Portland Infill | Northwest Portland

[PDXDENSITY]

Originally Posted by eric cantona

a "brigade"? who the hell starts a brigade in this day and age?

no, PDX, I'm simply highlighting your incessant blathering about density at all costs, as well as your propensity for extreme hyperbole when describing people or groups who have opinions or goals that differ from yours. it gets tiresome.

I don't feel my opinion is represented here (I mean in general in this city), and I think this city tends to rest on its laurels. It gets tiresome; I get bothered. I will not apologize for hammering my points on every project I see. We need to do this stuff right to prevent a catastrophe like SF due to the high demand of our city.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by babs

Regardless, the Historic Landmarks Commission deserves some of the blame for the faux historic look. When Apple tried to build their store on 23rd, and the design got rejected, it sent a clear message what is and what is not acceptable on the street. Ironically, the building we got in place of Apple is worse than the proposed Restoration hardware building.

This is SO TRUE - but the funny thing is, I wonder if Apple would have still built their huge store downtown if they had a large store nearby on 23rd. Who knows... maybe they would have, maybe not. I sure am glad we got the downtown store, but you're right, the building that went into the spot on 23rd where Apple was going to build is pretty lame. It's better than the dress shop building it replaced, but still... it's lame.

[maccoinnich]

4-story apartment building proposed at shuttered Gypsy Restaurant site in NW Portland



Developers plan to tear down Northwest Portland bar that abruptly closed last year to make way for a four-story apartment building.

Urban Development Partners is planning a four-story, 57-unit apartment building on the site of the Gypsy Restaurant and Velvet Lounge. The bar closed in February 2014 after 20 years, during which it sparred with the city over nuisance complaints and more recently turned to controversial goldfish racing to draw patrons.

The bar sits in the Alphabet Historic District, and UDP has turned to architect Brian Emerick to design the new building. Emerick chairs the city's Historic Landmark Commission. (Emerick said he'll recuse himself when the project goes before that body for approval.)

...continues at the Oregonian.

[Encolpius]

I see now why the building on Irving is set back from the property line: it's to align with the porches of the houses next to it. I don't find these buildings extremely appealing, but kudos to this Landmarks Commission fellow for demonstrating that densifying development can be handled with sensitivity. If I have a quibble it's that they aren't taller; a four-story apartment building ideally should have sensibly more generous ceiling heights than the detached houses next to it. At least maybe give it fifteen-foot heights on the basement story... next to the Victorian houses with their raised foundations it appears stunted.

[2oh1]

Assuming quality materials are used for the exterior (I'm mostly referring to the tan/beige sections) I think this will be a fine addition to the neighborhood. It's not exciting, nor should it be. It's infill. And it's replacing a nasty building that won't be missed. Sure, some may miss The Gypsy, but I can't imagine anyone missing the building.

[maccoinnich]

Drawings [PDF - 5MB] for the 21st & Irving apartments.

[maccoinnich]

Tiny apartments in Northwest Portland land $6M loan



Portland's latest micro-apartment buildings are a step closer to breaking ground thanks to a recently closed loan.

Pembrook Capital Management, a New York-based commercial real estate investment manager, has closed a $6.25 million mezzanine loan to help fund the development of a 123-unit micro-apartment project in Northwest Portland. Known as the Tess O'Brien, the development will consist of two six-story buildings containing 40,604 square feet. They will be located at 1953 N.W. Overton St. and 1950 N.W. Pettygrove St., currently a gravel parking lot.

The average size of the project's apartments will hover just over 300 square feet.

...continues at the Portland Business Journal.

[2oh1]

Micro apartments really scare me. Anything below 350 square feet makes me think we're seeing the building of future slums. I'm certainly not against small spaces. My favorite apartment was a 480 square foot condo I rented for a few years. Small spaces are great for urbanites - but this new wave of ultra-small micro apartments doesn't seem to be significantly bringing down prices. If anything, price per square foot is probably going up. Like I said... I can't help thinking they're building future slums rather than adding housing in a way that will be a benefit to the neighborhood. I'd feel differently if this was student housing being built near PSU... but as housing stock for a neighborhood... I don't know. I see this and I worry.

[NESteve]

[QUOTE=2oh1;7014673]If anything, price per square foot is probably going up. Like I said... I can't help thinking they're building future slums rather than adding housing in a way that will be a benefit to the neighborhood. QUOTE]

That's exactly right. It's easy to demonstrate that as this apartment boom has heated up, average unit size has decreased substantially. As land, permit fees, and construction costs go up (and they have substantially), developers need their projects to "pencil". How do you get close to $3.00 per square foot in rent and still deliver a unit for $1,000? That's easy...shrink the unit.

