Old Town/Chinatown News

[maccoinnich]

So for those of who come home from work and enjoy nothing more than reading emails about SDCs, URAs and TIF between City of Portland commissioners and bureau directors, then this is the evening you've been waiting for. Part I, Part II over at the Portland Mercury.

TL;DR version. Hales and Novick argue that because there is no development happening in Old Town / China Town anyway, waiving SDCs represents no net loss of money to the bureaus that levy SDCs (Parks, Water, Transportation, Environmental Services). i.e., $5,528 per unit x zero units is the same number as $0 x 500 units. Fritz argues that those new residents will want and use parks, and that money could be spent on other projects in the central city that parks are currently planning. (Conway, Waterfront Greenway @ Zidell Yards, 511 building). Apparently the parks SDC only raises 75% of the money required to expand the parks system to meet new demand. Parks Director Mike Abbaté thinks it's a bad policy decision to waive development fees at the same time that the city is about to ask voters to extend a property levy used to fund park maintenance. Charlie Hales thinks Abbaté is an idiot.

[pdxstreetcar]

Parks needs to learn how to use the money they have. They are getting a lot of money through taxes, user fees and SDCs and yet the parks are in terrible shape and claim they have no money.

[maccoinnich]

Old Town Chinatown apartment boom? Portland City Council OKs $7 million subsidy plan to spark construction



By Brad Schmidt

A divided Portland City Council on Wednesday approved development subsidies to promote construction of up to 500 new middle-income apartments in hardscrabble Old Town Chinatown.

Mayor Charlie Hales, who championed the plan, said he's "ashamed" of current conditions in Portland's oldest neighborhood and is hopeful that development subsidies estimated at $7 million will make a difference.

"I'm very confident that this is our best shot," said Hales, who secured support from commissioners Dan Saltzman and Steve Novick. "And I'm cautiously optimistic that it might be enough to finally start making things happen in Old Town Chinatown."

...continues at the Oregonian.

[urbanlife]

$7 million isn't a lot of money, I am curious how that will be used to stimulate growth in Old Town. Though I personally would love to see residential and commercial growth there. The hard part would be keeping within the restrictions of the district while adding enough housing to make a profit.

[maccoinnich]

They're not actually spending any money - they're agreeing to waive the development charges for up to 500 units in Old Town. These SDCs can quickly run into the tens of thousands of dollars, per unit. The logic is that if it's $14,000 cheaper to develop in Old Town, all other factors being equal, then that should entice developers to build there. We'll see if it works.

[maccoinnich]

Portland ready to sign off on $630,000 Grove hostel deal: Portland City Hall Roundup



By Brad Schmidt

Portland's urban renewal agency is ready to strike a formal deal with a local developer to open a boutique hostel on city-owned property in Old Town Chinatown.

On Wednesday, the Portland Development Commission is slated to authorize a sale agreement to rid itself of the dilapidated Grove Hotel, on the corner of Northwest Burnside Street and Fourth Avenue.

A development group that includes Portland-based Naito Development and New York-based Eagle Point Hotel Partners wants to turn the property into a 107-bed hostel. Under the agreement, Grove Hotel Partners LLC would buy the quarter-acre property for $630,000.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[fflint]

I have never understood why Old Town/Chinatown has been so forlorn for so long. It would seem to be prime real estate--walking distance to downtown and the Pearl. Why is this area so overlooked?

[Derek]

Originally Posted by fflint

I have never understood why Old Town/Chinatown has been so forlorn for so long. It would seem to be prime real estate--walking distance to downtown and the Pearl. Why is this area so overlooked?

I would assume it's because it's where most of the city's homeless services are housed. It's also the "nightlife" area of Portland. A huge grocery store project was planned years ago that probably could've jump started a revitalization effort but it was shelved when the economy collapsed. I think it's poised for a bit of a rebound now though with the economy improving and the city offering incentives to developers.

