[timpitts57]

Backbridge was supposed to take up the block north of Fremont between Williams and Vancouver. According to the developer, it is on hold for at least a year.

The block to the south (where you noticed the building gone) was the old Hostess building, and it was bought by a Seattle firm.

Details from the Oregonian in November:

Seattle-based Ivy Street Partners bought the old Hostess distribution facility out of bankruptcy last year on the southwest corner of Williams and Fremont. The project started as a mix of 300-plus condos and apartments, but now they're moving forward with just apartments and ground-floor shops, says Ivy Street's Brendan Lawrence. They're having lead- and asbestos-based paint removed before tearing the building down and must figure out the most cost-effective plan for parking.

[RED_PDXer]

Got this from the City's website. It's tucked away from Interstate a bit, but across the street from the Fred Meyer I think? I don't know that area that well.. Up to 8 stories!

Proposal:
The applicant seeks design advice on the potential development of three multi-family residential
buildings (one may have some commercial or office use at the ground floor) on 6 adjacent parcels
between N. Montana Avenue and the I-5 freeway. One of the 6 parcels is zoned RHd and the other 5
are proposed to be rezoned RHd in a separate land review case. The resulting site is 333' by 110'.
The site has frontage not only on Montana, but also to N. Buffalo, at the north edge. The east
property line fronts onto an alley, with a concrete soundwall and a planted buffer between the alley
and the freeway. The three buildings progress in height from south to north, with a 4-story, a 5-
story, and then an 8-story volume at the corner. A combination of below-grade parking and some
tuck-under parking at grade is proposed, with about 70% parking spaces as units proposed: 153. A
one-way driveway along the south edge of the site allows for access to the alley, which also is to be
one-way north only, exiting to N. Buffalo. Tuck-under parking is located along the alley and along the
southernmost building edge. The below-grade parking is accessed via a garage opening on N. Buffalo
Street.

The alley is currently unimproved, and the applicants may explore nonstandard improvements in the
alleyway in order to use pervious paving (perhaps in combination with impervious) as well as some
stormwater planter or swale treatments. On-site stormwater strategy includes the use of eco-roofs
(between buildings) and flow-through planters. The Montana Street frontage will also be improved
with stormwater planter treatments.

Modifications to the size of loading space may be requested. It is not yet clear if other Modifications
(or Adjustments) may be necessary. The height allowed within 1000 feet of a transit station is 100',
or 75' outside of this boundary. The site is at least partially within the boundary, and the
northernmost building is proposed at 85 or 90 feet in height. Maximum FAR is 4:1 on the site.

http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=181398

[bvpcvm]

^ there's a rendering of this project in post #634 of this thread - i like it!

[tworivers]

I like it too, but I can't imagine how it pencils out.

[tworivers]

Some good news for lower Alberta:

A little project for 'my little darling'

As Northeast Alberta Street evolves, a modest infill project at 13th Avenue is emerging as a signature development.

Alberta Square is the first commercial development for Rambo Halpern (aka The Bungalow Guy), who, in addition to his day job as a real estate agent, developed townhomes at Alberta and 25th.

The project, on the north side of the street, has three phases, with the first framed up, the second on the drawing board and the third a rough sketch.

The small corner lot, once home to a run-down Victorian, will have a two-story building with a pair of ground-floor commercial units and two live-work spaces upstairs that will split a loft deck.

The project, purchased pre-construction for $1.15 million, shares the block with a tattoo parlor, a pet salon and a coffee shop. Phase two, beginning in late spring, will renovate the boarded-up Accuracy Grinding shop with a single-story restaurant and a cafe.

The third installment -- probably with six to eight live-work units and ground-floor commercial space -- will go next-door, replacing a house Halpern owns. The start date is late this year, after phase two is complete.

Project designs will vary but will reflect Halpern's affinity for modern design, with green elements and recycled materials. Alberta Square, he says, gives him a chance to help develop the neighborhood in a way that fits its small scale and local character.

"Alberta has been my little darling."
J. DAVID SANTEN JR.
(Oregonian)

[bvpcvm]

OK, I can't resist. The Tribune today had an article about rezoning N Interstate. The foaming, illiterate comments are priceless. But first, the article:

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=120337022123416100

Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise

Committee worries public still unaware of zoning changes

By Lee van der Voo

The Portland Tribune, Feb 19, 2008

It’s the next “it” neighborhood.

North Interstate Avenue – its funky signs, its 1950s character and its potential to house the next wave of Portland newcomers – is getting a face-lift.

But while a city effort to rezone the Interstate corridor is paving the way for much taller buildings and more people and businesses, some worry that few who live in nearby neighborhoods really understand the impact the new zoning will have – even while a last phase of tinkering on the changes are under way.

If the plan goes forward, new buildings will stand taller – possibly up to 10 stories – in existing residential neighborhoods, particularly on the east side of Interstate Avenue.

A final meeting to gauge public reaction to the new zoning plan takes place Thursday. By next month, it will begin its bureaucratic ascent through the Portland Planning Commission and the City Council, which ultimately will make some version of the zoning changes final.

In the current proposal, new zoning would allow more commercial activity on both sides of Interstate Avenue and call for high-density housing on top.
The idea is to fix outdated zoning that prevents more commercial development on the street and makes it hard for existing businesses to remodel.

The plan also aims to encourage more housing along the Interstate MAX Yellow Line, which has run along Interstate since its opening in 2004, testing a city policy that putting Portland’s growing population closer to the MAX will ease congestion.

If land is redeveloped under current rules, parcels within 1,000 feet of MAX stations could build up to 100 feet tall, or nine to 10 stories.

Farther than 1,000 feet from the MAX stations, high-density parcels would be limited to 75 feet, or six to seven stories. Planners still may choose to limit all heights in the area to 75 feet, an idea that has considerable public support.

But at least two members of the citizen advisory group that helped the city draft the new zoning plan are concerned that few residents have caught on.

“Between Killingsworth and Lombard, Interstate to the freeway, that is going to be a huge pocket of (new zoning for tall buildings) and they have no idea,” said AlexSandra, a vintage boutique owner who uses only her first name and serves on the citizen advisory group.

Though AlexSandra believes the group – which includes city planners and officials from the Portland Development Commission – has done all it can to spread the word, news in the neighborhood appears to be spreading slowly, even as planning nears an end.

“I think it’s a problem, and what I’ve tried to do about it is when people come into my shop, I ask them if they know about the zoning being planned. Usually they don’t, so I whip out two maps,” she said.

Those maps show just how dramatically zoning could change. While the new plan for Interstate is aimed at boosting commerce, pedestrian traffic, MAX ridership and housing density, the degree of change suggested for new construction in now-residential neighborhoods isn’t always obvious.

The proposed plan would make permanent a long-standing vision to put dense development between Interstate Avenue and Interstate 5 to the east, from Overlook to Columbia boulevards.

About half of that stretch – from Mason Street to Killingsworth Street – is already zoned for buildings up to 100 feet, under current standards.
But to the north, from Killingsworth Street to Columbia Boulevard, today’s zoning allows only single-family housing and smaller-scale apartments and rowhouses.

“I’m just getting to the point where I know what’s going on and it’s too late,” said Tabor Porter, also on the community advisory group.
Porter owns a home on Interstate Avenue and, over about a year of planning talks, slowly has learned to decipher zoning jargon. He worries not enough residents understand the proposed new zoning, or that it may cause people to lose privacy and value in their homes.

Porter soon may see new housing develop on a vacant lot next to his own home, a development that could be built very close to his house if the new zoning requirements go through.

“It will basically ruin my house. If they build right up to the line, I don’t know what I’ll do,” he said. “I’m not the only person in this spot. I’m representing other homeowners who will have this problem, too.”

Similar feedback for planners has been in short supply, however.

Of the remarks collected at prior public sessions and through letters and e-mail, about 75 percent has come from residents on the west side of Interstate who are resistant to putting much more housing there, according to Julia Gisler, project manager in the Portland Bureau of Planning and the lead manager on the Interstate Avenue plan.

But residents on the east side of Interstate, who tend to include more renters, have been much less outspoken, though they now face the most change.

Gisler surmises many are pleased with the plans and the potential increase in their property values as developers get excited about the neighborhood.
She acknowledges some may just be hearing about the changes and advises those people to stop by Thursday’s meeting to learn more. The meeting takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kaiser Town Hall, 3704 N. Interstate Ave., and visitors can stop by anytime.

“I’d rather have people come to the check-in with these concerns rather than a public hearing (later), when we can be less flexible in what we do,” Gisler said.


Public zoning meeting

When: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday
Where: Kaiser Town Hall, 3704 N. Interstate Ave.

New projects are in the works

Development already is taking hold on North Interstate Avenue.

Coming soon:

• Prescott Station, a block of ground-level stores and housing at North Prescott Street and Interstate Avenue.
• Montana Avenue Condos, a housing development on North Montana Avenue, south of Buffalo Street.
• A new commercial building topped by housing at Pooja International, now a market at 5135 N. Interstate Ave.
• Killingsworth Station, ground-floor retail topped by 54 affordable housing units at North Killingsworth Street and Interstate Avenue, being planned by the Portland Development Commission.
• The Crown Motel redevelopment, at 5226 N. Interstate Ave. Construction will begin in April. There will be a five-story complex with 53 affordable housing units. The current building’s historic sign is being preserved by the Atomic Age Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating 1950s culture. The group is looking for a new home for the sign somewhere on North Interstate Avenue.

