Block 216 Tower - Ritz Hotel and Condos | 459'-11 1/2" | 35 floors | Complete

[CorbinWarrick]

Easily the best looking tower in the state and it’s not even close

[DMH]

Following is a thought-provoking opinion that may throw cold water on the collective enthusiasm felt on this discussion thread. I hope this Oregonian link can be opened:

Opinion: The hole at the center of Portland’s Ritz-Carlton project

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2023/...r-of-portlands-ritz-carlton-project.html

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by DMH

Following is a thought-provoking opinion that may throw cold water on the collective enthusiasm felt on this discussion thread. I hope this Oregonian link can be opened:

Opinion: The hole at the center of Portland’s Ritz-Carlton project

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2023/...r-of-portlands-ritz-carlton-project.html

That's some interesting word salad of someone's vain attempt to sound intelligent and poetic.

[2oh1]

From the O:

I’ve concluded that it means nothing. Not that it is meaningless

You might as well stop there. "I'm not saying things that lack any sense. I'm speaking nonsense!"

The author wishes affordable housing would have been built instead. So do most people. We also wish it was Christmas all year long, that money grew on trees, that it only rained on workdays, and that only evil people ever got sick. That's not how the world works.

This opinion piece, published in what's left of the O, is just plain stupid.

[Tykendo]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

From the O:



You might as well stop there. "I'm not saying things that lack any sense. I'm speaking nonsense!"

The author wishes affordable housing would have been built instead. So do most people. We also wish it was Christmas all year long, that money grew on trees, that it only rained on workdays, and that only evil people ever got sick. That's not how the world works.

This opinion piece, published in what's left of the O, is just plain stupid.

Totally agree. Right now Fox News is in ,full on, "see how much we can destroy Portland" mode. The Ritz Development is a promise of what can be going forward. Yes it's technically ,baby steps , in the scheme of things. But it's a start. It say's, business isn't giving up on Portland. That's a good thing. The more downtown thrives, the more money is poured into the city's coffers. More money for things like affordable housing and services to help those in crisis.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by Tykendo

The Ritz Development is a promise of what can be going forward.

I'd say it is part of what Portland can be, going forward. The challenge for our city will be to grow without losing our values and our identity. It's sad that we're no longer an affordable city. It would be sadder still if we lost our heart and our humor too.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by Oregonian

Examine your yearnings for downtown, imagine how they might be addressed and share your ideas. If we’ve lost the capacity to imagine, discuss and create together, a succession of Ritz-Carltons may be the best we can hope for.

I wouldn't complain about a few more of these on our skyline.

[NOPO]

I want affordable housing, but this development adds supply on the luxury end, and studies have shown effects filter down. We can’t fight for affordability and also stop developments like this. Inclusionary zoning isn’t so bad anyway in lots of other developments.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

That's some interesting word salad of someone's vain attempt to sound intelligent and poetic.

Originally Posted by Tykendo

Totally agree. Right now Fox News is in ,full on, "see how much we can destroy Portland" mode. The Ritz Development is a promise of what can be going forward. Yes it's technically ,baby steps , in the scheme of things. But it's a start. It say's, business isn't giving up on Portland. That's a good thing. The more downtown thrives, the more money is poured into the city's coffers. More money for things like affordable housing and services to help those in crisis.

I agree that Portland needs to cheer the completion of the Ritz Carlton tower as a sign that our city still attracts big investments, although this development was already in the pipeline before the pandemic and the 2020 protests. Significant investments continue to take place near Portland's downtown, but we all want more of that investment to happen in the core, particularly on the core's many surface parking lots. Since the office market has receded, what else would that investment be if it is not residential?

[downtownpdx]

Still holding out hope for a James Beard Market...I think we need a big catalyst to shake DT out of the covid slump. Residential is key of course, but will it happen fast enough and with the saturation needed?

[maccoinnich]

These Are the Restaurants Opening Within Downtown’s Star-Studded Food Hall
Sharing a 35-story tower with the Ritz-Carlton, Flock will take over the ground floor with quesabirria, Korean crunchwraps, and more



Robot-poured coffee, bulgogi-filled “munchwraps,” and Saudi Arabian food are coming to a highly anticipated downtown food hall. Flock — opening on the ground floor of the 35-floor development Block 216, also home to the city’s forthcoming Ritz-Carlton — has locked in eight of its nine vendors, including both new businesses and well-known Portland brands.

Those who have been following Block 216 may remember the preliminary list of vendors, scooped by New School; the new, formal list includes many of those businesses, including Korean food cart stalwart Kim Jong Grillin’, beloved birria cart Birrieria La Plaza, and the collaboration between blockbuster pop-up Sunrice and Eater 38 fave Magna. The confirmed list, however, includes a few switch-ups, including a new sushi spot.

When it came to selecting vendors, owners Jae Kim and Daniel Lee sought out Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)-owned food businesses based in the Portland area, considering the legacy of the block the building will inhabit. Block 216 was once home to the Alder Street Food Carts, a pod known as the original home to greats like Nong’s Khao Man Gai and the People’s Pig. The 8,000 square foot food hall will also house a 10th vendor space specifically for pop-ups, and will offer indoor and outdoor seating with garage doors that open in the summer — ideal for outdoor pop-up events.

....continues at Eater Portland.

[downtownpdx]

I'm excited for this - although it won't have the full block street scene that the food carts provided - it will be a nice active focal point for downtown. I hope they incorporate food carts into the O'Bryant Square redevelopment across the street.. then we'll have almost made up for the loss, ha!

[uncommon.name]

Originally Posted by DMH

Following is a thought-provoking opinion that may throw cold water on the collective enthusiasm felt on this discussion thread. I hope this Oregonian link can be opened:

Opinion: The hole at the center of Portland’s Ritz-Carlton project

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2023/...r-of-portlands-ritz-carlton-project.html

Omg... wth did I just read? It's like this person is taking a writing class at a local community college and they so worried about trying to fit as many big words into their opinion piece as they can, that they totally lost any point they were trying to make, all while sounded like a complete idiot. Why does the O post this crap so prominantly?? Back in the day, opinion pieces like this were typically buried DEEP in the newspaper.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by uncommon.name

Back in the day, opinion pieces like this were typically buried DEEP in the newspaper.

Back in the day, the O was one of our nation's great newspapers. Today, there's nothing left of that legacy other than the name.

[uncommon.name]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Back in the day, the O was one of our nation's great newspapers. Today, there's nothing left of that legacy other than the name.

Preach!

[urbanlife]

That tower looks so pretty with how it refracts light

[PhillyPDX]

This is going to be an interesting take on food cart pods.

https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2023/0...endors-for-upcoming-food-hall-flock.html

[DMH]

Originally Posted by PhillyPDX

This is going to be an interesting take on food cart pods.

https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2023/0...endors-for-upcoming-food-hall-flock.html

I think it will actually be a carefully-curated linear food court. Fortunately it will spill out onto SW 9th on warm days when the garage doors are open.

[MarkDaMan]

Only about 6 weeks now until showtime!

[PacificNW]