[cab]

Its one property. That giant parking lot dead set in the middle of the area. If you can get a highend use, like a grocery store built on that location, the entire area with jump. I do think the PDC streetscape project a few years ago did a lot of damage as well. The old cherry trees lining the street really helped cover the faults. They where beautiful in spring. Now with the crappy little half dead trees it just looks like a wasteland on 4th. I think the city underestimates mature trees value as mood creator. Bid error from PDC.

[2oh1]

Originally Posted by fflint

I have never understood why Old Town/Chinatown has been so forlorn for so long. It would seem to be prime real estate--walking distance to downtown and the Pearl. Why is this area so overlooked?

I think it's an issue of timing. Imagine The Pearl in 1995, or downtown from the SW park blocks to the 405. Imagine all of that Conway property in 2010. Think about the blocks along inner SE today, from the river to around 20th today. It's all about timing, and that usually begins with a catalyst. If Uwajimaya had opened in Old Town, that could have been one heck of a spark to get things going in the neighborhood. For Old Town, I firmly believe it's not an if, but a when.

[maccoinnich]

Portland Business Alliance wants to steer urban renewal money to Old Town Chinatown

Portland's business lobby wants to ensure that property owned by some of the city's biggest real estate names is eligible for up to $187 million in public redevelopment money.

Last week, the Portland Business Alliance proposed redrawing the city's River District urban renewal boundaries to add about 12 acres in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[urbanlife]

This could be interesting.

[maccoinnich]

DJC Oregon reports ($) that "historic restoration plan has been created to transform the 128-year-old Baggage and Carriage Building, in downtown Portland, into a mix of creative office space and restaurant space." Leasing flyer is available here.

[downtownpdx]

Good to hear, anyone know what retail is there now?

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

Good to hear, anyone know what retail is there now?

Looks like Google drove past it in April 2014, and it had for lease flyers on it then. I would assume it's still empty.

[maccoinnich]

Developer Mark Edlen finalizing $2.6 million land deal with Portland Development Commission weeks before joining it



By Andrew Theen

The Portland Development Commission will vote Wednesday whether to sell land in Old Town Chinatown to major developer Gerding Edlen, whose CEO is set to join the urban renewal agency board in less than a month.

Mark Edlen is Mayor Charlie Hales' choice to fill a vacancy on the five-person commission. The City Council is expected to approve Hales' appointment on Oct. 1.

Edlen declined to comment on the Old Town project Wednesday morning. But in an August interview, Edlen said going forward he plans to recuse himself from any votes that would present a potential conflict of interest on the development commission.

Edlen's company wants to buy two-thirds of an acre, three-quarters of a city block, in Portland's oldest neighborhood and erect a $37 million building containing offices, retail space and apartments.

The property is bounded by Northwest Couch Street, Northwest Naito Parkway, Northwest Davis Street, and Northwest 1st Avenue. The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine occupies the southwest portion.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[urbanlife]

Sounds like it could be a decent mid-rise building.

[maccoinnich]

The story is about this project. There's some discussion about it on the previous pages of this thread.

Predictably, the Oregon Live crowd are livid about Mark Edlen joining the PDC board. I feel like it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. If Hales had appointed someone whose experience was primarily from working in government, they would complain about how bureaucrats have no private sector experience. But when he appoints someone who does have experience working in the private sector, they claim it's evidence of corruption.

[maccoinnich]

PDC hopes new development will light the fuse in Old Town Chinatown



Jon Bell

When the Portland Development Commission approved the $2.6 million sale of a 0.67-acre piece of property in Old Town Chinatown to Gerding Edlen on Wednesday, it did more than unload one of its underutilized properties in the district.

It also added real fuel to the Old Town/Chinatown Five-Year Action Plan, a road map adopted by the city earlier this summer to revitalize one of Portland’s overlooked areas.

“This project really fits in with the overarching or strategic goals of the action plan,” said Sarah Harpole, a senior project manager with PDC, noting that the three goals aim to attract new neighborhood investment, promote business vitality and improve livability. “That’s great news for the neighborhood.”

...continues at Portland Business Journal.

[maccoinnich]

Historic Resource Review Request for Response notice [PDF - small] for the Ankrom Moisan / Gerding Edlen NW Davis project. If you're a fan of background buildings, you're going to love how this design has evolved.