story section on 19th would remain.

[360Rich]

I'm not in the architecture/design/development/construction biz like many of you are, but doesn't it seem odd that the images on pages 3 and 4 of the PDF are hand drawn?

[twofiftyfive]

I used to live right across the corner from there. I would have had a front row seat for the construction.

SERA must have learned their lesson from the Couch Park Apartments ordeal. The (not very detailed) drawing makes it look like this building will try to blend in with the one remaining on the corner. I wonder if this new building will have a tiled roof.

[urbanlife]

actually it depends who is working on a project from SERA. A couple of the old guys there are all about hand drawing like this, so one of them could be a project manager on this building.

[sopdx]

yes, or maybe they learned a lesson by observing the uproar caused by Works when they released computer generating massing models that looked like gray blobs for the Upshur project.

[IanofCascadia]

I must say that SERA has become one of my favorite local architects. Whereas most firms seem to design buildings which more or less fit the "mold" of their past work (Ankrom and Holst being the most apparent), most of SERA's projects that I have seen appear genuinely original and well suited for the job at hand. Plus, I like the way that they incorporate classical elements in many projects... something I find lacking in most modern architecture.

[tworivers]

Thought this might fit in the infill thread:


Alberta Street sees next wave of development
A string of commercial renovations, construction projects show the neighborhood is maturing

POSTED: 04:14 PM PDT Friday, June 13, 2008
BY LIBBY TUCKER
DJC

http://www.djcoregon.com/_images/articles/djclead%20-%200613Rambo.jpg

Watch out, Southeast Portland. The Northeast Alberta Street neighborhood is now a legitimate rival for new development.

After Portland’s recent housing boom, the commercial strip of Alberta Street has reached a level of maturity where most of the available space has been renovated and developers are starting to eye new construction as a viable option. The demand for commercial space on the strip is growing, even as the housing market slows, and new projects are cropping up in the artsy Northeast neighborhood, Charlotte Larson, a commercial broker with Windermere, said.

“Alberta Street’s gotten past its first wave of being revitalized, and leases and residential prices are high enough that developers can justify coming in and doing new construction,” said Larson. “The street now is probably on par with some of the more established Southeast streets like Belmont.”

The newest addition to the neighborhood is a 4,500-square-foot building at the corner of Northeast 13th Avenue and Alberta Street, where Red Rock Construction is nearly finished building the first phase of a planned three-phase development.

The building’s ground-floor space will house Portland’s first “green gym,” which will use a combination of solar power and human power to cut energy use. The building is designed to maximize energy efficiency so that the gym’s exercise equipment can double as electric generators.

The owner of the Green Microgym, Adam Boesel, says he chose the Alberta Street location to launch his business because, “it’s obviously up-and-coming, but it’s still affordable.”

The building’s developer, Rambo Halpern, agrees. From the rooftop garden, Halpern can point to a dozen or so buildings along a 20-block stretch of the street that have been built or renovated in the last five years. What was once dilapidated buildings and a repo lot stand cafes, knitting shops and vegan restaurants.

As a commercial real estate broker, Halpern alone has negotiated the sale of about 10 buildings on the street in the last decade, he says.

“Alberta’s a real safe bet now,” Halpern says, pointing to a renovation underway at 11th and Alberta by the McMenamins chain of restaurants. “It’s not a secret.”

Halpern’s second phase of development begins next month at 1301 N.E. Alberta St., a bunker-like concrete building and former home of the Accuracy Grinding fabrication company. Design firm Rowell Engineering last week applied for commercial construction permits to carve the building into a restaurant and retail space.

Once the Accuracy remodel is done, Halpern will move on to the property next door, where he’ll tear down a small Victorian house and then build a 6,000-square-foot building with two retail spaces and four residential units.

Farther down the road, First Call Construction is nearly finished remodeling a 4,300-square-foot retail and office building at 2910 N.E. Alberta St. Built in 1911, the building’s walls are still charred from a fire and large sections of the roof and interior have been replaced where mold and rot had set in.

After gutting the interior, builders have now refreshed the formerly decrepit building with new hardy plank siding painted a cheery turquoise, garage doors, a back patio with plantings, new fixtures and doors. And the retail space has been expanded to include an old attached garage.

“I wanted to save an old building,” said John Connell-Maribona, owner and developer of the building, renamed Casa de Juan. “If you blink an eye, developers would level everything on the street and build it new.”

Connell-Maribona, who also owns the Cuban eatery Pambiche on Northeast Glisan Street, bought the Alberta Street property originally intending to open a new Latin restaurant in the ground floor space. But once construction began on the building, he realized the fire and water damage was much more extensive than he’d assumed and his startup budget was instead used for repairs.

The North Portland native is now seeking commercial tenants to lease two remaining retail spaces on the ground floor and a second-floor loft space. Startup retailer Pie Footwear, an environmentally-friendly shoe store, has signed a lease for the third ground-floor retail space.

The neighborhood is already full of cafes and restaurants. Connell-Maribona’s building is sandwiched between Lolo, a Spanish tapas place, and Bernie’s Southern Bistro.

Neither is open for lunch because the street lacks the shops and offices to generate enough customers, Connell-Maribona said. The neighborhood is known as the Alberta Arts District, but many of the art galleries have closed and taken foot traffic with them. He hopes that attracting retailers to his building will help spur more retail and office development along Alberta Street.

The neighborhood’s easy interstate access and its hip, up-and-coming vibe will continue to contribute to its growth, he said. “Northeast Portland is the only place to be.”

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121443473003039100

Planning priorities play out on Interstate

Trib Town • City Council vote will decide height, density

By Jim Redden
The Portland Tribune, Jun 26, 2008

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/121443675769816100.jpg
COURTESY OF MYHRE GROUP ARCHITECTS


If the City Council approves the North Interstate Corridor Plan at its July 16 meeting, the proposed Montana Lofts housing project, among others, will get the go-ahead.

The concept of concentrating growth along major transportation corridors is a guiding principle of Oregon and Portland-area land-use plans.
Locating new development near existing roadways and transit lines is intended to reduce sprawl and congestion, while enabling more people to live near where they work, shop and entertain themselves.
But as the evolving North Interstate Corridor Plan shows, turning that concept into reality is a lengthy, complicated and controversial process. The plan, which will allow higher densities along and near much of the Interstate MAX line in North Portland, was approved by the Portland Planning Commission on May 27 and will be heard by the City Council on July 16.

Although many area residents have been involved with or commented on the proposed plan, even some of those who believe growth is inevitable worry that it will allow too much new development.

“Everyone realizes the area is going to grow, and that’s exciting. But height is a major concern,” said Eric Gale, chairman of the Overlook Neighborhood Association, which covers the southern portion of the line in the study area.

Height’s a matter of debate

Specifically, Gale said some area residents are concerned about a proposal in the plan to allow buildings up to 11 stories high to be built near the MAX stations located at Lombard, Killingsworth and Prescott streets.

According to Gale, some of his neighbors believe that even five stories is too tall for the area comprised largely of single-family homes — and feel the city is ignoring their concerns.

The idea of allowing the taller buildings has been endorsed by the Portland Planning and Design Review commissions, both of which reviewed the plan before it was sent to the council.

A majority of commission members felt such heights were necessary to support desirable features such as underground parking and setbacks that create open areas, according to Julie Gisler, a project manager who worked on the plan for the Portland Bureau of Planning before it went to the planning commission – the appointed citizen body that recommends major zoning and land use changes to the council.

