Portland Infill | Northwest Portland

[DMH]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Even as someone who doesn't believe that the quality a city's urbanism is defined by its skyline—I'll take Northwest Portland over Belleuve, WA any day—I find it very silly when people involved in the NWDA say it's inappropriate to build new building in Northwest that are the height of apartment buildings that were being built in the neighborhood 100 years ago.

With that said, I'll be glad to see anything built on this site. NW 23rd is one of the great streets of our city, and this vacant lot exacerbates the gap between the north and south sections of the street created by Legacy Good Sam.

I saw some information that explains the developer's decision this summer to abandon the 1-story retail building proposal and change to the 3-story mixed use building. It is because of a new City code that allows such buildings to avoid Design Review and go right to permits. Sure speeds the process. Developer wants to start construction in the summer.

[maccoinnich]

Housing, retail eyed for long-vacant Northwest 23rd lot



A vacant lot in the Northwest neighborhood will be redeveloped into a mixed-use development.

The plot just off the Northwest 23rd Avenue and Marshall Street streetcar stop will become a three-story apartment complex with 50 housing units and 10,000 square feet of ground floor retail. A sub ground parking structure, set aside for residents, is also part of the plans.

The land is currently owned by CE John, a full-service development firm based out of Vancouver. Mark Osborne, chief real estate officer with CE John, said they hope to start construction next fall.

“We’re committed to seeing something happen here,” Osborne told the Portland Business Journal.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal.

[Derek]

50 units seems like a vast underutilization of the site.

[maccoinnich]

DoveLewis opens new care center in Northwest Portland



Portland veterinary nonprofit DoveLewis has unveiled its new building in Northwest Portland across the street from its emergency care building on Northwest Pettygrove Street.

The nonprofit is expanding services on two floors of a newly built 30,000-square foot building. The new space has more exam rooms, surgery suites and treatment areas to reduce wait times and stress for pets and families.

“We started adding specialists many years ago, but we didn’t have the room to add more,” President and CEO Ron Morgan said. “The goal for us is to keep patients in the health care system of DoveLewis and not have to drive around town to find a specialist.”

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[maccoinnich]

Swiss mass timber co. will build manufacturing plant in Portland



A Swiss company plans to build a mass timber manufacturing plant at the Port of Portland's former Terminal 2, where it expects to employ around 60 people within the next five years.

Port commissioners on Wednesday approved a 99-year ground lease agreement with Zaugg Timber Solutions. Known as ZTS, it's the North American arm of Zaugg, which had been searching for several years for a manufacturing site on the continent.

"Our partnership with ZTS marks a major leap forward in developing the Mass Timber and Housing Innovation Campus at T2,” Kimberly Branam, the Port's chief trade and economic development officer, said in a written statement.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[PlantDad]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

That's not news you hear often around here, but glad to hear it!

[sopdx]

NW Examiner

Construction cranes have grown rare in Portland these days, but local developer Parker McNulty of Carbon Group is aiming high. He recently added four floors to his plans for an apartment building at Northwest 20th and Kearney streets.

McNulty lives in the district, where his company is also based. The 11-story building would have 110 units, all affordable to households earning no more than 60 percent of the average median income for the area.

The structure would be built of hybrid timber, and the project depends on a $500,000-plus government grant.

The site spans two zoning districts: a residential zone with a 65-foot height limit and a commercial zone having a 45-foot maximum. Bonuses can be granted, but this project, which could double or triple those limits, may strain all precedents.

The Northwest District Association Planning Committee will hear a presentation by the developer and discuss the proposal at a meeting on Thursday, July 10, 8 a.m., via Zoom.

[ThatDarnSacramentan]

Originally Posted by sopdx

NW Examiner

Construction cranes have grown rare in Portland these days, but local developer Parker McNulty of Carbon Group is aiming high. He recently added four floors to his plans for an apartment building at Northwest 20th and Kearney streets.

McNulty lives in the district, where his company is also based. The 11-story building would have 110 units, all affordable to households earning no more than 60 percent of the average median income for the area.

The structure would be built of hybrid timber, and the project depends on a $500,000-plus government grant.

The site spans two zoning districts: a residential zone with a 65-foot height limit and a commercial zone having a 45-foot maximum. Bonuses can be granted, but this project, which could double or triple those limits, may strain all precedents.

The Northwest District Association Planning Committee will hear a presentation by the developer and discuss the proposal at a meeting on Thursday, July 10, 8 a.m., via Zoom.

It's hard to tell from the screenshot in the story, but I'm guessing this would be the SW corner where the one story office building is?

It might strain regulation, but it's not without precedent. Marshall Union Manor is two blocks away and that's 12 stories.

[jb111120]

I think it's this property. A quick google search indicates the owner of this lot is an LLC registered to McNulty. So my guess is this building would be facing Kearney.

[downtownpdx]

Portland developer to buy former Food Front Co-op Grocery building

food-front-redevelopment by Ryan Miller, on Flickr

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2025/09/08/news-to-purchase-food-front-building.html ($)

By Sara Edwards – Commercial Real Estate reporter, Portland Business Journal
Sep 8, 2025

The former Food Front Cooperative Grocery in the Slabtown neighborhood is under contract for purchase, but this time it’s not Market of Choice looking to buy.

