The Strand hopes to tie waterfront living to Pearl culture
by Alison Ryan
Daily Journal of Commerce
10/11/2005
So much is in a name. And that's especially true at the under-construction condominium trio The Strand.
Developer Jack Onder puts inspiration for the community's name in two locales: London and the beaches of southern California. London's Strand connects Trafalgar Square with Fleet Street at the edge of London proper; the word itself is derived from the old English for shore riverbank. And in California, it's used for the slim stretches of shoreline that link larger beaches. Both suitable monikers, Onder says, for a place that will tie new development along the Willamette to Portland's existing cultural center - and connect residents to the activity of the water.
The development of The Strand was a long time coming, Onder said. The land, which sits between Southwest River Drive and the Willamette River, was purchased from the Portland Development Commission. Initial requirements included 150 condominiums and a boutique hotel for the space. But post 9/11, tourism was down, and a hotel just wasn't going to work, Onder said. But the city's goal was to activate the waterfront, and Onder and his partners, Williams and Dame Development Inc., went back to the city with another idea - a restaurant.
The final community is a grouping of three condominium towers, two with 11 floors and one with 13, and a single-story restaurant. The glass and metal point towers are brick and metal at the base, where two-story townhomes offer another option for residents looking for a different feel. The total unit count is 189 condominiums and 27 townhomes.
The point towers, Onder says, were a master stroke. The original design had called for two shorter towers, but the idea for three point towers allowed just about every unit to get an eyeful of the Willamette.
"We said, wait a minute - if we do point towers, more units will have views," he said.
And views more units do have. Even many of the lower-level units and townhomes catch at least a glimpse of the river. The community's location right on the riverbank, set against Waterfront Park spaces on two sides and existing structures on the others, sets the homes up to have views for life.
Activity is a buzzword for the project. Residents will be able to take advantage of the river activity, and the proximity to the downtown core - and the closeness to the streetcar - makes for easy access to Portland's cultural hub as well. As a result, Onder said, its attracting buyers who want that closeness to both the natural world and the nightlife. Lifestyle, he said, is proving to be more important to buyers than age or background.
"Some of the buildings we did in the Pearl attracted people who are in the 60 to 80 age range. And they're out there. They're at restaurants. They're at gallery openings," Onder said.
Buyers are taking notice. The sales office opened a month ago on the one and two bedroom homes, which range from the high $200,000 mark to $3 million. The 136 units put on the market in April were reserved in a month and a half, Onder said, and the upper-level penthouse units that are being released now have had exceptionally high interest.
The connection to the waterfront for the public is key as well. It's no gated community, Onder said, and the airy, open feel created by the abundance of space between the glass-and-metal towers makes a big difference in pulling Portlanders down to the waterfront. In fact, said Mike Cline, principal at project architect Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects, foot traffic was at the forefront of thinking in the plan.
"It's designed in kind of a more European fashion where the car coexists with the pedestrians," Cline said.
The restaurant is expected to be a huge attractor. The Portland Design Commission latched onto the space during the approval process, Cline said, as not only a well-designed element but as a potentially great way to bring the Portland community to the waterfront.
"They really felt it was there great counterpoint and created the amazing space for the public," he said.
Construction began in February. The east tower is expected to be completed next September, with the north tower following along in November. Completion of the west tower is expected in spring 2007, with the entire project expected to wrap up soon after.
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