“Those sort of things just don’t pencil out on smaller buildings,” said Gisler, adding that developers would have to present their plans for taller buildings to the Design Review Commission.

One project that could be built under the new plan is the Montana Lofts, a housing project comprising four-, five- and eight-story buildings on North Montana Avenue between Bryant and Buffalo streets. Designed by Myhre Group Architects for North Montana LLC, the 153-unit, 135,589-square-foot complex would be located two blocks east of North Interstate Avenue overlooking the Interstate 5 freeway.

More parks for more people?

Despite that issue, both Gale and Gisler agree the plan has several provisions that are well-supported by area residents. One is designating much of Interstate as a Neon District to encourage the preservation of nine distinctive neon hotel and restaurant signs from the 1950s.

Another is a call to increase the amount of parks and open space in the area to help meet the needs of the additional people expected to move into the new residences. One location being studied by the city is the large lawn on the east side of the former Kenton School at Interstate Avenue and Lombard Street.

Gisler said such accommodations are necessary to ensure the area along the MAX line not only grows, but grows in ways that improve its livability.
The plan is being developed at the request of the Portland Development Commission, which has been concerned about the slow rate of growth along Interstate since the MAX line opened in 2004.

Although a few new businesses have opened in the area, including a New Seasons grocery store at 6400 N. Interstate Ave., the changes have been insignificant compared with the revitalization envisioned when the PDC agreed to underwrite much of the $350 million project with urban renewal funds.

The proposed plan allows high-density housing to be built between Interstate and the I-5 freeway. Those blocks are dominated by single-family homes, some of which eventually would be replaced by condominium and apartment buildings.

Under the plan, some of them could be up to 65 feet high to take advantage of the views of the east side of the city.

High-density housing also would be allowed on the west side of Interstate, but the heights would begin to be restricted after the first block, which creates a “transition zone” between Interstate and the established single-family neighborhoods that spread out toward the Willamette River.
The idea is to ensure that the greatest growth is concentrated between the MAX line and those blocks closest to the freeway.

Despite such precautions, Gale understands the plan – if approved by the council – will have adverse impacts on at least some of the current residents in the area.

“If you have a taller building built next to your house, even if it’s only five stories tall, there’s going to be an impact,’ Gale said. “You’re going to lose the privacy in your backyard and traffic’s going to increase.”

At the same time, Gale said growth is inevitable.

“It will be very interesting to see how the area changes over the next 50 years,” he said.

Information is available on the Portland Planning Bureau’s Web site at www.portlandonline.com/planning/index.cfm?c=43260 (http://www.portlandonline.com/planning/index.cfm?c=43260).

[Delaney]

I'm surprised to hear someone say that about sera. I don't see any classical elements in sera's recent work. I do see many design moves from sera that are forced, badly proportioned, lacking rigor, and look like they were buildings designed by committee.

[IanofCascadia]

I'm surprised to hear someone say that about sera. I don't see any classical elements in sera's recent work. I do see many design moves from sera that are forced, badly proportioned, lacking rigor, and look like they were buildings designed by committee.

Well, I guess to each his/her own. Personally I think that they did an excellent job on the Pioneer Courthouse, City Hall and Embassy Suites remodels and I have high hopes for the new NINES and Courtyard by Marriott. As for their smaller projects, I have only seen a few but have been very happy thus far.

[Delaney]

Yes, their historic renovations are good, but they fall flat on new construction. the civic is probably the biggest example of their design missteps in my opinion. So many strange moves, so little time.

[bvpcvm]

Am I the only one who checks for new pre-app notices??

Legacy wants to build a new six-story office buildings (with, ugh, parking garage), between northrup and overton east of 22nd ave.

pre-app notice (http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=201578)

latest pre-app notices, including 31-story tower on block 45a in SOWA (http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=47126&)

all notices, pre-app or otherwise (http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=35625&)

[CouvScott]

Am I the only one who checks for new pre-app notices??


I check them a couple of times a week, but they have been pretty random on when they update.

[bvpcvm]

actually, i was going to put "except for couvscott", but then edited it out for wordiness, :-)

i would imagine they update them as they schedule them, i.e. daily. someone ought to write a little web app to automatically check for updates. anyone w/the necessary javascript skills?

[Dougall5505]

I used to but theres not as much action as there used to be...

[bvpcvm]

ok, i walked by this site tonight. there are two old houses on the SW corner in pretty good condition, both used as offices by Legacy. also, that corner has some ENORMOUS old trees. there's no map in the pre-app doc, so maybe the plan on building around this corner, but if they plan on taking all that down... i feel the NW neighborhood resident in me breaking through to the surface...

[NewUrbanist]

Is there a thread for this NW Apartment building in construction across from Couch Park? I rode my bike past it a few days ago... there is a HUGE hole in the ground for parking - I am thinking there will be 2 or 3 floors. SERA Architects is working with Opus Northwest (again with the neighborhood specific housing... who knew they had it in them).

Here is the gist from Opus' website...

Park is a mixed use 101 unit infill apartment building with street level retail and underground parking. The project, slated to break ground in May, 2008 is located across from Couch Park in the very heart of Portland's Historic Alphabet District.

Here is what the final product will look like...
http://www.serapdx.com/images/prj/00000321.jpghttp://www.serapdx.com/images/prj/00000320.jpg
http://www.serapdx.com/project.php?category=1&project=142

And of course google maps still has the old buildings on their street view...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=nw%2019th%20and%20nw%20couch%20portland%20oregon&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

I am moving to the area this weekend, so if I remember I will shoot some photos and share them here.

[dkealoha]

From Portland Architecture:
http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2008/07/checkerboard-building-to-be-renovated-by-singer-holst.html

Checkerboard Building On 10th To Be Renovated by Richard Singer, Holst Architecture
After years of sitting empty, the building downtown at 415 SW 10th Avenue with its unique facade of colored square panels (I call it the 'Checkerboard') has been purchased with a renovation in mind.

The developer is Dick Singer, who has been active for many years with projects in the NW 23rd Street (or Nob Hill) area. The controversial parking garage on 23rd being haggled over by NIMBY residents and frustrated shoppers is his project.

Singer has hired Holst Architecture for the job, which is a great choice. Holst is really hitting their stride these days with several projects finishing construction or about to begin: Hotel Modera downtown, the Clinton Condos on SE Division, the 937 Condos in the Pearl, and a soon to begin headquarters for Ziba Design in that same neighborhood.

There's just one potential worry, at least as it concerns my admittedly biased point of view. In a phone interview yesterday, Singer told me that the project is in design development and no permanent decisions have been made. He said there have been some design possibilities that include keeping the signature colored panel facade, and other schemes that remove it in favor of something more glassy. It's also undecided whether additional floors would be added. So technically, the unique checkerboard facade faces both its best potential in many years but also a threat.

One thing everybody can probably agree on is that the inside will need to be gutted. Much as I and others love the midcentury modern exterior, there's not much original to preserve on the inside. So there's carte blanche between the walls, I'd assume.

I would love to see a Holst design in this prominent downtown location, steps from Powell's Books, the Ace Hotel, the Brewery Blocks, and Living Room Theaters. I have ever faith that John Holmes and company at Holst could do something great.