And now, a few examples of the erudition and penetrating insight so typical of "a certain segment" of our beloved city:

Re: Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise
Okay, let me spell this out in plain english. If you live in this area now, as this 'change' goes through you won't want to live there any more and eventually you won't be able to afford to live there. Correction, if you want to live in an apartment (condos are nothing but apartments with a different name) THEN and only then will you be able to live there. If you like your neighborhood now ... tough, the city will make sure that the neighborhood no longer exists and you WILL like the new setup - just ask the planners. Too bad Interstate, you just got screwed.
"native portlander"
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 06:43 AM

Light-Rail tears neighborhoods apart
So this is how Light rail and density mandates preserve our neighborhoods!
too bad the Property owners don't get to decide if they want their property rezoned.
So much for Property rights.
But this is Portland and the city that works you over!
"moving out"
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 07:23 AM

Re: Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise
Now do you morons see why ceasar chavez blvd was so important to the elite?
I have been trying to tell you it was part of the advance marketing plan for the sanctuary city "immigrants" who will ride the yellow line and service downtown.
Portlandia, fair Portlandia is being raped by billionaire developers who love virgins. She has already been wined and dined - the promises have been whispered in the dark - the brutalizing is about to begin.
Do you get it - do you get why the borders are still wide open - the invasion continues?
Loony conspiracy theory ? This is a CONSUMER ECONOMY and you aren't making 'em quick enough to maintain growth.(see: profit for billonaires) Got to keep up w/ them Chinese !
You can go back to sleep now, coppertop.
"meatpuppet"
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 09:30 AM

Re: Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise
You Poor Poor people... Here it comes just like on the East side. High Density Housing and Commercial Mixed. Just take a drive down East Burnside from 102nd to Gresham +/- 10 Blocks North and South and see what the Zoning did there. Say goodby to your neighborhoods. Sure a Very few are still in decent shap but most have gone downhill due to the FACT most people don't want to live in or near this type of housing if they can afford it. Most homes in the area are now rentals or Poor Elderly who can't afford to move. If your Home gets Destroyed by Fire or Such you are NOT ALLOWED to rebuild as it was. It must be High Density Housing now. Also try to get a Mortgage on a Property that can't be rebuilt if destroyed. Very Few and Far Between. Don't let this Happen to you. I am in the Realestate Business in a Low Profile Aspect. No I'm not a Builder or an Agent or a Mortage Broker, I'm in a Field for the Banking industry that Provides Critical data to The banks on activity in areas and what impact certian changes have to the neighborhood on property values and quality of life in the area.
"Trust Me!!!!! Fight this Zoning with everything you Have."
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 09:49 AM

Re: Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise
Enjoy the neighborhood while it's still there. Look for these developer scum to completely change the look and feel of your entire area in less than three years. If you have a single family home, enjoy it now before you wake up one morning to "discover" you can no longer park in front of your own house or have anything that resembles peace and privacy. So glad I'm retiring and leaving the TOILET called Portland in two years. If you're smart you WILL NOT ELECT FIRHOSE RANDY, STRRETCAR SMITH OR SCAM ADAMS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. Better yet - get rid of them all!
"Bad Boy Brown"
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 12:34 PM

Re: Plan puts Interstate roofs on the rise
The Max lines have turned other neighborhoods into a ghetto of mass aprartments looking like a Soviet gulag of labor domiciles for the working poor of society. The zoning that it entails will help to destroy the prevailing historic character of the Interstate neighborhood in the pursuit of tax deferred development in favor of the well to do of land developers.
"Glen W. Livingston"
Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 05:21 PM

[tworivers]

Anyone heard of this company?

Minaean International Corp.: Minaean Power Structures Enters into Letter of Intent for Construction of 86,375 sq ft. Project in Portland, Oregon, USA

(M2 PressWIRE Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)
RDATE:19022008

Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA -- Minaean International Corp. (MIB
- TSX Venture), (NJA - Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges) is pleased
to announce that it has entered into a Letter of Intent with Armstrong
Development Inc. to construct the superstructure of a six storey
building to be called "Shaver Green". The project consists of five
townhouse units, 80 apartment units, a community center and 32 parking
stalls to be constructed using Minaean's Artisan Quik-Build System and
Hambro (A division of CANAM) Flooring System.

The project is valued at US $1,957,050. It is anticipated that a
definitive contract will be signed once the applicable city permits
have been received. Currently, the demolition and site clearance work
of the existing building is being completed. Minaean anticipates having
to start supplying walls and flooring for the first level by August,
2008.

Mervyn Pinto, President of Minaean International Corp., commented, "To
date, we have completed three projects - "Clinton Condominiums", "West
Town on 8th" and "Belmont East". Construction of our fourth project,
"SunRose Condominium", is expected to begin in early May, 2008, and
commencement of "Shaver Green" is scheduled for August 2008. We are
excited about the publicity Minaean has been receiving from the
successful completion of the various projects in Oregon, the outcome of
which has led to negotiations on further contracts."

About Minaean

Minaean International Corp., is an innovator of rapid, efficient
building systems using cold formed steel technologies. Currently,
Minaean has four systems: the 'Vesta Quik-Build' (patent under
process), 'Artisan Quik-Build', 'Modular Quik-Build' and 'Artisan
Composite System'.

Minaean provides an all encompassing in-house design, engineering,
prefabrication, supply and installation of modular buildings and light
gauge steel load bearing wall panels with flooring systems capable of
being assembled, delivered and installed within 7 to 10 days. The
strong, affordable, ecologically sustainable structures present a
promising solution to the mass housing shortages in developing
countries and disaster-stricken areas, in addition to a range of
conventional applications.

Shares of Minaean International Corporation (parent company) is
publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MIB" and
on the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol "NJA".

For more information please visit: www.minaean.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

MINAEAN INTERNATIONAL CORP.

[zilfondel]

^ They are just a supplier of Hambro and light steel framing structural prefab systems. Old news... Clinton condos were built using this system.

Shaver Green. (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=3327126&postcount=6)

[tworivers]

So are there other companies using the same basic prefab method? How does this differ (or not) from, say, bside6? I've been trying to figure out how some of these different buildings are going up, but without being on the inside of the building industry, or in architecture school, I'm usually at a loss.

I know about Shaver Green (as is obvious by the link), I live right nearby and am looking forward to its presence on MLK. I guess I was surprised that an affordable housing complex would be using the same building technique that the Clinton Condos used.

[Dougall5505]

speaking of bide6...does anyone have any recent updates?

[MOPIdaho]

I recently was in Idaho to visit family and took quite a few pic of architecture. This project was built on the site of an old gas station and due to it's location in a historic district the sign had to be included. The project even took on the name of the gas station "Veltex" which also can be found on the new lighting. It would be nice if the Crown Motel sign could be included in a similar fashion.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2312543027_2ca624f61f.jpg

[PacificNW]

I like the Veltex signing....

[sopdx]

That sign is a helluva lot more interesting than the Crown Motel sign! I'm sorry but I'm at a loss regarding why people think it is special. I pass that sign all the time - and I fail to see what is remotely interesting about it. The Alibi, the Palms, even the NiteHawk, yes, awesome, but the Crown?

[MarkDaMan]

I like it. It fits Interstate and as far as I'm concerned. We need to keep all the existing ones and require modern versions on new construction.

http://stumptownconfidential.com/media/1/20050417-crownmotel.jpg
http://stumptownconfidential.com/media/1/20050417-crownmotel.jpg

http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/pacifnw/pnwmotel/pnwneonmotel/crownmotelportland.jpg
http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/pacifnw/pnwmotel/pnwneonmotel/crownmotelportland.jpg

[Castillonis]

My wife told me about this construction site in NE just off of Sandy blvd and the I-84 overpass near 39th.

3912 NE Hancock (streetview shows earlier stage of construction)
Go to full view for interesting photo of frame
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3912+NE+Hancock+St+Portland,+Or&sll=45.537152,-122.62352&sspn=0.002728,0.006759&layer=c&ie=UTF8&ll=45.537873,-122.62152&spn=0.005253,0.009999&t=h&z=17&cbll=45.536529,-122.622831&cbp=1,0,,0,5

1024x653
http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/45294/2001914352385134976_rs.jpg

NOTE: I took this image at 19:37 on Fri 07Mar08.

[Castillonis]

SunRose Condos
32 SE 28th ave
Map
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28th+ave+and+SE+Ankeny+St+Portland,+Or&sll=45.52288,-122.63728&sspn=0.010509,0.019999&ie=UTF8&ll=45.524826,-122.637098&spn=0.010508,0.019999&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=45.522139,-122.637107&cbp=1,0,,0,5
Portland Maps
http://www.portlandmaps.com/detail.cfm?action=Assessor&propertyid=R168366&state_id=1N1E36CC%20%20400&address_id=54428&intersection_id=&dynamic_point=0&x=7654450.112&y=683828.721&place=32%20SE%2028TH%20AVE&city=PORTLAND&neighborhood=KERNS&seg_id=114619

The Construction crew is quickly making progress on the foundation. When I look at the rendering at Holst Architecture's web site I wonder how they will address water flow at the cubes that extend from the building. A great idea, would be to leave a small amount of seperation minus structural supports so that rain water would flow down the curtian normally instead of pooling at the joint w/ the building. This would preserve the look that protrusion of rectangles gives and allow the water to flow off of the building.
http://www.holstarc.com/ (Our Work -> Sunrose condominiums)

1260x452 17" monitor
http://aycu35.webshots.com/image/47554/2000287681614792293_rs.jpg

1960x703 22" monitor
http://aycu11.webshots.com/image/45450/2000225507733450739_rs.jpg

NOTE: I took the photos that comprise this image at 19:48 on Fri 07Mar08.

