Portland Astoria Apts. (140 SW Columbia St) | 200' | 20 floors | Complete

[urbanlife]

So it looks like they settled on the boring design for the smaller portion, it will make for fine infill architecture in that area, nothing that will stand out.

[mmeade]

Honestly, I feel that this detail is kinda sad. This kind of Disneyland fakery doesn't activate the street or have any real benefit to the building or it's surroundings. It might as well just be lit panels on the side of the wall. I would rather see cars than just waste space!

Lots of good buildings in this town have managed to wrap program around interior parking. I liken this one more to the Moda tower, which is really quite dead at the ground level besides the main entry.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5185...7i13312!8i6656

Originally Posted by QAtheSky

Finally... I liked this proposed detail: The false interior wall to hide parking from the street level. Very clever.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by mmeade

Honestly, I feel that this detail is kinda sad. This kind of Disneyland fakery doesn't activate the street or have any real benefit to the building or it's surroundings. It might as well just be lit panels on the side of the wall. I would rather see cars than just waste space!

Lots of good buildings in this town have managed to wrap program around interior parking. I liken this one more to the Moda tower, which is really quite dead at the ground level besides the main entry.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5185...7i13312!8i6656

That does seem like a waste of space feature, maybe the lights can be attached to parking spots so when there is a car in the spot, the light is on, and when the spot is vacant, the light is off.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by mmeade

Honestly, I feel that this detail is kinda sad. This kind of Disneyland fakery doesn't activate the street or have any real benefit to the building or it's surroundings. It might as well just be lit panels on the side of the wall. I would rather see cars than just waste space!

100% agree. although I wouldn't call it sad as much as just plain stupid. wasting both space and materials to make sure somebody walking across the street doesn't have their sensibilities hurt by having to see a (gasp) parked car?

the horror...

[cityscapes]

And the added cost of concealing the parking to this extent will be passed onto the future renters further exacerbating the housing cost issue in Portland...

Also, if you look at the parking deck plans there are tandem spaces against a wall which is going to be really hard to maneuver in and out of. Sometimes I don't think anyone considers whether the parking spaces are actually usable when designing this type of parking structure.

Imagine being parked in the tandem space and having to back out with cars occupying all the spaces on the opposite side. You'd have to back out past the exit ramp to get out of there. Let's hope everyone in this building has parking sensors and rear view cameras.

[maccoinnich]

Project was approved today.

[maccoinnich]

Final Findings And Decision By The Design Commission

[maccoinnich]

A building permit is now under review for 140 SW Columbia.

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news...-on-20sto.html

Construction to begin on 20-story apartment tower in downtown Portland
By Elliot Njus | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Posted October 12, 2018 at 06:00 AM

A 20-story apartment tower will soon rise from the site of a surface parking lot next to the KOIN Center in downtown Portland.

Development firm Alamo Manhattan of Dallas, Texas, plans to start construction on its 140 Columbia development by the end of the year, said Wade Johns, the firm's vice president.

It would include 348 apartments, as well as 15,000 square feet of retail or restaurant space on the ground floor.

The building would incorporate the existing entrance to the KOIN center parking garage. That structure, which Johns described as a bunker, is part of the reason the block -- bounded by Columbia Street, Clay Street and First and Second avenues -- has been mostly vacant for decades.

...(continues)

[ORNative]

A bit disappointed that the article did not say that the building permit was issued or that construction had begun. The developer said that they hope to begin construction by the end of the year. I'm glad they are leaning forward and expecting to break ground soon, but the article looked more like the developer contacted the Oregonian to publicize its building and build excitement for the apartments. Nothing wrong with that - was just hoping that a date for shovels in the dirt would be announced.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by ORNative

A bit disappointed that the article did not say that the building permit was issued or that construction had begun. The developer said that they hope to begin construction by the end of the year. I'm glad they are leaning forward and expecting to break ground soon, but the article looked more like the developer contacted the Oregonian to publicize its building and build excitement for the apartments. Nothing wrong with that - was just hoping that a date for shovels in the dirt would be announced.

Looking at the permit on Portland Maps shows that the Life Safety, Structural and Planning & Zoning reviews are still open. There's no way to tell whether it's only minor stuff left to address or if it's substantial, but there probably won't be a permit issued in the next week.

[ORNative]

Thank you for the insight!

[RED_PDXer]

Wow! I thought this wouldn't make it this cycle, but I'm glad it's moving forward. Construction around here has been awful lately with PGE's work making so much noise and closing so many sidewalks over past year, but I'm still glad to see something take over that sad surface lot. Hopefully some of the walkways on the block will remain open with protection.

[stan]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Looking at the permit on Portland Maps shows that the Life Safety, Structural and Planning & Zoning reviews are still open. There's no way to tell whether it's only minor stuff left to address or if it's substantial, but there probably won't be a permit issued in the next week.

Construction will be starting soon. Food carts and pay lot are gone. According to one of the workers, fencing up today. Won't be pile driving due to the way surrounding streets are built. Doesn't look like a permit has been issued for site but that just may be a lag in posting.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by stan

Construction will be starting soon. Food carts and pay lot are gone. According to one of the workers, fencing up today. Won't be pile driving due to the way surrounding streets are built. Doesn't look like a permit has been issued for site but that just may be a lag in posting.

Thanks for the heads up. The permit doesn't show as issued, but all that's open is the pre-issuance check which is (usually) just a formality.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Thanks for the heads up. The permit doesn't show as issued, but all that's open is the pre-issuance check which is (usually) just a formality.

Permit has now been issued.

[RED_PDXer]

Tower crane went up on Friday (2/8). This developer isn't wasting any time at all.

[pdxtraveler]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

Tower crane went up on Friday (2/8). This developer isn't wasting any time at all.

It helps they didn't have to do much site prep as there is already an underground garage. That saved an enormous amount of time.

[ORNative]

Really looking forward to this beautiful building. This corner of town should have a lot more activity with the Porter and the new Multnomah County Courthouse all within two blocks of each other.

[MarkDaMan]

Not much to see yet. Taken today, 3.28.19.