But as a longtime fan of this building's exterior, I personally am crossing all my fingers and toes that the colored panels on the outside will be preserved. Is this building a masterpiece? Certainly not. But there's an elegant simplicity to this building's facade, and a playful touch of color lacking in most all other buildings. However shabby it may be inside, 415 SW 10th is a work of delightful sculpture, and a quintessential midcentury modern look that can't ever be completely replicated.

How do the rest of you feel about this project? Am I overboard in affection for this building? If so, the countless people who have contacted me out of concern for the Checkerboard since my previous posts are wrong too. So is the British novelist who bought a print of the photo above after a photography show I had a few years ago. But I respect that there are two sides to every story. What should be the fate of this tarnished little gem?

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121503555319854700

Good Sam parking plan panned

Trib Town • Hospital looks to add offices to attract and retain doctors

By Peter Korn
The Portland Tribune, Jul 3, 2008

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/121504334689547800.jpg
L.E. BASKOW / Portland Tribune

A proposal to add a six-story building and an adjoining five-story parking garage on Northwest 22nd Avenue between Northrup and Overton streets has Northwest District Association members bristling. The dearth of parking at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital & Medical Center is the No. 1 complaint of patients and visitors.

Northwest Portland is a neighborhood more than familiar with traffic issues and disputes over parking garages.

For half a decade, developer Richard Singer has been battling a neighborhood association fearful of increased auto congestion in his attempt to place a parking garage behind Papa Haydn restaurant on Northwest Irving Street.

But Singer’s proposed 87-space garage pales in comparison to the newest neighborhood proposal: a five-story, 600-space parking garage proposed for the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and Northrup Street near Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital & Medical Center.

The proposed garage is part of a complex that would house a six-story medical office building and the connected five-story parking garage, with a possible sky bridge over Northrup Street. Legacy would need to tear down four existing buildings along Northrup to complete the new structures.

If initial comments from local activists and members of the neighborhood’s Northwest District Association are any barometer, Legacy can expect an extended siege over the plans that Pam Vukovich, interim president and CEO of Legacy Health Systems, calls preliminary.

Streetcar, buses serve area

While some already have voiced concern about the loss of two old houses on the site, the greatest point of contention appears to be the size of the parking garage, and the additional vehicular traffic it will bring into the neighborhood.

“This will affect the neighborhood in a big way, and not a positive way,” says Kim Carlson, chairwoman of the Northwest District Association transportation committee.

“I don’t think we need another parking garage,” Carlson says. “I think the neighborhood is well served by public transportation, and Legacy could do a better job using it. Six hundred cars is huge and, I think, unnecessary.”
Vukovich says the medical office building is critical if Good Samaritan is going to be able to keep physicians near the hospital. Most of the new building will be dedicated to serving cancer patients. Without the new offices, Vukovich says, many physicians will choose to set up offices and practice at other hospitals.

With the new offices, Vukovich says, those physicians and their patients will need parking. In fact, she says, the medical center’s No. 1 patient complaint is that, even with three existing garages, parking spaces can’t be found.

Vukovich says that Good Samaritan has taken measures to get employees and patients to use public transportation. Legacy operates satellite parking lots with shuttle buses and pays 60 percent of the cost of TriMet monthly passes for its employees.

And as of this week, all Good Samaritan employees will be able to ride the streetcar for free simply by wearing an employee identification badge. The streetcar runs through Good Samaritan on Lovejoy and Northrup Streets.
“We’re doing all these things and we still have a parking problem,” Vukovich says.

Good Samaritan statistics show that about 78 percent of its commuting employees get to the medical center by car.

Neighborhood activist Pete Colt calls Legacy’s plan to build a parking garage on the same street that runs the streetcar “a direct slap in the face of Portland Streetcar Inc. and the City Council.”

“The streetcar runs on two sides of Legacy and there are three bus routes that run right by Legacy and Legacy is six-tenths of a mile from MAX. Why do they need a garage?” Colt asks.

Satellite parking will dwindle

Vukovich says that about half of the 600 spaces in the proposed parking garage would replace spaces currently in use. She says that Legacy has been told that two satellite lots rented by Legacy, beneath Interstate 405 and on the nearby Con-Way property, eventually will not be available.
In addition, the site for the proposed new medical office building currently holds about 100 surface parking spaces.

Vukovich says that if the buildings are given approval by both the city and the Legacy board of directors, construction could start in 2009 and finish in 2010.

Before that can happen, however, the project will have to go through conditional-use review by the city’s bureau of development services and eventual approval by a hearings officer.

A traffic study, which Legacy already has begun, will need to be part of the review process. In addition, the project will be subject to design review, which will likely include neighborhood input.

A bureau of development services pre-application hearing on the proposed new building and parking garage will be held at 3 p.m. July 9, at 1900 S.W. Fourth Ave., room 4A. The meeting will be open to the public.

peterkorn@portlandtribune.com

[pdxman]

Good lord, northwest neighbors at it again. This time its the hospital who are the big, bad guys. I especially love that last line by Mr. Colt asking why they even need a garage because of the streetcar and bus lines that run through the area-like everyone who works, volunteers, visits that hospital lives in the immediate downtown area. :rolls eyes:

[65MAX]

“The streetcar runs on two sides of Legacy and there are three bus routes that run right by Legacy and Legacy is six-tenths of a mile from MAX. Why do they need a garage?” Colt asks.

Are these people (NW "Neighbors") REALLY that stupid? When people need to get to and from a hospital, they're usually not in any condition to be riding trains and buses. And family members need a place to park when they're visiting, or they're picking up their loved ones after chemotherapy, or they're rushing them to the emergency room, etc.

St. Vincent's, Providence, Legacy Emanuel, Adventist, Kaiser.... they're ALL within a mile of a MAX station and are each served by multiple bus lines. I guess they don't need parking either, right?

Here's a better idea, NW "Neighbors". Just close the hospital altogether and eliminate all of that pesky congestion. You don't need a hospital that close anyway. You can just take a bus or a train to Emanuel or St. Vincent's or OHSU. Just don't try driving to any of them though, because the neighbors around those hospitals don't want anyone driving to their hospitals either.

Good luck when Good Sam closes shop, you idiots.

[MarkDaMan]

Development calls for funky take on history
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Fred Leeson
Special to The Oregonian

After Frank Phillips finished building his Mediterranean-style condominium complex on Lair Hill a couple of years ago, he looked from his penthouse unit toward downtown.

In the distance, he could see the attractive skyline and the Willamette River. But up close were some vacant lots and a couple of low-end warehouses.

Phillips promptly bought them. "I admit that my own view was my first motivation," he says.

Now, after nearly two years deciding what to do with the 0.84-acre property, he's got a quirky plan that the neighbors like. But the city is another matter.

Early last year, Phillips proposed moving the historic Ladd Carriage House to Lair Hill when the 19th-century landmark was threatened by a downtown development. Alas, Portland Streetcar wires got in the way, and the downtown developer figured a way to keep the Ladd at its original location. So Phillips started over.

His new plan: eight buildings with 16 residential units, mostly along Southwest Second Avenue between Grover and Gibbs streets, and a three-story mixed-use building along Gibbs between First and Second. The buildings are designed to look like a series of early 20th-century storefronts.

"Our neighborhood is kind of funky," Phillips said. "It's old."

It's also difficult turf for developers. The site sits in the South Portland Historic District, which means new construction faces hearings before the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission. And the South Portland Neighborhood Association is one of the city's most aggressive in scrutinizing and opposing proposals it doesn't like.

Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, the firm Phillips retained, studied historic houses and commercial buildings in the neighborhood to pluck inspiration from details such as projecting bays, bracketed cornices, corner turrets and clinker bricks. Some of the historic photos they relied on were from old South Portland streets obliterated by 1950s urban renewal and Interstate 405.

"There is a certain funky charm that our client was absolutely insisting upon," said George Signori, a senior associate. Phillips and the design team sought suggestions from the neighborhood association and came up with a plan that met Phillips' funk quotient and earned the association's support.

But the Gibbs Street commercial building, designed to look like three buildings hunkered together, may have exceeded the landmarks commission's tolerance for quirkiness. Signori tried to replicate architectural styles that would have evolved over decades, but the design for the Gibbs frontage reflects playfulness perhaps more fitting for a stage than a street.

"I think there's just too much happening," commission member Carrie Richter said at a June hearing. Others said they'd like to see more uniformity along rooflines and less variety in window shapes when the designers return this month with revisions.

Still, Phillips and the design team earned kudos. "I really appreciate the use of historicism," said Linda Dodds. "We never expected to see it in so many buildings all at once."

Commission Chairman Art DeMuro thought the designers were close to an acceptable plan, and he complimented the team for the process it followed.

"It shows a real orientation to try to get it right for the neighborhood," he said.

Portland News: 503-221-8199; portland@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1214351715303230.xml&coll=7

[bvpcvm]

I live in NW, and those NIMBYs drive me up the wall. BUT. I do have some reservations about this project. For one thing, the two houses on the SE corner of the lot. One of them is apparently from the 1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition, and, regardless, both look like they're in decent shape. There's also an enormous old tree on that corner, which I would hate to see removed. If they need to build higher in order to build around those houses, that would be fine with me. Regarding parking, well - I'm not thrilled with the idea of 200 additional parking spaces, though the more I think about it the more it seems more or less reasonable.

[davehogan]

I saw this site while walking around NW Thurman the other day:

2653thurman.com

Nice little 4 floor, 1 br/1 bath condo building. It'll fit the neighborhood well, and is replacing a mediocre house.

[PDX City-State]

What the hell? Some douchebag decides to remake the early 20th Century and landmarks applauds it?

[tworivers]

Rezoning expected to help Killingsworth
Residents, developers hopeful that City Council’s vote will spur development in Vernon neighborhood

POSTED: 04:00 AM PDT Monday, July 14, 2008
BY TYLER GRAF (DJC)

Business owners and developers have complained for years that the three-block expanse of Northeast Killingsworth Street from 14th to 17th avenues represented the worst kind of development purgatory: It was zoned for residential use, but most of the buildings were commercial.

Interest in building houses in the area was never substantial, and it was next to impossible to expand or build commercial projects due to the zoning. The commercial properties that do exist had been grandfathered into the zoning, which was changed to residential in the 1990s.

But on Thursday, City Council voted to allow mixed-use zoning on those three blocks of Killingsworth, to make that stretch more flexible for development, business owners and residents.

Due to the zoning change, first-time developer Andrew Clarke may be able to see his development fruit ripen: As planned, it would be a 36-unit mixed condominium and retail building on Northeast Killingsworth Street and 17th Avenue.

The building would include one- and two-bedroom units and 6,000 square feet of retail.

Clark had been awaiting the council’s decision before moving ahead on the design phase of the project, though he’s already tapped Skylab Architecture as the building’s designer.

“We’d like to see this become more of a destination,” said Clarke, a Northeast Portland native. He pointed to the Alberta District nearby as a model of how to quickly redevelop a neighborhood.

And the two neighborhoods could have a symbiotic relationship, feeding off each other’s development activity. But the zoning changes were needed first, he said.

Gary Marschke, president of the North Northeast Business Association, welcomed the zoning change and new development, and said his organization had thrown unanimous support behind the rezoning efforts and the push for greater development.

Residents welcomed the zoning change as well. The hope is that more development, redevelopment and business activity will drive away the prostitution and drug dealing that residents say plague their neighborhood.

For example, Vernon neighborhood resident Amy Hendrix was shocked a year ago to find that her backyard had hosted a police-perpetrator scrum. Officers chased a drug suspect into her backyard, where a scuffle ensued.

When she came home, the scene was replayed by the visual clues left behind: a police-officer nameplate was imbedded in her lawn, her bushes looked as if they’d been trampled by leaden boots, and dirt and debris were scattered.

The naked storefronts and empty lots that serve as the face of the neighborhood, if dressed up as new developments or businesses, would help the area, she said.

“You’ve got this area where property owners can’t do anything,” Hendrix said. “Their hands are really tied.”

Clarke hopes his project fosters a “shared sense of space” and attracts empty-nesters and young professionals alike.

He plans to start construction on his project in early 2009 and aims to finish in 2010. The firm York and Curtis will manage the construction for the project.

“This is a small change,” Hendrix said, “but it has big implications for the neighborhood.”

[pdxman]

In regards to the story that Mark posted above about the development on Gibbs street, AMAA has renderings on their website for the project if anyone wants to see them.

http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/project/?category=otb&project=202&redir=L3BvcnRmb2xpby8/Y2F0ZWdvcnk9b3RiIzI1

[RED_PDXer]

http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/project/?category=otb&project=202&redir=L3BvcnRmb2xpby8/Y2F0ZWdvcnk9b3RiIzI1

At first glance, it looks nice. At least I like the amount of detail the rendering suggests. However, I can't stand it when architects and developers try to make a single building with multiple facades in an attempt to replicate development over time, like with the mixed-use structure in this proposal. It NEVER gets pulled off correctly because in the end, it's all built at the same time and it's one building. At the very least, they should construct separate buildings next to each other, rather than cheaping out and constructing multiple facades on one structure. Or better yet, pick one design for the entire building and stick with it, just like a developer would in 1910.. it'd be cheaper to construct and it would actually stand the test of time better.

[MarkDaMan]

East-side infill project is Gerding Edlen's first
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 04:00 AM PDT Wednesday, July 9, 2008
BY TYLER GRAF

Known for its developments in the Pearl District and South Waterfront, Gerding Edlen Development is now planning to take on another challenge: inner east-side infill.

The company has finished demolishing and clearing away what was once a run-down, semi-abandoned church at 2030 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., across from the Cinemagic movie theater, and will soon break ground on a 51-unit apartment building there that will become the firm’s first infill project east of the Willamette River.

The building will go up in the Hawthorne District, which was a calculated move by Gerding Edlen. The firm plans to take advantage of a tightened Hawthorne housing market, in which about 98 percent of the housing stock is off the market, said Aaron Jones, the project manager for Gerding Edlen.

“This will be the first of our infill sites,” Jones said, adding that other mid-scale projects are planned – a shift in focus for a company known for large-scale projects such as the Brewery Blocks and the John Ross Tower.

And it reveals the way the development market has shifted, Jones said.

Gerding Edlen has looked at other east-side locations but has yet to commit to any other new properties. The Hawthorne property was purchased about a month ago for an undisclosed amount.

Michael Townsend, a real estate agent who operates in Southeast Portland, said he’s seen the market tighten. He hasn’t represented a property near or on Hawthorne in 18 months – a time in which he’s seen apartment rents increase by 10 to 12 percent as far out as 122nd Avenue.

“There are a lot of undervalued properties out there that have been snatched up,” Townsend said. “More and more people are fighting for fewer and fewer homes or apartments.”

