Heartline (Pearl Block 136) | 150' | 15 floors | Complete

[downtownpdx]

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Original post:

Whaaaat is this about? Is this really block 136, where PNCA is now?

Seattle developer pitches plans for $72M Pearl high-rise

By: Lee Fehrenbacher in Real Estate and Development April 9, 2014 3:24 pm

Based on the $11.75 million price tag the company paid last September, Security Properties' plans for Block 136 were bound to be big. Now, the first inkling of just how big has finally surfaced.

Read more: http://djcoregon.com/news/2014/04/09...#ixzz2yROKzORO

[bvpcvm]

According to this, yes, it's the PNCA location.

$72 million - that's got to be pretty big. Anyone have any idea what Block 15 is supposed to cost?

[downtownpdx]

Originally Posted by bvpcvm

According to this, yes, it's the PNCA location.

I'm excited to see what's proposed here ... but honestly I think I'd rather have just kept the PNCA school, even in that squat building. I like the open and airy feel of 13th around there. I don't want it ending up like the area around Safeway and Bridgeport Brewery which in some spots just feels dark and monotonous. Hopefully it's really well designed at street level.

[pdxstreetcar]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Whaaaat is this about? Is this really block 136, where PNCA is now?

Seattle developer pitches plans for $72M Pearl high-rise

By: Lee Fehrenbacher in Real Estate and Development April 9, 2014 3:24 pm






Read more: http://djcoregon.com/news/2014/04/09...#ixzz2yROKzORO

Two separate buildings on the block, 15 story 220 units on the east, central N-S courtyard between buildings, 5 stories on the west along 13th (historic zone), retail with office or residential above. 2 levels underground parking. Mithun is the architect.

[pdxstreetcar]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

I'm excited to see what's proposed here ... but honestly I think I'd rather have just kept the PNCA school, even in that squat building. I like the open and airy feel of 13th around there. I don't want it ending up like the area around Safeway and Bridgeport Brewery which in some spots just feels dark and monotonous. Hopefully it's really well designed at street level.

I'm with you, 15 stories is going to really be out of scale in this area. Hence why I'm so opposed to the instance on huge heights in the neighborhood and 15 stories is nothing compared to whats about to be seen in the neighborhood. You can pack a lot of density into midrises and the midrises (say 6-10's) IMO are the best new buildings in the neighborhood. Those taller buildings around Safeway really aren't a great environment.

[pdxpearl]

I am excited for this project and I think more density is inevitable in the Pearl. As some of these old warehouses and smaller buildings are sold off, most are likely to be redeveloped to suit the demands of the neighborhood.

[downtownpdx]

Originally Posted by pdxpearl

I am excited for this project and I think more density is inevitable in the Pearl. As some of these old warehouses and smaller buildings are sold off, most are likely to be redeveloped to suit the demands of the neighborhood.

New development is great in the right spots. Maybe I read that ^^ wrong, but I hope you aren't pining for all those lovely old warehouses, many of which have been thoughtfully revamped with their historical character intact, to be demolished so the Pearl can look just like SoWa? That kind of development probably wouldn't suit the "demands of the neighborhood" since the very charm that attracted its residents in the first place would be gone.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by pdxstreetcar

Two separate buildings on the block, 15 story 220 units on the east, central N-S courtyard between buildings, 5 stories on the west along 13th (historic zone), retail with office or residential above. 2 levels underground parking. Mithun is the architect.

They plan on tearing down the PNCA building? I thought the school was still using this building or are they moving all of their operations to their new building?

I have been in this building before, it would definitely be a shame to see it torn down, there aren't many buildings like the PNCA building in the Pearl District.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by pdxstreetcar

I'm with you, 15 stories is going to really be out of scale in this area. Hence why I'm so opposed to the instance on huge heights in the neighborhood and 15 stories is nothing compared to whats about to be seen in the neighborhood. You can pack a lot of density into midrises and the midrises (say 6-10's) IMO are the best new buildings in the neighborhood. Those taller buildings around Safeway really aren't a great environment.

The environment around Safeway is pretty miserable, but I disagree (to an extent) that it's because those buildings are tall. It's because they're terrible buildings, and being tall has only magnified their design flaws. The street level environment is pretty pleasant at the Metropolitan, the 937, the Brewery Blocks or at Indigo @ 12 West, all of which are pretty tall. I think, and hope, that 15 stories can be done well on that site.

Originally Posted by urbanlife

They plan on tearing down the PNCA building? I thought the school was still using this building or are they moving all of their operations to their new building?

I have been in this building before, it would definitely be a shame to see it torn down, there aren't many buildings like the PNCA building in the Pearl District.

Yes, PNCA are vacating their campus on 13th, and any future development is going to happen on the North Park blocks. I really like the interior Holst did for that building, so I'll be sad to see it go too.

[maccoinnich]

Brian Libby has the same mixed feelings:

Requiem for PNCA's Goodman Building and a Pearl District tipping point



When it was completed in 1998, the renovated Goodman Building didn't just provide an expanded home and presence for the Pacific Northwest College of Art. It also epitomized the Pearl District's DNA: creative conversions of warehouses. Holst Architecture's design provided a mix of art-exhibit space and classrooms surrounding a wide-open multistory central space that acted as a crossroads for teachers, students and visitors. Whether lectures, art shows or the occasional music performances, the Goodman felt like the creative heart of the Pearl even as the boxy old building with its concrete floors kept the neighborhood's past partially alive.

And that's to say nothing of the building's incredible exterior paint job, created by Randy Higgins (and which I wrote about in 2005 for Metropolis magazine), which translates a Rimbaud poem into an invented visual language of multi-colored squares and rectangles.

