Modera University District | xx' | 16 Floors | Proposed

[maccoinnich]

Notice of a Pre-Application Conference for 1900 SW 5th Ave:

A Pre-Application Conference to discuss a new 7-story multi-dwelling residential building with approximately 250 dwelling units. The project includes 2 stories of underground parking accessed from SW Hall St.

I'll be sad to see the food carts go, but development on this block was inevitable sooner or later. With that said, this is a site where I really feel that 7-stories is a waste considering what the zoning allows (460').

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Notice of a Pre-Application Conference for 1900 SW 5th Ave:



I'll be sad to see the food carts go, but development on this block was inevitable sooner or later. With that said, this is a site where I really feel that 7-stories is a waste considering what the zoning allows (460').

A complete waste. I don’t get Portland developers/investors. Do they not think a taller tower wouldn’t be filled?

[PacificStates]

Wow. I previously saw this on PortlandMaps and it showed that it was only the half block opposite the carts. Sad to see the food carts go for such an uninspiring building.
Edit* - spelling

[MarkDaMan]

I don't see how that ground floor plan gets approved in downtown. Agree with others, this proposal as stands is an incredible waste of a large block in the middle of the university.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by CorbinWarrick

A complete waste. I don’t get Portland developers/investors. Do they not think a taller tower wouldn’t be filled?

Well, FWIW Mill Creek is a national developer.

Going high rise costs a lot more money to build, per sq ft. In the Pearl, it's clear that developers think they can lease those buildings at a price that covers that extra costs. On this site, they clearly think that they can't, because they do build high rise product.

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

I don't see how that ground floor plan gets approved in downtown. Agree with others, this proposal as stands is an incredible waste of a large block in the middle of the university.

Agreed. On the one hand, I realize there isn't enough retail to fill the ground floor of every apartment that ever gets built. On the other hand... this site is incredibly active (or at least was pre-pandemic; I haven't been by there recently), and can surely support somewhat more retail than they're showing.

[MarkDaMan]

Not really any new news, but nice shout out to our own maccoinnich! I'm seeing his name more often in the local papers than their own reporters these days.

(emphasis mine) https://www.oregonlive.com/business/...-cart-pod.html

Developer proposes apartment building on site of food cart pod near Portland State
Updated: Mar. 24, 2022, 2:07 p.m. | Published: Mar. 24, 2022, 12:53 p.m.
By Jayati Ramakrishnan | The Oregonian/OregonLive

A Portland-based developer has filed an application to build a seven-story apartment building on the downtown site of a food cart pod near Portland State University.

SERA Architects and Florida-based developer Mill Creek Residential Trust filed an application on March 9 proposing a 40,000 square-foot mixed-use building at Southwest Fifth Avenue and College Street.

The application describes the project as a seven-story market rate apartment building with about 250 residential units, basement parking and retail on the ground floor.

The application was first noted by architect and development blogger Iain MacKenzie.

...(continues)

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Well, FWIW Mill Creek is a national developer.

Going high rise costs a lot more money to build, per sq ft. In the Pearl, it's clear that developers think they can lease those buildings at a price that covers that extra costs. On this site, they clearly think that they can't, because they do build high rise product.



Agreed. On the one hand, I realize there isn't enough retail to fill the ground floor of every apartment that ever gets built. On the other hand... this site is incredibly active (or at least was pre-pandemic; I haven't been by there recently), and can surely support somewhat more retail than they're showing.

My guess is this is gonna take a lot of redesigns before what finally gets approve gets built. Though it does seem like a huge waste for a site that is zoned for a building the size of the new Ritz. Even something the size of the Collective would be a better use for this site than a 7 story building. I hope something bigger gets pushed in this process.

[maccoinnich]

Posting Notice for 1900 SW 5th

[Rob Nob]

I count 21 food carts on the east half of this site.

[CorbinWarrick]

another prime spot that was perfect for taller high density

[jb111120]

Do we know how tall this spot could be based on current zoning?

[maccoinnich]

460’

[jb111120]

I wonder what motivated the decision to go with something so much shorter. Seems like they would want to maximize units relative to land costs. The market can certainly absorb more units, right? Would they need to change floor plans to comply with FAR requirements?

[maccoinnich]

It looks like they are maximizing what they can build, while using light wood framing.

[uncommon.name]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

460’

What a waste! Sooooo much more could be done with this lot.

[tworivers]

I don't have an issue with the height so much as Sera being the architect, which more or less guarantees a mediocre final product. I'd take 7 stories of Lever over 20+ stories of Sera any day.

It often seems odd to me that the "market", such as it is, supports 15 stories at NE 7th/Irving and only 7 stories right downtown near PSU. But I've long given up on trying to understand the myriad calculations that go into this sort of thing... on the surface, though, it doesn't seem to reflect very well on "the system" as it is structured, especially given the brutal housing crisis that we're in.

[sopdx]

Quick question here, I understand the view corridor height restrictions, however, what was the reason to settle on 460' as Portland's top height?

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by sopdx

Quick question here, I understand the view corridor height restrictions, however, what was the reason to settle on 460' as Portland's top height?

I'm not quite sure. 460' was set as the maximum height for all of Downtown (plus much of what's now the Pearl) in 1979. The 1988 plan significantly reduced the number of sites where the 460' limit applied, and then the 2018 revisions added back a lot of zoning for 460', mostly along the southern end of the transit mall. I've no idea though how they arrived at that particular number.

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by jb111120

I wonder what motivated the decision to go with something so much shorter. Seems like they would want to maximize units relative to land costs. The market can certainly absorb more units, right? Would they need to change floor plans to comply with FAR requirements?

I ask this all the time. This market is literally dying for more housing and units but yet these developers don’t maximize the opportunity on these prime spots

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by tworivers

It often seems odd to me that the "market", such as it is, supports 15 stories at NE 7th/Irving and only 7 stories right downtown near PSU. But I've long given up on trying to understand the myriad calculations that go into this sort of thing... on the surface, though, it doesn't seem to reflect very well on "the system" as it is structured, especially given the brutal housing crisis that we're in.

Great question! Then on top of that with the 7th/Irving location you have AAT who basically abandoned their Oregon Square plans bc they don’t think the market is there. But yet 15 stories is going up next to them

This market is truly confusing