To set its apartment building apart from others in town, Gerding Edlen is developing it to include a mechanized garage within the building itself. Residents will drive their cars into a loading area, and the garage will essentially sort and stack them.

Zoning for the property does not require parking to be included, yet the developers wanted to get the most out of a relatively meager footprint. The mechanized garage – the second for a Portland housing project after The Strand condominiums – is being designed as a less costly alternative to underground parking.

The garage will work using a car-stacking system, or as Jones calls it “a puzzle-lift system” that shimmies, rotates, lifts and moves one car independent of the others. It’s like a vending machine for automobiles.

Members of the development team studied six apartment complexes in Berkeley, Calif., that used a similar parking system and came away impressed, said Julio Rocha, an architect working on the project for GBD Architects.

They plan to tour another garage installation in Oakland, Calif., in the coming months.

“Essentially, you’re parking three cars for every available space,” Jones said. “We think it’s the future of parking.”

He added that the garage will be different than the one at The Strand condominiums, which can park two cars per spot. That type of system is typically suited for condominium buildings where residents may own two cars that they want to stack on top of each other on one parking space.

“The parking garage will allow us to provide less space for parking, so we can have more space for retail,” Jones said.

The 5,000 square feet of retail space on the bottom floor is being designed so that it can be split up among multiple tenants, if Gerding Edlen cannot land a major retailer, Jones said.

And the apartment interiors will be modeled after those designed for the Cyan condominiums, adjacent to the South Park Blocks, Rocha said.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/07/09/Eastside-infill-project-is-Gerding-Edlens-first

[tworivers]

Wow, I had no idea that was a G/E project.

I have a couple of old seats (theater-style) from that church on my front porch, courtesy of the Rebuilding Center.

[Okstate]

^ sounds promising

[urbanlife]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

[downtownpdx]

I don't know anything about the 4th Ave. site -- (anything would be better than what's there). They are renovating the Fed Reserve building at 10th into offices -- some downtown firm is relocating there soon -- with possible retail on the west-facing side. The long-term plan is for a high-rise on the parking lot that sits on the western half of the block.

[urbanlife]

I knew about the long term plan for the tower, I was just confused why they started tearing up the parking lot now.

[MarkDaMan]

Friday, July 18, 2008
Zoning changes may revive dormant neighborhoods
Portland Business Journal - by Wendy Culverwell Business Journal staff writer

The city has fixed an old zoning mistake on Northeast Killingsworth Avenue, clearing the way to replace a neighborhood nuisance with an ambitious condominium project and new retail businesses.

Last week, the Portland City Council reversed a zoning decision made 20 years ago that led to a small commercial stretch being rezoned as a residential neighborhood. The decision stranded the handful of pre-existing buildings in the category of "nonconforming" uses, which made it nearly impossible for their owners to keep them updated or even to get bank loans to make changes.

The result is a series of dilapidated buildings that neighbors say attracts criminal activity.

Killingsworth is one of potentially dozens of neighborhoods where old zoning decisions have hindered commercial development. The city is attempting to revisit them all.

"We've got over 20 years of growth and change now and some of the decisions haven't played out," said Joe Zehnder, principal planner.

Killingsworth isn't the only rezone in the works. This week, the City Council made a similar fix for the North Interstate Avenue corridor, with new zoning to match its new Max-oriented development.

In recent decisions, the council fixed similar disconnects between zoning and reality in St. Johns and along Southeast Division Street.

In Killingsworth, it turns out that down-zoning commercial buildings to residential didn't result in more housing, which had been the original goal.

"This is among the worst three-block neighborhoods I can think of," said George Thompson, a broker with Aldridge & Associates Business Brokers, who is representing a church building for sale in the neighborhood.

One would-be developer sees Killings-worth, which is flanked by increasingly popular neighborhoods and destinations, as a place to launch his career.

Andrew Clarke, a long-time resident of neighboring Concordia and president of Hugh Development, wants to develop a mixed-use project at Northeast 16th and Killingsworth.

Clarke said he asked the city to restore the commercial zoning on Killingsworth so he can build a retail-and-condo project in place of a low-slung grocery at 1616 N.E. Killingsworth. He plans to buy the property, first developed in 1964 and now operating as a grocery.

Clarke intends to raze the market and replace it with a four-story building with space for four retail businesses at street level and about 30 one-and two-bedroom condominiums.

Clarke said plans are preliminary and he didn't identify financial partners. But he has enlisted an architect, Skylab Architecture, a contractor, York and Curtis, and even a public relations firm, Edelman, to help out.

Zehnder said there is no clear fix when it comes to undoing zoning changes that make commercial buildings outsiders in their own neighborhoods.

The city has altered codes to make it easier to get permits to alter "nonconforming" buildings. But there is no blanket solution that works with every situation.

"You've got to do it on a corridor by corridor basis," he said.

City zoning maps indicate stretches of residential zones bordering almost all of the city's major arterials, though it's unclear just how many have "nonconforming" commercial structures on them.

Debbie Bischoff, a planner and city neighborhood liaison who worked on the Killingsworth project, said there were no opponents to the rezone. It had the enthusiastic support of city planners, the planning commission and neighborhood and business associations.

That's unlikely to be the case elsewhere, where zoning changes could be greeted with skepticism.

The Elliott neighborhood, north of the Rose Quarter and Memorial Coliseum, is a telling example.

Portions of Elliott were rezoned for residential use with hearty support from neighbors, concerned that the district had lost too much housing to the Rose Quarter and Memorial Coliseum. It's less clear if there is an appetite to revisit that decision, she said.

But Zehnder said reviewing old decisions makes sense.

"It's a really reasonable request to go back and take a look at some of these nonconforming use areas and see if they still make sense," he said.

wculverwell@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3415
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/21/story7.html?t=printable

[MarkDaMan]

Tiny condos may rise too tall for the block
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Fred Leeson
Special to The Oregonian

No one can accuse Jon Gustafson of deception in naming his proposed condo project at 3952 N. Williams Ave.

At roughly 500 square feet each, the units will be among the tiniest in Portland. Hence the name: Shoebox Lofts.

Gustafson hopes that high ceilings and end walls with garage-style roll-up glass doors will give the units an airy, spacious feeling. He thinks projected sales prices of $199,000 will make the units attractive to first-time buyers.

The project's real distinction, however, is a test of how much density city officials will allow on a standard residential lot that fronts a major commercial street.

"It will be a precedent-setter in a lot of respects, for the city staff and for the neighborhood," said David Wark, a member of the Portland Design Commission, which approved a modified Shoebox design last month.

The Shoebox is actually two buildings of four stories each, linked by a common stairwell. They will hold 17 residential units plus a small retail space on Williams.

At 62 feet, the taller building facing Williams hits the height limit allowed by the zoning code. But city development guidelines suggest it should "step down" toward the back of the lot, where the property abuts a residential zone with a 35-foot maximum height.

City regulations don't suggest how much of a step-down is appropriate. Gustafson's original plan had the shorter building at 55 feet -- a prospect that upset neighbors behind on Northeast Cleveland Avenue. They feared loss of privacy and views and a decline in property values.

The city's Bureau of Development Services rejected that version. Tim Heron, a senior city planner, said he liked the design but thought it was too big to meet the step-down guideline.

The step-down issue is expected to come up more often on many major streets that are targeted for density but abut lower-density residential properties.

