Ladd Tower | 240 feet | 23 floors | Complete

[Leo]

Originally Posted by mmeade

The Southwest corner of a building recieves the most intense solar gain because of the mid day and evening sun.

By the same token, the North side of the building is exposed to the highest amount of solar energy during the summer. If you've ever lived on the North side of a concrete building, you will know that the concrete absorbs and stores heat during the day and radiates it back into your apartment well into the night, long after outside temperatures have dropped into the 60's.

Energy-conscious buildings usually take advantage of this fact. For example, look at the Henry, with its dark, sun-absorbing South-facing walls and its white, reflective North-facing walls.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by Leo

By the same token, the North side of the building is exposed to the highest amount of solar energy during the summer.

Actually, that isn't exactly true. I've lived on the north side of two buildings within a few blocks of Ladd Tower. The north side gets barely any sun in the morning, and it hits at a very indirect angle such that it reflects away. The sun is a shade to the north of falling directly on the east side of the building (the SW downtown blocks are at an odd angle, after all). By afternoon, the sun is hitting the south and west sides of the building (again, keeping in mind the angle of the city block the tower sits on).

So, while most Portland homes do get hit by a slight amount of northern sun in the summer, that's not true for the SW section of downtown due to the angled layout of that part of the city grid.

I'm a downtown guy and I miss having a north facing view because I hate direct sunlight - especially in the afternoon.

Still, I'll be curious to find out how cool those east facing units manage to stay in the summer. For the prices they're asking, I know I wouldn't rent one. I'm willing to pay more to stay downtown. I love it here and I understand the higher cost of rent. I'm not saying I like paying more, of course, but it is what it is and I pay it to live in this part of town. But luxury priced rent without AC? Not a chance. I know someone with a north facing unit in Eliot Tower and there's no way she'd survive the summer there without AC.

It's easy to say AC doesn't matter when it's April. Let's see if this thread pops up in August.

[Valentij]

I've lived both with and without A/C in Portland. I don't care which side you face- it helps a hell of a lot when you are trying to get to sleep in August.

[2oh1]

I remembered this thread while walking past Ladd Tower this afternoon around 6 PM. Windows were open all along the north side of the building. 95 degrees, and windows were open in the worst of the afternoon heat. It's such a beautiful tower, but building a glass tower with no AC, even if only lacking in the units on one side... it's brutal. Those people are probably paying $1100, $1200, maybe as much as $1400 a month, and they're screwed until the heatwave passes. Granted, they're the ones who chose to live there... but still... brutal.

[RED_PDXer]

it's not that hot for one... and second, having operable windows is one of the best features of new, "green" buildings because simply opening a window is often enough to reach a satisfactory comfort level.

[Okstate]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Those people are probably paying $1100, $1200, maybe as much as $1400 a month....

Maybe for a studio...

[LADD Resident]

I live there in one of the north facing studios (about 550 square feet, half way up the building with a great view). I pay $1059 with parking included.

It's warm in here, but not "brutal." At 7:30 my thermostat shows 80 degrees. I'm fine and it's only a few days. To each his own, but even on the hottest day of the year I'm happy where I'm at.

[PacificNW]

⇈⇈ Great response from someone who actually lives in the building. Brian Libby had an interesting column today:

http://portlandarchitecture.com/

[2oh1]

Glad to hear you're doing ok in there. I lived in the Mosaic for a while in a north facing unit, but since the unit also extended over the sidewalk, there was an angle where I also had a bit of an east facing view. The only window was a sliding door that was just before the part of the loft that extended over the sidewalk. That caused the morning sun to be reflected into the open window... which meant BRUTAL morning heat on a hot day. I had to close my window when the sun rose to keep the place reasonably cool, which meant so much cooling time lost since we don't reach our coolest nighttime temp until just before the sunrise.

[Norelco]

I was walking the neighborhood and stumbled upon the Ladd Carriage House. It still looks pretty bare inside, but I am hoping something great takes shape.

[PacificNW]

Restaurant first-look: Inside downtown Portland's Raven & Rose in the historic Ladd Carriage House

http://www.oregonlive.com/dining/ind..._entertainment

[2oh1]

I really hope it's a success. Website here: ravenandrosepdx.com (though there's nothing there yet but a picture)