The Portland Plaza

Norelco · #1 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 3:03 AM**

I'm new to the forum (have been lurking for a long time). I don't see a thread on the "Norelco" building, and since we are in the process of buying a unit there, I thought I'd get your take on it.

I've read that it was a financial flop when it was first built, but I admit that when we visited Portland many years ago for an event at Keller, we found ourselves thinking "wouldn't it be cool to live there."

PacificNW · #2 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 5:25 AM**

I have always liked the look of the building...and what a great spot sitting across the street from the fountain and performance hall. Years ago I was visiting a friend who lived in the building...I liked the space. I had heard they decided to rent when the condo market was soft....are they now on the condo market? Congrats, btw.

bvpcvm · #3 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 5:40 AM**

Didn't the developer build an identical building in Honolulu?

Norelco · #4 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

I have always liked the look of the building...and what a great spot sitting across the street from the fountain and performance hall. Years ago I was visiting a friend who lived in the building...I liked the space. I had heard they decided to rent when the condo market was soft....are they now on the condo market? Congrats, btw.

The majority are still condos. There are probably a dozen rentals and a fair number that are second homes. It should be a quiet building - well, until we move in!

The views are dynamic. Our unit overlooks Keller fountain with views of the river and Mt. Hood (and my future office, the Green/Wyatt building).

Quote:

Originally Posted by bvpcvm

Didn't the developer build an identical building in Honolulu?

I read just the opposite, Portland's was a duplicate, but yes. I've looked at Honolulu skyline pics, but can't spot it.

Thanks!

pdxtraveler · #5 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 1:01 PM**

Yes, I have heard that it had financial hard times when it first was built. I don't think it was about the building per say, it was about that time in this country. Everyone wanted a house in the suburbs, urban condos were not the thing. I bit ahead of its time. I love the look of the building as well.

MarkDaMan · #6 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 4:24 PM**

Very interesting, I searched the Portland Plaza Building in the Google News archive section and there are all sorts of articles about this building going back to the late 60s, including a group of NIMBYs that tried to stop the construction of the building for casting shadows onto what is now the Keller Fountain.

Norelco · #7 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 5:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxtraveler

Yes, I have heard that it had financial hard times when it first was built. I don't think it was about the building per say, it was about that time in this country. Everyone wanted a house in the suburbs, urban condos were not the thing. I bit ahead of its time. I love the look of the building as well.

I think the concept of no balconies and the odd "pie-shaped" living area made the units a hard sell. We dig it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkDaMan

Very interesting, I searched the Portland Plaza Building in the Google News archive section and there are all sorts of articles about this building going back to the late 60s, including a group of NIMBYs that tried to stop the construction of the building for casting shadows onto what is now the Keller Fountain.

I've not seen those articles -the building does cast a shadow on the park, so that makes sense. The building was completed in the early 70s, so the timing is right. I'll have to check them out. I also read that it was featured in Time Magazine shortly after construction, but I can't access their archives.

tworivers · #8 Posted: **Jun 8, 2012, 7:30 PM**

I really like this building. And it is still looking great after 40 years -- not bad.

I wish that we had many more examples of building outside the "box".

Norelco · #9 Posted: **Jun 9, 2012, 8:31 PM**

I may have found the Honolulu counterpart, the Plaza Hawaii Kai. It's quite different, but you can see the similarities. The architect designed this on with a larger footprint and windows that open.

Quote:

http://www.thehawaiistatecondoguide....HAWAIIKAI.html

Shilo Rune 96 · #10 Posted: **Jun 10, 2012, 11:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norelco

I'm new to the forum (have been lurking for a long time). I don't see a thread on the "Norelco" building, and since we are in the process of buying a unit there, I thought I'd get your take on it.

Just curious, did you consider living in the Pearl District at all? If not, please explain a little about your decision in picking this area. I always like to learn about people's decision making process in buying real estate.

Norelco · #11 Posted: **Jun 11, 2012, 12:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shilo Rune 96

Just curious, did you consider living in the Pearl District at all? If not, please explain a little about your decision in picking this area. I always like to learn about people's decision making process in buying real estate.

We looked at all areas in and around downtown. We did want to get something over 1200 sq. ft., so many of the Pearl units didn't fit into our budget. Those that did were townhome-style units and we prefer our living spaces to all be on one floor.

We love the energy in the Pearl and NW Districts a lot, but even if it were in our price range, that same energy level brings a fair amount of congestion. I'm not sure the infrastructure in those neighborhoods adequately support the population increase. We enjoy living near PSU as it has easy access from the south, where most of our family lives. And the Pearl is a short hop on the MAX or streetcar.

Derek · #12 Posted: **Jun 12, 2012, 7:36 PM**

What congestion?

Norelco · #13 Posted: **Jun 13, 2012, 12:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek

What congestion?

Usually the people on the sidewalks move faster than the cars. Of course, I mainly hang out at Powell's, so that's typically congested.

The PSU area is great around happy hour. You've got the typical PDX blue jeans guy (me), the students, and then the "suits" all hanging around together.

Derek · #14 Posted: **Jun 13, 2012, 1:54 AM**

Hmmm yeah I live in the Pearl and I don't really notice any congestion. It doesn't matter though, we all call this fine city home.

Norelco · #15 Posted: **Jun 13, 2012, 3:09 AM**

Well said. After living in the downtown area for two years, I appreciate every district and the unique qualities. I've lived in a lot of smaller cities and I would never have imagined loving the urban life so much.

After my 2009 trip to NYC, I became a true lover of buildings.

Norelco · #16 Posted: **Jun 22, 2012, 3:13 AM**

My first (and not-so-successful) attempt at a panoramic. This is the view from the SE units of the Portland Plaza.

zilfondel · #17 Posted: **Jun 23, 2012, 11:48 PM**

Check out autostitch - its a free panoramic stiching software you can use if you don't have photoshop.

http://www.cs.bath.ac.uk/brown/autos...utostitch.html

maccoinnich · #18 Posted: **Jun 25, 2012, 5:00 AM**

Also, if your camera supports it, set it to manual, and make sure each image has the same exposure.

urbanlife · #19 Posted: **Jun 27, 2012, 5:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxtraveler

Yes, I have heard that it had financial hard times when it first was built. I don't think it was about the building per say, it was about that time in this country. Everyone wanted a house in the suburbs, urban condos were not the thing. I bit ahead of its time. I love the look of the building as well.

Actually it was mostly about the design of the building for it being a failure. When it was first built it was designed by an LA architect who acted like he was designing a building in LA and not in Oregon. The architect designed the building with windows that didn't open. Trying to sell a building with windows that don't open in Oregon is like trying to sell an Oregonian on building a new highway system....it's just not gonna happen.

No units in the building sold when it opened and they had to go back and renovate the building to put in a number of working windows.