Centennial Mills Redevelopment | Proposed

[2oh1]

Another hotel? Wow. We already have so many on the way that I'm sure most of us have lost track of them all. I'm amazed the market for hotels isn't expected to be saturated by the time this site breaks ground.

[maccoinnich]

Developer steps up at Centennial Mills



The latest developer seeking to transform Centennial Mills greeted Pearl District neighbors last week, offering to listen to local residents but volunteering few details about their plans for the historic riverfront site in Northwest Portland.

Lynd Opportunity Partners, a major developer based in San Antonio, was selected in April to enter into exclusive negotiation with Prosper Portland for the 4.4-acre property.

Lynd executives introduced their project team, including SERA Architects, landscape architect Mayer/Reed and heavy-hitting law firm Stoel Rives.

Members of the project team said the number of buildings and their heights, uses and configuration were to be determined.

“This is a large parcel and it could potentially support three to four buildings on it,” SERA principal Kurt Schultz said.

...continues at the DJC (unlocked).

[johnliu]

"Three or four" buildings implies most of the property is built over, with minimal open space. I am curious to see how the plans will respect the purpose of the Centennial Mills project which is to create a new waterfront public space, highlight the industrial history, connect the riverfront greenway, and create public benefits. I really hope they don't propose filling the site with some insipid office/condo/apartment buildings and offering a 15 foot strip along the riverfront and the narrow spaces between the buildings as the long-promised public space. And it may not matter if the buildings are the opposite of insipid; the purpose of this site is not to be covered with buildings devoted to private uses, no matter how good the architecture.

[MarkDaMan]

Originally Posted by johnliu

"Three or four" buildings implies most of the property is built over, with minimal open space. I am curious to see how the plans will respect the purpose of the Centennial Mills project which is to create a new waterfront public space, highlight the industrial history, connect the riverfront greenway, and create public benefits. I really hope they don't propose filling the site with some insipid office/condo/apartment buildings and offering a 15 foot strip along the riverfront and the narrow spaces between the buildings as the long-promised public space. And it may not matter if the buildings are the opposite of insipid; the purpose of this site is not to be covered with buildings devoted to private uses, no matter how good the architecture.

Prosper Portland's (PDC) handling of the Centennial Mills site has been a cluster fu*k from the very beginning. In my perfect world, the PDC would be using the rest of the money from the URA to bury the remaining train tracks (including underground access for Union Station) and work with OSU to develop their building/parking lot. This would open up a ton of land for development and connect the Pearl to the Willamette.

[maccoinnich]

Centennial Mills new buyer almost home

The latest potential buyer of Centennial Mills visits with big plans for condos, a park and affordable housing on the rare seven-acre waterfront site in northwest Portland's River District



Members of The Lynd Company, the latest real estate development company to take on Centennial Mills, were in town last week to meet the locals.

Two representatives of the San Antonio, Texas-based firm gathered in front of a public audience in the meeting room of Prosper Portland in Old Town, accompanied by representatives from the architects and law firm attached to the project.

Will Thier of Prosper Portland, who has been the project manager on Centennial Mills for four years, explained that the agency solicited buyers last fall and after meeting with five chose the Lynd Company in April. It's not a done deal yet, but both sides expect a sale to go through this summer. The last deal, with Jordan Schnitzer, fell apart in 2014 over how much the city was expected to contribute.

Selective demolition of Centennial Mills began in 2015, so that now the main flour mill with the water tower on its roof stands out among the remaining bland structures. The Crescent Electric building sits to the north and could be included in the sale.

...continues at the Business Tribune.

[maccoinnich]

The City of Portland’s Hopes For Centennial Mills Development Fall Apart Again
For the third time, plans to revive the derelict Willamette River property fail to materialize.



Efforts to redevelop the Centennial Mills site on the bank of the Willamette River in Northwest Portland have once again ended in failure.

On April 17, Kimberly Branam, the executive director of Prosper Portland, the city’s economic development agency, informed City Council via email that Lynd Opportunity Partners, which Branam’s agency last year selected as the latest developer of the troubled site, was backing out of its deal with the city.

The city acquired the four-acre site in 2000 and hoped to preserve and redevelop what had been an active grain mill and dock since 1910. The property offered an opportunity to extend the riverfront greenway trail for recreational use and to re-claim for mixed commercial uses part of Portland’s industrial and shipping heritage.

...continues at the Willamette Week.

