Old Town/Chinatown News - Page 57

Sioux612 · #**1121** Posted **Jul 1, 2014, 10:20 PM**

http://placesovertime.wordpress.com/...-new-old-town/

Rob Nob · #**1122** Posted **Jul 2, 2014, 12:41 AM**

Great website! Thanks, adding a bookmark for sure.

Hard to believe that lot has been sitting vacant for 80 YEARS! Yikes. I like the idea of incremental growth expressed in Places over Time, but I can't stand vacant lots and parking lots in the downtown core, I wonder what year Old Town's lots will feel filled in? If I saw a lot per year I would be happy, but the pace seems more like one per 5.

davehogan · #**1123** Posted **Jul 2, 2014, 5:50 AM**

Sold. Just do it. (tm) Just get this over with and build something there already. Less parking lots? Even better.

mmeade · #**1124** Posted **Jul 9, 2014, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tworivers

I agree about the importance of maintaining existing scale in historic districts but I think the architecture should be allowed, even encouraged, to be unapologetically contemporary. To my understanding, and maybe you can clarify, the HLC was very upset about the Mercy Corps design and managed to water it down somewhat.

I was not directly involved with the HLC review of Mercy Corps. I can say that it was not an easy process, but as I recall actual changes to the building were relatively minor. There is a lot that the Mercy Corps building was already doing to maintain the scale and qualities of the neighborhood. There was a lot of discussion over several items.

Specifically, the building is under both the local HLC, and the National Park system because of the cast iron facades in the neighborhood. The National Park system requires a modern building built in sympathy with the neighborhood, but that was not in line with the HLC requirements. It was impossible to meet both regulation requests.

RED_PDXer · #**1125** Posted **Jul 11, 2014, 1:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Nob

You need to get a majority of the Commissioners vote. 4 out of the 7 Commissioners would get you through Landmarks Review, and there is no design review.

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/article/168808

Commissions rarely get the final say in the case of an appeal on a major issue. I don't have time to have a definitive answer to this, but I did find this. New structures in a historic district are subject to a Type III land use process, btw. There may be some odd exception in the code for historic commission, but I find it hard to believe they have the final say.

33.720.020 Quasi-Judicial Land Use Reviews
F. City Council.
All appeals of land use reviews subject to a Type III procedure are assigned to the City Council.

pdxstreetcar · #**1126** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 6:37 AM**

Skidmore District is a National Historic Landmark District, one of the few National Historic Landmarks in the state of Oregon on par with Timberline Lodge (NHLs are of national-level historical significance and are the equivalent of Grade 1 listed in England), this is not merely on the National Register of Historic Places. That is why it has high historic review requirements and gaudy Dubai or Shanghai novelty starchitecture is not allowed.

NewUrbanist · #**1127** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 11:41 PM**

I'm sure someone has posted this already, however, I could find it. This is the flickr account for the Portland Development Commission. There are photos of the interiors for the Society Hotel on the corner of 3rd and Davis. There are several other photo series as well.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pdxdev...7644858386209/

maccoinnich · #**1128** Posted **Jul 15, 2014, 12:05 AM**

Thanks for posting. This project was completely off my radar. From what I can find online, it is being converted into a youth hostel?

EDIT - yes. Here's their facebook page. Should be a great addition to the area.

pdxtraveler · #**1129** Posted **Jul 15, 2014, 4:11 PM**

I am so excited about this project! It is my favorite building in the area, it just has a HORRIBLE paint job. Get that grotesque paint changed and it will be gorgeous. I have spent a LOT of time in the bar across the street and it will be a great improvement to the view from my bar stool! lol! Though the street theater as it is can be pretty entertaining!

maccoinnich · #**1130** Posted **Jul 15, 2014, 7:02 PM**

Quote:

Portland Commissioner Steve Novick 'leaning' in support of plan to subsidize apartments in Old Town Chinatown

A plan to subsidize apartment construction in Old Town Chinatown for middle-income Portlanders has tentative support from Commissioner Steve Novick, the swing vote on the City Council.

