Portland Infill | Northwest Portland

[maccoinnich]

Final Findings and Decision By The Design Commission for 905 NW 17th Ave.

[maccoinnich]

City Council voted this morning to overrule the Planning and Sustainability Commission, and retain 4:1 FAR in the Alphabet District. Novick, Fish and Saltzman voted "aye", Fritz and Hales voted "no" (Hales would have supported a compromise motion that retained 4:1 on the sites most likely to redevelop).

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

City Council voted this morning to overrule the Planning and Sustainability Commission, and retain 4:1 FAR in the Alphabet District. Novick, Fish and Saltzman voted "aye", Fritz and Hales voted "no" (Hales would have supported a compromise motion that retained 4:1 on the sites most likely to redevelop).

Good news.

[cab]

Fritz Damascus is calling you. She really isn't someone who should be on a council for a major west coast city. She just doesn't understand urban issues. She'd make a good small town council person. Not in my back yard.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by cab

Fritz Damascus is calling you. She really isn't someone who should be on a council for a major west coast city. She just doesn't understand urban issues. She'd make a good small town council person. Not in my back yard.

Cab, I agree. But she is our reality unless we can find someone who can run against her and win.

[maccoinnich]

Last week

A building permit was issued for the NW 19th & Quimby apartments:

New 6 story apartment bldg. w/ 88 units. PT podium with 5 stories wood frame construction above w/ on grade parking.

A building permit was issued to Ankrom Moisan Architects for the Restoration Hardware at 474 NW 23rd Ave:

New 4 story construction with basement parking garage and rooftop story comprising stair enclosure, open air pavilion and trellis structure

This week

Early Assistance has been requested for a project at 2231 NW Pettygrove St:

Proposal is to build micro unit apartments with kitchens in each apartment and do a density transfer of 4:1 FAR.

[maccoinnich]

[maccoinnich]

Request for Response for 1331 NW 17th Ave (another 5 over 2).

[maccoinnich]

Notice of a Pre-Application Conference for 1111 NW 16th Ave.

[maccoinnich]

Early Assistance has been requested for a project at 1945 NW Raleigh St:

New 4 story 18 unit apartment building.

A Pre-Application Conference has been scheduled by Köz Development for a project at 1111 NW 16th Ave:

New 95 studio unit apartment building, no parking proposed. A eco roof for stormwater management with flow through planters in the courtyard to manage impervious areas outside of the roof.

[maccoinnich]

The Historic Landmarks Commission is out of control

[eric cantona]

[QUOTE=maccoinnich;7648296]The Historic Landmarks Commission is out of control

drove by that the other day, it is simply horrid.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

The Historic Landmarks Commission is out of control

For neighbors in the Alphabet District -- Curse the Landmarks Commission because the Hostel building is at least one floor too tall.

For most of the contributors on the site -- Curse the Landmarks Commission for not approving a contemporary building design.

[maccoinnich]

As a neighbor and a contributor to this site: the problem with this building isn't that it's too tall or that it's not contemporary. Given that there is a five story building directly across the street, itself listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the height is clearly in keeping with the character of the neighborhood.

The problem is that they took the massing of adjacent Italianate building, blew it up 2.5 times, and then stripped away all the detail (ie the character defining features of Italianate building). Had they done a brick building based on the historic precedents found within the neighborhood they could have arrived at something that complemented, rather than competed with, the existing hostel. Heck, if they'd even chosen a color scheme that didn't attempt to replicate the adjacent building it might have been ok. As it is, the building comes across as a shallow simulacrum of the Elliston Apartments.

[cailes]

This is a demonstration why historic landmarks commissions in EVERY city could use the threat of being abolished to get them in line with modern social and development issues...

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

As a neighbor and a contributor to this site: the problem with this building isn't that it's too tall or that it's not contemporary. Given that there is a five story building directly across the street, itself listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the height is clearly in keeping with the character of the neighborhood.

The problem is that they took the massing of adjacent Italianate building, blew it up 2.5 times, and then stripped away all the detail (ie the character defining features of Italianate building). Had they done a brick building based on the historic precedents found within the neighborhood they could have arrived at something that complemented, rather than competed with, the existing hostel. Heck, if they'd even chosen a color scheme that didn't attempt to replicate the adjacent building it might have been ok. As it is, the building comes across as a shallow simulacrum of the Elliston Apartments.

Probably because that would have been too expensive....but seriously, it really does look like a younger, but bigger brother to the old building next to it....I really question if the Historic Landmark Commission knows what they are doing. The seriously need to be changed to just being an advice group when it comes to new buildings, and an actual historic landmark commission when it comes to existing building.

[cab]

The question could be asked if Architects know what they are doing as well. I don't think they know how to speak the language of details. They've been dumbed down by cost cuts and modernism, so when asked to attempt a building using details, they can't. The HDC would not be needed if architects spoke a language that could produce buildings better than average historic buildings. Thats the core of the problem. I bet given unlimited resources most architecture firms wouldn't know what to do. So the public and HDC beg to keep older buildings in use past use date because they know the replacement will be garbage. We really need a revolution in the architecture industry.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by cab

The question could be asked if Architects know what they are doing as well. I don't think they know how to speak the language of details. They've been dumbed down by cost cuts and modernism, so when asked to attempt a building using details, they can't. The HDC would not be needed if architects spoke a language that could produce buildings better than average historic buildings. Thats the core of the problem. I bet given unlimited resources most architecture firms wouldn't know what to do. So the public and HDC beg to keep older buildings in use past use date because they know the replacement will be garbage. We really need a revolution in the architecture industry.

I'm at odds with your comments here. I agree that many architects (most?) are seemingly incapable of designing and detailing a building that is both contemporary and contextually sensitive. but garbage (when applied with a broad brush) may be a wee bit over the top, no? I've said this before, but architects have considerably less control that many on this forum seem to assume. In this case, I would agree that the product is pretty awful. But you have to factor in the HLC, BDS and, most importantly, the developer. having time, fee and the wherewithal to design well are critical to doing decent work.

that said, I would personally rather have poor modernism than poor faux historicism. designing in "Disney Mode" is much harder to pull off.

[DMH]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

Probably because that would have been too expensive....but seriously, it really does look like a younger, but bigger brother to the old building next to it....I really question if the Historic Landmark Commission knows what they are doing. The seriously need to be changed to just being an advice group when it comes to new buildings, and an actual historic landmark commission when it comes to existing building.

I agree that the HLC should be an ADVISORY commission for NEW buildings in historic districts, The Design Review Commission should be the primary reviewing body for such buildings. I wonder if this is a recommendation coming out of the City's DOZA process.

[cab]

You missed my point. You are stuck with HLC because of bad modernism. Most humans would rather have retro historic than cold, dead modernism. So if architects cannot convince the general public that there obsession with modernism is valid, than its time to move on to a new language that both the layman and architects can agree on. We've had this modernism issue for years now. The public isn't buying it....at least when it comes to high density. I think single family houses its worked, but not for high density. As to the other point, the industry has been dumbed down by cheap owners and materials so I'm not sure the majority of architects can actually do anything but cheap garbage. I simple don't trust most firms any longer even if given the budget for a quality product. The people who rise in firms now are those who can build crap on the cheap.