Plan is for green South Waterfront park
Two-block park inspired by Willamette River, sustainable buildings
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 04:00 AM PST Friday, January 2, 2009
BY JUSTIN CARINCI
Five years ago, the flat piece of land between Southwest Moody and Bond avenues looked unremarkable in the nascent South Waterfront District. Now, surrounded by towering buildings, the grassy parcel is a receptacle for the hopes of residents and planners eager to see the district become a neighborhood.
Called South Waterfront Neighborhood Park – for now – the park will extend two blocks south from Southwest Curry Street, a block removed from Oregon Health & Science University’s Center for Health & Healing. Bids for building the park and street improvements will be accepted until Thursday.
The $2.8 million park, designed by Hargreaves Associates, will feature a large central lawn area, play and gathering areas, gardens, shrubs, trees and sculptures. It will accommodate a small stage for concerts and events, and continued street-side markets.
South Waterfront resident Karli Olson enjoys the markets that sometimes line the undeveloped park. “It’s always fun when they have events down there,” she said. Olson said she hopes to keep using the open space and looks forward to using the benches and gathering areas.
With a sizable number of senior citizen condominiums, people over 60 make up the largest group of South Waterfront residents, with relatively fewer families with young children. Designers took these demographics, along with the park’s urban location, into account.
In a still-growing district, however, the population mix is likely to change. “The key is flexibility,” said Kurt Lango, principal with Lango Hansen, the local landscape architects on the project.
“There is a children’s play area incorporated into the design, but it’s not a typical play area,” Lango said. Instead of plastic jungle gyms, the area will include large granite stones designed to appeal to people of all ages.
In sight of neighbors, office workers and aerial-tram riders, the park serves an aesthetic function as much as a recreational one, Lango said. “The design team knew coming in that it was important not only how you experienced it from the streetcar and riding by it, but from above,” he said. “There are a lot of eyes looking down.”
While at the center of a dense urban district, the park is only three blocks or so from the Willamette River. Designers incorporated a visual connection with the riverfront greenway into the park plan.
The South Waterfront District, touted for its environmental awareness, has a reciprocal relationship with nature. The new park will treat storm water on site with native plantings, taking inspiration from buildings such as the LEED Platinum Center for Health & Healing. It’s an example of nature inspiring buildings that inspire nature.
“There was a lot of interest in sustainability,” Lango said, “because a lot of the buildings are on the cutting edge in terms of green practices.”
Like many undeveloped spaces, South Waterfront Neighborhood Park has been used as an off-leash dog area. The park, as designed, will not include an off-leash area, but will allow for dogs on leashes. A veterinary clinic will sponsor poop bag dispensers.
“As long as it remains dog friendly, that’s a big concern of people down here,” Olson said. “ It’s kind of like pets are the kids here.”
Construction is scheduled to begin by late February 2009, with a late-summer completion date. The Portland Parks and Recreation Naming Committee hasn’t decided on a permanent name for the park, said bureau spokeswoman Beth Sorenson. The committee’s recommendation will be passed on to parks Commissioner Dan Saltzman and then the full City Council.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDeta...tainable-build
Bids deadline for South Waterfront park extended
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 04:00 AM PST Monday, January 5, 2009
BY JUSTIN CARINCI
The deadline for bids on South Waterfront Neighborhood Park improvements has been extended one week to Jan. 15. The project consists of building a two-block park in the South Waterfront District, bordered by Southwest Moody and Bond avenues and Curry and Gaines streets.
The work is being done under two permits, one for the park and one for the street improvements. The project is estimated at $2.8 million.
Designed by Hargreaves Associates, the park will feature a large central lawn, play and gathering areas, gardens, shrubs, trees and sculptures. Construction is scheduled to begin in late February and wrap up in late summer.
“South Waterfront Neighborhood Park” is a placeholder name. The Portland Parks and Recreation Naming Committee will choose a permanent name for the park and forward the recommendation to new parks Commissioner Nick Fish. He will then forward the recommendation to Portland City Council.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDeta...-park-extended
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