Novick said he will listen to testimony during Wednesday's hearing but finds himself favoring a proposal to waive an estimated $7 million in development fees to promote construction of up to 500 apartments.

Mayor Charlie Hales has prioritized redevelopment in Old Town Chinatown, the historic neighborhood tucked between the city's business core and the thriving Pearl District.

"I'm leaning in the mayor's direction," Novick said this week, making his first public comments about the long-stalled proposal.

...continues at the Oregonian.

urbanlife · #**1131** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 12:05 AM**

That is good news, I would like to see a push for middle income housing for people looking to live downtown. Though I always figured Chinatown/Old Town would have been more of a hotbed for small unit apartments that were more attractive to young individuals.

philopdx · #**1132** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 4:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

...continues at the Oregonian.

There's the usual bellyaching in the comments section. I'm for it, if we can get a few hundred middle-income people living in old town. It would change the fabric of the place completely.

pdxstreetcar · #**1133** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by philopdx

There's the usual bellyaching in the comments section. I'm for it, if we can get a few hundred middle-income people living in old town. It would change the fabric of the place completely.

Although wasn't that tried 12 or so years ago with that tower at NW 4th & Flanders?

cab · #**1134** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 2:06 PM**

Uwajimai was the big missed opportunity. I wonder if its still an option. That store on the blackhole parking lot in the middle of the district would be the missing link. Maybe the city should approach Fubonn about a store?

urbanlife · #**1135** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cab

Uwajimai was the big missed opportunity. I wonder if its still an option. That store on the blackhole parking lot in the middle of the district would be the missing link. Maybe the city should approach Fubonn about a store?

That is one of the projects I really wished would have happened in Old Town. That one block would have had such a huge impact on the surrounding area.

PDX City-State · #**1136** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanlife

That is one of the projects I really wished would have happened in Old Town. That one block would have had such a huge impact on the surrounding area.

I agree. It's too bad. In my opinion, Uwajimaya is the biggest missed opportunity by PDC in recent years. I think in the end, it came down to project financing--commercial lending being what it was for awhile--so you can't really blame leadership as much as timing. That said, that project would have been great for so many reasons: for Central City residents, the historic tie to the neighborhood, and the housing that would have been above it. Plus, it's a proven business--unlike say the Portland Public Market, which is a good idea, but has suffered from a lack of good leadership and will probably never happen.

maccoinnich · #**1137** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 4:09 PM**

I totally agree with both of you. It could have been a real catalyst for improvement in that area.

If the reason the project collapsed was financing, is there any chance of it being revived?

PDX City-State · #**1138** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 5:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

I totally agree with both of you. It could have been a real catalyst for improvement in that area.

If the reason the project collapsed was financing, is there any chance of it being revived?

Good question. It was a pretty complex deal if I remember correctly--public private partnership with a retail tenant. I'd love to see it come back, but don't know much about the current status. Imagine what the neighborhood would feel like with such a big retail draw. Plus Uwajimaya also features its own restaurant tenants. There's a sushi place and a ramen shop at the one in Seattle.

2oh1 · #**1139** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 6:52 PM**

Uwajimaya really was a tragic missed opportunity for Portland, especially for Old Town, but the timing couldn't have been worse. It was proposed just before the market crashed. Ouch. And if I recall correctly, it was finally declared dead when the market bottomed out. Double ouch.

philopdx · #**1140** Posted **Jul 19, 2014, 12:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDX City-State

Good question. It was a pretty complex deal if I remember correctly--public private partnership with a retail tenant. I'd love to see it come back, but don't know much about the current status. Imagine what the neighborhood would feel like with such a big retail draw. Plus Uwajimaya also features its own restaurant tenants. There's a sushi place and a ramen shop at the one in Seattle.

Agree with all the comments on Uwajimaya above. I wonder if the macro lending environment has changed enough to warrant another go?