Broadway Corridor (Post Office Redevelopment) | Proposed

[maccoinnich]

For those of you who like renderings of buildings that will never be built:

Two Towers Nearly Twice the Height of Big Pink? A Portland Architect Has Submitted an Application For Record-Breaking Skyscrapers
Kaven + Co. and William / Kaven Architecture proposes its 970-foot tower for the Broadway Corridor.



The Portland architect and developers who made a splash late last year by imagining a 970-foot tower for the old U.S. Post Office site have made their intentions official.

They've applied to develop the site known as Broadway Corridor, according to a press release from Kaven + Co. and William / Kaven Architecture.

The release says they've included "the potential for a marquee transportation hub for high-speed rail and underground mass public transit innovations adjacent to Amtrak's Union Station."

They also released some striking images.

...continues at the Willamette Week.

[urbanlife]

Obviously this will never happen, but this is definitely what I would love to see happen at that site. The Post Office site is the perfect location for either a new tallest or a similar height of our other two tallest. This site should be treated as a centerpiece for the north end of downtown.

[Derek]

I’d be happy if they started at like 650’. I like dreaming big, but a more realistic approach would be nice.

[eric cantona]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

For those of you who like renderings of buildings that will never be built

Wowsers. Not to be too negative... but an architecture firm with ONE building over six stories (an eight story structure) on their website, and no obvious commercial development experience (or financing), are putting themselves up as developers of one of the most significant (and largest) properties to open up in the last several decades?

what could possibly go wrong?

[johnliu]

I wish the credulous reporters at, say, the WW, would stop making this free publicity strategy so successful.

Sidenote: how do such aerial bridges perform in big earthquakes? That high up, the buildings will undergo very significant lateral movement, like 10+ feet, right? Is there any reason to think the two towers will sway in sync?

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by johnliu

I wish the credulous reporters at, say, the WW, would stop making this free publicity strategy so successful.

I agree.

This proposal is so unrealistic you'd think it was by Skylab.

[WestCoast]

I flew out of PDX on Tuesday, and it sure looks like the new site there is close to done. I had heard March 2018 was completion goal. And from a drive by, it looks close.

Anyone know when the Post Office will actually move operations, and shut down the Pearl location?

[Encolpius]

While I find the twin towers ludicrous, some less flashy aspects of the proposal might be worth consideration.

the potential for a marquee transportation hub for high-speed rail and underground mass public transit innovations adjacent to Amtrak's Union Station.

an indoor market fronting the north end of the park blocks... as well as "a glass-covered park with play structures and food carts that could be enjoyed in all seasons."

HSR to Seattle should definitely happen. Would Union Station need to be expanded? The last bit makes me think of Copenhagen's glass-enclosed foodie market, Torvehallerne. Portland needs more glass-enclosed public spaces!

[Natural]

What if.........a new tallest, construction of the proposed "Spar" (Engineered Timber Structure- post 275}, and perhaps another high-rise along with public attractions were built. That would be epic.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

Wowsers. Not to be too negative... but an architecture firm with ONE building over six stories (an eight story structure) on their website, and no obvious commercial development experience (or financing), are putting themselves up as developers of one of the most significant (and largest) properties to open up in the last several decades?

what could possibly go wrong?

Yeah, that is my biggest issue with this. I like their thinking, but if this were to happen, I wouldn't want them to be the ones in charge of a project this massive. I would want to look at firms that do large projects like this on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by Derek

I’d be happy if they started at like 650’. I like dreaming big, but a more realistic approach would be nice.

I say aim big and setting for realistic. Something between 550-750 would be okay with me. But lets be honest, 425 is probably more realistic.

[johnliu]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

Wowsers. Not to be too negative... but an architecture firm with ONE building over six stories (an eight story structure) on their website, and no obvious commercial development experience (or financing), are putting themselves up as developers of one of the most significant (and largest) properties to open up in the last several decades?

what could possibly go wrong?

Yard x 100?

[RED_PDXer]

Looks very (former) NYC World Trade Centerish.

[maccoinnich]

Record-Breaking Towers Didn’t Make the Short List for the Post Office Site. Here’s Who Did.
Post office site includes major developers from Denver and New York City. Local architect with the fanciful notion of record-breaking towers not in the running.



Portland's economic development agency has named three finalists to develop the old Post Office site, one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated real-estate projects remaining in the central city.

Not among the finalists selected by Prosper Portland: the fanciful notion by a Portland-based architect for two towers that would rise higher than Big Pink.

Instead, the three finalists were named on the basis of their experience to develop a massive project that will include both affordable housing and commercial space in the 32-acre site, which is officially called the Broadway corridor.

...continues at the Willamette Week.

[urbanlife]

I haven't had the chance to check out the three teams yet, but it does make sense to go with a firm that is able to handle this size of development. Might as well add those tall tower renderings to the never built archives.

[maccoinnich]

Prosper Portland intends to engage ZGF for the masterplan and Denver based developer Continuum as the developer.

http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...port-18-11.pdf
http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...ution-7267.pdf
http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...ution-7268.pdf

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Prosper Portland intends to engage ZGF for the masterplan and Denver based developer Continuum as the developer.

http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...port-18-11.pdf
http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...ution-7267.pdf
http://prosperportland.us/wp-content...ution-7268.pdf

I like that ZGF is doing the masterplan, though looking over the developer, it makes me feel like we are gonna get something like Slabtown going in at the postal site. That is fine and all, but would squander the chances for a really big development with some tall buildings. But who knows, it will be interesting to see what comes of this.

[RED_PDXer]

I really do hope this project is successful, but did I read the board memo right?... a 41-member steering committee? That sounds ridiculous and painful. Anyone see it in action?

[maccoinnich]

Colorado firm picked for downtown Portland post office redevelopment



Portland's economic development agency picked a Colorado firm to assist in planning for the soon-to-be-vacated downtown post office blocks, one of the largest development opportunities in the city center.

The board of Prosper Portland picked Denver-based Continuum to undertake the planning effort, which includes the 14-acre post office site near the west end of the Broadway Bridge and surrounding city-owned properties. The adjacent sites bring the project area to a total of 32 acres.

As the chosen developer, Continuum would advise the city on how to develop the site being vacated by the U.S. Postal Service, which is moving its operations to a site near the Portland International Airport, as well as the adjacent sites that include the west end of the Broadway Bridge, Union Station and the Greyhound bus terminal.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[johnliu]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I like that ZGF is doing the masterplan, though looking over the developer, it makes me feel like we are gonna get something like Slabtown going in at the postal site. That is fine and all, but would squander the chances for a really big development with some tall buildings. But who knows, it will be interesting to see what comes of this.

There should be minimum height requirements here.

[winstonLT5]

Not sure if this is in the right thread any longer, but The Spar concept gains height, to 48 stories https://www.bizjournals.com/portland...e-tallest.html