Development Company of the West, a property services company owned by Mark New and his daughter Rachel, are in contract to purchase the Food Front store market, which closed in 2023.

Terms for the purchase are similar to those previously offered by Market of Choice, which pulled out of purchasing the site last month, but with the addition of a minimum $25,000 donation to Friendly House once the transaction closes.
...

Mark New is known for multiple retail-focused projects across the Willamette Valley. He’s worked with brands like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ulta Beauty, Dollar Tree/Family Dollar, Chipotle and several others.

Development Company of the West is also behind the redevelopment of the Nicolai Building at 2300 N.W. Nicolai St., which the firm acquired in 2017.

The News are working with local architect Brett Schulz and JHC Companies Construction on the space. It’s not clear what will take over the former grocery site, but New said in a statement he will work with a small neighborhood task force to work on a concept to best fit the property.

“I am determined to work with the community to make sure our building adds to this dynamic area and reflects what locals want in terms of design and tenants,” he said. “This area has been home to my family for generations, and I want to make sure we make a positive difference.”

[sopdx]

New 6-Story Apartment Building With Structured Parking Garage At Ground Level (125 Units Proposed)

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by sopdx

New 6-Story Apartment Building With Structured Parking Garage At Ground Level (125 Units Proposed)

Wait, what? Are they tearing down the whole structure or just the building on top of the garage at that address?

[maccoinnich]

Developer details plans for 125-unit Slabtown apartment development



Story Highlights

• Mill Creek plans 125-unit apartment building in Portland's Slabtown neighborhood.
• Project focuses on larger units with fewer amenities, targeting work-from-home residents.
• Development aims to attract investors back to Portland's housing market.

Housing developer Mill Creek plans to use the Slabtown neighborhood as the main amenity of its planned apartment project.

Vice President of Development Chad Encinas said Mill Creek is planning a building with larger units, comprising mostly of two- and three-bedrooms, with more space and fewer amenities. In this case, the Slabtown neighborhood would be the amenity, he said.

“The idea is slightly fewer units that are bigger on average,” he said. “A couple of years ago, the market was trying to attract tenants by adding a lot of expensive amenities. The idea with this project is to have a simpler building where the neighborhood is the amenity.”

The firm hopes to primarily target residents who work from home or have a small family and are looking to rent rather than own.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

“The idea is slightly fewer units that are bigger on average,” he said. “A couple of years ago, the market was trying to attract tenants by adding a lot of expensive amenities. The idea with this project is to have a simpler building where the neighborhood is the amenity.”

I love this. Hopefully they can also build smaller unit buildings with less amenities to help bring down astronomical rents for new builds.

[maccoinnich]

Permits filed for long vacant site on NW 23rd Ave



A project that will bring more housing and retail to the Nob Hill neighborhood in Northwest Portland appears to be moving forward.

C.E. John, the developer behind the project and owner of the site, filed a commercial building permit earlier this week for a mixed-use development for a site at Northwest 23rd Avenue and Marshall Street.

The permit calls for the construction of a four-story building at 1111-1137 N.W. 23rd Ave. with 50 apartments on the second and third level. The ground floor will have a lobby, space for commercial or retail use and parking area.

A website for the project says it will be ready by spring 2027. Related company J.E. John Construction will build the project.

Mark Osborne, vice president of leasing with CE John, could not immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal ($).

[RedGlovesRule99]

https://d1o0i0v5q5lp8h.cloudfront.net/comrea/live/assets/documents/properties/flyer/23-marshall.pdf

Renderings and ground floor drawing here.

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by RedGlovesRule99

https://d1o0i0v5q5lp8h.cloudfront.net/comrea/live/assets/documents/properties/flyer/23-marshall.pdf

Renderings and ground floor drawing here.

Not bad. Wasn’t this the proposal that had been downsized to like 1 story? Maybe I’m not remembering correctly.

[colossalorder]

I will be thrilled to see this get done. That empty block and the uninviting hospital entry on the other side of the street make for such a physical and psychological gap when strolling 23rd. Great to stitch North and South 23rd together with some lively retail!

That said, my heart will always belong to the old Quality Pie that stood there for so long. Memories of 3am dining on terrible food and even worse service will live on forever.

[downtownpdx]

Ooohh yes Quality Pie was a fun lil night spot. But it’ll be so nice to have this prime lot finally developed, especially along the street car line.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by RedGlovesRule99

https://d1o0i0v5q5lp8h.cloudfront.net/comrea/live/assets/documents/properties/flyer/23-marshall.pdf

Renderings and ground floor drawing here.

Several years ago I was on the NWDA Planning Committee doing preliminary design review of an earlier proposal for the Quality Pie site. We struggled with the scale of the project which had at least one more floor of height. Now I am optimistic about this proposal. Though it is becoming a common maneuver to shift the plane of the frontage wall and change the exterior color or material to make full-block-face buildings more human-scaled, I think the architectural move at this location on NW 23rd will be welcome.