This week brought confirmation that the Goodman is slated for demolition. As reported by the Daily Journal of Commerce's Lee Fehrenbacher, Seattle-based developer Security Properties, which purchased the block last fall for $11.75 million, has submitted conceptual plans to the Bureau of Development Services for mixed-use development that would replace the Goodman with two buildings at 15 and 5 stories, totaling 220 units of housing above ground-floor retail. The $72 million project is to be designed by Seattle firm Mithun, which is known for its exemplary sustainable design credentials. "The net equity PNCA will realize from the $11.75 million sale," the school says on its website, "is part of the financing structure for the $32 million new campus construction project."

...continues at Portland Architecture.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I am usually all for bigger developments, but this one really sucks. I would much rather see that building be used by a creative use tech company or an artist co-op or anything. It is one of the better interior designs from Holst.

I don't understand all the hand-wringing over losing this building. It's a concrete box, one story with a mezzanine, virtually no street access or windows, absolutely zero architectural detailing. ANYTHING would be better than this in the Pearl. So what if the interior is nicely laid out.... bravo to Holst for making this building functional for PNCA. But that's no reason to spare the wrecking ball.

And as far as the so-called "poem" painted on the exterior..... any artist with a 800' long blank canvas can make a pretty bold statement. How about shrinking it down to 80' and incorporating into the new building. Or better yet, just document it and make a coffee table book about it.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I don't understand all the hand-wringing over losing this building. It's a concrete box, one story with a mezzanine, virtually no street access or windows, absolutely zero architectural detailing. ANYTHING would be better than this in the Pearl. So what if the interior is nicely laid out.... bravo to Holst for making this building functional for PNCA. But that's no reason to spare the wrecking ball.

And as far as the so-called "poem" painted on the exterior..... any artist with a 800' long blank canvas can make a pretty bold statement. How about shrinking it down to 80' and incorporating into the new building. Or better yet, just document it and make a coffee table book about it.

Have you ever been inside this building?

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I don't understand all the hand-wringing over losing this building. It's a concrete box, one story with a mezzanine, virtually no street access or windows, absolutely zero architectural detailing. ANYTHING would be better than this in the Pearl. So what if the interior is nicely laid out.... bravo to Holst for making this building functional for PNCA. But that's no reason to spare the wrecking ball.

ditto. no big loss. move on.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

Have you ever been inside this building?

Yes, I have. Many, many times. I've also been through the 511 building with PNCA's Tom Manley, attended many PNCA fundraisers and looked through the plans with Brad Cloepfil and his team at Allied Works. Trust me, PNCA's new home is going to be light years ahead of this old concrete box.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Yes, I have. Many, many times. I've also been through the 511 building with PNCA's Tom Manley, attended many PNCA fundraisers and looked through the plans with Brad Cloepfil and his team at Allied Works. Trust me, PNCA's new home is going to be light years ahead of this old concrete box.

I never said it wouldn't be, I am sure their new location is going to be much better, Allied Works tends to do amazing work. Still, I like the interior of the current PNCA building and have always thought if PNCA ever moved out that it would be a great location for a tech company or some form of creative company looking for that kind of open space.

In the end it probably won't be a noticeable loss, the Pearl District has been eating away at that warehouse district feel for a long time. What will replace the PNCA building is basically what the Pearl District is today. For me, the real warehouse district is always going to be the CEID.

[65MAX]

Even in a warehouse district, a one-story concrete shell is a pretty poor utilization of valuable real estate. When a lot sells for almost $12 million, there's no way a 40,000sf open office pencils out. Besides, who's to say there won't be open tech/flex office space in the new 5-story portion of the Mithun project? That's actually fairly likely given the demands in the Pearl.

Now if there was ANY architectural heritage there whatsoever, like with the Armory Building, that would be a different story. But a "nice" interior and a cryptic paint job are not worth saving.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

Even in a warehouse district, a one-story concrete shell is a pretty poor utilization of valuable real estate. When a lot sells for almost $12 million, there's no way a 40,000sf open office pencils out. Besides, who's to say there won't be open tech/flex office space in the new 5-story portion of the Mithun project? That's actually fairly likely given the demands in the Pearl.

Now if there was ANY architectural heritage there whatsoever, like with the Armory Building, that would be a different story. But a "nice" interior and a cryptic paint job are not worth saving.

That's fine, I am just saying I like this building and it is sad to see it go. Clearly you do not like this building and couldn't care less if it is torn down. Obviously we have different opinions on this building, it happens all the time.

The Pearl District isn't much of a warehouse district these days.

[coastaltrav]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I don't understand all the hand-wringing over losing this building. It's a concrete box, one story with a mezzanine, virtually no street access or windows, absolutely zero architectural detailing. ANYTHING would be better than this in the Pearl. So what if the interior is nicely laid out.... bravo to Holst for making this building functional for PNCA. But that's no reason to spare the wrecking ball.

And as far as the so-called "poem" painted on the exterior..... any artist with a 800' long blank canvas can make a pretty bold statement. How about shrinking it down to 80' and incorporating into the new building. Or better yet, just document it and make a coffee table book about it.

+1

[maccoinnich]

Early assistance documents for the new buildings on the PNCA site. [PDF - 9MB]

[dkealoha]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Early assistance documents for the new buildings on the PNCA site. [PDF - 9MB]

I like the plans to add the loading dock to 13th like other original buildings.

The east elevation of the taller residential portion looks pretty hefty but I like what looks to be large balconies on the corner units. I don't know why so many buildings in Portland have such small residential balconies! I know we can't use them for half the year, but still...

I didn't see if it mentions that the housing is condo or rental? Maybe they're not to that point yet.