The "Why can't we have buildings like THIS in Portland" Thread

[tworivers]

cab: We seem to prefer to copy hot trends rather than create a true new form guided by the actual region we live in. I'd love to see a building guided by winter rain and summer sun with a Douglas fir as as inspiration.

cab, how do you feel about the WPA Langano project at Hawthorne and 14th? I haven't seen much mention of that one but it's one of my favorites from the past few years thanks to the pitched roofline. It strikes me as having a Cascadian sensibility about it.

2oh1: Where's the next Vera Katz?

I want to know where the next Bud Clark is. ;-)

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Sigh.

THIS.

People are freaking out about a housing crisis. In 2016? Anybody who was paying attention knew this was on the way a decade ago. Portland lacks leadership these days, partly because, as you suggested, we have a stale city council. I wonder if Portland would be better served with a strong mayor system? ...then again, I watched the mayoral debate tonight and was left feeling pessimistic. Portland so desperately needs leadership. Where's the next Vera Katz?

I don't think Portland needs a strong mayor system, we just need to get back to the era of having a strong city council system. I was hoping when Adams became mayor, that we would be back to that, but unfortunately due to his scandal that didn't happen. Instead we were left with a bunch of weak candidates who should have never won in the first place.

I am really hopeful for this group of mayors, but I haven't taken the time to really look into each one. It would be nice to see some strong activists running against some of the weaker members as well.

[Sioux612]

This isn't about the architecture but why haven't we seen a project long stalled be revived when the market is right?

The groundwork is done and you can't beat this location:


(One Waterfront Pearl - phase ll)

The same goes for Skylab's Weave.

[urbanlife]

I think the Weave is very much dead. The renovation to the little building seems to be enough to help keep that area active.

[Sioux612]

A few 41-floor towers going up in Bellevue:


[Elev8 project - first of two phases)

Have they, a Seattle burb, surpassed Portland in high-rises (at least 30-floors)? The development here has been on fire since 2006.

[528XI]

Originally Posted by Sioux612

A few 41-floor towers going up in Bellevue:


[Elev8 project - first of two phases)

Have they, a Seattle burb, surpassed Portland in high-rises (at least 30-floors)? The development here has been on fire since 2006.

Oh yea easily. Portlands skyline cannot compete with the big boys of Bellevues skyline


For example here this project was recently introduced as a 4 tower project that are 40 stories each. Portland can't even get 1 35 plus story tower once a generation let alone 4 at a time.

Bellevue is surpassing Portland easily

[Sioux612]

The last 35-floor building: 1984 (Koin Tower)

The last 40+floor tower: 1983

[pdxlexus]

Okay; so two 40 story office buildings get built in downtown Portland. Who I going to fill the space. As it is right now, new office space seems to be taken by existing business; mainly law firms. That means that they have vacated perfect good, existing space. I don’t see any significant growth in current business tenants in downtown, nor do I see a trend of businesses of the size needed to justify the demand for the increase space relocating to Portland.

Don’t get me wrong. I think it would be great to see new commercial and office space of the scale that is being built elsewhere to complement the housing that is being built in the central city. Portland just doesn’t offer the same competitive advantage to business that other large west coast city can.

[528XI]

Originally Posted by Sioux612

The last 35-floor building: 1984 (Koin Tower)

The last 40+floor tower: 1983

So sad...


Bellevue gets 4 (40story) towers all at one time.. How does a small city like Bellevue do that and a 600k plus city like Portland build stump towers and haven't seen anything near 40 stories in decades ?

[RainDog]

Originally Posted by 528XI

So sad...


Bellevue gets 4 (40story) towers all at one time.. How does a small city like Bellevue do that and a 600k plus city like Portland build stump towers and haven't seen anything near 40 stories in decades ?

It's proximity to the job market in Seattle and foreign capital.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 528XI

So sad...


Bellevue gets 4 (40story) towers all at one time.. How does a small city like Bellevue do that and a 600k plus city like Portland build stump towers and haven't seen anything near 40 stories in decades ?