"This is a struggle for us because we are in a transition point in this city," said Lloyd Lindley, chairman of the design commission, who presided over Gustafson's appeal hearings. "The good-neighbor part is important to me, too."

Reducing the number of Shoebox units was one way to achieve a greater step-down. But architect Chris DiLoreto said eliminating one unit would wipe out any profit and cutting two would make Gustafson "lose everything."

Following a design commission suggestion, Gustafson and the design team sliced 5 feet of enclosed space from the top floor of the rear building and used that square footage for small outdoor decks instead. As a result, the top height closest to the Cleveland Avenue neighbors will be just over 44 feet, down from 55.

"I think it's a good infill project," said Andrew Jansky, a design commission member who joined unanimous approval of the compromise. "It sets the stage for future infill development."

Wark, too, lauded the compromise. But he said disputes over step-downs won't go away as the city grapples with a growing population. "This is probably the issue we'll be facing for years and years."

Portland News: 503-221-8199; portland@news.oregonian.com
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1215732320133500.xml&coll=7

[timpitts57]

More condos on Williams sound great to me. I guess these will be very close to the Hakoya Lofts, in the area with Pix, etc...this little stretch of Williams/Vancouver is really taking off.

[360Rich]

Here are some renders from Brian Libby's Portland Architecture blog of the Shoebox Lofts.

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_2.jpg

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_1.jpg

from http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2007/10/shoebox-lofts-d.html

[sopdx]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

I believe they are renovating the base of the building next to the adult bookstore, hence the fence. Regarding the fed reserv. and tagging onto downtown's comment, they are altering the parking lot some.

[NewUrbanist]

Recently I was at a design meeting at Holst and saw a panel of 4 concepts for this building. I was struck because I had worked on a group project on this site at PSU. If anyone is concerned about the loss of the simple elegance of the checkboard pattern should know that the building will be gorgeous. Holst is taking into account the current facade and is making a project that will only improve the appearance rather than destroy it.

Also, anyone who has been inside recently can attest that the interior is a shell with some serious structural concerns. Singer is making the right move by renovating it, although if he does consider adding additional floors he will trigger a seismic upgrade which will add considerable sums to his budget.

[uhohitzme]

I see that AMAA has some pretty good skyscrapers "on the board."

[MarkDaMan]

^I loooove ITIS. Would love to see that here in Portland.

[Delaney]

"Tanzamook" Condos in Irvington:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/portland/Blog?blog=41935&oid=848384

[JordanL]

Here are some renders from Brian Libby's Portland Architecture blog of the Shoebox Lofts.

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_2.jpg

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_1.jpg

from http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2007/10/shoebox-lofts-d.html

Those look identical to a building near Freemont and MLK.

[urbanlife]

I believe they are renovating the base of the building next to the adult bookstore, hence the fence. Regarding the fed reserv. and tagging onto downtown's comment, they are altering the parking lot some.

gotcha, I figured they were doing a renovation to the adult bookstore, although I would love to see them renovate the old brick building then build something new that really stood out at the intersection.

[sowat]

a few sample 2121 SE Belmont rental listings:

2BR/2BA Apartment: $2,500/month
Sq Footage: 1,392
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769697647.html

1BR/1.5BA Apartment: $2,200/month
Sq Footage: 1,214
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769695758.html

1BR/1BA Apartment: $1,275/month
Sq Footage: 707
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769688389.html

[sowat]

deleted (event/link expired)

[zilfondel]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

Luxury units like that don't seem to reflect the demand for actual rental housing in the neighborhood, however.

[downtownpdx]

Just a random question: does anyone know the status of the building @ NW 23rd and Glisan on the sw corner, the wood-frame one that used to house the "Devine Designs" bridal shop? I've walked by a few times lately, and there used to be a 'public notice' sign up about redevelopment, but it's gone and there seems to be nothing happening. I wonder if there are still plans for this site ... it is one ugly building right now, and the new design sounded nice.

[bvpcvm]

i saw some sort of pre-app notice on the city website about two weeks ago.

edit: here it is (http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=203390)

check project addresses at portlandmaps.com; if you look under "property" and then "permits", it'll show you all the activity. you can't get the actual pdf files of the proposals, but you can get an idea of what's going on.

[BrG]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

Luxury units like that don't seem to reflect the demand for actual rental housing in the neighborhood, however.


Well, they have only been available for rent for something like a week and a half.

I agree that it will be a tough go, to get that many high end units leased up in a neighborhood where you can rent a house for that same price.

[sopdx]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

Actually urbanlife, I was wrong. According to portlandmaps, there was a demo permit taken out in April for the adult bookstore - so I would assume they are tearing it down. I haven't heard anything about what will go in there, unless it's part of the a project

[PDX City-State]

Interesting Infill Project.

http://www.portlandspaces.net/blog/the-burnside-blog/2008/7/30/path-architecture-s-williams-five

[sowat]

Interesting Infill Project.

http://www.portlandspaces.net/blog/the-burnside-blog/2008/7/30/path-architecture-s-williams-five

It does look interesting, and fairly well designed and built, judging from the slick photos anyway. They've been for sale the whole time while under construction, and still none have sold. Something's wrong, apart from a slow market. Perhaps price? No parking would be an issue for many. Personally I find it all a bit too dense and too close-knit a community, but some might be into that.

[PDX City-State]

Pre-sales aren't selling at any development.

[sowat]

yes that's a good point, but not exactly true for north portland
http://www.mississippiavenuelofts.com/MississippiAvenueLofts_PriceList.pdf

[CUclimber]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

That was my reaction as well.

I live in a great building (new, great materials & finish, 900sf, high cielings, nice windows, in Lair Hill, etc.) and my roomate and I pay $600 each for a 2BR. How a building is charging $1200 for a smaller 1BR is beyond me.

Who exactly is paying for these places?

To put it another way: My girlfriend and I make around $100k per year combined, and we're not comfortable paying much more than the $1100 that we pay (combined, for our respective apartments).

[PDX City-State]

Very true, but I don't understand why anyone would pay so much for such a small place on Mississippi. One could find a place Downtown for those prices. The Williams FIVE don't have parking?

[dkealoha]

That was my reaction as well.

I live in a great building (new, great materials & finish, 900sf, high cielings, nice windows, in Lair Hill, etc.) and my roomate and I pay $600 each for a 2BR. How a building is charging $1200 for a smaller 1BR is beyond me.

Who exactly is paying for these places?

To put it another way: My girlfriend and I make around $100k per year combined, and we're not comfortable paying much more than the $1100 that we pay (combined, for our respective apartments).

I pay about $1200 a month and I make half what you guys make together. In exchange, I do not need or have a car so I save on gas, insurance, car payment etc.

[PDX City-State]

Rent in Portland has always been a very low portion of what people actually make. That's going to change. Because of high construction costs, not as many apartments as are currently needed will come to market. This is a problem as people continue to move here. Unless costs decrease, and they likely won't that much, the price of rent will go nowhere but up.

[sowat]

The Williams FIVE don't have parking?

Zero. Street only, or bikes inside your condo. "Bus lines are just outside your door". New Seasons is 2 miles away.

[Leo]

Rent in Portland has always been a very low portion of what people actually make. That's going to change. Because of high construction costs, not as many apartments as are currently needed will come to market. This is a problem as people continue to move here. Unless costs decrease, and they likely won't that much, the price of rent will go nowhere but up.

