Old Town/Chinatown News - Page 70

2oh1 · #**1381** Posted **Apr 13, 2015, 9:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derek

Not that I've ever really payed too much attention to that building, but I've never even noticed that there's a parking garage above the 2 retail floors..

I never noticed that either. I hate above ground garages, but this one proves that it can be done well.

The problem with most of our garages, especially downtown, is that they're poorly designed. Look at the garage at 10th & Yamhill as a perfect example. The ground floor retail is nasty. Compare the retail on the north and south sides of that block along Yamhill. The difference is huge. And no attempt was made to make the garage attractive at all. It's just a big nasty bunch of layers of concrete.

PDXDENSITY · #**1382** Posted **Apr 15, 2015, 2:55 PM**

Is there an e-mail to make public comment about the tall building with the cantiliever overhang? I want to strongly argue in favor of original height and design.

maccoinnich · #**1383** Posted **Apr 15, 2015, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Old Town Chinatown building, empty for 30 years, to reopen as the Society Hotel

A onetime stopover for sailors passing through Portland will play host to travelers again.

A team of investors are in the midst of a $4 million to $5 million renovation of the Mariners Building, built in 1881 at Northwest Third Avenue and Davis Street. It will reopen later this year as the Society Hotel, a combination boutique hotel and hostel.

The building has been empty for more than 30 years, and its upper floors sealed off for nearly 70. Its reinvention is part of a push to reinvigorate Old Town Chinatown, and the Portland Development Commission has loaned $678,000 toward the project.

...continues at the Oregonian.

2oh1 · #**1384** Posted **Apr 15, 2015, 8:10 PM**

Wow. I had no idea the upper floors of that building had been sealed off since the late 1940s. That's insane.

It's great to see good things happening in Old Town!

maccoinnich · #**1385** Posted **Apr 16, 2015, 7:05 AM**

I got curious about whatever happened to the plan to restore the Hillock & McMillan building on Naito Parkway. I found this video on vimeo, posted only 5 days ago. Worth watching. I'm curious what the status of the project is.

maccoinnich · #**1386** Posted **Apr 19, 2015, 10:24 PM**

Block 8L

ORNative · #**1387** Posted **Apr 20, 2015, 7:40 PM**

"I got curious about whatever happened to the plan to restore the Hillock & McMillan building on Naito Parkway. I found this video on vimeo, posted only 5 days ago. Worth watching. I'm curious what the status of the project is."

Mac - I watched the video, you are right. Very interesting and exciting. Hopefully the project continues to move forward.

maccoinnich · #**1388** Posted **Apr 22, 2015, 8:21 PM**

Report [PDF] from BPS about the height limit increase for the Multnomah County Health Dept HQ.

urbanlife · #**1389** Posted **Apr 23, 2015, 12:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Report [PDF] from BPS about the height limit increase for the Multnomah County Health Dept HQ.

I hope they let them go up to 150ft, it makes sense and would make for a good addition for the city. Besides, 75ft is just unrealistic for that area when across the street allows for 350ft.

maccoinnich · #**1390** Posted **Apr 30, 2015, 7:27 AM**

Grove Hotel drawings [PDF - 4MB].

2oh1 · #**1391** Posted **Apr 30, 2015, 7:15 PM**

I forgot how ugly the Grove building is. It's a shame they couldn't either tear it down entirely or attempt to rehab the Burnside portion to it's pre-1930 appearance (minus the part that was cut off for the widening of Burnside, of course).

urbanlife · #**1392** Posted **Apr 30, 2015, 8:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Grove Hotel drawings [PDF - 4MB].

It looks really good, I am looking forward to this renovation and infill addition to that area.

maccoinnich · #**1393** Posted **May 2, 2015, 6:27 PM**

maccoinnich · #**1394** Posted **May 5, 2015, 2:36 AM**

The Historic Landmarks Commission offered Design Advice on the Grove Hotel today. They were extremely supportive. They had minor reservations about the Oriel window and the material choice, and asked to the applicant to either look into those choices further or convince them with street level perspectives. The biggest concern was over the blank party wall, which will always be visible because it abuts historic properties that aren't going anywhere.

One thing I hadn't realized from the drawing packet is that the top floor will have a penthouse restaurant. It should have some pretty cool views over the Skidmore fountain area and towards the river.

downtownpdx · #**1395** Posted **May 6, 2015, 12:56 PM**

Crane's up at Ankrom Moison site

maccoinnich · #**1396** Posted **May 8, 2015, 6:49 PM**

Quote:

New Portland food hall, Pine Street Market, opening this year with Olympia Provisions hot dogs, Ken's Artisan bread

A historic building in Portland's Old Town will soon become the city's first modern food hall.

Pine Street Market, a 10,000-square-foot food hall will span the entire ground floor of the 1886 United Carriage and Baggage Transfer Building (once home to the first Old Spaghetti Factory) and will bring nearly a dozen, big-name Portland restaurants, breweries, bakeries and more together under its skylit roof.

"This is like planning a food festival that's going to be around for 30 years," said Mike Thelin, who is curating the hall in conjunction with Siteworks Design. "We have a really good collection of strong, iconic, region-defining operators. We're lucky to have them."

...continues at the Oregonian.

Abide · #**1397** Posted **May 9, 2015, 1:05 AM**

In another couple of years, I'll be able to count the number of vacant buildings downtown on one hand. Love it!

PDX City-State · #**1398** Posted **May 9, 2015, 6:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abide

In another couple of years, I'll be able to count the number of vacant buildings downtown on one hand. Love it!

That part of town is really going to take off. The Marriott Signature where Huber's is, the market rate apartments near UO and OCOM, the new Wyndham time share hotel Naito and Pine, Pine Street Market and a lot more.

So great to see.

PacificNW · #**1399** Posted **May 10, 2015, 1:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDX City-State

That part of town is really going to take off. The Marriott Signature where Huber's is, the market rate apartments near UO and OCOM, the new Wyndham time share hotel Naito and Pine, Pine Street Market and a lot more.

So great to see.

I wonder if the hotel will have a direction connection to Hubers for its guests. If not, that would seem like a lost opportunity considering the history of Hubers.. I remember going there for their Spanish Coffee...

PDX City-State · #**1400** Posted **May 10, 2015, 7:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificNW

I wonder if the hotel will have a direction connection to Hubers for its guests. If not, that would seem like a lost opportunity considering the history of Hubers.. I remember going there for their Spanish Coffee...

Sounds like it will, and also sounds like there is going to be some pretty prominent food amenities there from other top Portland operators. So excited about what Downtown is FINALLY becoming. The Skidmore/Yamhill districts now are akin to what the West End was in 2006/2007.