It is not a matter of being in the hotel business. It is a matter of maximizing the potential of the convention center. We are losing hundreds of millions as a region for the lack of this hotel. This should have been built and ready when the expansion was finished.
I agree....the hotel should have been built when the Convention Center opened for business....especially when they expanded. I remember the concern many had when they elected to build the center over in the Lloyd district instead of downtown (which was an option). Now, the city/region need to figure out how to make it work or it might turn into a white elephant, or not be all it could be.
Bean counters make great analists, but not necessarly great decision makers. Their world consists of lines of abstract data which are analyized, statistically, quantitatively, and algorithymically. There are many more factors in the process of sound decision making. Granted, the condo market is soft and/or approaching overcapacity, but generally economic swings are cyclical lasting anywhere from 3-5 years + or -.
Here are my reasons a partnership could work as PacificNW suggests.
1. Being in a partnership, the City may not have to take all the financial burdan exclusively. This is presently a big sticking point. Risk will be spread and divided, lessening any potential fallout.
2. The Private Developer/Partner can take the lead in building and marketing
the Project...basically doing what they do best. This will leave the City overseeing the guidance of the project.
3. Portland is in dire need of a Convention Hotel. I strongly agree, that the City is losing large sums of Convention business, along with millions of dollars that conventioneers bring to town. Portland is ready to climb to the next level
where it really belongs. A landmark Convention Hotel Facility will easily pay for itself, as long as Portland is committed in the recruitement of large coventions through agressive marketing.
4. This new Hotel Complex will ignite explosive development in the LLoyd Distric and beyond. A whole new dynamic area will be created, even furthering Portland's great reputation.
5. If the project gets the go ahead and groundbreaking begins in 2009,
This could be enough time for the market cycle to correct itself after a 2 year buildout in 2012.
actually in the grand scale of things, I do think the metro and the city should be apart of making this hotel happen for the sake of the convention center and the city. I think there should be a big picture in play with this to tie the convention center more to the Lloyd district and downtown. Would be great to see that become our grand centerpiece for the city that the world would get to see.
If there are projects and/or topics discussed in this thread that are on-going, please create a separate thread in the proper section of the forum. If you are discussing one-off pieces of information, give 'er
This was the orignal "Lloyd" discussion, merged into a general news forum that can encompass the entire City of Portland/downtown area.
Has anyone seen any renderings or heard any information about the AIA center for architecture they are building/renovating in the Pearl? It's a little brick building on the corner of 11th and Flanders. There is a Holst Architecture sign on the construction fence but I can't find a rendering on the Holst website.
not really a project but cool non-the-less
I got this in a email
Downtown Advanced Parking Information is here!
The Keep Portland Moving project has been hard at work on a pilot project to display real-time information about the availability of downtown parking in the SmartPark garages in the retail core area. The first phase of the pilot is the installation of a large sign at the foot of the Morrison Bridge off ramp to SW Washington Street that displays the available spaces in three SmartPark garages: 3rd & Alder, 4th & Yamhill, and 10th & Yamhill. This large portal sign was installed December 17, and at this writing, technicians have just completed the communication network that talks to the garages. The first garage to go online at the Morrison Bridge portal sign with real-time space counts is 10th & Yamhill. In January the second phase of the pilot will bring the other garages online at the remote sign, as well as adding count numbers to the SmartPark signs at each garage.
someone mentioned this project previously and it got some flak, but i actually think this is a really good idea. i saw signs like this all over germany, and my first thought was that they should do something like that here as well. yes, i suppose it might contribute to people being more willing to use their cars to come downtown, BUT at least they'll know right where to go, rather than driving around hunting for a parking space. and, honestly, if it's easier for people to come downtown, then downtown will only become more lively, which will attract ppl on all kinds of transport. hopefully. actually the same thing could be done for bikes and ACTUALLY, while we're at it, maybe on the streets around MAX park and ride stations - i mean, picture this, you're driving down 122nd towards the freeway but as you approach burnside you see a big sign that says "blue line to portland in 3 minutes" - seems like it would contribute to ridership and efficiency overall.
Wind turbines supplier Vestas has chosen Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects to design its new American headquarters office building in Portland, a development that means the Danish company is one step closer to adding 850 jobs to the local economy.
Vestas Americas is the Danish-based company’s business unit responsible for wind turbine sales, installation, and service and maintenance in North America. The first step in the design process will be final site evaluation and selection, followed by campus and building design.
The proposed headquarters will be built in two phases. The first phase will be approximately 400,000 square feet of office space. A second later phase could add another 200,000 square feet.
The project is reliant on finding and developing plans for a suitable site, as well as creating a finance plan that would include developing tax and financing options with the state of Oregon and city of Portland.
City officials have already pledged $12 million in incentives for the project. The state has pledged $19 million.
Vestas employs roughly 1,000 across the United States and Canada, including 300 in Portland.
Ankrom Moisan is based in Portland, with an office in Seattle.
Good grief - that's enormous. It looks like Santana Row with offices - and what's that, a streetcar? I wonder if this is still on the table - the web site says (c) 2008 - or if this is already a victim of the recession?
EDIT: I don't know if it matters, but of course Sienna is no longer in business.
EDIT: wtf?? It looks like these guys want to build their own streetcar (see powerpoint presentation here: http://www.eaglelanding.us/Connector...m_11-07-07.ppt) with (see second-to-last page) *underground* stations! This all sounds totally unrealistic.
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I agree....the hotel should have been built when the Convention Center opened for business....especially when they expanded. I remember the concern many had when they elected to build the center over in the Lloyd district instead of downtown (which was an option). Now, the city/region need to figure out how to make it work or it might turn into a white elephant, or not be all it could be.
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