Multnomah County Courthouse | 310' | 17 floors | Complete

[hat]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

I think the 4-block low-rise Oregon Square (immediately south of the 4-block Hassalo on Eighth project, in front of the domed State of Oregon Bldg) is a prime spot for redevelopment and easy access for all modes of transportation, including MAX, streetcar, autos and bikes. I could very easily see them building a new county courthouse in that location.

Agreed. Does anyone know who owns that property? Also, it may not need all four blocks.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by hat

Agreed. Does anyone know who owns that property? Also, it may not need all four blocks.

American Assets Trust, same people that are developing Hassalo on Eighth

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

American Assets Trust, same people that are developing Hassalo on Eighth

I doubt they would want to give up any of their developable sites.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I doubt they would want to give up any of their developable sites.

They wouldn't be giving anything up. The new courthouse could be an anchor to that 4-block redevelopment. It would definitely generate tons of pedestrian traffic for the whole Lloyd District, a major plus which only increases the value of all of their properties, including Hassalo on Eighth.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

They wouldn't be giving anything up. The new courthouse could be an anchor to that 4-block redevelopment. It would definitely generate tons of pedestrian traffic for the whole Lloyd District, a major plus which only increases the value of all of their properties, including Hassalo on Eighth.

If a company owns land that is used for the county courthouse, then they would indeed be giving up something, the land that they own. I am not sure the developers in the Lloyd District would care about adding a courthouse to the Lloyd District.

[cityscapes]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

They wouldn't be giving anything up. The new courthouse could be an anchor to that 4-block redevelopment. It would definitely generate tons of pedestrian traffic for the whole Lloyd District, a major plus which only increases the value of all of their properties, including Hassalo on Eighth.

At least in South Florida where I grew up before moving to PDX the courthouses didn't particularly have desirable people hanging around them during the day. I'm not sure those are the pedestrians developers looking to maximize their investment are looking for.

[zilfondel]

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

American Assets Trust, same people that are developing Hassalo on Eighth

Yeah, I don't think they are interested in selling, if this previous piece is any indication:

http://www.oregonlive.com/front-porc...pment_has.html

Speaking on a panel at the Urban Land Institute’s real estate trends forum in Portland, John Chamberlain said the company has plans to redevelop 16 blocks in the district better known for office towers and the Lloyd Center mall.

...

“Were trying to build a neighborhood,” he said. “Residential does that. I don’t think office contributes as much.”

[maccoinnich]

The New Courthouse the County's Planning Will Be Bigger. Much Bigger.
Posted by Dirk VanderHart on Tue, Jul 22, 2014 at 6:00 PM



The new courthouse Multnomah County officials have been pining for won't just be safer than the seismically shoddy court building on SW 4th. If county leaders get their way (after nearly five decades of striving) it's going to be nearly 30 percent larger.

In a solicitation [pdf] released yesterday, the county says the new courthouse will need to be nearly 100,000 square feet bigger than the current building—an increase that's roughly the same size as new county healthy department headquarters in the works. Now, officials are calling on Portland property owners to make their best offers for plots where the new justice building might sit.

That land should be within a certain boundary, the document says—roughly I-405 on the west, NE/SE 12th on the east, the Ross Island Bridge on the south and N/NE Weidler to the north (see diagram above). And it must be able to accommodate a structure of 420,000 square feet, with room to expand. That’s a number officials hadn’t yet furnished publicly, and the first indication of how large a building the county has in mind. The current courthouse—no Hobbit hole itself—is a little over 328,000 square feet.

...continues at the Portland Mercury.

[2oh1]

It's time to think outside the box - or, perhaps it's time to think inside the diamond. How about a dual purpose structure:

It'll be a courthouse during office hours, and a baseball stadium after hours. The biggest trial could become a spectator sport, with ticket sales used to repay the debt for building the structure. It's genius, right? I KNOW! ...except for the part about it being a terrible idea, of course.

The fact that they don't just want to replace the courthouse but also make it significantly larger leads me to further suspect it could end up where the Portland Building is. What are the height restrictions for that site?

[maccoinnich]

I haven't heard anything to suggest that the problems with the Portland Building are so severe that the City of Portland are planning on vacating it imminently. Even if it does wind up being demolished-which is by no means certain-they would have to build or find an equivalent amount of office space for the city employees to move into before it was available for redevelopment. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic places, so there would be a lot of opposition to destroying it, which would significantly delay the process. I think we can rule out that site.

[hat]

Originally Posted by cityscapes

At least in South Florida where I grew up before moving to PDX the courthouses didn't particularly have desirable people hanging around them during the day. I'm not sure those are the pedestrians developers looking to maximize their investment are looking for.

Very possible. One thing that stifled neighborhood-building development in Lloyd (aside from the Lloyd center monstrosity itself) was the government buildings that were built with little or no ground floor retail. Hopefully any design will include this. And the atmosphere created by a courthouse can be mediated to some extent by this.

What of the empty block across from the MAX station on NW 6th and Hoyt (across from the planned Health building)? I would prefer development on the East side of the river (maybe NE Broadway and 1st?), but this block may be a better fit.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by hat

What of the empty block across from the MAX station on NW 6th and Hoyt (across from the planned Health building)? I would prefer development on the East side of the river (maybe NE Broadway and 1st?), but this block may be a better fit.

