The Sutton (Fremont Place) | 185'-0" | 17 Floors | Complete

[maccoinnich]

Buried lede: on April 4th Mayor Wheeler is going to make a motion to continue the hearing and reopen the record.

Economists Say a Portland City Council Rejection of New Housing Sends Dangerous Signals
City leaders, who have talked for two years of a housing crisis, voted to preserve the status quo—at the expense of as many as 2,800 units of housing.



For the past 12 years, a vacant lot in Portland's Goose Hollow neighborhood once slated for development has remained untouched by shovels—a monument to the power of city government to obstruct development.

In 2006, the Portland City Council overruled an approval by the Design Commission for a 21-story condo tower on the site.

That was the last time the City Council voted to completely overrule the commission, a volunteer panel tasked with signing off on big construction projects.

Until last week, anyway.

...continues at the Willamette Week.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Buried lede: on April 4th Nick Fish is going to make a motion to continue the hearing and reopen the record.

perhaps they (council) are getting the message?

I still shake my head whenever I think of their decision. it's incomprehensible what they thought would be the outcome of the UNANIMOUS decision to cut off a developer at the knees.

[eric cantona]

might I recommend letting council know your thoughts on this matter:

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

I plan on sending some emails very soon...

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by Ripcity0

Oh boy. This is really bad. The city council really is contradicting themselves to the point it’s being noticed by economists? Ouch..

This city acts like it wants to grow up and even if the numbers are showing we are in a major housing crisis they still reject opportunities like riverplace and this building.

And all for what because the river pathway isn’t wide enough? So tell them to widening on condition to have this building completed. It’s really unbelievable

Apparently, according to a back and forth with Amanda Fritz highlighted earlier in this thread (#150), there were additional concerns with shading, side yard setbacks, building massing, and bike parking. I don't have time to go back through the staff report, but I have to believe that the Design Commission and staff assigned to review this proposal have a better grasp of code than ANY of the commissioners. I'd love to have any or all of the councilors put together a briefing report on exactly where this proposal fell sort of requirements.

apparently she also believes that the development fairies will pick up the slack on this site if this developer bows out. pure fantasy.

[maccoinnich]

FWIW, the modifications related to shading, height and facade length would not be required under the new code set to come into effect in May. The modification related to bike parking would not be required if council adopt recommendation #21 of the Bicycle Parking Code Update.

[zilfondel]

Reading through TVA's design review materials, on page 31 they list the greenway as only 10' in width. So I can understand the concerns by people that dimension is too narrow, but once they resolve that by making it wider as per the design review feedback I don't see what the issue remains. I mean, the building design seems like it has gone through a laborious process through design review to get where they are today.

It is also unlikely that a massing study would be markedly different from what they proposed if they were to try for the same height bonuses and maximizing FAR.

Shame on the council for overriding the design review commission, which is its own type of purgatory.

Non-designers really have no business designing, except by providing limited input.

[MarkDaMan]

They could also build a cantilevered walkway over that portion of the river to expand the greenway. There were plans back in the early '00s to do that in Waterfront Park so perhaps PPR and the city would be agreeable to that solution.

[maccoinnich]

Council voted 3-2 to reopen the record and allow the design team to present revised designs by May. Fish, Eudaly and Wheeler were in favor; Saltzman and Fritz against.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Council voted 3-2 to reopen the record and allow the design team to present revised designs by May. Fish, Eudaly and Wheeler were in favor; Saltzman and Fritz against.

seems like a fair amount of backpeddling is going with Council. curious what might be the cause(s) for it. I know there's a ton of pressure from several competing directions, but that's nothing new.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

seems like a fair amount of backpeddling is going with Council. curious what might be the cause(s) for it. I know there's a ton of pressure from several competing directions, but that's nothing new.

This has been a concerning amount of recent backpedaling. It is like they are trying to appeal to everyone but instead just make bad decisions. Good to see them at least backtracking their last vote to let the developer respond to the issues with the building. Also another reminder of how useless Fritz and Saltzman are.

