Central Eastside News

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by mmeade

I thought so years ago too, but this area has been well protected for quite some time. It took me a while to come around, but there is immense value to having working industrial this close to the central city. For one thing, this area is affected by a highway, a massive freeway bridge/overpass, and a train line. If you allowed typical uses, they would start to complain and cause these items to be reworked. That would be unnecessary if the current uses remain.

Additionally, these locations provide jobs. The ideal city contains a variety of jobs and a variety of housing opportunities. People can live near the central city, work near the central city, and benefit from all that the central city provides. Not everyone who lives and works near the central city should be bankers and lawyers and such. I value the diversity.

What I think would be interesting would be to find ways to rework the industrial spaces at a larger scale and create buildings like Activspace that provide space for smaller makers and even smaller industrial users.

I agree we should keep these light industrial uses close-in, and I like the ActivSpace model, but I would also like to see more buildings catering to larger industrial clients like the New York building at NW 22nd and York. It's a modern, 6-story industrial building (parking and loading docks on the ground floor) with freight elevators and large open floor plates. Basically vertically-oriented flex-space. I could see many similar buildings going up in the CEID as well as the close-in NW Industrial area.

[babs]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I agree we should keep these light industrial uses close-in, and I like the ActivSpace model, but I would also like to see more buildings catering to larger industrial clients like the New York building at NW 22nd and York. It's a modern, 6-story industrial building (parking and loading docks on the ground floor) with freight elevators and large open floor plates. Basically vertically-oriented flex-space. I could see many similar buildings going up in the CEID as well as the close-in NW Industrial area.

Anyone know how the New York building is doing? I drove by there a few weeks ago during the day and the parking lot was pretty empty. Wondering how leasing is going for their unique concept.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by NESteve

I'm glad to see the Killian project finally moving forward, along with everything else in the Central Eastside. The lower Burnside area around NE MLK and Couch is amazing to watch as I ride through every day.

I've heard from a source in the development/architecture community that the planned 150+ unit building at 419 E. Burnside has very likely been moth-balled. I took a quick look at PortlandMaps, and permit activity stopped months ago (except for a very recent electrical permit to "add voice and data drop to an existing system"). Who knows, maybe we'll see a car lot open once again on that site - or maybe another beer garden!!!

Has anybody else heard anything about whether or not this will move forward?

Any insight into this, Maccoinich?

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by Derek

Any insight into this, Maccoinich?

I have no idea. Looking at their foundation permit they submitted corrections to the city on 03/17/2015. The most recent activity is the Life Safety review being approved on 04/28/2015. I'd be pretty amazed if a project this far along was cancelled, especially in an economy as strong as right now. They went through a Type III Design Review and have submitted construction documents to the City for plan review. That's a lot of money spent by the owner.

EDIT - it just occurred to me that I know someone who would know the answer. I checked and they say it's delayed but by no means cancelled.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I have no idea. Looking at their foundation permit they submitted corrections to the city on 03/17/2015. The most recent activity is the Life Safety review being approved on 04/28/2015. I'd be pretty amazed if a project this far along was cancelled, especially in an economy as strong as right now. They went through a Type III Design Review and have submitted construction documents to the City for plan review. That's a lot of money spent by the owner.

EDIT - it just occurred to me that I know someone who would know the answer. I checked and they say it's delayed but by no means cancelled.

This is what I suspected, thank you for confirming.

[maccoinnich]

Today in sites that I wish were subject to Design Review:

Design-build firm adding 35,000-square-foot headquarters to Central Eastside



The Central Eastside Industrial District will gain another 35,000 square feet of office, retail and warehouse space in a new five-story building from Seattle design-build firm SolTerra.

The company, which was founded in 2008 as a residential solar, living wall and green roof company, broke ground this week on the building at 2424 Southeast Ninth Avenue. The LEED Platinum-designed office building will operate as the company’s Portland headquarters.

“We are creating cost-effective work and living spaces for people who care about sustainability. Our Portland headquarters will be one of the healthiest office environments in the city," said Brian Heather, co-founder of SolTerra, in a release. "SolTerra is demonstrating that renewable energy and sustainable construction are both feasible and beneficial to individuals and society alike."

...continues at the Portland Business Journal.

[maccoinnich]

Notice of a public hearing [PDF] for the Dumbbell. Still ugly.

[cityscapes]

I love it and think it will look great in the foreground with the other two taller buildings going up behind it.

[mmeade]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Notice of a public hearing [PDF] for the Dumbbell. Still ugly.

Deliciously ugly. I just hope that it is well executed.

[PDXDENSITY]

Originally Posted by mmeade

Deliciously ugly. I just hope that it is well executed.

It isn't even ugly. It adds texture to the urban form-- it is fine-grained density.