It is called money, Bellevue is a very wealthy small corporate city next to a much bigger wealthy corporate city.

[528XI]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

It is called money, Bellevue is a very wealthy small corporate city next to a much bigger wealthy corporate city.

Well it's not like Portland is far it's only couple hours to the south. You mean to tell me it takes a generation between our last 40 story tower to being built when the economy is great right now?

Good for Bellevue for surpassing Portland that's amazing

[innovativethinking]

Oh wow Bellevue is becoming more major than Portland.. What a shame

And embarrassing

[mhays]

Guys, perspective...

First, those haven't started yet, though the first two might start this year. Second, if skylines are your thing, Fox Tower is something like 60' taller...because it's an office building. In the Bellevue job only the office tower will be taller.

Also the municipal population of Bellevue has very little to do with the size of its center or its skyline. Bellevue is the secondary node for the entire region. It's big for a lot of reasons, but one is that it's the only true highrise zone in the region outside the main core.

Lastly, while I love what's happening in Bellevue, none of that will make it function in the urban, pedestrian-first way of central Portland.

[innovativethinking]

Originally Posted by mhays

Guys, perspective...

First, those haven't started yet, though the first two might start this year. Second, if skylines are your thing, Fox Tower is something like 60' taller...because it's an office building. In the Bellevue job only the office tower will be taller.

Also the municipal population of Bellevue has very little to do with the size of its center or its skyline. Bellevue is the secondary node for the entire region. It's big for a lot of reasons, but one is that it's the only true highrise zone in the region outside the main core.

Lastly, while I love what's happening in Bellevue, none of that will make it function in the urban, pedestrian-first way of central Portland.

"...urban, pedestrian-first way of central Portland..."

I think you can keep that trait AND still build tall. I know Portland can't compete with Seattle and Vancouver BC but man do we now add Bellevue to that list?

What's next Boise?

[Sioux612]

Just to be clear - I wasn't bashing Portland. I'm just really impressed with what's going on in Bellevue. They don't have the density of Portland but their skyline is much more impressive.

I'm sure they don't have the level of NIMBYISM that Portland has. I mean, a 15-floor building is on its way to the Supreme Court because it's deemed too tall for residents from a 9-floor building.

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by Sioux612

Just to be clear - I wasn't bashing Portland. I'm just really impressed with what's going on in Bellevue. They don't have the density of Portland but their skyline is much more impressive.

I'm sure they don't have the level of NIMBYISM that Portland has. I mean, a 15-floor building is on its way to the Supreme Court because it's deemed too tall for residents from a 9-floor building.

I'm guessing Bellevue is just as, if not more, NIMBY'ist as Portland. We have a different land use system that empowers locals, for better or worse. If Bellevue was building 80-unit apartment buildings without parking, or with less than one parking per unit for that matter, there'd be hell to pay.

I haven't been to Bellevue in a while, but I wasn't at all impressed. Bellevue is more akin to Tyson's Corner, VA in my mind. I wonder how big the parking garages are for those towers. Maybe things will improve with the new light rail connection in the works. The project includes a short 2,000 ft long tunnel through the downtown area.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 528XI

Well it's not like Portland is far it's only couple hours to the south. You mean to tell me it takes a generation between our last 40 story tower to being built when the economy is great right now?

Good for Bellevue for surpassing Portland that's amazing

Yes and no, I just went for a walk through downtown Portland, the towers may be tall, but you can walk it in 15 minutes, it is still a tiny downtown. Portland might not have as many tall new towers, but we are still a much bigger downtown than what Bellevue has.

[pdxf]

Man, it's not only embarassing for Portland -- it's embarrasing for Washington DC, Rome, and many other cities around the world too who can't seem to get their act together and build taller buildings. Bellevue has clearly taken on the role of a world powerhouse with the addition of these 40-story towers.

[Derek]

.....except people outside of the PNW have probably never heard of Bellevue. Yeah, it's pathetic that Portland is lagging on building some actual towers, but let's not pretend Bellevue is a global city.