[MarkDaMan]

Crown Motel sign will be restored
Thursday, March 06, 2008
The Oregonian

The vintage Crown Motel neon sign on North Interstate Avenue will be taken down and moved March 17, the first step in restoring it. Ramsey Signs, which refurbished the historic Hollywood Theatre sign and owns the Made in Oregon neon sign in Old Town, has been selected for the project.

Alyssa Starelli, vice president of a group leading efforts to save the sign before the motel is demolished and replaced with affordable housing, says Ramsey will store the crown and sword for as long as a year while refurbishing it.

That should be enough time for her group, Atomic Age Alliance of Portland, which seeks to preserve mid-20th century design and architecture, and others to find a new home for it, she says.

Starelli says sponsors have pledged $35,000 to $45,000 for the project; the total cost isn't known because it depends on where the sign ends up and how it's used. REACH, the nonprofit developing the housing on the motel site, has agreed to pay the $3,800 in removal costs.

MICHAEL BALES
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1204255531237690.xml&coll=7

[tworivers]

Has anyone noticed the 4-story building going up on MLK, really far up, almost to Lombard? It looks really good so far -- they basically kept the shell of the old one story building that was there, exactly the kind of partial-preservation scenario people here keep suggesting (Rosefriend, the Goodman bldg, etc). I'll try and get a shot soon.

[MOPIdaho]

Two projects finishing up in NE.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/2338831459_5f79bd8b93_o.jpg
NE MLK and Graham, nice materials bad color.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2338831423_932e7c2498_o.jpg
NE Russel and Rodney. This building looks like it's sided with the material used on public bathroom walls, (not the nice ones think Saturday market.)

[zilfondel]

oh my.

and here we keep calling for more color in new projects. Bring back the beige?

[cab]

http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/03/11/Lofts-project-creates-bright-spot-on-boulevard-Graham-Street-mixeduse-development-presents-new-chall
DJC covers that lovely Orange building.

Lofts project creates bright spot on boulevard
Graham Street mixed-use development presents new challenges for veteran architect Hillary Mackenzie...

[RED_PDXer]

Two projects finishing up in NE.

NE MLK and Graham, nice materials bad color.

NE Russel and Rodney. This building looks like it's sided with the material used on public bathroom walls, (not the nice ones think Saturday market.)

WOW! I saw the project on MLK before it was painted. I didn't think it would look that bad.. oops, I mean bright.. I was interested in purchasing a condo. Whatever the price of the paint, it sure didn't translate into lower unit prices.. I bought a house because I couldn't afford this and so many other new condos going up.

The one on N Russell isn't too terrible, but it does look like cheap material. I biked past that building all summer and fall wondering why it took so long to put up a 2-story trailer.

[MOPIdaho]

The NE Russel project was built on the site of an old auto shop, but they left up pieces during construction and possibly incorporated a board or two. A condo project on Belmont is is saving one corner of the nondescript grocery store that occupied the site. Is there a reason why, I assume it has something to due with calling the project an addition which leads to bypassing some permit. Just curious.

[MarkDaMan]

anybody heard of this project?

http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=188285

[MOPIdaho]

The Riverscape site looks abandon, has it stalled out?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/2339610652_120e8f0bd2_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2338775975_ea4191a09b_o.jpg

[dkealoha]

I swear those townhomes have been in that green siding stuff for a looooooong time... Their sales center on 11th & Everett closed down months ago too.

[bvpcvm]

I swear those townhomes have been in that green siding stuff for a looooooong time... Their sales center on 11th & Everett closed down months ago too.

thought the sales center just moved to the site, didn't it?

[tworivers]

Thought we had a thread for this but couldn't find it.

Paved paradise: Hollywood lot becomes Whole Foods anchored development

Developer works with R&H Construction to re-imagine bank parking lot as The Beverly, a five-story, mixed-use development in Hollywood District

POSTED: 06:00 AM PDT Thursday, March 20, 2008
BY NATHALIE WEINSTEIN

A former Washington Mutual parking lot is being developed by Gerding Edlen into The Beverly, a five-story, mixed-use project in Portland’s Hollywood District.

Located at Northwest 42nd Avenue and Sandy Boulevard, R&H Construction is hard at work on the 241,436-square-foot project and currently has an L-shaped section erected along 42nd Ave. The project’s rhombus shape, as well as its large size and proximity to a residential area, has been a challenge, according to R&H.

“Its got a strange shape,” Adam Petersen, R&H project engineer, said. “It’s a large site and it’s tight to the property line. It butts right up against the residential neighborhood here. And we’re working around the public. There’s a (Washington Mutual) onsite that is still fully operational.”

The bank, currently located in an older building on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, will move into a new space on the ground floor of The Beverly, along with natural food giant Whole Foods Market. The bank’s current building will be demolished by R&H in the coming months.

Though Portlanders are typically weary of big box retailers, Petersen said neighbors he’s spoken to are excited about the grocery store.

“We haven’t had much complaining,” he said. Mostly they are just curious and want to know what we’re building. People have been positive about Whole Foods coming in.”

What they aren’t excited about is the scant parking that comes with major development in a residential area.

“Building here is similar to building downtown in that it’s a tight space and there’s nowhere to park,” Petersen said. “(The neighbor’s) biggest concern is parking. We have 100 people working here sometimes and everyone has to park on side streets. People that run businesses out of their homes or that have out-of-town relatives can get concerned about the lack of space.”

Luckily, The Beverly’s second and third floors, once built, will house parking lots for retail customers as well as for tenants who live in the building’s 53 condo units on the fourth and fifth floors.

R&H used special castellated beams from Arkansas in the parking structure for their light weight and durability.

“When they’re manufactured, a pattern is cut into them, usually hexagons,” Petersen said. “The material gets stretched so that it can handle more loads with less material and less steel. You get as much useable square footage as possible.”

Gerding Edlen hopes to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certification with The Beverly. Green features include onsite bioswales, low emission paints and sealants and a site location that is close to public transportation and neighborhood services.

Materials for the project, such as windows and doors from Mid-Valley Glass & Millwork in Eugene, were locally sourced whenever possible and R&H plans to recycle 75 percent of its construction waste.

The condos will be outfitted with energy-saving appliances and will feature studio, one and two bedroom units.

The Beverly is scheduled to complete in 2009.

[MarkDaMan]

An 8-story welcome mat in Arbor Lodge?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Fred Leeson
The Oregonian

Developer Jerry Eekhoff riled the Arbor Lodge neighborhood three years ago when he proposed putting up a six-story condo building on a block of single-family homes just behind the Interstate Fred Meyer.

Neighborhood objections were textbook Portland: noise, traffic, density, insensitivity to the surroundings.

Eekhoff ultimately won approval for five stories on the corner of North Montana Avenue and Buffalo Street, but construction equipment never appeared. Now he's back with an expanded plan for the block: three buildings that would stand eight, five and four stories.

With 153 units, it would be one of the biggest developments between St. Johns and Lloyd Center. The tallest structure would be among the first things motorists see as they drive into Portland on Interstate 5 from the north.

The neighborhood's reaction? Thanks to numerous talks among Myhre Group Architects, Eekhoff's new design team and the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association, feelings have changed from outrage to reluctant acceptance.

"I think they struggled with the anomalies of scale," says Kristen Minor, a city planner working with the parties. "But I think a lot of people have taken a deep breath and realized it's going to happen."

Christine Duffy, neighborhood association chairwoman, says designers made concessions, including putting parking underground, choosing better materials and making exteriors more attractive.

"We don't want something shoddy," she says. The parking plan, with the entrance off of North Buffalo, "was really the selling point."

Another factor is stepped-down heights. "They didn't want to feel they were being looked down on," says Joshua Stein, a project architect. "The idea is to give as much respect as we can to the residences."

All the buildings would rise above the sound wall that buffers noise from adjacent I-5. "You have a lot of noise, but you also have a lot of great views," says Stein, including an unimpeded look at Mount Hood.

Construction is most likely at least a year off, given that the city is reviewing zoning changes that would allow the greater density in the Interstate MAX corridor. No cost estimate for the project is available yet.

"I'm glad to see that someone is pioneering in the area," says Jeff Stuhr, a member of the Portland Design Commission, which reviewed the tentative plans last month.

Commissioner Andrew Jansky says the project "will be a good catalyst for the neighborhood" if it succeeds.

Duffy knows the city has targeted areas near light-rail stops for higher residential densities, but she thinks it will take longer than some hope or others fear.

"It won't happen overnight," she predicts. "It's all market-driven. It depends what happens with things like the economy, the war in Iraq and the price of gas."

Portland News: 503-221-8199; portland@news.oregonian.com
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1205355308200560.xml&coll=7

[MOPIdaho]

The Crown Motel is now half gone, and the sign is in storage.

[tworivers]

Here's some updates as of today...

Hakoya Lofts at Shaver & Williams
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2193/2384809476_a317e22962.jpg?v=0

http://krauseteam.vflyer.com/2/images/1858759_main.jpg

Mississippi Lofts (http://www.mississippiavenuelofts.com/) + Pastaworks
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2384809302_9698ef7b40.jpg?v=0

Trammell Crow project on Mississippi
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2219/2384809026_7543b90bd8.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3264/2383978117_a3c44dc5ca.jpg?v=0

Failing & Williams retail renovation (Ristretto, Liberty restaurant, Hub market)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2405/2383978921_2b86e0dd43.jpg?v=0

Fremont & MLK phase 2 housing
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2088/2383979125_1a8f6888df.jpg?v=0

project at Belmont and 38th
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/2383979299_462061766e.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2383979473_b9f1cae76f.jpg?v=0

and, last and possibly least, "B39" condos
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2383979647_2560268c6b.jpg?v=0

[zilfondel]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2112/2383979647_2560268c6b.jpg?v=0

ugly

[bvpcvm]

^ is that a renovation? or did they replace the building that was there?