I find an assessment of this building as "ugly" as a two-dimensional critique with no creativity or foresight.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by PDXDENSITY

It isn't even ugly. It adds texture to the urban form-- it is fine-grained density.

I find an assessment of this building as "ugly" as a two-dimensional critique with no creativity or foresight.

I can provide my take on why it's "ugly": it's a gimmicky facade that will look dated quickly. and if not done with quality materials, which this developer is definitely NOT known for, it wall age poorly and end up looking like crap in the relatively near future.

[maccoinnich]

The most hated building in the city--the Portland Building--is a cube with undersized punched windows and two dimensional applied decoration. The Dumbbell is two [almost] cubes with undersized punched windows and two dimensional applied decoration. I can't even begin to think how someone in this city, of all cities, can think that's a good idea.

[PDXDENSITY]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

I can provide my take on why it's "ugly": it's a gimmicky facade that will look dated quickly. and if not done with quality materials, which this developer is definitely NOT known for, it wall age poorly and end up looking like crap in the relatively near future.

It won't look like crap given its prominent position. If they want tenants, they'll keep it up. These are critiques that assume negligence of maintenance.

And comparing this to the Portland building which I am sure is many times more voluminous is apples to oranges. This isn't a monstrosity taking up a big plot downtown; this is a small building taking up a lot that I assumed would never be developed. BIG difference.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Notice of a public hearing [PDF] for the Dumbbell. Still ugly.

I have to disagree, I like this one and it will give that area a nice mix of architecture to keep it from looking to sterile as it redevelops.

[65MAX]

I think ugly is subjective. We can all definitely agree it's unique, but how long until the novelty wears off? I'm more concerned with the functionality and how it fits into the neighborhood. On those aspects, I think it does exceptionally well. Bike parking (no auto parking), open floor plans with exposed heavy timber beams and columns (perfect for creative offices), balconies, ground floor retail. All great features.

I think we'll see this project on the cover of architectural magazines precisely because it is so visually bold (for better or worse). Of course, the same thing happened with the Portland Building, so.....

[mhays]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I have no idea. Looking at their foundation permit they submitted corrections to the city on 03/17/2015. The most recent activity is the Life Safety review being approved on 04/28/2015. I'd be pretty amazed if a project this far along was cancelled, especially in an economy as strong as right now. They went through a Type III Design Review and have submitted construction documents to the City for plan review. That's a lot of money spent by the owner.

Just speaking generally, but as a contractor (up north) I wish it was list that! Projects routinely get to the brink of breaking ground, and then get delayed or cancelled. (True cancellations don't really happen if the same people still control the land, because conditions can change, but often they've based the entire project on land not owned but under contract, and if they let the contract expire that can be considered cancellation, though even then the plans and permits can be a high-value commodity).

When a project is a few days from drill rigs, they're still in the middle of design detailing, the price is still a bit fluid, the financial partners haven't made their final "go" decisions, interest rates probably aren't tied down, and the developer might be searching their soul over how the market is trending.

[cityscapes]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

I can provide my take on why it's "ugly": it's a gimmicky facade that will look dated quickly. and if not done with quality materials, which this developer is definitely NOT known for, it wall age poorly and end up looking like crap in the relatively near future.

I always thought this building reminded me of a modern take on the tile facades on buildings in Lisbon. If they do use good quality materials I think the building will be great and age well. If you're right about the developer then maybe not but I'm hoping for the best with this project.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by cityscapes

I always thought this building reminded me of a modern take on the tile facades on buildings in Lisbon. If they do use good quality materials I think the building will be great and age well. If you're right about the developer then maybe not but I'm hoping for the best with this project.

The public hearing notice states....
"The proposed skin for the buildings is painted acrylic stucco."

I've never used painted acrylic stucco on a project. Does anybody else here know about the longevity and maintenance requirements for this material?

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by cityscapes

I always thought this building reminded me of a modern take on the tile facades on buildings in Lisbon. If they do use good quality materials I think the building will be great and age well. If you're right about the developer then maybe not but I'm hoping for the best with this project.

The big difference between those buildings and the Dumbbell is the buildings in Lisbon would still have well composed facades without the painted tiles. The decoration adds a level of richness to the buildings; it doesn't do all the work.

Maybe Herzog and de Meuron could pull off putting a florentine pattern on a building, but I don't believe that FFA can.

[hat]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

The big difference between those buildings and the Dumbbell is the buildings in Lisbon would still have well composed facades without the painted tiles. The decoration adds a level of richness to the buildings; it doesn't do all the work.

Maybe Herzog and de Meuron could pull off putting a florentine pattern on a building, but I don't believe that FFA can.

If they are using painted tiles, it may be easier to renovate if its novelty wears off.

Remember the award-winning Burger King on Burnside (and Broadway?) made entirely out of bricks, picnic tables and all? No thickness of lipstick could help that lego set out.