[maccoinnich]

Rethinking Centennial Mills

Three failed attempts to shoehorn development onto this historic site are enough; make it an industrial-ruins park

In the 61 years since voters first approved formation of the Portland Development Commission (today known as Prosper Portland), perhaps no city redevelopment effort has been a more epic disaster than Centennial Mills.

The recent news that Prosper Portland's latest agreement with a private developer to redo the site has fallen through — the third time this has happened — makes it painfully obvious that something needs to change. The agency swears they'll get it right this time, as they shake hands on a new deal. But clearly, it's time to re-think the entire approach.

This is one of the most historic sites in the entire city, where millions of acres of Oregon wheat were milled and sent to market for more than a century — a bigger contributor to our economy than even timber. But since Prosper Portland took ownership a couple decades ago, thanks to their delinquent stewardship there has been more deterioration than in the previous hundred years — so much so that most of these priceless architectural artifacts have already been demolished.

...continues at the Business Tribune.

[maccoinnich]

Prosper Portland now plans to sell the Centennial Mills site to a group of buyers for $13 million. The board will likely approve this tomorrow afternoon. Notably, the condition of sale will no longer require retention of the Flour Mill (the building with the water tower), ending hopes of retaining any part of the historic structures on the site.

[pdxsg34]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

Prosper Portland now plans to sell the Centennial Mills site to a group of buyers for $13 million. The board will likely approve this tomorrow afternoon. Notably, the condition of sale will no longer require retention of the Flour Mill (the building with the water tower), ending hopes of retaining any part of the historic structures on the site.

Its sad the historic aspects of the site died a slow death, but im glad to see this out of prosper portland's hands. It's been a nightmare for the past decade.

[CorbinWarrick]

That’s awesome news. It shouldn’t be this hard for such a prime riverfront spot to be developed but this is Portland they make things more challenging than what it is.

I personally can’t wait till they bulldoze the eyesore and make it an enjoyable experience with River access, restaurants and of course residential living. Developers should take note how Vancouver Washington is building their waterfront. It puts Portlands to shame

[downtownpdx]

Originally Posted by CorbinWarrick

That’s awesome news. It shouldn’t be this hard for such a prime riverfront spot to be developed but this is Portland they make things more challenging than what it is.

I personally can’t wait till they bulldoze the eyesore and make it an enjoyable experience with River access, restaurants and of course residential living. Developers should take note how Vancouver Washington is building their waterfront. It puts Portlands to shame

I beg to differ on the 'bulldozer' -- a really creative project could've preserved and utilized the historic structure, combined with new development, to create something lively while honoring Portland's past.

Vancouver has definitely put together a wonderful waterfront in a short amount of time. I think it's pretty inaccurate to say it puts Portland's "to shame" -- they are very different styles of waterfront. Portland's is centered around a park, a marina with shops and restaurants, and a more industrial east side. Vancouver's is all commercial activity right at the forefront. It has great landscaping and gorgeous views of a much grander river. They're both ranked highly nationally by Fodor's (Portland #2) https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/t...-united-states

I don't know how Centennial Mills will play out. But I do wish Portland's waterfront had more commercial activity - as in restaurants. The Zidell Yards is a perfect example. As I was jogging along there recently I noticed the gorgeous views of downtown - how nice would it be to liven the area up with right-at-the-water's-edge dining, once they develop the neighborhood one day? Anyway, outside of Riverplace there just is very little of this in our city. Waterfront Park is great for many reasons, but after dark I don't want to be there.

[MarkDaMan]

Can we get the city council out of Prosper Portland? They've become inept, kinda like the city government as a whole, and can't get anything done because it's now infused with politics and not able to do what it used to do well, which is spur development.

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by downtownpdx

I beg to differ on the 'bulldozer' -- a really creative project could've preserved and utilized the historic structure, combined with new development, to create something lively while honoring Portland's past.

Vancouver has definitely put together a wonderful waterfront in a short amount of time. I think it's pretty inaccurate to say it puts Portland's "to shame" -- they are very different styles of waterfront. Portland's is centered around a park, a marina with shops and restaurants, and a more industrial east side. Vancouver's is all commercial activity right at the forefront. It has great landscaping and gorgeous views of a much grander river. They're both ranked highly nationally by Fodor's (Portland #2) https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/t...-united-states

I don't know how Centennial Mills will play out. But I do wish Portland's waterfront had more commercial activity - as in restaurants. The Zidell Yards is a perfect example. As I was jogging along there recently I noticed the gorgeous views of downtown - how nice would it be to liven the area up with right-at-the-water's-edge dining, once they develop the neighborhood one day? Anyway, outside of Riverplace there just is very little of this in our city. Waterfront Park is great for many reasons, but after dark I don't want to be there.