[pdx2m2]

Who is the architect responsible for this little ugly duckling?

[MOPIdaho]

^ is that a renovation? or did they replace the building that was there?

Renovation, it was a Victorian with some nice details and went well with the Belmont vibe, unfortunately it was damaged in a fire.

[CouvScott]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/nw14thirving.jpg

[NJD]

^Is that the empty lot in between the Edge and the Avenue? I was wondering about that spot.

^^Seriously, who designed that 39th + Belmont remodel? It actually looks worse than before with the cheap materials used in its facade.

[Castillonis]

Just wanted to say thanks for the great photos TwoRivers.

Disappointed that members are using so many explitives. I was pointing professionals and others to this board. I don't feel comfortable doing so now as this reflects upon myself.

[PacificNW]

I have to agree with you, Castillonis....

[rsbear]

:previous: Ditto

[Preservationist]

I don't know anything about a fire in the building, though I believe there was a tenant in the retail space (a dry cleaner) before the renovation. Underneath all the new ugliness is a "streetcar era" storefront building that had great bay windows and which could have been respectfully renovated - instead, this is what we get. On a related note, the similar streetcar era building at E Burnside and 28th, diagonally across from the Laurelhurst Theater, was totally demolished to make way for the current construction which is going to look like a snaggledy pile of children's blocks. Yuck.

[pdx2m2]

what expletives are we talking about...i just scrolled through the page and it seems quite professional...unless you consider ugly or ugly duckling non professional criticism.

i consider myself a seasoned professional, citizen of the community and call a project ugly is a personal opinion and often the truth. i would rather see people expess their feelings and thoughts about a project than mask it in some vague architectural jargon.

i often don't agree with things expressed here although appreciate that this is a forum for such expession.

[MarkDaMan]

never mind

It's buildings like 39th and Belmont that make people nervous about infill. I wouldn't want to live next to that!

[WonderlandPark]

39th and Belmont made me laugh. It seems as if it went this way:

Hmmm, there is a sale on slate. Cool! Lets slap that on the facade.

But, we don't have enough dollars to cover it all. Well, that's ok, we will figure something else. How about a bit of wood?

Sure, why not?

Crap, we are over budget! Damn, looks like we will have to stucco that part of the top floor.

Hey, did you notice that the metal flashing on the 39th street side isn't even straight over the slate tile?

Why no?! (Shocked Expression) I guess that is the quality picking the lowest bid contractor will give you.

You think this thing is going to look like shit in 5 years?

Yep, sure do.

Hopefully I have my own firm by then and a willing developer will want to try again....

[sopdx]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e214/couvttocs/nw14thirving.jpg

NW 14th and Irving.
This should be moved to the Pearl District string, and what is especially significant about it is that it is planned to be the Pearl's first hotel with 116 rms. It's an OPUS/Sera project - the hotel operator has not been identified.

[sopdx]

On a related note, the similar streetcar era building at E Burnside and 28th, diagonally across from the Laurelhurst Theater, was totally demolished to make way for the current construction which is going to look like a snaggledy pile of children's blocks. Yuck.

I disagree. Sure the original building could have been redone but who knows what it was like inside. The exterior was not in good shape. The new building designed by Holst is attractive and will provide infill housing and active street level space.

[zilfondel]

As a neighbor of the 28th and Burnside building, I am looking forward to the new building going up.

[urbanlife]

how can they call this a tower?

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/gtbig2.gif
http://www.gatewaytowers.net/

[MarkDaMan]

dunno...but the prices aren't bad.

[MarkDaMan]

Housing project replaces motel on Interstate Avenue
Portland Business Journal - by Wendy Culverwell Business Journal staff writer

The proverbial dirt is flying on North Interstate Avenue, where the old Crown Motel is giving way to a new apartment project designed to accommodate lower-income families.

Demolition crews finished tearing down the 19-unit Crown Motel at 5226 N. Interstate earlier this month. Walsh Construction soon will begin construction of Patton Place Apartments, a $12 million, five-story mixed-use project with three-bedroom units and space for street-level retailers.

It's been a long time coming for Tri-Met, which bought the Crown Motel in order to spur redevelopment along the Yellow MAX line, and for Reach Community Development, the private nonprofit developer selected for the project.

When complete, Patton Park will offer 54 apartments priced to serve families earning 60 percent or less of the median family income for Portland, or $40,750 for a family of four.

TriMet bought the Crown Motel in 2005, paying about $908,000 for the property, which was built in 1959.

The regional transit agency found itself playing the role of urban renewal agency in 2004, after the MAX Yellow Line opened ahead of schedule and under budget. The Federal Transportation Agency agreed to let it spend surplus money in neighborhoods around the stations. The decision swelled its "station area" budget to nearly $4 million, from about $500,000.

That gave TriMet a mission and the resources to invest in the neighborhoods around the new light rail line.

Jillian Detweiler, development manager of TriMet, said the Crown Motel emerged quickly as a contender for redevelopment since it is across the street from Patton Park and is near Killingsworth Station.

Both are critical amenities for low-income renters, families in particular.

Importantly, the Crown had a willing seller, unlike many of the other motels along North Interstate. TriMet and neighbors agreed the property should be used to bolster affordable housing while bringing more retailers to the district.

Ten developers, both for- and not-for profit, bid on the Crown redevelopment project. Reach offered the winning mix of larger units, retail space and a solid operational history that appealed to TriMet.

"Reach was selected not just because of their demonstrated ability to build good buildings, but because they continue to own their buildings and they support their residents with good services," Detweiler said.

In March, Reach bought the property from TriMet for $300,000, a discount price that reflects the public purpose mission to provide rental units at below-market rates.

Reach immediately set out to demolish the Crown Motel, and anticipates a completion date of Feb. 9, 2009, for the full project, designed by Sera Architects.

It took a complex mix of loans, tax credits and subsidies to make Patton Park Apartments a reality and it was all the more complicated by diminished demand for tax credits since many traditional tax credit investors don't have profits to tax.

Enterprise Portland, the local arm of Enterprise Community Investment, provided $3.2 million in equity, backed by federal low-income housing tax credits. Kate Allen, director of Enterprise Portland, said getting the project took intricate negotiations, but the value of the effort paid off.

The project also includes a construction loan by Bank of America that will become a $3.3 million permanent loan, a permanent loan from the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing, and $4.4 million from the Portland Development Commission. Regional agency Metro loaned $365,000 and TriMet contributed $190,000 in addition to the discounted real estate.

"We've all had to do some real stretching to make the finances work for this," said Enterprise's Allen.

Enterprise finds for-profit investors to buy tax credits awarded to groups such as Reach. Finding those kinds of investors is tough in a market where financial institutions tend not to have an excess tax problem.

The Patton Park Apartments will consist of 4,500 square feet of commercial space at street level, with four floors of apartments.

Twelve three-bedroom units are being supported by the Housing Authority of Portland via federal Section 8 housing vouchers.

As for the impressive Crown Motel sign that once stood sentry over North Interstate?

It was removed on March 17, but definitely is not forgotten.

The nonprofit Mid-Century Modern League arranged for Ramsay Signs Inc. to store it for a year while supporters locate a permanent home and raise the $35,000 to $40,000 cost of restoring the soaring neon fixture.

Why bother?

Alyssa Starelli, the league's leader, called it an unusual installation that reflects Interstate's history, as part of the highway leading to the Columbia River crossing. The avenue is still dominated by 1950s-era motels marked by flamboyant signs. The surge of public interest in the Crown sign's future convinced her and others who love mid-century design to attempt to preserve it.

"Interstate is undergoing so much zone changes, if we don't save the signs, there will not be anything left," she said.

wculverwell@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3415
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/04/14/focus2.html?t=printable

[zilfondel]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii11/zilfondel/pdx%20city/infill1.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii11/zilfondel/pdx%20city/infill2.jpg

[zilfondel]

how can they call this a tower?

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/gtbig2.gif
http://www.gatewaytowers.net/

NIce.

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/photo7int.jpg

http://www.gatewaytowers.net/images/photo6.jpg

I think it's safe to say that this won't add anything architecturally to the city. :rolleyes:

Not-so-surprisingly, only 1 unit is left. They actually had units under $120,000 (560 sq ft)!

[tworivers]

In the Outlook '08 section in Sunday's paper, there was an article on N Mississippi that mentioned a new project breaking ground this summer on the SW corner of Skidmore and Miss, across from the u/c Lofts. Three stories, office over retail, with a very unfortunate name: Numiss. Architect = Surround.

Also, the Chateau development is underway. It is on the northern half of the E-decor warehouse site -- looks like half-renovation, half-new construction. Judging by the rendering and plans, it looks to be a nice, if modest, addition to the street. ...just found the LUR (http://www.portlandmaps.com/detail.cfm?action=Permits&folder=2724328&propertyid=R223687&state_id=1N1E22CD%20%204000&address_id=582808&intersection_id=&dynamic_point=0&x=7644941&y=694605&place=3900%20N%20MISSISSIPPI%20AVE&city=PORTLAND&neighborhood=BOISE&seg_id=133897).

