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The University of Portland is eager to start developing the 35-acre parcel along the Willamette River that it purchased in 2008 鈥� so much, in fact, that it鈥檚 using a unique approach.

By the end of summer, university officials hope to build a baseball field on the new 鈥淩iver Campus鈥� 鈥� a former industrial site at the foot of a steep bluff that runs along the edge of the main campus. Then an approximately $16 million Recreation and Wellness Center is slated to replace the existing baseball facilities. But there鈥檚 more.

The university is in the final stages of creating a new master plan that will ease future expansion and development efforts. Presently, officials are bound to strict guidelines that must be amended every time an unanticipated project arises. The school cannot develop the 35-acre riverfront parcel, for example, because the 2008 land purchase was not expressly listed in the previous plan amendment.

鈥淥ne of the shortcomings of most master plans is that things happen you just didn鈥檛 think about,鈥� said Jim Kuffner, assistant vice president of community relations and special projects at the university. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hugely expensive and time-consuming for the university to come in and ask for an amendment.鈥�

In order to build the baseball field on the new riverfront property, the university could go through the arduous amendment process again. But instead, university officials decided to create an ambitious new master plan vague enough to allow for future development in a variety of iterations.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think anyone has ever thought of doing it that way,鈥� said Dan Danielson, a managing partner of Soderstrom Architects, the firm working on the new master plan. 鈥淢ost master plans at institutions specifically place certain buildings at pre-determined locations on the campus, along with their best guess at the size. This one doesn鈥檛 do any of that 鈥� it鈥檚 completely flexible.鈥�

Instead of laying out specific building plans, the plan maps out requirements for floor area ratios, setbacks and other zoning requirements. The way the construction actually plays out on campus will then be triggered by enrollment increases 鈥� which could jump from the current level of 3,200 students to 5,000 if growth were to continue at the same pace for the next 15 years 鈥� as well as money availability and campus needs.

The university plans to submit the plan for city approval by the end of June. But one final meeting is planned with the surrounding residential community, which has followed the planning process closely. Though residents generally support the current draft, some are wary of the new flexibility. Their last chance to comment before the plan is submitted will be at a meeting on June 18.

鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of squishy around the details,鈥� said Jason Starman, land-use chairman for the Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association. 鈥淲e鈥檇 like to know how big the buildings are going to be or when they鈥檒l be built, but the details are very gray.鈥�

The new master plan also provides room for the university to continue expanding further along the Willamette River. The proposed northern boundary would be a 45-acre site that the university does not own.

But the university may someday be interested in purchasing the site, known as McCormick and Baxter, in order to expand its recreation facilities. So the plan includes the site in order to avoid a major amendment if opportunities were to arise in the future.

鈥淎 light bulb has gone off,鈥� Danielson said. 鈥淚 think this kind of plan might be a trendsetter if it passes; all indications are that it鈥檒l be well-received.鈥