Downtown Portland News - Page 109

urbanlife · #**2161** Posted: **Jul 21, 2012, 5:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Unless I'm mistaken, the original plan for the Jefferson West site was NOT student housing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I'd swear this was part of a two building project where the city agreed to let the Jefferson West be torn down if the developer built replacement housing at the spot where the NW Film Center and parking lot used to be. The NW Film Center building was torn down and The Jeffrey was built (Googlemap streetview of The Jeffrey). Once The Jeffrey was built, the developer was going to build 18 stories of market rate condos at the Jefferson West location. I find it interesting that it's now going to be student housing instead of a condo building... but the economy, blah blah, etc.

In a perfect world, The Jefferson West building would be saved and rehabbed rather than torn down, and the Plaid Pantry & two parking lots along 11th between Jefferson and Columbia would be replaced and built up... but this developer doesn't own the rights to those. Their days are probably numbered anyway as PSU grows.

Wow, 18 stories of student housing here is really going to change my neighborhood.

Going off memory, I thought the original intent was to tear down those two little buildings and replace them with a new low income building, probably something that also include market rate buildings as well.

Dougall5505 · #**2162** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 6:19 AM**

looks damn good

http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2012...-store-design/

Derek · #**2163** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 6:46 AM**

Does it have any more hurdles it needs to clear?

maccoinnich · #**2164** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 6:59 AM**

They still need to go through the permit process, where the project will be reviewed for its compliance with the Oregon Structural Speciality Code, and any City of Portland specific requirements relating to things like site development, stormwater, and anything zoning related not already covered by design review. These are largely procedural hurdles, so I would be very surprised if anything trips this up now. Should you wish to follow this process, here is where you should check for updates.

I think this is a real vote of confidence in Portland's downtown, and that it will have a strongly positive effect on the area.

2oh1 · #**2165** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 4:43 PM**

Gasp! Wow. That's stunning. Does Apple's future space extend into the building behind their store-to-be, or will they be building a level underground? I'm not seeing any storage space, and that makes me curious...

maccoinnich · #**2166** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 4:47 PM**

From the plans it looks like they're using space in the existing building for back-of-house. The public area is definitely only one storey.

pylon · #**2167** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 5:44 PM**

What an iStore!

NewUrbanist · #**2168** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 6:31 PM**

The apple store front, although interesting, destroys the existing pedestrian environment. By opening up that block, they fundamentally change the existing strong walled storefronts. There are weaker areas in Pioneer Square that would benefit from this development type, but this area an integral part of the pedestrian experience. One that provides canopy's when necessary, and also a definitive urban welcome sign to travelers along the Max. I believe this design would benefit from less setbacks. It is really disappointing considering Apples successes with standalone storefronts in major cities.

I'd like to see a stronger street wall and the building either make better use of the existing footprint. After MAC leaves the site, the new occupants will likely not have the same draw, therefore creating a dead zone for the mall.

maccoinnich · #**2169** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 6:54 PM**

I think there's more than enough streetwall in the surrounding area that the setbacks can work. It's like the Seagram building: when it was the only building that did a large plaza in front of it, it was wonderful (and, for that matter, still is); when every building was doing that, it destroyed the grid system. I think the downtown Portland grid is strong enough to take the 15' setbacks at this location.

Furthermore, I don't believe Apple have closed any of their stores so far, with the exception of relocating to larger adjacent stores (such as in this case). I don't think we have to worry about their being sufficient numbers of people to activate the space. In the unlikely event of Apple going bankrupt and closing their stores, I would imagine this space would still command a very high rent, and attract a strong tenant.

(And in case you think I'm just being an Apple fanboy, I have no pleasant words to say about their new campus in Cupertino.)

Orlando · #**2170** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 7:12 PM**

I have to say that I am disappointed in the plan for the Apple Store. The design is nice, but knocking down that portion of the existing mall is absurd! Do some cool intervention design within some storefront location of an existing building surrounding Pioneer Square! The Nike Store is a good example. I think the massing, scale, symmetry, and pedestrian urban experience is much more cohesive if they keep the existing mall massing. It would be lop-sided and ill-proportioned if they tore down that portion of the mall. I think the plan is ill-conceived and I hope the City of Portland shoots it down.

PacificNW · #**2171** Posted: **Jul 23, 2012, 9:09 PM**

Regarding the space located behind the proposed Apple store:

I think the new Chart House will be taking most of that space...if I am not mistaken....According to their website they are to open (Chart House) in 2013.