By applying this kind of thinking, you can argue that the price of every commodity will go nowhere but up. What this type of argument is missing is that non-bubble markets have a negative feedback loop: When prices go up, demand falls. Because rents go up, fewer people will move here. It all works itself out. Rent gets paid with real money that people actually have to earn, not money from funny loans, so they can't rise beyond what incomes will support.

The prices for the Belmont building are high. Check out Craig's List; you can easily find larger apartments for less money in Pearl District. Now, you may argue that not everyone *likes* Pearl District better than Belmont, but I don't see how these developers will successfully charge people more money to live in Belmont than their competitors charge in Pearl District.

And that Williams building is sweet. :tup:

[zilfondel]

so, I toured 2121 Belmont today... and I have to say, I am highly impressed with this project. It is extremely well-made, with very high quality construction, and materials that fit well with the neighborhood.

Kind of funky that they have some basement units that extend 4 feet below ground level, but it is certainly nice. I don't have $1600 for a one-bedroom rental unit, but they said they expect it to be about half leased out by October.

Oh, and they have secure bicycle parking! :D

[Leo]

I don't have $1600 for a one-bedroom rental unit, but they said they expect it to be about half leased out by October.

Yes, but didn't these same people also *expect* to sell 2121 Belmont as condos? ;)

Can you explain your comment about basement units being 4 feet below ground? Are they just normal basement apartments where the bottom of the window is a few inches off the ground level outside?

[zilfondel]

^ I should take a picture tomorrow so that you guys can see. They are a little odd, because the slope of the site (300 feet long) means that the windows keep getting shorter and shorter, as the ground rises higher up. Lets just say that some of the units occupants will have a great view of peoples ankles. :)

[PDX City-State]

By applying this kind of thinking, you can argue that the price of every commodity will go nowhere but up. What this type of argument is missing is that non-bubble markets have a negative feedback loop: When prices go up, demand falls.

True Leo, but I guess I should have mentioned the most important factor in the Portland rent and property equation. Portland is considered to be one of the hippest places on earth right now, and people are still moving here. Couple that with the number of apartments converted to condominiums and what you're left with is a rental shortage. Recent studies have shown certain close-in neighborhoods to have apartment vacancy rates less than 5%, which is essentially turnover only.

Portland used to be cheap, but it's just not going to be forever. It has become too desirable. As for 2121 Belmont, those rents are way too high for the neighborhood, but with all the East Coast types moving here used to paying high rents, you might be surprised how many of these get leased out.

[CUclimber]

As for 2121 Belmont, those rents are way too high for the neighborhood, but with all the East Coast types moving here used to paying high rents, you might be surprised how many of these get leased out.
But again, that doesn't make all that much sense.

If it were East coasters cashing out of their $2million homes and buying up the more expensive homes in Portland, I could understand it. What I don't understand is where all these jobs are that are allowing people to pay this much for rent. As a previous poster astutely mentioned rent is money that actually has to be earned, and it can't come from a crazy loan or the sale of a Manhattan condo.

I don't care how many hipsters move here to work at bike shops, New Seasons, and Stumptown-- that ain't paying the rent on these new buildings.

[PDX City-State]

It doesn't make sense, and that's what's puzzling. However, the local economy is far more dynamic than how you describe it. There are lots of people moving here to set up small businesses. Portland is a great place for entrepreneurs for several reasons. First, it's relatively cheap yet its inhabitants are quite sophisticated. Second, people are open to new ideas. Third, its progressive politics make it appear as a sort of utopia. While other cities debate public transit and alternative lifestyles, Portland is leading the way. Last year Travel and Leisure penned a 10-page spread that referred to Portland as "American Eden."

If you'd like an example of a city that boomed on the merits of its livability alone, you don't have to look far. Vancouver, BC experienced a similar boom in the 1980s and 1990s.

I'm not sure I agree with the recent perceptions and portrayals of Portland, but I have certainly noticed the degree to which they're shaping the city.

If it were East coasters cashing out of their $2million homes and buying up the more expensive homes in Portland, I could understand it.

My friend, that is what's happening.

[zilfondel]

^ except we are getting an even larger share of 20 & 30 year olds who move here for work, school, or to be cool

I typically meet ~1-2 new arrivals every day

[Leo]

True Leo, but I guess I should have mentioned the most important factor in the Portland rent and property equation. Portland is considered to be one of the hippest places on earth right now, and people are still moving here. Couple that with the number of apartments converted to condominiums and what you're left with is a rental shortage. Recent studies have shown certain close-in neighborhoods to have apartment vacancy rates less than 5%, which is essentially turnover only.

Once again, what this line of argument ignores completely is that when rents do rise, fewer people will come to Portland. *That* is the most important factor in the Portland rent and property equation. Demand is not independent of price.

I love Portland, but the relatively low cost of living was one of the attractions of coming here. At higher prices, plenty of other cities offer an equivalent or better “hipness” factor, and Portland becomes less and less attractive. As you point out, people tend to move to Portland by choice; there are very few reasons why people would be *forced* to come or stay here if the housing costs become unattractive to them. They may, for example, decide to move to Vancouver, BC, instead.

In addition, I agree with sentiment of other posters that many people who move here for the “hipness” factor probably lack the income to support significantly higher rents. For all of the population growth in the last few years, income in Portland has not risen much, which suggests that there has not been a change in the fundamental economics that would occur in a genuine sustainable boom.

I am not arguing that rents are not increasing. The real inflation rate is very high right now; that alone will cause rents to rise. But some of the other causes are temporary. Vacancy rates, for example, are being affected by condo conversions. Essentially, these have turned fully occupied rental apartments into unsold and unoccupied condos. My expectation is that these condos will be bought by investors and will be returned to the rental market in the next few years.

[MarkDaMan]

Kind of funky that they have some basement units that extend 4 feet below ground level, but it is certainly nice. I don't have $1600 for a one-bedroom rental unit

That's not the $1600 a month apartment is it?

There's too much Pearl, downtown, Kings Hill/Goose Hollow, Alphabet, and SoWa apartment and condo rentals on the market for these rents to make sense.

[philopdx]

Once again, what this line of argument ignores completely is that when rents do rise, fewer people will come to Portland. *That* is the most important factor in the Portland rent and property equation. Demand is not independent of price.

I love Portland, but the relatively low cost of living was one of the attractions of coming here. At higher prices, plenty of other cities offer an equivalent or better “hipness” factor, and Portland becomes less and less attractive. As you point out, people tend to move to Portland by choice; there are very few reasons why people would be *forced* to come or stay here if the housing costs become unattractive to them. They may, for example, decide to move to Vancouver, BC, instead.

In addition, I agree with sentiment of other posters that many people who move here for the “hipness” factor probably lack the income to support significantly higher rents. For all of the population growth in the last few years, income in Portland has not risen much, which suggests that there has not been a change in the fundamental economics that would occur in a genuine sustainable boom.

I am not arguing that rents are not increasing. The real inflation rate is very high right now; that alone will cause rents to rise. But some of the other causes are temporary. Vacancy rates, for example, are being affected by condo conversions. Essentially, these have turned fully occupied rental apartments into unsold and unoccupied condos. My expectation is that these condos will be bought by investors and will be returned to the rental market in the next few years.

Something very big we're missing here is that due to the stratospheric reputation of Portland as a hipster Mecca, the inelasticity of the demand for housing is extraordinary. There aren't really any substitutes for housing (under the Burnside bridge nonwithstanding) so what do people do? When rents go up, they get a roommate, find a basement room in a shady part of town, etc, etc.

