Porter Hotel (Curio by Hilton) | 190' | 16 floors | Complete

[davehogan]

Okay, so 23 stories at hotel floors could be about 402.5 ft. (It probably won't, but 17.5' per floor has been a reasonable average for hotel expansions I've worked with.)

Even at 26 floors x 14 ft per floor it's 364'. Since they tore down a historic-type building to create this I expect they'll make it kind of awesome.

The Curio lineup for Hilton is like the Nines is to Starwood. It's Hilton's version of a Luxury Collection property. This is a make or break project for someone.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by davehogan

Since they tore down a historic-type building to create this I expect they'll make it kind of awesome.

Keep in mind that "they" didn't tear down the old Pendleton building. They bought a vacant lot. The previous owner demolished the building before their project stalled, and then they sold the lot. Back in the late 90s, I lived at the Essex House, on the other half of the block facing 3rd. I'm pretty sure the Pendleton building was already long vacant by that point. I can't believe it's taken this long to do something with the lot. I'd hoped that the Pendleton building would get a rehab, but this is probably a case where losing a historic building is for the best since it also means losing a surface parking lot.

Originally Posted by davehogan

The Curio lineup for Hilton is like the Nines is to Starwood. It's Hilton's version of a Luxury Collection property. This is a make or break project for someone.

I have high hopes for this. Height would be great, but I don't really care about that, quite frankly. I just hope that whatever gets built is attractive and, even more importantly, I hope it brings life to the area. The difference between 2nd and 3rd Aves there is pretty dramatic.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

I have high hopes for this. Height would be great, but I don't really care about that, quite frankly. I just hope that whatever gets built is attractive and, even more importantly, I hope it brings life to the area. The difference between 2nd and 3rd Aves there is pretty dramatic.

Number of rooms times disposable income/expense accounts are the real keys for the impact any hotel will have.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by davehogan

Number of rooms times disposable income/expense accounts are the real keys for the impact any hotel will have.

I understand the point you're making, and I agree - but I'm talking about something far more basic here. Yes, I'm very strongly in favor of investments that bring tourist dollars to Portland. It's good for our city and it's good for our local businesses, but I wasn't talking about any of that. I was simply referring to the mostly dead zone along SW 2nd & Jefferson/Columbia, and how a hotel on that particular lot could really bring life to the street. I'm talking about life, as in people, coming and going. I hope that whatever they build will be a marvelous piece of architecture, but even if it's not so great, so long as it brings foot traffic to that stretch of SW 2nd, it'll be a positive change for the area. That block has been under-utilized for decades.

I think it's kind of funny too. All of those apartments on the back half of the Essex House are going to have windows - and even balconies - looking straight into a hotel. The separation between the two buildings is only going to be a few feet, right? I'm not saying that's bad though. That's the risk of building on half a block. Those sure will be some interesting apartment balconies though!

It'll be exciting to see whatever gets built there. I wonder how long it'll be before we get to see any potential designs.

[Tanaka07]

Another high rise high end hip hotel just announced for downtown. In the past 3-months two new hotel brands announced for PDX.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...87#post6704487

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/i...l#incart_river

[maccoinnich]

That intake list is a real treasure trove. Pre-application conference for Type III Design Review is listed for 202 SW Jefferson, which is the Curio Hotel site. Architects are HC Architects of Atlanta. Looking at their portfolio, I will politely say that I'm glad that Type III Design Reviews have to be presented to the Design Commission.

[bvpcvm]

OMG I don't think that even qualifies as architecture.

Regarding that intake list, is there a way to consistently work out which property is "N1 E2 Couch's Addition" and so on? It's the township and range system, right? I don't really know how that works, and how the hell do I find out where Couch's Addition is?

[maccoinnich]

There isn't an easy way to tell that I've discovered, and I don't think the legal descriptions are even related to the township and ranges of US Public Land Survey System. Anyone who knows more are surveying in Portland than I do is welcome to correct me, but I think they are based on how the land was originally platted. Sometimes this dates back to the founding of Portland, but in other cases it is much more recent, such as the Hoyt Street yards, which I think were only platted in the '90s.

Regarding the Allied Works project I posted about in the other thread, I happened to know already that Couch's Addition represents the area that's now Old Town / Pearl / Alphabet District. There's a beautiful old map of it here with the block numbers drawn in.

[maccoinnich]

Notice of a Pre-Application Conference [PDF, small] for the Curio Hotelm, with the images. 300 rooms. Unfortunately for those of you who love tall, tall buildings, this one is 15 stories. No indication of height, from what I can tell.

[bvpcvm]

I was told there would be 23 stories!

[innovativethinking]

Originally Posted by bvpcvm

I was told there would be 23 stories!

How legitimate is the source?

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Notice of a Pre-Application Conference [PDF, small] for the Curio Hotelm, with the images. 300 rooms. Unfortunately for those of you who love tall, tall buildings, this one is 15 stories. No indication of height, from what I can tell.

I am not too impressed with the rendering, the materials could make it look better, but it will make a decent infill for the area and will be noticeable infill coming over the Hawthorne Bridge.

[bvpcvm]

Originally Posted by innovativethinking

How legitimate is the source?

See post #9 in this thread.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by bvpcvm

See post #9 in this thread.

It looks like the apartments were cut from the design, which explains the shorter height. That is a shame because 23 stories would have been a little bit more noticeable and would have been a great location for apartments with some amazing views.

[maccoinnich]

I don't think that was ever a real project. It looks more like someone employed GBD just to work out what the zoning code would allow.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I don't think that was ever a real project. It looks more like someone employed GBD just to work out what the zoning code would allow.

That could be true, it is still very early in the process and a lot can happen between now and construction....though I am imagining something just as meh.

[maccoinnich]

Drawings for the Curio Hotel [PDF, 196 MB]. It has some color perspectives, but the quality of the scans isn't great.

[innovativethinking]

Wish this was about 8-10 stories taller

[urbanlife]

A decent infill, but it would be better if it were a bit taller. Actually surprised that they didn't want to go a little bit taller to give those top rooms a view of Mt Hood.

[maccoinnich]

So here are some excerpts from the Design Advice submission:

• 16 stories above grade, max height 172'. 300 guest rooms.
• FAR is almost maxed out, although with 9' floor-floor heights this results in a building less tall than an office with the same number of stories. If they are eligible for FAR bonuses, or are using any, they don't mention it.
• Swimming pool / fitness center in the basement.
• The ground floor will have a restaurant with outdoor dining at the corner of SW 2nd / Columbia, with its own entrance to the street (distinct from the hotel entrance). The kitchen will have a window for take out pizza and "gourmet items" facing SW Columbia. [Their words, not mine].
• There will be a cafe/market serving breakfast items at the corner of SW 2nd / Jefferson, also with its own entrance to the street.
• Second floor is meeting spaces, with spill out onto a roof garden.
• The 16th floor will be a "hospitality level" with a restaurant, lounge and two outdoor terraces. It's not clear whether these will be open to the public, or only for the use of elite members of the Hilton loyalty program.

First Floor



Second Floor



Typical Floor



Hospitality Level