[sowat]

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/121022610597100.xml&coll=7

Thursday, May 15, 2008

The empty lot at 1949 S.E. Division St. is going to stay empty for at least another year. Plans for the Seven Corners Condominiums, a proposed mix of market-rate and affordable condos above street-level shops, "have been put on ice for a year or so," says Michelle Haynes, housing development director for nonprofit Reach Community Development.
The reason? The condo market collapse. "We have a waiting list for our affordable housing units and don't anticipate any problem selling those. Right now, though, is a bad time to go ahead with building market-rate condominiums," says Haynes. Reach will reassess in a year. The agency's design-review approval from the city gives it until November 2010 to apply for permits.
REBECCA KOFFMAN

[MarkDaMan]

http://www.djcoregon.com/_images/articles/djcsecond%20-%200516%20shavergreen%20deca.jpg
Shaver Green apartment building will be sustainable and affordable
Groundbreaking is today for $16.2 million project in Northeast Portland
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 06:00 AM PDT Friday, May 16, 2008
BY SAM BENNETT

A once blighted piece of commercial property in Northeast Portland that was home to a used appliance store will be the site of a $16.2 million green, affordable apartment building.

Groundbreaking will be held today at 4011 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. for the Shaver Green Building, which has been designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold or platinum certification, while meeting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development income level requirements.

Occupants of the 85-unit building must earn at or below 60 percent of Multnomah County’s two-person household median income of $32,580.

Shaver Green will aim for 60 percent or better performance beyond the Oregon Energy Code, and will have a solar roofing system. It will also use recycled and prefabricated materials. Crews will recycle 95 percent of construction and demolition waste, and the 89,000-square-foot building will have a system that uses storm water for irrigation.

Armstrong Stafford LLC is the developer, Yorke and Curtis is the general contactor, and DECA Architecture is the design firm.

“Very few, if any, residential developments in the U.S. offer buildings that are sustainable, innovative and also accessible to those meeting minimum income standards,” said Wayne Armstrong, managing member of Armstrong Stafford, which owns Armstrong Development.

Rents at Shaver Green will be $710 for each of the 59 one-bedroom units, $848 for each of the 25 two-bedroom units and $981 for the single three-bedroom apartment. Ten of the apartments will be permanent supportive housing, or housing for those who are earning up to 30 percent of median income.

Armstrong said his development company is selecting finishes and building materials to achieve LEED goals and to keep cost as low as possible, while building living spaces that will last and remain affordable for at least 60 years.

“Our hope is that through this development, we can encourage other affordable housing developers to incorporate more sustainable elements,” he said. “We intend to demonstrate that a sustainable, high-quality building can have an impact beyond the local and regional green building market,” he said.

The development is being financed by Armstrong Stafford, as well as city, county and state agencies.

Rolanne Stafford, a partner in Armstrong Stafford, said such housing is needed in Portland.

“There are many hard-working and responsible people in Portland who are finding it difficult to keep up with the rising cost of housing,” he said.

The construction team includes: Froelich Consulting Engineers and TM Rippey Consulting, structural engineers; MGH Associates, civil engineering; Alder Geotechnical, geotechnical consultant; Hunter-Davisson, mechanical systems engineering; Brightworks, LEED consultant; Brocks Energy Associates, energy modeler, and Professional Roof Consultant, waterproofing consultant.

Armstrong is the owner of Armstrong Development Inc., which has 19 years of experience in commercial construction, general contracting and development in California, Washington and Oregon. The company has completed bid-build and design-build projects for 24 federal and state agencies.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/05/16/Shaver-Green-apartment-building-will-be-sustainable-and-affordable-Groundbreaking-is-today-for-162-m

[Castillonis]

Belmont East Condominiums (Summer 2008)
http://www.belmonteast.com

800x407
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0282_800x407.jpg

Belmont East Condo sign 800x561
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0283_800x561.jpg

Close up of corner 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0284_800x600.jpg

[Castillonis]

Balconies 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0234_800x600.jpg

Wider view 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0233_800x600.jpg

Retail 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0236_800x600.jpg

Closeup of wood 600x720
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0238_600x720.jpg

NOTE: I took these photos a while ago on 06May08.

[Castillonis]

http://www.2121belmont.com

1240x261
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/21stBelmont_1240x261.jpg

800x555 from south west on Belmont
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0279_800x555.jpg

Closeup of main entrance 800x600
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0263_800x600.jpg
Exterior Surfaces 800x651
http://www.stoneyphoto.com/forum/IMG_0280_800x651.jpg

NOTE: I took all of these photos on Saturday 24May08.

[philopdx]

What progress! Looking at the render, I thought it would be glassier. And the the color of the glass looks bluer in the render as well. Maybe it's due to the cloudy day.

I do wish they could have figured out some way to break up that brown space on each flank. Looks like two flayed slabs of roast beef. Overall, though, it's not bad.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2521786418_c7e54a3faa_o.jpg

[NJD]

The footings for H45 phase 2 just started after 6 months of inactivity. Curious to see if it will contain live/work condos like phase 1, or if it is destined to become expensive rentals.

Two blocks up Hawthorne, the Portland Impact site is up for sale. Looks like the Hawthorne Condos developer couldn't get his project off the ground before the condo fizzle. Hopefully the next buyer will want to redevelop the site, and hopefully he/she will have a better vision...

[Castillonis]

I had been watching that site and was about to take a photo to show that the project was delayed or had ceased to exist.

[tworivers]

Thought this might fit in the infill thread:


Alberta Street sees next wave of development
A string of commercial renovations, construction projects show the neighborhood is maturing

POSTED: 04:14 PM PDT Friday, June 13, 2008
BY LIBBY TUCKER
DJC

http://www.djcoregon.com/_images/articles/djclead%20-%200613Rambo.jpg

Watch out, Southeast Portland. The Northeast Alberta Street neighborhood is now a legitimate rival for new development.

After Portland’s recent housing boom, the commercial strip of Alberta Street has reached a level of maturity where most of the available space has been renovated and developers are starting to eye new construction as a viable option. The demand for commercial space on the strip is growing, even as the housing market slows, and new projects are cropping up in the artsy Northeast neighborhood, Charlotte Larson, a commercial broker with Windermere, said.

“Alberta Street’s gotten past its first wave of being revitalized, and leases and residential prices are high enough that developers can justify coming in and doing new construction,” said Larson. “The street now is probably on par with some of the more established Southeast streets like Belmont.”

The newest addition to the neighborhood is a 4,500-square-foot building at the corner of Northeast 13th Avenue and Alberta Street, where Red Rock Construction is nearly finished building the first phase of a planned three-phase development.

The building’s ground-floor space will house Portland’s first “green gym,” which will use a combination of solar power and human power to cut energy use. The building is designed to maximize energy efficiency so that the gym’s exercise equipment can double as electric generators.

The owner of the Green Microgym, Adam Boesel, says he chose the Alberta Street location to launch his business because, “it’s obviously up-and-coming, but it’s still affordable.”

The building’s developer, Rambo Halpern, agrees. From the rooftop garden, Halpern can point to a dozen or so buildings along a 20-block stretch of the street that have been built or renovated in the last five years. What was once dilapidated buildings and a repo lot stand cafes, knitting shops and vegan restaurants.

As a commercial real estate broker, Halpern alone has negotiated the sale of about 10 buildings on the street in the last decade, he says.

“Alberta’s a real safe bet now,” Halpern says, pointing to a renovation underway at 11th and Alberta by the McMenamins chain of restaurants. “It’s not a secret.”

Halpern’s second phase of development begins next month at 1301 N.E. Alberta St., a bunker-like concrete building and former home of the Accuracy Grinding fabrication company. Design firm Rowell Engineering last week applied for commercial construction permits to carve the building into a restaurant and retail space.

Once the Accuracy remodel is done, Halpern will move on to the property next door, where he’ll tear down a small Victorian house and then build a 6,000-square-foot building with two retail spaces and four residential units.

Farther down the road, First Call Construction is nearly finished remodeling a 4,300-square-foot retail and office building at 2910 N.E. Alberta St. Built in 1911, the building’s walls are still charred from a fire and large sections of the roof and interior have been replaced where mold and rot had set in.

After gutting the interior, builders have now refreshed the formerly decrepit building with new hardy plank siding painted a cheery turquoise, garage doors, a back patio with plantings, new fixtures and doors. And the retail space has been expanded to include an old attached garage.

“I wanted to save an old building,” said John Connell-Maribona, owner and developer of the building, renamed Casa de Juan. “If you blink an eye, developers would level everything on the street and build it new.”

Connell-Maribona, who also owns the Cuban eatery Pambiche on Northeast Glisan Street, bought the Alberta Street property originally intending to open a new Latin restaurant in the ground floor space. But once construction began on the building, he realized the fire and water damage was much more extensive than he’d assumed and his startup budget was instead used for repairs.

The North Portland native is now seeking commercial tenants to lease two remaining retail spaces on the ground floor and a second-floor loft space. Startup retailer Pie Footwear, an environmentally-friendly shoe store, has signed a lease for the third ground-floor retail space.

The neighborhood is already full of cafes and restaurants. Connell-Maribona’s building is sandwiched between Lolo, a Spanish tapas place, and Bernie’s Southern Bistro.

Neither is open for lunch because the street lacks the shops and offices to generate enough customers, Connell-Maribona said. The neighborhood is known as the Alberta Arts District, but many of the art galleries have closed and taken foot traffic with them. He hopes that attracting retailers to his building will help spur more retail and office development along Alberta Street.

The neighborhood’s easy interstate access and its hip, up-and-coming vibe will continue to contribute to its growth, he said. “Northeast Portland is the only place to be.”

