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The Portland Design Commission was more sympathetic than suggestive last week during a hearing for a proposed eight-story hotel in the Pearl District.

鈥淒on鈥檛 get discouraged 鈥� have a thick skin going on,鈥� Commissioner David Keltner said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 buy into the animosity necessarily, but listen to the content of what you鈥檙e hearing.鈥�

The advice was given to Jeff Kraemer of Wisconsin-based The Raymond Group. Last week he presented preliminary designs for a Hampton Inn.

Many potential neighbors voiced opposition to the project; at one point, a petition for a complete hotel redesign was presented with more than 190 signatures. Most of the opposition was rooted in the belief that the hotel would not look like it fit the neighborhood.

鈥淭his is almost a slap in the face of the investors, public and private, who created this amazingly vibrant neighborhood,鈥� said Debbie Thomas, a commercial real estate broker and a Pearl District resident. 鈥淚 would have to clean the slate completely and ask you to go back to the drawing board on 100 percent of what I see.鈥�

The hearing was a 鈥渄esign advice request.鈥� The project is in its early stages, so the commission was not passing judgment on it.

Kraemer, along with the project鈥檚 architect, Jeffrey Brenkus of Wisconsin-based Gary Brink and Associates, presented rough renderings of the hotel. It would be built on Northwest Ninth Avenue, between Everett and Flanders streets.

The renderings depicted a u-shaped building, featuring two kinds of brick, cement paneling and wood posts. The interior included a first-floor pool, a potential breakfast area space and three floors of rooms.

Kraemer and Brenkus explained that the design was intended to reflect the neighborhood鈥檚 industrial aesthetics. The proposed materials, such as brick, are visible on other buildings in the area, they said.

Additionally, the renderings showed the base floor and upper floors being separated by a strong horizontal line 鈥� a reflection of the tripartite designs of older buildings in the area, Kraemer said.

鈥淗ampton has a perception of being a suburban hotel,鈥� Kraemer said. 鈥淵ou see the Hampton at the airport and think, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 want that in the Pearl District.鈥� Well, we don鈥檛 either.鈥�

Kraemer also vowed that the hotel would make use of the posts and trusses of the Peter鈥檚 Office Supply building, which sits on the site and recently accommodated MTV鈥檚 鈥淭he Real World.鈥�

Many potential neighbors, however, believed it looked like a standard commercial hotel.

鈥淭he current design attempts to camouflage a moderate-to-low budget hotel,鈥� said George Hicks, a resident of the Elizabeth Lofts, a condominium building across the street from the site. 鈥淲e feel like the proposed design will clash with the aesthetics and livability of the district.鈥�

Others criticized Hampton Inn structures in general.

鈥淚 lived in Boise for many years, and I had an office 鈥� looking down on a Hampton Inn,鈥� said Craig Nern, also a resident in the Elizabeth Lofts. 鈥淚 found in a city famous for bland architecture for planning and use, (Hampton Inn) somehow managed to make a below-average project there.鈥�

For the most part, commissioners refrained from criticizing the preliminary proposal; most stated that they appreciated The Raymond Group presenting the early design.

However, commissioners did advise the developer to take heed of residents鈥� advice, such as using higher-quality materials for the exterior, creating a more unique entrance and changing the tripartite design.

Additionally, they mentioned that retail and possibly restaurant space should be considered for the base floor for more interaction with the streetscape.

鈥淕oing forward, I鈥檇 really like to see the building become proud of itself,鈥� Commissioner Tad Savinar said. 鈥淭hat gives us a better ability to respond and guide you to permitting when it has a consistent personality.鈥�

Commissioners also recommended that Gary Brink and Associates work with Portland-area architecture firms to gain a better understanding of the city鈥檚 design standards and expectations.

鈥淧ortland itself has evolved and so have its architecture firms,鈥� Commissioner Ben Kaiser said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e leaders in a lot of ways 鈥� you can maybe skip a huge learning curve if you bring in a design firm that鈥檚 more local to take you through the process.鈥�

Another design hearing isn鈥檛 scheduled. However, Kraemer told the group that he hoped the project would navigate the city鈥檚 design process in fewer than two years.

Outside of his comments during the meeting, Kramer declined to comment on the project or the response it received.