I can see this strategy is places like San Francisco where land is in much shorter supply than it is in Portland...but no. These are a flash in that pan.

[65MAX]

If ALL they were building were micro-units in the neighborhood, then yes, that would be a problem. But when they're sprinkled into a more diverse urban environment, then that's actually a best case scenario. I'm not worried at all about this area becoming a future slum.

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by 2oh1

Micro apartments really scare me. Anything below 350 square feet makes me think we're seeing the building of future slums. I'm certainly not against small spaces. My favorite apartment was a 480 square foot condo I rented for a few years. Small spaces are great for urbanites - but this new wave of ultra-small micro apartments doesn't seem to be significantly bringing down prices. If anything, price per square foot is probably going up. Like I said... I can't help thinking they're building future slums rather than adding housing in a way that will be a benefit to the neighborhood. I'd feel differently if this was student housing being built near PSU... but as housing stock for a neighborhood... I don't know. I see this and I worry.

I've lived in 225 sf and it was quite sufficient. Having a roof over your head and indoor plumbing is still quite preferable to living under a bridge or in a tent. The trend in all major cities in response to increasing real estate prices is to provide alternatives that are more reasonable in price. There's nothing to worry about more choices in housing.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

I've lived in 225 sf and it was quite sufficient. Having a roof over your head and indoor plumbing is still quite preferable to living under a bridge or in a tent. The trend in all major cities in response to increasing real estate prices is to provide alternatives that are more reasonable in price. There's nothing to worry about more choices in housing.

I have 275 sqft and I'm thinking of moving back East since I found out my new landlord (as of last week) thinks I'll pay $895 for this place.

I love Portland, but not $3+/sqft love.

The trend in some cities might be to provide alternatives, but Portland's getting completely out of control.

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by davehogan

I have 275 sqft and I'm thinking of moving back East since I found out my new landlord (as of last week) thinks I'll pay $895 for this place.

I love Portland, but not $3+/sqft love.

The trend in some cities might be to provide alternatives, but Portland's getting completely out of control.

That's less than the same space cost in Seattle 4 years ago. And 17 years ago my friend was paying $1000/month for a 100 sf room in SF, basically only room for a bed. Rents are high, but that's what you pay for new construction in the heart of the city. Something that small isnt for most people, but for people who value place over space, it's quite nice.

[maccoinnich]

Request for Response [PDF] for the NW Portland Hostel. Has some elevations.

[maccoinnich]

A building permit was issued to Colab Architecture for a project at 2240 NW Pettygrove St:

New 5 story apartment building with eco roof, no onsite parking, stormwater facilites and site improvements included

[puerco]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

Something that small isnt for most people, but for people who value place over space, it's quite nice.

Absolutely right, RED. The rent for my building's 300sq. ft. studios run between $1500-$2000. It's outrageous but folks are willing to pay it to be located in the middle of SF.

[davehogan]

Originally Posted by RED_PDXer

That's less than the same space cost in Seattle 4 years ago. And 17 years ago my friend was paying $1000/month for a 100 sf room in SF, basically only room for a bed. Rents are high, but that's what you pay for new construction in the heart of the city. Something that small isnt for most people, but for people who value place over space, it's quite nice.

This is a 100+ year old building that was last upgraded in the 1940's. This isn't new construction. That would kind of make sense.

[soleri]

Yay! Site and interior work has started at Q21.

[maccoinnich]

Green Gables Design & Restoration have submitted a building at 1970 NW 18th Ave for building permit review:

New construction of building to house 3 tenants, 2 story at center; main floor includes tenant spaces, 2 accessible restrooms and common area, 2nd floor is a part of tenant 1, overhead door at tenat 3 space; stormwater planter facility at exterior and pavers

SERA Architects have requested Early Assistance for a project at 1502 NW 19th Ave, currently home a food cart pod:

New 76 unit apartment building, 5 stories, with 25 parking stalls. Designed to meet community design standards.

[maccoinnich]

THA Architecture have requested Design Advice and scheduled a Pre-Application Conference for a project at 2030 NW 17th Ave:

Proposal for 2 buildings 5-8 floors, ground floor retail and upper floors office space. Underground parking

I guess that's the last we'll see of Sokol Blosser on Steroids.