Yard | 200' | 21 floors | Complete

[MarkDaMan]

21-story tower, now called Yard, under construction at Burnside Bridgehead
By Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on July 02, 2015 at 10:37 AM, updated July 02, 2015 at 11:04 AM

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/i...l#incart_river

A rare tower under construction on Portland's east side is just beginning to peek over the deck of the Burnside Bridge.

The 21-story apartment building, designed by Skylab Architecture for Key Development Co. of Hood River and Guardian Real Estate Services of Portland, is set to be one of the most visually striking development projects of recent years.

Now it has a name, too: Yard, so-called for the elaborate landscaped terraces that will be visible at bridge level.

"We're sort of in this industry where you continually erode landscape," said Jeff Pickhardt, president of Key Development. "The idea is to reintroduce the landscape in the middle of the city and elevate it ... where anyone who passes by can appreciate it."

Yard was one of several projects selected by the Portland Development Commission to move ahead at the Burnside Bridgehead. The urban renewal agency had pieced together property there with plans for a signature development going as far back as 1999, but plans suffered several false starts.

Now all the land has been sold to developers, with work underway at two sites and a third, a former warehouse, newly renovated and reopened as the Eastside Exchange creative office building.

...

[2oh1]

The tower is named Yard? Granted, that's better than the a-holes who named their "You Can't Afford To Live Here" tower Envy... but still... Yard?

Such a great tower.
Such a bad name.
...Oh well.

[maccoinnich]

That's great that they're in negotiations with a restaurant to occupy the main commercial space. It will open onto the exterior terrace, which is going to be unlike anything else in the city.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

The tower is named Yard? Granted, that's better than the a-holes who named their "You Can't Afford To Live Here" tower Envy... but still... Yard?

Such a great tower.
Such a bad name.
...Oh well.

The Bridgehead Tower apts would be a better name because Yard could be confusing to the Yards

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

The Bridgehead Tower apts would be a better name because Yard could be confusing to the Yards

was "cool as fuck party pads" already taken, too? if not, I would like to offer that to the development team. for a small fee.

[2oh1]

It's a shame Skylab couldn't use their own name for it. Skylab would be a perfect name for such a strikingly modern tower. I could see the smaller building with the arched roof that'll be part of this overall project being named Yard (though it's still a dumb name), but this tower would be a perfect fit for a name like Skylab.

[Derek]

Stupid name is stupid. Just like the Modera Belmont. These guys can't think of anything more creative than that?

[Abide]

Given the nice green roof this will have above the 4th floor, they should have called it the Lawn. ;-)

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

was "cool as fuck party pads" already taken, too? if not, I would like to offer that to the development team. for a small fee.

that may be a bit over the top

[cityscapes]

Originally Posted by Derek

Stupid name is stupid. Just like the Modera Belmont. These guys can't think of anything more creative than that?

This one is really bad especially since there's a Modera Pearl and Hotel Modera.

[maccoinnich]

Poking around on portlandmaps I noticed that Block 76 West (the sliver between Couch and NE 3rd) has been owned by "BLOCK 76 LLC % PICKHARDT,JEFF" since April. Jeff Pickhardt is an executive at Key Development. The most recent information I can find on it is a Purchase and Sale Agreement [PDF] from June 2014 on the PDC website. I hope this means the Skylab building is moving ahead.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I hope this means the Skylab building is moving ahead.

I assumed the name Yard was more about the smaller second building. That's the one you're talking about too, right? I didn't realize there was any doubt. I'd assume the name Yard implies that it's a done deal.

This whole project feels like the most exciting thing being built. I suppose it will be until James Beard Market gets going. I hate the name Yard, but I couldn't possibly be more excited to see this one rise. It's going to be fantastic.

Is the smaller building going to be built after the tower is completed, or will both be built at the same time?

[maccoinnich]

Right now they haven't submitted the small building for either Design Review or building permit. They showed it during Design Review, but explicitly just as a concept. If it does move ahead they have a few hurdles to jump over before they can start building it.

[2oh1]

Ah. Oh. Ew. Well, that's disappointing. I mistakenly assumed it went through design review along with the tower. I loved the look of it and I hope it gets built.

[zilfondel]

They should redo the render with the Fair-Haired Dumbbell in front of it.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by zilfondel

They should redo the render with the Fair-Haired Dumbbell in front of it.

I wanna say there is a massing rendering of all the buildings going up in that area somewhere out there.

[maccoinnich]

Skylab Architecture have submitted Block 76W for Design Review. The small building will be located immediately to the east of Yard (formerly Block 67):

Proposal is for the development of retail and storage space

[cab]

Hmm. Look at the names of those retail stores. Someone hiding a massage joke.

[tworivers]

Funny to see the XRAY logo up there. Hmmm.

Looks great.

[urbanlife]

Looks great, I think this is the project combination I am most excited for on the Eastside, you can really see the tower starting to grow.