Broadway Corridor (Post Office Redevelopment) | Proposed

[Derek]

I like the concept calling for the city's new tallest.



It'll be really exciting to watch this all pan out, I'm glad the discussions are starting!

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by Derek

I like the concept calling for the city's new tallest.



It'll be really exciting to watch this all pan out, I'm glad the discussions are starting!

Me too, I thought we would have to wait another decade before discussions for this site even began.

[cailes]

Lots of interesting concepts in there. Nice to see the work being performed.

Now if any of this can happen. THAT will be the true genius

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by cailes

Lots of interesting concepts in there. Nice to see the work being performed.

Now if any of this can happen. THAT will be the true genius

in the very least its 10 to 15 years away. The USPS hasnt even totally agreed to sell--at this time. They are also going to have to relocate and thats going to cost big $$$

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

in the very least its 10 to 15 years away. The USPS hasnt even totally agreed to sell--at this time. They are also going to have to relocate and thats going to cost big $$$

True... but they'll also take into account cost savings that come with an airport oriented location, such as not having to truck all of that mail every single day from the airport to downtown. That might not sound like a lot of expense, but I remember reading an estimate years ago that was pretty surprising.

[maccoinnich]

The basic principle of the deal, as I understand it, is that the PDC will pay for the land, design and construction of a new facility for the USPS out by the airport. In return, they get the 14 acre site in the Pearl. I have no idea how much a mail sorting facility costs to build, but it's not hard to imagine that it's less than Pearl District land costs. Point of comparison: Security Properties paid $11.75 million for the old PNCA building, which is only a single block.

[maccoinnich]

Anyway, here's some images:

Concept 1: Cascade





Concept 2: Station





Concept 3: Innovation







Concept 4: Stitch





Concept 5: Weave

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

True... but they'll also take into account cost savings that come with an airport oriented location, such as not having to truck all of that mail every single day from the airport to downtown. That might not sound like a lot of expense, but I remember reading an estimate years ago that was pretty surprising.

part of why the USPS is somewhat reluctant is because the land is very convenient for the workers

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

The basic principle of the deal, as I understand it, is that the PDC will pay for the land, design and construction of a new facility for the USPS out by the airport. In return, they get the 14 acre in the Pearl. I have no idea how much a mail sorting facility costs to build, but it's not hard to imagine that it's less than Pearl District land costs. Point of comparison: Security Properties paid $11.75 million for the old PNCA building, which is only a single block.

you are right and its hard to imagine that the PDC wants to pay or even has the money to pay full price. The Post office maybe holding out for a better price. The PDC has tried to obtain this land for a while now. This site was going to be the home of the future Portland MLB team.

anyways it looks cool on paper but its not going to happen for a long time. probably not in my lifetime

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

you are right and its hard to imagine that the PDC wants to pay or even has the money to pay full price. The Post office maybe holding out for a better price. The PDC has tried to obtain this land for a while now. This site was going to be the home of the future Portland MLB team.

anyways it looks cool on paper but its not going to happen for a long time. probably not in my lifetime

The PDC currently has over $35,000,000 set aside through the 2018-2019 budget years specifically for the Post Office site redevelopment. They have the budget and even more importantly, political will to relocate the USPS to the airport.

The site was never officially designated as a home to a future MLB team. It was one of many sites under consideration.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

anyways it looks cool on paper but its not going to happen for a long time. probably not in my lifetime

I think it'll happen within a decade, which isn't too bad for a project of this magnitude. That could just be me being overly optimistic though.

In my heart of hearts, I hoped that a major league baseball stadium would be part it, but that's probably not at all realistic. I'm surprised Portland isn't more of a baseball city. We have such perfect summer weather for it, though spring would be a bit dodgy.

I doubt an MLB stadium is realistic - but I really do hope they extend the north Park Blocks into the heart of whatever this all becomes. I like how the "Cascade 1" concept angles parks toward the Broadway bridge, but I have no idea why they plopped a building at the end of the north park blocks instead of extending them into the plan. Each of these concepts puts a building at the north end of the park blocks. There must be a reason why. I wonder what it is.