It's owned by the PDC, so the City of Portland might be inclined to sell it to the county. OTOH, they might prefer that a full block site in an urban renewal area be developed with something that will generate property taxes.

[maccoinnich]

I'm sticking to my opinion that facade retention is the most realistic way of saving the courthouse. Let the Architectural Heritage Center take what they can of the interior.

County open to saving historic courthouse



Multnomah County's historic Central Courthouse is "an outstanding example of Neoclassical architecture" but is also dangerous and functionally obsolete.

Alli Pyrah


Multnomah County has responded to a plea from the leader of a preservation society to save its historic courthouse.

Yesterday, Real Estate Inc reported that Peggy Moretti, director of Restore Oregon, urged the County to consider a preservation strategy for the century-old, eight-story building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Decision makers have given officials the go-ahead to solicit proposals for alternative sites because the building at 1021 S.W. Fourth Ave. is dangerous and functionally obsolete.

...continues at Portland Business Journal.

[65MAX]

Originally Posted by cityscapes

At least in South Florida where I grew up before moving to PDX the courthouses didn't particularly have desirable people hanging around them during the day. I'm not sure those are the pedestrians developers looking to maximize their investment are looking for.

What do you have against thousands of judges and attorneys and law clerks and police officers and secretaries and everyday citizens, most of whom are not criminals or undesirable? Presumably, the "undesirables" would be in jail, or soon-to-be, and not patronizing the Starbucks on the corner.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by 65MAX

What do you have against thousands of judges and attorneys and law clerks and police officers and secretaries and everyday citizens, most of whom are not criminals or undesirable? Presumably, the "undesirables" would be in jail, or soon-to-be, and not patronizing the Starbucks on the corner.

Absolutely. The majority of people at the courthouse each day work there, plus the daily flow of people there for jury duty. And let's not forget those (ahem) "undesirables" are innocent until proven guilty, which just so happens to be the reason a courthouse exists in the first place.

[maccoinnich]

What a photo the PBJ found!

Another step in the saga of Multnomah County's crumbling courthouse



Alli Pyrah

Multnomah County's Board of Commissioners will consider an intergovernmental agreement on replacing the county's functionally obsolete courthouse.

The board is getting a briefing tomorrow about a report by the National Center for State Courts and will examine an intergovernmental agreement with the state on the courthouse on Aug. 14.

...continues at Portland Business Journal.

[maccoinnich]

New Multnomah County courthouse would grow by up to 52 percent under national consultants' plan



By Kelly House

The national agency tasked with recommending size and programming needs for the new Multnomah County central courthouse estimates the county’s total caseload will grow somewhere between about 5 percent and 27 percent within the next 36 years.

Using that broad range, experts from the National Center for State Courts released a report Wednesday suggesting the county could need a new courthouse of up to 444,693 square feet in size – 52 percent bigger than the current courthouse.

The report offers a glimpse into the options county leaders will consider as they plan to replace the 104-year-old building at 1021 S.W. 4th Ave.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[urbanlife]

Not bad, I am curious which lots they will be looking at. My guess is they will end up building a 9-14 story building that would be 200-250ft if they stick within the confines of a 200x200ft block.

[philopdx]

I know we had this discussion before, but realistically speaking, what are the available blocks for development?

They mentioned something about a Sept 22 deadline for the "owners to offer their lots up for sale". Does that mean something like a Goodman lot could be used if they decided to sell it?

Also, I do wonder what will happen to the old death trap that stands now? Seismic retrofitting seems out of the question, cost-wise. But maybe not. A museum? Go the PNCA route and turn it into some kind of campus? A McMenamins style pub/hotel? Tear it down?

I worked across the street for many years, so it seems inconceivable to me to not see the mint green on forest green officers with their shotguns and assault rifles guarding defendants as they transfer in and out of the courthouse.

As a blathering, pointless, self-indulgent aside: I always thought green on black or charcoal would be a better stylistic choice for uniforms. The double green motif strikes me as too cartoonish and whimsical for matters of life and death.

[maccoinnich]

Multnomah County courthouse: Officials narrow choice to 2 sites



The Veritable Quandary restaurant's patio is shown in this file photo. The restaurant's owner also owns the building, but the patio is on land leased from the county -- land that could become part of a new courthouse. (Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian)


Multnomah County officials have chosen two possible sites for a new $250 million courthouse and expect to choose one Thursday.

Both sites are downtown: One is near the west end of the Hawthorne Bridge on an L-shaped property next to the Veritable Quandary restaurant. The other is a block-size parcel, which includes a surface parking lot, just east of the KOIN Center.

County commissioners will hear about the two locations at Tuesday morning's briefing. They expect to name a final location and backup choice Thursday, Chairwoman Deborah Kafoury said.

"It's been difficult to find a site downtown because most of the properties are taken," Kafoury said. "We've heard from a lot of different stakeholders, who use the building and are there frequently, that having it in downtown Portland is most convenient."

Kafoury said the Hawthorne Bridge site, along Southwest First Avenue between Madison and Jefferson streets, is the preferred option because the county owns most of the block except for the Veritable Quandary and another building.

...continues at the Oregonian.