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121443473003039100

Planning priorities play out on Interstate

Trib Town • City Council vote will decide height, density

By Jim Redden
The Portland Tribune, Jun 26, 2008

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news_graphics/121443675769816100.jpg
COURTESY OF MYHRE GROUP ARCHITECTS


If the City Council approves the North Interstate Corridor Plan at its July 16 meeting, the proposed Montana Lofts housing project, among others, will get the go-ahead.

The concept of concentrating growth along major transportation corridors is a guiding principle of Oregon and Portland-area land-use plans.
Locating new development near existing roadways and transit lines is intended to reduce sprawl and congestion, while enabling more people to live near where they work, shop and entertain themselves.
But as the evolving North Interstate Corridor Plan shows, turning that concept into reality is a lengthy, complicated and controversial process. The plan, which will allow higher densities along and near much of the Interstate MAX line in North Portland, was approved by the Portland Planning Commission on May 27 and will be heard by the City Council on July 16.

Although many area residents have been involved with or commented on the proposed plan, even some of those who believe growth is inevitable worry that it will allow too much new development.

“Everyone realizes the area is going to grow, and that’s exciting. But height is a major concern,” said Eric Gale, chairman of the Overlook Neighborhood Association, which covers the southern portion of the line in the study area.

Height’s a matter of debate

Specifically, Gale said some area residents are concerned about a proposal in the plan to allow buildings up to 11 stories high to be built near the MAX stations located at Lombard, Killingsworth and Prescott streets.

According to Gale, some of his neighbors believe that even five stories is too tall for the area comprised largely of single-family homes — and feel the city is ignoring their concerns.

The idea of allowing the taller buildings has been endorsed by the Portland Planning and Design Review commissions, both of which reviewed the plan before it was sent to the council.

A majority of commission members felt such heights were necessary to support desirable features such as underground parking and setbacks that create open areas, according to Julie Gisler, a project manager who worked on the plan for the Portland Bureau of Planning before it went to the planning commission – the appointed citizen body that recommends major zoning and land use changes to the council.

“Those sort of things just don’t pencil out on smaller buildings,” said Gisler, adding that developers would have to present their plans for taller buildings to the Design Review Commission.

One project that could be built under the new plan is the Montana Lofts, a housing project comprising four-, five- and eight-story buildings on North Montana Avenue between Bryant and Buffalo streets. Designed by Myhre Group Architects for North Montana LLC, the 153-unit, 135,589-square-foot complex would be located two blocks east of North Interstate Avenue overlooking the Interstate 5 freeway.

More parks for more people?

Despite that issue, both Gale and Gisler agree the plan has several provisions that are well-supported by area residents. One is designating much of Interstate as a Neon District to encourage the preservation of nine distinctive neon hotel and restaurant signs from the 1950s.

Another is a call to increase the amount of parks and open space in the area to help meet the needs of the additional people expected to move into the new residences. One location being studied by the city is the large lawn on the east side of the former Kenton School at Interstate Avenue and Lombard Street.

Gisler said such accommodations are necessary to ensure the area along the MAX line not only grows, but grows in ways that improve its livability.
The plan is being developed at the request of the Portland Development Commission, which has been concerned about the slow rate of growth along Interstate since the MAX line opened in 2004.

Although a few new businesses have opened in the area, including a New Seasons grocery store at 6400 N. Interstate Ave., the changes have been insignificant compared with the revitalization envisioned when the PDC agreed to underwrite much of the $350 million project with urban renewal funds.

The proposed plan allows high-density housing to be built between Interstate and the I-5 freeway. Those blocks are dominated by single-family homes, some of which eventually would be replaced by condominium and apartment buildings.

Under the plan, some of them could be up to 65 feet high to take advantage of the views of the east side of the city.

High-density housing also would be allowed on the west side of Interstate, but the heights would begin to be restricted after the first block, which creates a “transition zone” between Interstate and the established single-family neighborhoods that spread out toward the Willamette River.
The idea is to ensure that the greatest growth is concentrated between the MAX line and those blocks closest to the freeway.

Despite such precautions, Gale understands the plan – if approved by the council – will have adverse impacts on at least some of the current residents in the area.

“If you have a taller building built next to your house, even if it’s only five stories tall, there’s going to be an impact,’ Gale said. “You’re going to lose the privacy in your backyard and traffic’s going to increase.”

At the same time, Gale said growth is inevitable.

“It will be very interesting to see how the area changes over the next 50 years,” he said.

Information is available on the Portland Planning Bureau’s Web site at www.portlandonline.com/planning/index.cfm?c=43260 (http://www.portlandonline.com/planning/index.cfm?c=43260).

[dkealoha]

From Portland Architecture:
http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2008/07/checkerboard-building-to-be-renovated-by-singer-holst.html

Checkerboard Building On 10th To Be Renovated by Richard Singer, Holst Architecture
After years of sitting empty, the building downtown at 415 SW 10th Avenue with its unique facade of colored square panels (I call it the 'Checkerboard') has been purchased with a renovation in mind.

The developer is Dick Singer, who has been active for many years with projects in the NW 23rd Street (or Nob Hill) area. The controversial parking garage on 23rd being haggled over by NIMBY residents and frustrated shoppers is his project.

Singer has hired Holst Architecture for the job, which is a great choice. Holst is really hitting their stride these days with several projects finishing construction or about to begin: Hotel Modera downtown, the Clinton Condos on SE Division, the 937 Condos in the Pearl, and a soon to begin headquarters for Ziba Design in that same neighborhood.

There's just one potential worry, at least as it concerns my admittedly biased point of view. In a phone interview yesterday, Singer told me that the project is in design development and no permanent decisions have been made. He said there have been some design possibilities that include keeping the signature colored panel facade, and other schemes that remove it in favor of something more glassy. It's also undecided whether additional floors would be added. So technically, the unique checkerboard facade faces both its best potential in many years but also a threat.

One thing everybody can probably agree on is that the inside will need to be gutted. Much as I and others love the midcentury modern exterior, there's not much original to preserve on the inside. So there's carte blanche between the walls, I'd assume.

I would love to see a Holst design in this prominent downtown location, steps from Powell's Books, the Ace Hotel, the Brewery Blocks, and Living Room Theaters. I have ever faith that John Holmes and company at Holst could do something great.

But as a longtime fan of this building's exterior, I personally am crossing all my fingers and toes that the colored panels on the outside will be preserved. Is this building a masterpiece? Certainly not. But there's an elegant simplicity to this building's facade, and a playful touch of color lacking in most all other buildings. However shabby it may be inside, 415 SW 10th is a work of delightful sculpture, and a quintessential midcentury modern look that can't ever be completely replicated.

How do the rest of you feel about this project? Am I overboard in affection for this building? If so, the countless people who have contacted me out of concern for the Checkerboard since my previous posts are wrong too. So is the British novelist who bought a print of the photo above after a photography show I had a few years ago. But I respect that there are two sides to every story. What should be the fate of this tarnished little gem?

[MarkDaMan]

Development calls for funky take on history
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Fred Leeson
Special to The Oregonian

After Frank Phillips finished building his Mediterranean-style condominium complex on Lair Hill a couple of years ago, he looked from his penthouse unit toward downtown.

In the distance, he could see the attractive skyline and the Willamette River. But up close were some vacant lots and a couple of low-end warehouses.

Phillips promptly bought them. "I admit that my own view was my first motivation," he says.

Now, after nearly two years deciding what to do with the 0.84-acre property, he's got a quirky plan that the neighbors like. But the city is another matter.

Early last year, Phillips proposed moving the historic Ladd Carriage House to Lair Hill when the 19th-century landmark was threatened by a downtown development. Alas, Portland Streetcar wires got in the way, and the downtown developer figured a way to keep the Ladd at its original location. So Phillips started over.

His new plan: eight buildings with 16 residential units, mostly along Southwest Second Avenue between Grover and Gibbs streets, and a three-story mixed-use building along Gibbs between First and Second. The buildings are designed to look like a series of early 20th-century storefronts.

"Our neighborhood is kind of funky," Phillips said. "It's old."

It's also difficult turf for developers. The site sits in the South Portland Historic District, which means new construction faces hearings before the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission. And the South Portland Neighborhood Association is one of the city's most aggressive in scrutinizing and opposing proposals it doesn't like.

Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, the firm Phillips retained, studied historic houses and commercial buildings in the neighborhood to pluck inspiration from details such as projecting bays, bracketed cornices, corner turrets and clinker bricks. Some of the historic photos they relied on were from old South Portland streets obliterated by 1950s urban renewal and Interstate 405.

"There is a certain funky charm that our client was absolutely insisting upon," said George Signori, a senior associate. Phillips and the design team sought suggestions from the neighborhood association and came up with a plan that met Phillips' funk quotient and earned the association's support.

But the Gibbs Street commercial building, designed to look like three buildings hunkered together, may have exceeded the landmarks commission's tolerance for quirkiness. Signori tried to replicate architectural styles that would have evolved over decades, but the design for the Gibbs frontage reflects playfulness perhaps more fitting for a stage than a street.

"I think there's just too much happening," commission member Carrie Richter said at a June hearing. Others said they'd like to see more uniformity along rooflines and less variety in window shapes when the designers return this month with revisions.

Still, Phillips and the design team earned kudos. "I really appreciate the use of historicism," said Linda Dodds. "We never expected to see it in so many buildings all at once."

Commission Chairman Art DeMuro thought the designers were close to an acceptable plan, and he complimented the team for the process it followed.

"It shows a real orientation to try to get it right for the neighborhood," he said.

Portland News: 503-221-8199; portland@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1214351715303230.xml&coll=7

[davehogan]

I saw this site while walking around NW Thurman the other day:

2653thurman.com

Nice little 4 floor, 1 br/1 bath condo building. It'll fit the neighborhood well, and is replacing a mediocre house.