Looking at other cities like SF, NYC, Boston, Chi-town, London, Moscow, Shanghai - some of the most expensive places in the world - did exorbitant rents dampen their growth appreciably? People may move to bedroom communities to lessen the burden of their housing costs, but they won't be loading up the truck for West Bum****, Oklabama anytime soon just because it's cheaper.

Now don't get me wrong, Portland isn't in the same league as those cultural and commercial hubs, but my point is that the salary premium offered by living in those places doesn't come anywhere near the premium demanded by their housing markets. As a city moves up the pecking order in terms of desirability and relevance, the housing costs of the locale will outstrip the earning potential of the population by a greater and greater proportion. We should expect the same thing to happen here.

So while I'll agree the notion of supply and demand does apply to real estate in a sense, it doesn't quite resemble the near-perfect demand elasticity of a Big Mac vs. a Whopper.

While I fear that we here in Portland may ultimately become the victims of our own success in terms of cost of living, I guess it's a better fate than those rust-belt cities at the other end of the spectrum with rapid depopulation and plummeting real estate values.

But all that being said, I think some developers are going to take an absolute bath because they grossly overestimated the rents this market can currently support.

[NJD]

not really 'infill' but...
http://www.djcoregon.com/_images/articles/djclead%20-%200728Multi%203.jpg
Developer gives old building new purpose
Multi-Crafts Plastics building becomes hub for bike commuters

POSTED: 04:00 AM PDT Monday, July 28, 2008
BY LIBBY TUCKER DJC

Portlanders may know the former Multi-Crafts Plastics factory between Northeast Broadway and Weidler Street just east of the Broadway Bridge for its prominent billboard ads for cell phone service. Or perhaps they’ve stared at it while sitting in traffic after an event at the Rose Garden Arena.

But the Northeast Portland building is about to gain status as being worthy of a much-closer, second look. Developer Daniel Deutsch is almost done transforming the run-down, funky, old structure in Northeast Portland into a mixed-use retail and office building for local, creative and sustainable businesses.

Although Deutsch’s company, Alora Property, won’t release specific company names until contracts are final, tenants of the 66,000-square-foot building could include a “major player in the bicycle industry,” a brewery and a coffee shop, according to Alora project manager Joanna Agee.

Alora hopes to attract a restaurant and as many as 30 other tenants “who are just all very passionate about what they do,” said Agee. “We don’t have specific guidelines but we want the community to join forces in this little island of a space so that everyone will benefit from each others’ company.”

Ride on

Stuck in the center of a high-speed, high-volume traffic triangle, the Multi-Crafts building is somewhat isolated, which could present a challenge to attracting tenants. Employees in the new office building will have few parking options.

To compensate, project designer DiLoreto Architecture included features to encourage bicycle commuting. A former loading dock on the north side of the building provides a long, gradual ramp into the back entry, which will be covered with an arbor for hanging bike storage. The basement of the building will contain showers and a locker room for sweaty commuters and more-secure storage.

Despite its odd location, the building is well-positioned to be a hub for North and Northeast Portland bicyclists, said Scott Bricker, executive director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. Flint Avenue, which dead-ends at the triangle, is a major thoroughfare for bike commuters who want to avoid traffic-heavy Vancouver Avenue on their way downtown across the Broadway Bridge.

And on the other side of the triangle, across Broadway and Weidler, lies the Rose Quarter and the Eastbank Esplanade. The only problem is there’s no easy way for cyclists to cross traffic at that location.

“There would have to be some engineering work looking at how bicycles currently go through there so they can safely cross Broadway and Weidler,” Bricker said. “But if you can manage that, the rest of network around it is robust.”

Although there aren’t any current plans to redesign the street configuration, proposed plans for the east loop of the Portland Streetcar include a stop at the site and call for re-engineering the intersection around the triangle to make it more accommodating to both bikes and pedestrians.

“That particular spot on Broadway… has been a particularly disastrous spot for people,” Rick Gustafson, executive director of the Portland Streetcar said in a May interview about the development. “The streetcar has helped us rethink the street, and we’ve provided plans to change the (configuration) because it’s just a sea of pavement.”

Historic hurdles

Another design challenge facing DiLoreto Architecture was the building’s industrial history. The site is actually comprised of three historic buildings, built in different eras and connected in odd places with floors at different elevations. The majority of the original passageways have been preserved. As a result, strange ramps, hidden staircases and misshapen doorways abound throughout the building.

To create an easier flow between the building’s retail spaces on the ground floor and the offices above, the lobby includes a new metal catwalk on a mezzanine level that connects the three buildings at the front entrance. The building contains few other new architectural additions, however.

“Our whole goal was just to get that building up to code and to a point where people could actually occupy it; Multi-Craft kind of neglected it a little bit,” said Tracy Orvis, a project manager and designer with DiLoreto Architecture. “We wanted to be respectful of the building and its history, and to maintain or restore as much as we could.”

The building’s age also made it difficult for the designers to shoot for a LEED rating, said Orvis. Instead, they’ve incorporated many sustainable elements such as an efficient HVAC system and low-energy LED lighting.

Achieving a LEED rating on historic building renovations is possible, but complex, agrees Clark Brockman, a principal with Sera Architects, which designed the Meier and Frank building, another historic renovation. The LEED rating system gives up to three points for saving the original building.

But in Oregon, pursuing a LEED rating on a building under 80,000 square feet doesn’t make much sense because the combination of fees, minus the incentives, adds up to an additional $1 per square foot, he said.

“It hasn’t been our experience that the existing building renovation isn’t feasible” to achieve LEED, said Brockman. “Even at 60,000 square feet, they’re going to get a significant incentive. But the other problem with that is that it doesn’t come until six months after they occupied the building. So in today’s tight financial market, I can see how it might be difficult to accomplish a LEED rating.”

General contractor Dao Construction is set to have the building ready for occupants by September, in time to serve as the main venue for the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art’s Time-Based-Art festival.

[bvpcvm]

fyi - the NW Examiner can now be downloaded in PDF format:

http://nwexaminer.com/issues/ (http://nwexaminer.com/issues/)

it's useful for NW/Pearl news. it's also impressive for it's capability to always find something to complain about. it's worth checking out anyway, tho.

[pdxman]

^^^Oh my god that is so very true. I was reading through it the other day and couldn't help but laugh at the amount of articles that were basically complaints and whinings about everything wrong going on in NW.

[twofiftyfive]

Apparently the development across 19th from Couch Park is now called "Park 19". There's a new website (http://www.livepark19.com/).

[MOPIdaho]

This project is on NE Mallory, just off MLK.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2752474796_6fef5ba804.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/2752474596_fe0569a873.jpg

[digme]

Huh, I don't know how I feel about that one. It looks like they had the right idea, but should have put in larger/more windows.

[BrG]

The rents at 2121 Belmont are a function of the project's overall cost. No more/ no less.

There is a per square foot rent that has to be charged in order to make the building's mortage. Simple as that. (It's about the going rate for concrete housing construction, priced in 2006. Get price quotes for a couple units and ask the square footages and you'll be able to conclude the figure...)

The building was quite expensive for an apartment building (since it was meant as a "for sale" project) and it's going to be a challenge for them to rent it all out at a monthly rate that isn't upside down to monthly expenses.

But they seem to be doing well. The leasing office is pretty busy. As an apartment building it's VERY nice.