[maccoinnich]

Portland City Council reopens door for Pearl District apartment building opposed by neighbors



The Portland City Council reversed itself Wednesday on an earlier decision to block a Pearl District apartment building that neighbors had opposed.

The council in March unanimously rejected the 17-story tower proposed by Lincoln Property Co. of Dallas, Texas. It raised concerns largely centered around the development's effect on the Willamette River Greenway, an effort to piece together a continuous trail along the river.

But Mayor Ted Wheeler asked the council to revisit its decision on the project after he had second thoughts about making the projects' developers start the permitting process over. He said Wednesday it might be simpler to reopen the record, allowing Lincoln to tweak its design.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[BrG]

In looking at the included aerial... I'm just imagining the benefit of a connector footbridge over the rail tracks, starting where the current construction staging site is just east of the Abigail Apartments and landing in the plaza.

I know it's fantasy but it would be great, given how generous that plaza area appears to be.

[AcmeGreg]

Originally Posted by BrG

In looking at the included aerial... I'm just imagining the benefit of a connector footbridge over the rail tracks, starting where the current construction staging site is just east of the Abigail Apartments and landing in the plaza.

I know it's fantasy but it would be great, given how generous that plaza area appears to be.

The North Pearl Master Plan called for a footbridge connecting the Fields Park with whatever development occurred at Centennial Mills, correct? That would seem to be a more logical/practical location.

[BrG]

Originally Posted by AcmeGreg

The North Pearl Master Plan called for a footbridge connecting the Fields Park with whatever development occurred at Centennial Mills, correct? That would seem to be a more logical/practical location.

I do recall that, now that you mention it. More than one would be great. But I know that is fantasy. Off Topic, when I was involved in (the never realized) One Waterfront Place many years ago, the developer and team were presuming the construction of a footbridge there (on Naito across from Albers Mill) as well.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by AcmeGreg

The North Pearl Master Plan called for a footbridge connecting the Fields Park with whatever development occurred at Centennial Mills, correct? That would seem to be a more logical/practical location.

there was. I recall that it was at the end of the ipe sidewalk than runs from Jamison all the way to Fields on the west side of tenth. too lazy to look it up, but I think that the intent was to be able to walk from Jamison all the way to the river on the ipe decking.

[maccoinnich]

This is the concept in Peter Walker's 1999 River District Park System Plan:

[maccoinnich]

4-11-2018 Applicant Design revision Cover Page, Overview, and Technical Pages

[geohiker]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

4-11-2018 Applicant Design revision Cover Page, Overview, and Technical Pages

There is so much shade thrown in the cover page. It's definitely justified at this point.

[subterranean]

Originally Posted by geohiker

There is so much shade thrown in the cover page. It's definitely justified at this point.

"The width of the bike/ped trail within the Greenway has been increased so it is now a minimum of 20 feet at its narrowest point – that increase makes it the widest Greenway trail section from South Waterfront to the terminus at Terminal One."

LOL.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by subterranean

"The width of the bike/ped trail within the Greenway has been increased so it is now a minimum of 20 feet at its narrowest point – that increase makes it the widest Greenway trail section from South Waterfront to the terminus at Terminal One."

LOL.

Yeah, they really drove that point home, didn't they?

A: north of fremont = 18’-6”
B: adjacent existing = 12’
C: centennial mills = 0’
D: waterfront pearl = 18’-2”
E: albers mill = 8’-12’
F: mccormick pier = 8’
G: waterfront park = 18’
H: waterfront park = 18’
I: riverplace = 18’
J: s. waterfront = 10’ + 12’ asphalt
FP: fremont place = 20’-0”

And also:

this project provides an enormous amount of space with direct public benefit, including nearly three times the code-required amount of plaza space

It's as if they're daring anyone to complain.

I hope this gets approved quickly.