Derek · #**2172** Posted: **Jul 24, 2012, 12:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewUrbanist

The apple store front, although interesting, destroys the existing pedestrian environment. By opening up that block, they fundamentally change the existing strong walled storefronts. There are weaker areas in Pioneer Square that would benefit from this development type, but this area an integral part of the pedestrian experience. One that provides canopy's when necessary, and also a definitive urban welcome sign to travelers along the Max. I believe this design would benefit from less setbacks. It is really disappointing considering Apples successes with standalone storefronts in major cities.

I'd like to see a stronger street wall and the building either make better use of the existing footprint. After MAC leaves the site, the new occupants will likely not have the same draw, therefore creating a dead zone for the mall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orlando

I have to say that I am disappointed in the plan for the Apple Store. The design is nice, but knocking down that portion of the existing mall is absurd! Do some cool intervention design within some storefront location of an existing building surrounding Pioneer Square! The Nike Store is a good example. I think the massing, scale, symmetry, and pedestrian urban experience is much more cohesive if they keep the existing mall massing. It would be lop-sided and ill-proportioned if they tore down that portion of the mall. I think the plan is ill-conceived and I hope the City of Portland shoots it down.

I have to disagree. The existing structure feels very seclusive and bland. Uninteresting if you will. If this area was such an "urban welcome sign" then why has it sat vacant for so long? Also, when Apple vacates, who's to say that the new tenant won't tear down their structure to build their own, just as Apple is doing now?

This doesn't scream "urban welcome sign" to me:

maccoinnich · #**2173** Posted: **Jul 24, 2012, 1:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orlando

I think the plan is ill-conceived and I hope the City of Portland shoots it down.

I think we're past that point now.

MarkDaMan · #**2174** Posted: **Jul 24, 2012, 2:35 AM**

I do love this design and am pleased it will be built soon. I only wish Apple would have looked locally for the architect. I could only imagine what TVA could have done with this blank canvas.

2oh1 · #**2175** Posted: **Jul 24, 2012, 7:27 AM**

The existing storefront is so 1980s mall and won't be missed at all.

New Madrid · #**2176** Posted: **Jul 24, 2012, 4:47 PM**

if apple wanted to tear down all of pioneer place and replace it with an apple store i'd be ok with that. pioneer place is pretty awful.

NewUrbanist · #**2177** Posted: **Jul 25, 2012, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2oh1

The existing storefront is so 1980s mall and won't be missed at all.

My comment was not about the way the existing mall speaks (or rather) doesn't speak to the street. Rather, the height and footprint of the existing building creates a cohesion in the urban fabric that I believe should be considered a design imperative.

Yes, when singled out from the surrounding buildings, the design of the Apple looks better than this building. However, this short squat building offers nothing approaching architectural creativity or allure, nor does it reinvigorate the now lifeless street experience. I think this is value design - and the City of Portland has shown they are simply excited to have a apple flagship.

I propose that the store simply fill in the gaps of their design and meet the existing buildings height and footprint, either in glass or arcaded storefronts. More can be done in terms of design, and we needn't accept the first proposal, no matter now much we love our MacBooks.

Just my two cents...

2oh1 · #**2178** Posted: **Jul 25, 2012, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewUrbanist

Yes, when singled out from the surrounding buildings, the design of the Apple looks better than this building. However, this short squat building offers nothing approaching architectural creativity or allure, nor does it reinvigorate the now lifeless street experience.

I strongly disagree. Look at the pictures here. Notice how Saks turns the street into an awful tunnel. The Apple Store design really opens up the street. It brings in a view of more of the city rather than just putting you on a 1 block walk to get from this corner to that corner. That Saks building was pretty horrible.

Horrible. Unwelcoming. Won't be missed. I will miss the skywalk though. I happen to be a fan of those, but, to be fair, that skywalk was never heavily travelled.

I think the difference here is startling and marvelous.

Those last two pics really speak volumes about how much of an improvement this structure will be.

downtownpdx · #**2179** Posted: **Jul 25, 2012, 8:55 PM**

Agreed ^^^ The glassy architecture will break up the monotony of Pioneer Place awnings (which I usually like but they are too homogenous-looking after a while), and the beige storefronts. Portland's downtown is wonderfully stitched together with tiny blocks --- I think it will easily accomodate something a little different without detracting from the pedestrian experience. The urban fabric needs to be broken up a little to keep it interesting. The current 80s, almost windowless, mall architecture will not be missed.

Derek · #**2180** Posted: **Jul 26, 2012, 3:24 AM**

I really like the steps.