Jeff McDonald//January 9, 2014//
A labor union is appealing land use plans for Park Avenue West, saying the $175 million mixed-use tower should include affordable housing.
The Portland Design Commission unanimously approved TMT Development‘s 30-story design for its building planned between Southwest Yamhill and Morrison streets, and Park and Ninth avenues.
But Local 49 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) appealed the decision Tuesday to the city’s Bureau of Development Services. The union contends that the tower, designed for 15 floors of apartments, 13 floors of office space and two floors of retail, should include affordable housing.
TMT denied the legitimacy of the appeal, saying SEIU was seeking additional contracts for union positions at the building site.
“It’s an abuse of the land use process,” TMT President Vanessa Sturgeon said. “It is simply a leverage tactic to hire their janitorial workers at the towers.”
SEIU could not be reached for comment.
Ultimately, Portland City Council will decide on the project appeal. No date has been set for it to do so; however, it likely will happen by mid-February, said Kara Fioravanti, a senior planner for the city.