Yard | 200' | 21 floors | Complete

JG573 · #1 Posted **Nov 29, 2012, 9:16 PM**

http://djcoregon.com/news/2012/11/29...de-bridgehead/

I know the site was being redeveloped but didn't know they would put up a 12 story building. According to this article there is a 12 story apartment building planned with 290 market rate apartments. Sounds good to me. It will be taller than most things around there though.

pbd · #2 Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 9:19 PM**

Does anyone have any idea which specific parcel its on or who the architect is?

Mr. Walch · #3 Posted **Nov 30, 2012, 11:27 PM**

I found the answer to some of our questions on the Central Eastside Industrial Council site. It is a pretty key parcel located on the north side of the bridge between 2nd and 3rd. I have to say I am a bit skeptical. They are proposing a 12 story building in a pretty new (and a bit raw if you've ever walked that area) and evolving market while experienced developers are building 6 story building in more established locals like the Pearl and SoWa.

NJD · #4 Posted **Dec 1, 2012, 3:47 AM**

Quote:

I have to say I am a bit skeptical. They are proposing a 12 story building in a pretty new and evolving market while experienced developers are building 6 story building in more established locals like the Pearl and SoWa.

I think it's more like large developers follow a more corporate model than smaller developers, and has little to do with experience and more to do with market analysis and cash flow. I think these large developers see an incredibly low rental vacancy rate and decide to build comparatively super-quick, super-cheap projects to get some money now off pre-owned land. There are much bigger (20+ story) developments in the works by local developers in the Pearl and in the Lloyd. The Bridgehead parcel is a very visible location and the Burnside/ Couch area is hopping right now. South Waterfront on the other hand has the benefit/ curse of being owned by only a handful of larger developers that are not looking at full realization until 2050 (thanks mostly to OHSU), and I wouldn't be surprised if those new 6-story rentals are built to only last 20-30 years before needing to be redeveloped. Kinda off topic, but I think Portland kind of lacks in redevelopable central city land due to a handful of property owners and their unwillingness to develop anything until market conditions are perfect or other developers take the risk (Greg Goodman and Ashforth Pacific's sea of 1970's surface parking lots being prime examples).

Mr. Walch · #5 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 6:42 PM**

The city's permit reports show a request for early assistance on the Key Development project - between Burnside + Couch and 2nd + 3rd. They are proposing a 21 story building with 300 apartments, ground floor retail, 200+ above ground parking spaces and a connection to the bridge. The best part is that Skylab is the architecture firm. They have an earl concept study for the site on their website. It would be Skylabs first large sale project. If both this project and the WPA project next door go it will be bananas - two striking new super mod buildings in the CES and at such a crux location in the city. Sounds great.

MarkDaMan · #6 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 7:22 PM**

^Crossing fingers, that would be amazing!

tworivers · #7 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 7:52 PM**

Did you guys notice the "Homb" project on the Skylab site? On E Burnside right across from the Jupiter. Wow!

cab · #8 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 8:06 PM**

Love that skylab. Actually replaces a building with something better! How far along is this?

Mr. Walch · #9 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 8:13 PM**

If you want to see a preview of Homb, which is Skylab's prefab system, they built a single family house using in on Ivy Street between MLK and 7th. Real nice.

maccoinnich · #10 Posted **Feb 4, 2013, 8:25 PM**

The House on NE Ivy is certainly cool looking, but I would question how good of an idea it is to have a triangular planning grid. It would definitely be interesting to see it furnished.

I was also baffled by the structural system - it seems like the Homb system uses twice as much material as a conventionally framed building.

i2m · #11 Posted **Feb 5, 2013, 4:30 AM**

I think this block is now programmed for around 20 stories of apartments.

I wouldn't get too excited about the Skylab images in the link above. The Skylab concepts I have seen are for a very ordinary chunky tower -so wide that the units were deep shoebox units. While the design can get better with time it will remain under great financial pressure as a high rise rental project in Portland is very challenging financially - which is why most of them are limited to studies rather than real projects.