[PDX City-State]

What the hell? Some douchebag decides to remake the early 20th Century and landmarks applauds it?

[tworivers]

Rezoning expected to help Killingsworth
Residents, developers hopeful that City Council’s vote will spur development in Vernon neighborhood

POSTED: 04:00 AM PDT Monday, July 14, 2008
BY TYLER GRAF (DJC)

Business owners and developers have complained for years that the three-block expanse of Northeast Killingsworth Street from 14th to 17th avenues represented the worst kind of development purgatory: It was zoned for residential use, but most of the buildings were commercial.

Interest in building houses in the area was never substantial, and it was next to impossible to expand or build commercial projects due to the zoning. The commercial properties that do exist had been grandfathered into the zoning, which was changed to residential in the 1990s.

But on Thursday, City Council voted to allow mixed-use zoning on those three blocks of Killingsworth, to make that stretch more flexible for development, business owners and residents.

Due to the zoning change, first-time developer Andrew Clarke may be able to see his development fruit ripen: As planned, it would be a 36-unit mixed condominium and retail building on Northeast Killingsworth Street and 17th Avenue.

The building would include one- and two-bedroom units and 6,000 square feet of retail.

Clark had been awaiting the council’s decision before moving ahead on the design phase of the project, though he’s already tapped Skylab Architecture as the building’s designer.

“We’d like to see this become more of a destination,” said Clarke, a Northeast Portland native. He pointed to the Alberta District nearby as a model of how to quickly redevelop a neighborhood.

And the two neighborhoods could have a symbiotic relationship, feeding off each other’s development activity. But the zoning changes were needed first, he said.

Gary Marschke, president of the North Northeast Business Association, welcomed the zoning change and new development, and said his organization had thrown unanimous support behind the rezoning efforts and the push for greater development.

Residents welcomed the zoning change as well. The hope is that more development, redevelopment and business activity will drive away the prostitution and drug dealing that residents say plague their neighborhood.

For example, Vernon neighborhood resident Amy Hendrix was shocked a year ago to find that her backyard had hosted a police-perpetrator scrum. Officers chased a drug suspect into her backyard, where a scuffle ensued.

When she came home, the scene was replayed by the visual clues left behind: a police-officer nameplate was imbedded in her lawn, her bushes looked as if they’d been trampled by leaden boots, and dirt and debris were scattered.

The naked storefronts and empty lots that serve as the face of the neighborhood, if dressed up as new developments or businesses, would help the area, she said.

“You’ve got this area where property owners can’t do anything,” Hendrix said. “Their hands are really tied.”

Clarke hopes his project fosters a “shared sense of space” and attracts empty-nesters and young professionals alike.

He plans to start construction on his project in early 2009 and aims to finish in 2010. The firm York and Curtis will manage the construction for the project.

“This is a small change,” Hendrix said, “but it has big implications for the neighborhood.”

[pdxman]

In regards to the story that Mark posted above about the development on Gibbs street, AMAA has renderings on their website for the project if anyone wants to see them.

http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/project/?category=otb&project=202&redir=L3BvcnRmb2xpby8/Y2F0ZWdvcnk9b3RiIzI1

[RED_PDXer]

http://www.amaa.com/portfolio/project/?category=otb&project=202&redir=L3BvcnRmb2xpby8/Y2F0ZWdvcnk9b3RiIzI1

At first glance, it looks nice. At least I like the amount of detail the rendering suggests. However, I can't stand it when architects and developers try to make a single building with multiple facades in an attempt to replicate development over time, like with the mixed-use structure in this proposal. It NEVER gets pulled off correctly because in the end, it's all built at the same time and it's one building. At the very least, they should construct separate buildings next to each other, rather than cheaping out and constructing multiple facades on one structure. Or better yet, pick one design for the entire building and stick with it, just like a developer would in 1910.. it'd be cheaper to construct and it would actually stand the test of time better.

[MarkDaMan]

East-side infill project is Gerding Edlen's first
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 04:00 AM PDT Wednesday, July 9, 2008
BY TYLER GRAF

Known for its developments in the Pearl District and South Waterfront, Gerding Edlen Development is now planning to take on another challenge: inner east-side infill.

The company has finished demolishing and clearing away what was once a run-down, semi-abandoned church at 2030 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., across from the Cinemagic movie theater, and will soon break ground on a 51-unit apartment building there that will become the firm’s first infill project east of the Willamette River.

The building will go up in the Hawthorne District, which was a calculated move by Gerding Edlen. The firm plans to take advantage of a tightened Hawthorne housing market, in which about 98 percent of the housing stock is off the market, said Aaron Jones, the project manager for Gerding Edlen.

“This will be the first of our infill sites,” Jones said, adding that other mid-scale projects are planned – a shift in focus for a company known for large-scale projects such as the Brewery Blocks and the John Ross Tower.

And it reveals the way the development market has shifted, Jones said.

Gerding Edlen has looked at other east-side locations but has yet to commit to any other new properties. The Hawthorne property was purchased about a month ago for an undisclosed amount.

Michael Townsend, a real estate agent who operates in Southeast Portland, said he’s seen the market tighten. He hasn’t represented a property near or on Hawthorne in 18 months – a time in which he’s seen apartment rents increase by 10 to 12 percent as far out as 122nd Avenue.

“There are a lot of undervalued properties out there that have been snatched up,” Townsend said. “More and more people are fighting for fewer and fewer homes or apartments.”

To set its apartment building apart from others in town, Gerding Edlen is developing it to include a mechanized garage within the building itself. Residents will drive their cars into a loading area, and the garage will essentially sort and stack them.

Zoning for the property does not require parking to be included, yet the developers wanted to get the most out of a relatively meager footprint. The mechanized garage – the second for a Portland housing project after The Strand condominiums – is being designed as a less costly alternative to underground parking.

The garage will work using a car-stacking system, or as Jones calls it “a puzzle-lift system” that shimmies, rotates, lifts and moves one car independent of the others. It’s like a vending machine for automobiles.

Members of the development team studied six apartment complexes in Berkeley, Calif., that used a similar parking system and came away impressed, said Julio Rocha, an architect working on the project for GBD Architects.

They plan to tour another garage installation in Oakland, Calif., in the coming months.

“Essentially, you’re parking three cars for every available space,” Jones said. “We think it’s the future of parking.”

He added that the garage will be different than the one at The Strand condominiums, which can park two cars per spot. That type of system is typically suited for condominium buildings where residents may own two cars that they want to stack on top of each other on one parking space.

“The parking garage will allow us to provide less space for parking, so we can have more space for retail,” Jones said.

The 5,000 square feet of retail space on the bottom floor is being designed so that it can be split up among multiple tenants, if Gerding Edlen cannot land a major retailer, Jones said.

And the apartment interiors will be modeled after those designed for the Cyan condominiums, adjacent to the South Park Blocks, Rocha said.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/07/09/Eastside-infill-project-is-Gerding-Edlens-first

[tworivers]

Wow, I had no idea that was a G/E project.

I have a couple of old seats (theater-style) from that church on my front porch, courtesy of the Rebuilding Center.

[Okstate]

^ sounds promising

[urbanlife]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

[downtownpdx]

I don't know anything about the 4th Ave. site -- (anything would be better than what's there). They are renovating the Fed Reserve building at 10th into offices -- some downtown firm is relocating there soon -- with possible retail on the west-facing side. The long-term plan is for a high-rise on the parking lot that sits on the western half of the block.

[urbanlife]

I knew about the long term plan for the tower, I was just confused why they started tearing up the parking lot now.

[MarkDaMan]

Friday, July 18, 2008
Zoning changes may revive dormant neighborhoods
Portland Business Journal - by Wendy Culverwell Business Journal staff writer

The city has fixed an old zoning mistake on Northeast Killingsworth Avenue, clearing the way to replace a neighborhood nuisance with an ambitious condominium project and new retail businesses.

Last week, the Portland City Council reversed a zoning decision made 20 years ago that led to a small commercial stretch being rezoned as a residential neighborhood. The decision stranded the handful of pre-existing buildings in the category of "nonconforming" uses, which made it nearly impossible for their owners to keep them updated or even to get bank loans to make changes.

The result is a series of dilapidated buildings that neighbors say attracts criminal activity.

Killingsworth is one of potentially dozens of neighborhoods where old zoning decisions have hindered commercial development. The city is attempting to revisit them all.

"We've got over 20 years of growth and change now and some of the decisions haven't played out," said Joe Zehnder, principal planner.

Killingsworth isn't the only rezone in the works. This week, the City Council made a similar fix for the North Interstate Avenue corridor, with new zoning to match its new Max-oriented development.

In recent decisions, the council fixed similar disconnects between zoning and reality in St. Johns and along Southeast Division Street.

In Killingsworth, it turns out that down-zoning commercial buildings to residential didn't result in more housing, which had been the original goal.

"This is among the worst three-block neighborhoods I can think of," said George Thompson, a broker with Aldridge & Associates Business Brokers, who is representing a church building for sale in the neighborhood.

One would-be developer sees Killings-worth, which is flanked by increasingly popular neighborhoods and destinations, as a place to launch his career.

Andrew Clarke, a long-time resident of neighboring Concordia and president of Hugh Development, wants to develop a mixed-use project at Northeast 16th and Killingsworth.

Clarke said he asked the city to restore the commercial zoning on Killingsworth so he can build a retail-and-condo project in place of a low-slung grocery at 1616 N.E. Killingsworth. He plans to buy the property, first developed in 1964 and now operating as a grocery.

