This courtyard and raised porch is terrible. I can't believe it survived design review.
The porch is dead and fenced off from everything. Most of these raised docks on 13th lead to doors and shops while this dock has no reason to exist other than as a ramp and cattle chute to the courtyard- there will never be people hanging out there.
The courtyard is equally uninviting with its gate which is either locked or suggests that people should stay out- so unlike most of the north pearl courtyards with invite or allow people to wander through.
I was walking by the Lexus the other day (across the street from Tanner Springs) and noticed that its courtyard is even worse: it presents a completely blank wall to the street; the courtyard itself is up on the second floor. But at least the Lexus has retail - will the Parker?
I agree that the Lexus has a similar and poorly designed courtyard.
I think the Parker has no retail which is unfortunate. Block 17 has retail and live work flex units and the Overton will have some retail.
The problem is that far north, I am afraid the retail will remain empty. A lot of retail in the ASA and the Wyatt has never been filled as it is. These buildings will help, but the further north you go it gets more to the remote edge you would have to have a destination retailer of some sort to draw people all the way down. I say less retail in these building. I would love an active street level, but better have something useful than empty storefronts.
I agree about the challenge with retail this far north.
Block 17 is including quite a few flex units than can be residential street level lofts with porches and these can be converted to office or retail in the future if the demand is there.
The problem is that far north, I am afraid the retail will remain empty. A lot of retail in the ASA and the Wyatt has never been filled as it is. These buildings will help, but the further north you go it gets more to the remote edge you would have to have a destination retailer of some sort to draw people all the way down. I say less retail in these building. I would love an active street level, but better have something useful than empty storefronts.
I disagree, I think as the Pearl expands northward, there is going to come a time these retail spots will be needed and it is easier to design for them from the beginning.
More detailed drawings of the 9-story building to replace the Cash and Carry. This building is directly south of the Ramona and due west of the Parker.
I have a question for those who know more about the economics of development than I do.
I'd always heard that it said that it's uneconomical to do buildings between 7 and ~20 (?) floors in the US. At 6 floors or below, you can do light wood framing over a concrete deck, and we see a lot of those going up in Portland. Above that, building codes require switching to a steel or concrete frame, but this is supposedly so expensive a change that it only make sense when you're doing a fairly tall building. Yet this development is 9 stories above grade, with a concrete frame. So how have they made it stack up financially?
Also, not a huge surprise, but they've dropped the swimming pool idea.
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"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
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