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Design commissioners got their first look at what could be Portland’s next high-rise, and they responded with glowing reviews bordering on schoolboy giddiness.

“Holy s—!” Commissioner David Keltner said after John Meadows, a Boora Architects principal, finished his presentation. “Oh my … this is really just so exciting. I’m sitting over here and I’m just like salivating (over) the idea of working on that kind of thing … If Hoyt can build something like this, then way to go Hoyt. This is what we need in the heart of our city.”

Hoyt Street Properties is proposing to build a 28-story point tower on Block 15, between Tanner Springs and Fields Neighborhood parks. The firm envisions a 350-foot glass tower rising from an intricately landscaped and sculpted three- and four-story podium building, with approximately 10,000 square feet of retail space wrapping around above-ground, structured parking.

Tiffany Sweitzer, president and partner of Hoyt Street Properties, announced the condominium project in December. The company is working with developer Joe Weston on the deal, and Sweitzer said the idea was to get the concept through the review process so that ground can be broken as soon as the market is ready. According to Meadows, that could be before the end of the year.

“Tall, thin buildings can be really handsome, but they are incredibly costly,” Meadows said during his presentation. “So, this is an aspiration. We’re in the process of testing it. Can we do a good design where all the numbers work?”

Meadows said his team is exploring the use of innovative design systems – such as scissor stairwells and moment frames – to achieve cost efficiency. The tower would be cut into three seemingly separate smaller towers, with long, vertical incisions in the facade. Those cuts would form deck spaces for units, as well as a sculptured, geometric cap for the roof. It would be like Keller Fountain Park without the water.

Below the tower, the podium would rise and fall over various levels. Meadows said the idea is to continue the theme of the parks to the north and south of the building.

“It’s especially unique because of our position between the two parks,” he said. “We really wanted to help the residents to feel like they are in this park space, and use the podium as an extension of this park space.”

Commissioners loved it.

“There’s a great quote in the movie ‘Almost Famous,’ ” Commissioner David Wark said. ” ‘Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.’ Not that we’re a mighty force, but I would echo (Keltner’s) sentiment that this is a bold statement and an appropriate move for the site.”

Wark did take issue, however, with the building’s above-grade parking – a cost-cutting measure. He expressed concern over whether headlights would shine through the crystalline facade at night.

Commissioner Tad Savinar, however, said that with the right parking screen treatment, headlights could give the skin a unique quality.

“There are diffusers that you can create that will turn your headlights into an abstract – call it a 1960s thing – as we all know,” Savinar said. “Many of us in this room have had that experience.”

Commissioners offered other small suggestions, including the idea of a mural on Northwest 11th Avenue, where the loading dock area is slated.

One potential deal-breaker could be the sweep of the tower’s shadow. While Boora placed the tower on the Southwest corner of the podium to minimize its impact on surrounding views, the building’s shadow would encroach onto a small corner of Fields Neighborhood Park by approximately 700 square feet. Commissioners would need to give their blessing to that aspect, because eliminating the shadow would require that the tower be three stories shorter – and render the project infeasible.

“It’s kind of a ‘no or go’ decision in terms of how well the project works,” Meadows said.

Commissioners did not seem to be opposed to an exception, but said it might be important to understand which park uses would be affected. Commissioner Ben Kaiser quipped that perhaps a large sundial could be installed.

Sweitzer was happy with the commissioners’ comments, and said the team would work hard to bring it before them for approval in the near future.

“I may be saying ‘holy s—‘ when I start looking at the price,” she joked, in reference to Keltner’s original remarks. “We’re just starting the process … We’re doing everything right here, but it’s going to come at a cost and so we’re going to be looking at what we can do to make it work … I really hope to come here in July and say the building is still looking like this. That’s our goal and we’ll be working really hard to make that happen.”