I don’t agree there but I respect your opinion. But to me Portland waterfront is actually very boring and bland. Just a endless strip of sidewalk and grass. No food carts, no Ferris wheel type of attraction, no fitness area, restaurants, it’s just really bland. I wish it had more of a 24 hour attraction feel and just a popping atmosphere. I think Vancouver Washington did all this very well. I really love that walking thing that sticks out to the river. It’s really cool looking.

I hope with the new Fremont place tower next to this and good development at this site we all the sudden get a really good riverfront design. Excited to see what they do now that the developers can start with an easy open canvas

[maccoinnich]

Portland poised to sell Centennial Mills property for $13 million after three failed redevelopments



Portland’s economic development agency appears poised to sell the 4.4-acre Centennial Mills property for $13 million after multiple failed attempts to redevelop the former flour mill in Northwest Portland.

The Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners will vote during their meeting Wednesday on whether to sell the property, which the city has owned for more than two decades, to California-based developers Handson Equities LLC, Emma Corp. and MLR Ventures LLC, according to documents prepared for the meeting.

The Centennial Mills property was last appraised for $11.7 million in 2018, according to the report. The current value of the land is estimated to be about $12.8 million, with the structures on the site adding an additional $1.2 million to the value, according to the Multnomah County Assessor’s Office.

“Prosper Portland’s best efforts over the past 15 years to further the redevelopment of Centennial Mills, in alignment with the strategic guidance and requirements governing the property have been unsuccessful,” the report states.

Prosper Portland did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The Daily Journal of Commerce was the first to report on the potential sale.

...continues at the Oregonian.

[urbanlife]

That's sad to see this building being sold and eventually torn down probably, unless the developer ends up renovating it for condos, which seems highly unlikely. I have always known this building would eventually come down after that last attempt to turn the building into a cultural museum sort of space with a park bridge spanning from the park to the building fell through years ago.

[pdxsg34]

Some sort of direct pedestrian access from Fields Park to the site would be difference maker imo. Regardless of what's developed there, especially if it were waterfront retail/restaurants, the access is a little tricky with the railroad and width of Naito cutting the site off from easy access. You could walk from 9th to intersection on Naito, but its kind of its own island of a site currently. Glad to see this new development group has some waterfront experience though.

[Leo]

Originally Posted by pdxsg34

Some sort of direct pedestrian access from Fields Park to the site would be difference maker imo. Regardless of what's developed there, especially if it were waterfront retail/restaurants, the access is a little tricky with the railroad and width of Naito cutting the site off from easy access. You could walk from 9th to intersection on Naito, but its kind of its own island of a site currently. Glad to see this new development group has some waterfront experience though.

Yeah, a pedestrian bridge over the tracks would be a game-changer. It just took a few times of being stuck on the wrong side of the tracks in the rain when a freight train rolled through to stop me from casually strolling to the waterfront ...

I've always been glad that Portland didn't turn its waterfront into a circus, like so many other cities do. You can't really argue that people don't use the waterfront as it is, or that it would automatically be better if we crowded more people into it.

[maccoinnich]

I don't think I would want Portland to copy and paste the piers in Seattle or San Francisco onto our waterfront.... but also I do find it strange that there are so few opportunities to have a meal or drink a glass of wine facing the river. We have enough riverfront that we can have a variety of experiences along it, and it would be nice to have some commercial spaces included as part of Centennial Mills. I think the North Pearl now has enough population to make those spaces work, too. A pedestrian bridge over the tracks to the Fields would really make this all come together, I think.

[eric cantona]

As originally conceived by Peter Walker Partners for the Three Parks Master Plan there was a bridge connection from Fields Park to the Centennial Mills site. I recall it being held for a very long time during the development of each of the parks, but at some point it was axed due to cost, IIRC.

Image of the Framework Plan is in this article:

https://plannersweb.com/2013/08/a-tale-of-three-parks/

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by Leo

I've always been glad that Portland didn't turn its waterfront into a circus, like so many other cities do. You can't really argue that people don't use the waterfront as it is, or that it would automatically be better if we crowded more people into it.

What does our waterfront even offer? It’s so bland. Just concrete and grass. Yea we can have a few events on it in the summer but other than that what does it offer?

Like Macc said you hardly can even find anything there to do like eating and enjoying a glass of wine facing the river. I keep going back to Vancouver Washington because they did it so well.

At this point, it is what it is, all we can do now is hope riverplace new development is a homerun with this type of stuff