Clarke intends to raze the market and replace it with a four-story building with space for four retail businesses at street level and about 30 one-and two-bedroom condominiums.

Clarke said plans are preliminary and he didn't identify financial partners. But he has enlisted an architect, Skylab Architecture, a contractor, York and Curtis, and even a public relations firm, Edelman, to help out.

Zehnder said there is no clear fix when it comes to undoing zoning changes that make commercial buildings outsiders in their own neighborhoods.

The city has altered codes to make it easier to get permits to alter "nonconforming" buildings. But there is no blanket solution that works with every situation.

"You've got to do it on a corridor by corridor basis," he said.

City zoning maps indicate stretches of residential zones bordering almost all of the city's major arterials, though it's unclear just how many have "nonconforming" commercial structures on them.

Debbie Bischoff, a planner and city neighborhood liaison who worked on the Killingsworth project, said there were no opponents to the rezone. It had the enthusiastic support of city planners, the planning commission and neighborhood and business associations.

That's unlikely to be the case elsewhere, where zoning changes could be greeted with skepticism.

The Elliott neighborhood, north of the Rose Quarter and Memorial Coliseum, is a telling example.

Portions of Elliott were rezoned for residential use with hearty support from neighbors, concerned that the district had lost too much housing to the Rose Quarter and Memorial Coliseum. It's less clear if there is an appetite to revisit that decision, she said.

But Zehnder said reviewing old decisions makes sense.

"It's a really reasonable request to go back and take a look at some of these nonconforming use areas and see if they still make sense," he said.

wculverwell@bizjournals.com | 503-219-3415
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/21/story7.html?t=printable

[MarkDaMan]

Tiny condos may rise too tall for the block
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Fred Leeson
Special to The Oregonian

No one can accuse Jon Gustafson of deception in naming his proposed condo project at 3952 N. Williams Ave.

At roughly 500 square feet each, the units will be among the tiniest in Portland. Hence the name: Shoebox Lofts.

Gustafson hopes that high ceilings and end walls with garage-style roll-up glass doors will give the units an airy, spacious feeling. He thinks projected sales prices of $199,000 will make the units attractive to first-time buyers.

The project's real distinction, however, is a test of how much density city officials will allow on a standard residential lot that fronts a major commercial street.

"It will be a precedent-setter in a lot of respects, for the city staff and for the neighborhood," said David Wark, a member of the Portland Design Commission, which approved a modified Shoebox design last month.

The Shoebox is actually two buildings of four stories each, linked by a common stairwell. They will hold 17 residential units plus a small retail space on Williams.

At 62 feet, the taller building facing Williams hits the height limit allowed by the zoning code. But city development guidelines suggest it should "step down" toward the back of the lot, where the property abuts a residential zone with a 35-foot maximum height.

City regulations don't suggest how much of a step-down is appropriate. Gustafson's original plan had the shorter building at 55 feet -- a prospect that upset neighbors behind on Northeast Cleveland Avenue. They feared loss of privacy and views and a decline in property values.

The city's Bureau of Development Services rejected that version. Tim Heron, a senior city planner, said he liked the design but thought it was too big to meet the step-down guideline.

The step-down issue is expected to come up more often on many major streets that are targeted for density but abut lower-density residential properties.

"This is a struggle for us because we are in a transition point in this city," said Lloyd Lindley, chairman of the design commission, who presided over Gustafson's appeal hearings. "The good-neighbor part is important to me, too."

Reducing the number of Shoebox units was one way to achieve a greater step-down. But architect Chris DiLoreto said eliminating one unit would wipe out any profit and cutting two would make Gustafson "lose everything."

Following a design commission suggestion, Gustafson and the design team sliced 5 feet of enclosed space from the top floor of the rear building and used that square footage for small outdoor decks instead. As a result, the top height closest to the Cleveland Avenue neighbors will be just over 44 feet, down from 55.

"I think it's a good infill project," said Andrew Jansky, a design commission member who joined unanimous approval of the compromise. "It sets the stage for future infill development."

Wark, too, lauded the compromise. But he said disputes over step-downs won't go away as the city grapples with a growing population. "This is probably the issue we'll be facing for years and years."

Portland News: 503-221-8199; portland@news.oregonian.com
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1215732320133500.xml&coll=7

[timpitts57]

More condos on Williams sound great to me. I guess these will be very close to the Hakoya Lofts, in the area with Pix, etc...this little stretch of Williams/Vancouver is really taking off.

[360Rich]

Here are some renders from Brian Libby's Portland Architecture blog of the Shoebox Lofts.

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_2.jpg

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_1.jpg

from http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2007/10/shoebox-lofts-d.html

[sopdx]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

I believe they are renovating the base of the building next to the adult bookstore, hence the fence. Regarding the fed reserv. and tagging onto downtown's comment, they are altering the parking lot some.

[NewUrbanist]

Recently I was at a design meeting at Holst and saw a panel of 4 concepts for this building. I was struck because I had worked on a group project on this site at PSU. If anyone is concerned about the loss of the simple elegance of the checkboard pattern should know that the building will be gorgeous. Holst is taking into account the current facade and is making a project that will only improve the appearance rather than destroy it.

Also, anyone who has been inside recently can attest that the interior is a shell with some serious structural concerns. Singer is making the right move by renovating it, although if he does consider adding additional floors he will trigger a seismic upgrade which will add considerable sums to his budget.

[uhohitzme]

I see that AMAA has some pretty good skyscrapers "on the board."

[MarkDaMan]

^I loooove ITIS. Would love to see that here in Portland.

[Delaney]

"Tanzamook" Condos in Irvington:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/portland/Blog?blog=41935&oid=848384

[JordanL]

Here are some renders from Brian Libby's Portland Architecture blog of the Shoebox Lofts.

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_2.jpg

http://chatterbox.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/10/23/shoebox_1.jpg

from http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/2007/10/shoebox-lofts-d.html

Those look identical to a building near Freemont and MLK.

[urbanlife]

I believe they are renovating the base of the building next to the adult bookstore, hence the fence. Regarding the fed reserv. and tagging onto downtown's comment, they are altering the parking lot some.

gotcha, I figured they were doing a renovation to the adult bookstore, although I would love to see them renovate the old brick building then build something new that really stood out at the intersection.

[sowat]

a few sample 2121 SE Belmont rental listings:

2BR/2BA Apartment: $2,500/month
Sq Footage: 1,392
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769697647.html

1BR/1.5BA Apartment: $2,200/month
Sq Footage: 1,214
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769695758.html

1BR/1BA Apartment: $1,275/month
Sq Footage: 707
Parking: 1 dedicated
http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/apa/769688389.html

[sowat]

deleted (event/link expired)

[zilfondel]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

Luxury units like that don't seem to reflect the demand for actual rental housing in the neighborhood, however.

[downtownpdx]

Just a random question: does anyone know the status of the building @ NW 23rd and Glisan on the sw corner, the wood-frame one that used to house the "Devine Designs" bridal shop? I've walked by a few times lately, and there used to be a 'public notice' sign up about redevelopment, but it's gone and there seems to be nothing happening. I wonder if there are still plans for this site ... it is one ugly building right now, and the new design sounded nice.

[bvpcvm]

i saw some sort of pre-app notice on the city website about two weeks ago.

edit: here it is (http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=203390)

check project addresses at portlandmaps.com; if you look under "property" and then "permits", it'll show you all the activity. you can't get the actual pdf files of the proposals, but you can get an idea of what's going on.

[BrG]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

Luxury units like that don't seem to reflect the demand for actual rental housing in the neighborhood, however.


Well, they have only been available for rent for something like a week and a half.

I agree that it will be a tough go, to get that many high end units leased up in a neighborhood where you can rent a house for that same price.

[sopdx]

I noticed they are tearing up the parking lot and doing some renovation work on the federal reserves building at stark and 10th and they just put up a fence around the old adult video store at 4th and burnside. curious if anyone knew anything about these two sites.

Actually urbanlife, I was wrong. According to portlandmaps, there was a demo permit taken out in April for the adult bookstore - so I would assume they are tearing it down. I haven't heard anything about what will go in there, unless it's part of the a project

[PDX City-State]

Interesting Infill Project.

http://www.portlandspaces.net/blog/the-burnside-blog/2008/7/30/path-architecture-s-williams-five

[sowat]

Interesting Infill Project.

http://www.portlandspaces.net/blog/the-burnside-blog/2008/7/30/path-architecture-s-williams-five

It does look interesting, and fairly well designed and built, judging from the slick photos anyway. They've been for sale the whole time while under construction, and still none have sold. Something's wrong, apart from a slow market. Perhaps price? No parking would be an issue for many. Personally I find it all a bit too dense and too close-knit a community, but some might be into that.

[PDX City-State]

Pre-sales aren't selling at any development.

[sowat]

yes that's a good point, but not exactly true for north portland
http://www.mississippiavenuelofts.com/MississippiAvenueLofts_PriceList.pdf

[CUclimber]

those prices may explain why there are zero lights on in the building after the sun goes down..

That was my reaction as well.

I live in a great building (new, great materials & finish, 900sf, high cielings, nice windows, in Lair Hill, etc.) and my roomate and I pay $600 each for a 2BR. How a building is charging $1200 for a smaller 1BR is beyond me.

Who exactly is paying for these places?

To put it another way: My girlfriend and I make around $100k per year combined, and we're not comfortable paying much more than the $1100 that we pay (combined, for our respective apartments).

[PDX City-State]

Very true, but I don't understand why anyone would pay so much for such a small place on Mississippi. One could find a place Downtown for those prices. The Williams FIVE don't have parking?