Extending the north park blocks and then angling them to meet the Broadway bridge would be wonderful (ok, it'd really mean angling them toward the north end of the train station, but that's still great).

I'd love to see the parks surrounded by residential towers.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

The PDC currently has over $35,000,000 set aside through the 2018-2019 budget years specifically for the Post Office site redevelopment. They have the budget and even more importantly, political will to relocate the USPS to the airport.

The site was never officially designated as a home to a future MLB team. It was one of many sites under consideration.

Baseball was just a pipe dream but it was talked about even back in the late 70s as probably the only place an urban stadium could be built. Now the PPS land could one day fit the bill-maybe. Back to the PO site,I wonder how much money it would take to place the proper infrastructure in to place? Demo and everything? 35 mil can go pretty fast especially after the purchase price.

[Photogeric]

I would still love to see them at least consider bringing in a AAA ballpark. That lot is so big that it could fit Safeco field with the roof storage, so I could envision them putting a AAA park there and wrapping it in residential. They could get the best of both worlds!

[innovativethinking]

These ideas are great but this is nowhere close to happening we might as well talk about a subway line being built in Portland

[babs]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

The basic principle of the deal, as I understand it, is that the PDC will pay for the land, design and construction of a new facility for the USPS out by the airport. In return, they get the 14 acre in the Pearl. I have no idea how much a mail sorting facility costs to build, but it's not hard to imagine that it's less than Pearl District land costs. Point of comparison: Security Properties paid $11.75 million for the old PNCA building, which is only a single block.

A good rule of thumb might be comparing the cost of a new post office facility to the cost of the new FBI facility at the airport. I know requirements are different but I'm guessing the costs might be similar since the two facilities are probably going to be very similar in size.

Anyone have a clue what it cost to build the FBI facility out at Cascade Station?

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by babs

A good rule of thumb might be comparing the cost of a new post office facility to the cost of the new FBI facility at the airport. I know requirements are different but I'm guessing the costs might be similar since the two facilities are probably going to be very similar in size.

Anyone have a clue what it cost to build the FBI facility out at Cascade Station?

have no idea about that but I would imagine the USPS would need half a mil sq feet

[58rhodes]

The FBI facility is 121000 sq feet and cost 60 mil

[maccoinnich]

Portland's vision for Pearl District post office could include skyscrapers, Union Station plaza



Portland doesn't yet own the U.S. Postal Service's 14 acre mega property in the Pearl District, but the city is already looking at five potential redevelopment options.

Whatever is built, Portland wants to go up — creating a dense, urban neighborhood with thousands of new jobs and residents, public open spaces and thousands of parking spaces.

Development officials stressed that the concepts are preliminary and "the approach to parking is continuing to evolve as the concepts are refined."

...continues at the Oregonian.

[65MAX]

I think all of the reasonable (i.e. high density) options are going to require an increase in the height limit. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the entire site capped with a 250' height limit?

I can't imagine they would opt for the "Innovation" scheme... lowest density with the least amount of open space. How exactly is that innovative? Ideally, it'll be a combination of a North Park Blocks extension that ties into the Green Loop, a strong Johnson St cross axis that connects Union Station "Plaza" to Jamison Park and the 10th Ave Boardwalk, several high rises in the 500'+ range, and the remaining blocks in the 200-400' range. There's absolutely no reason that ANY of the buildings in this area should be less than 15 stories, the land is much too valuable to justify 5+1 construction.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I think all of the reasonable (i.e. high density) options are going to require an increase in the height limit. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the entire site capped with a 250' height limit?

Looking at the Zoning Code, the site has a 75' base height and a 4:1 FAR, and isn't eligible for housing or general height bonuses. Most likely any development proposal will go through a masterplan process similar to the one Conway went through, which will see the heights and FAR bumped up significantly.

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I can't imagine they would opt for the "Innovation" scheme... lowest density with the least amount of open space. How exactly is that innovative?

The "innovation" name came from the fact that the scheme shows large floorplates, which are apparently attractive to tech and/or research companies.