I would like to see a significant building on this site although I'm not sure this one will become reality.

RED_PDXer · #12 Posted **Feb 5, 2013, 6:04 AM**

That Skylab concept looks like a napkin drawing.. and grass on the ground level providing pedestrian connectivity? That's juvenile. Streets provide pedestrian connectivity - buildings provide activity and street interest. If I were them, I wouldn't bother putting that on the website..

Mr. Walch · #13 Posted **Feb 5, 2013, 9:31 AM**

I would not judge the project, nor the quality of Skylab's work based on the three images from the skylab site. Those are just loose site analysis diagrams, probable done relatively quickly for the developer prior to them getting the site. I am basing my hope on the quality and interest of Skylabs work. I have seen Jeff Kovel, the principle, speak and he is a very smart and talented designer who has an interesting approach to architecture. That being said, I share one of the commenter's concern that this will be much reduced in height and design quality by the time the developer figures out all the numbers. There is a reason why the Lloyd super block saw two of its towers reduced to six stories.

65MAX · #14 Posted **Feb 5, 2013, 12:33 PM**

Only one of the towers in the Lloyd project was eliminated, reconfigured into two separate 6-story buildings. The second tower is still there, but slightly reduced to 16-17 stories. The third building remains at 6 stories.

Regarding Skylab's preliminary sketches.... too early to critique, but I like the direction of all of the new development in the Lower Burnside area. They're definitely trying to raise the bar design-wise.

pbd · #15 Posted **Feb 5, 2013, 4:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by i2m

I think this block is now programmed for around 20 stories of apartments.

I wouldn't get too excited about the Skylab images in the link above. The Skylab concepts I have seen are for a very ordinary chunky tower -so wide that the units were deep shoebox units. While the design can get better with time it will remain under great financial pressure as a high rise rental project in Portland is very challenging financially - which is why most of them are limited to studies rather than real projects.

I would like to see a significant building on this site although I'm not sure this one will become reality.

I saw this too, the tower was surprisingly conservative. I would describe the cladding as having the materiality of the Mercy Corps building with the zig zagging of the sixth and couch apartments. Not a bad facade, but I was expecting some homb craziness.

Mr. Walch · #16 Posted **Feb 8, 2013, 11:27 PM**

Pre-App for the Skylab project with some drawings can be seen here. It looks like it has promise in a conventional way.

bvpcvm · #17 Posted **Feb 9, 2013, 12:53 AM**

Aha, so what at one point was reported as a 12-story project was either a typo or has been expanded to 21. In either case, there are a total of two projects (not three) down here, including the 5-story one.

I wonder what they're going to do with that block that Couch cuts through? The two quarters it leaves behind aren't really very buildable and wouldn't be very good for even a tiny park...

NJD · #18 Posted **Feb 9, 2013, 10:10 PM**

The pre-app even says 12 stories, yet the drawings with it show 21 stories...

urbanlife · #19 Posted **Feb 18, 2013, 3:16 AM**

I am liking the Skylab concept drawing. I am really hoping to see what eastside Burnside skyline and urban district turns into to.

Orlando · #20 Posted **Apr 28, 2013, 2:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zilfondel

http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/in...60978&a=437851

Was this already posted? Skylab filed DAR for both a 21 story & 12 story buildings for block 67 @13 NE 3rd.

Not sure if anyone has posted this, but this is what has been submitted to the city from Skylab regarding the Burnside Bridgehead project. It's very schematic. Not much to look at other than general height and massing for the proposed towers there. It sure will be a prominent project and a great opportunity for Skylab to get a larger and more significant building built with lots of exposure.

http://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/web...-%20Notice.PDF

** I just noticed the Burnside Bridgehead thread and saw more recent updates about Skylab's proposal. So, ignore this post. **