91视频

Despite heavy criticism from neighboring residents, an 18-unit apartment building likely will replace a Northwest Portland home built more than 100 years ago.

Last May, Creston Homes and appeared before the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission to present plans for a three-story apartment project at 2124 N.W. Flanders St. The proposal faced resistance from people concerned about the potential impacts on the rest of the Alphabet Historic District.

On Monday the project team presented essentially the same proposal in a land-use hearing, and this time it is expected to win approval 鈥� as long as the design team revises its plans for windows and doors.

鈥淚 think it’s too bad,鈥� said Donald Genasci, a member of the Northwest District Association. 鈥淭hey’re tearing down a building that is in the character of the neighborhood, and their proposed building will ultimately cut out a considerable amount of light from the neighbors on both sides. It doesn’t conform to city code.鈥�

When the proposal drew opposition last year, Don Sowieja of Myhre Group Architects speculated that some of the objections were not to the specific project, but to the precedent it could set for future projects in the neighborhood.

鈥淚 believe the neighbors oppose the project because they think it will encourage more development in the district, which I believe they oppose,鈥� Sowieja said last May.

The Alphabet Historic District has a high concentration of middle-class apartment buildings and small-scale commercial buildings constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But the existing home at 2124 N.W. Flanders St., which since 2007 has been owned and rented out by Dennis Sackhoff, ‘ president and CEO, is evaluated as a 鈥渘on-contributing鈥� resource in the national register documentation for the district.

The Historic Landmarks Commission felt that proposed modifications to the district’s building setback regulation and height limit were justified, according to city planner Dave Skilton. But the planned vinyl windows and fiberglass doors raised concerns from the commission.

鈥淭he whole thing kind of hinged on the quality and appearance of the proposed windows and doors,鈥� Skilton said. 鈥淭he commission was unanimous on not wanting to approve the flatter profile windows.鈥�

The proposed windows and doors are considered modern assemblies that would stand out inappropriately among neighboring historic homes. If the designers were to switch to traditional wooden windows and doors, or at least some visually similar to wood, then the commission would be expected to approve the project on Feb. 13.

The multifamily project is being developed by聽Creston Homes’ David Mullens, who is also working on the new apartment complex going up next to the Hollywood Theater. Mullens declined to comment on the Flanders Street project because of ongoing review by the Historic Landmarks Commission.

If the commission were to approve the proposal, opponents would have an opportunity to appeal.

One potential issue surrounds the existing home’s designation as 鈥渘on-contributing,鈥� according to Peggy Moretti, executive director of the Historic Preservation League of Oregon.

鈥淚n our opinion, the property should have been designated a 鈥榗ontributing’ building in the historic district, and had a little more research been done into the history and significance of the building, it would have been,鈥� she said in a written comment to the 91视频.

However, if the building will not be rehabilitated, Moretti said the proposed infill design seems generally compatible with the HPLO’s recommendations for new construction in historic districts.