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  #1  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 3:57 AM
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Question What if the SOWA Towers where in Downtown??

This is my first post and I'm sure I'll take some heat for it. How many of you have caught yourself thinking, What if the John Ross or the 3720 were in Downtown?? I love the South Waterfront as much as anyone on Portland forum. However, I've been wondering what would the towers look like if they were mixed in with Goosehollow, the Westside by where the Cyan is going up, the Pearl District or maybe in Oldtown/Chinatown so they could fill in the gap between Big Pink and the rest of Downtown.
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  #2  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 4:49 AM
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A lot of people on this forum have expressed the same thoughts, so you're not alone. Welcome to the forum.
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  #3  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 5:00 AM
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They would look great downtown, especially if they were built on some of the existing parking lots. I have to say that I really love that Portland has developed three different and distinct skylines! I wouldn't have it any other way.
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  #4  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 5:19 AM
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Thanks. I tried looking through most of the threads so I didnt repost, oh well.
I have to admit, even tho I wonder what Downtown would look like with those towers in the mix, I still wonder what SOWA will look like when its built up & out more. nwroots, I couldn't agree more, having 3 unique skylines is part of what makes Portland visually appealing. Plus watching them fill in makes it worth wild.

Last edited by LSPDX; Jun 14, 2008 at 5:36 AM.
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  #5  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 3:32 PM
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It would be nice to see a photoshopped mock-up of the existing and proposed towers in SoWa located downtown...
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  #6  
Old Posted Jun 14, 2008, 7:51 PM
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SPDX- Between our two avatars we have almost all of Portland's downtown skyline covered. Great choice.

Last edited by nwroots; Jun 14, 2008 at 7:53 PM. Reason: error
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  #7  
Old Posted Jun 15, 2008, 3:39 AM
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Actually it is more like 4 skylines now. Lloyd, Pearl, Downtown, SoWa. I like all the different skylines we have here, but I would definitely love to see the towers that are going up in SoWa start to go in throughout downtown too.
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  #8  
Old Posted Jun 15, 2008, 4:58 AM
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I always thought because of their location, that the Pearl and Downtown morphed into one skyline. Just my 2 cents. But I understand why some people would think they were 2 different skylines.
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Last edited by LSPDX; Jun 15, 2008 at 5:09 AM.
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  #9  
Old Posted Jun 15, 2008, 6:41 AM
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the lloyd just needs twice its height, it would look sweet as hell
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  #10  
Old Posted Jun 16, 2008, 3:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LSPDX View Post
I always thought because of their location, that the Pearl and Downtown morphed into one skyline. Just my 2 cents. But I understand why some people would think they were 2 different skylines.
The Pearl is classified as an inner city neighborhood. That is why I consider it to be another skyline. It is really cool to go to N Interstate and look across to see the Pearl District's skyline, knowing 10 years ago, none of that was there.
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  #11  
Old Posted Jun 16, 2008, 11:20 PM
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Am I the only one?

Is it just me or does anyone else find the architecture of SoWa to be depressingly sterile, dark and heavy? Despite being mostly glass, the adjectives light and transparent don't seem to apply to these new highrises. I think they're too big (moreso girth than heigth) for their riverbank location, the glass is too dark, and the non-grid placement of buildings - intended to create more vistas - does little to breakup their combined mass - at least from I-5 and the Ross Island Bridge. And what's up with that tan/terra cotta color accent on so many of the buildings? On the upside, I do think the SoWa buildings would be good additions to the downtown skyline.
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  #12  
Old Posted Jun 16, 2008, 11:46 PM
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I am definitely not a fan of the over use of the "tan/terra cotta color" accents which seem to be so popular in todays architecture. It will definitely "date" these towers to a particular period in time. I think SoWa could use more variety in height, though. It could use a few more taller than the current 320' as well as shorter. A few more "skinny" towers could also help break up the mass, IMO.

Last edited by PacificNW; Jun 17, 2008 at 12:40 AM.
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  #13  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2008, 1:03 AM
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For glass buildings, I think future high-rises in the Downtown area should try to have the more "brighter" look of condo towers along False Creek up in Vancouver, Canada.

And I really think some new towers (taller and more modern) are needed in the central downtown area. I was in Portland recently, and there are many areas that are simply.......ghetto. I never realized there were so many crackheads in downtown, especially near the Rite Aid along the transit mall. Maybe if some new high-rise, modern, mixed-use towers were constructed, it might give some more, positive life into the central Downtown area.
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  #14  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2008, 1:43 AM
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"ghetto/crackheads"? Reminds me of the 2nd Avenue areas of Pine and Pike in Seattle...right, urbanizer405?
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  #15  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2008, 10:04 PM
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"ghetto/crackheads"? Reminds me of the 2nd Avenue areas of Pine and Pike in Seattle...right, urbanizer405?
You got me there , or Pioneer Square...
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  #16  
Old Posted Jun 17, 2008, 10:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanizer405 View Post
there are many areas that are simply.......ghetto. I never realized there were so many crackheads in downtown, especially near the Rite Aid along the transit mall. Maybe if some new high-rise, modern, mixed-use towers were constructed, it might give some more, positive life into the central Downtown area.
I would agree the Rite Aid area attracts its share of street kids, although "ghetto" is a pretty strong word for that area.

I would love to see more mixed-use towers in the central core, too, but there's a lot of positive development wrapping up soon that will revitalize this area:

Renovated transit mall - new light rail line, new artwork, brick pavers, new transit shelters, better lighting, etc.; luxury hotel opening across the street from Rite Aid; Marriot Courtyard opening 3 blocks away on 6th; three major storefront facelifts on 5th/6th within 2 blocks, including possible renovation of the Rite Aid; new hotel starting construction soon at Alder & Park. This is activity just within 3 blocks of Rite Aid, so new towers or not, I think this area will be just fine.
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  #17  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2008, 1:45 AM
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Rite-Aid/SW Alder - Drug Treatment Center

I believe one of the reasons such shady characters congregate around the Downtown Rite-Aid and a block or two west is that there is a drug treatment center located there on Alder Street.
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  #18  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2008, 3:03 AM
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actually it has more to do with the high number of people that go into that Rite-Aid. It is a great place to ask for change.
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  #19  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2008, 3:42 AM
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Is the downtown Rite-Aid commonly known by many as an area of "streetkids"? When I was there I saw maybe 5-10 sketchy people in the area...definitely not dangerous looking though. I guess what i'm saying is if this is as bad as it gets in downtown Portland (excluding OTCT) then there is very very little to be concerned with.
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  #20  
Old Posted Jun 18, 2008, 5:53 AM
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^ basically, yes, from rite aid down to pioneer square. and up morrison, across from the galleria. oh, and in front of the library. but that's about it. if you ignore them, or just politely decline to contribute, they're not a problem.
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