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Two Northwest Portland multifamily projects on Thursday gained Portland Design Commission approval to move into the construction phase.

Commissioners unanimously approved designs by Seattle-based architecture firm Mithun for Block 136, a mixed-use development at 1241 N.W. Johnson St., and plans by Portland-based GBD Architects for The Muse, a six-story, 58-unit apartment complex at 1313 N.W. 19th Ave. They also reviewed designs by Portland-based Waterleaf Architecture, Interiors and Planning for the creation of a new plaza on the Northeast Multnomah Street side of the Lloyd Center mall, but said plans for the outdoor space weren’t cohesive enough and asked the design team to return with revisions. A third design review hearing for the project is scheduled for Feb. 19.

鈥淚t’s just an expanse of space that seems to be an invitation that’s lackluster and not offering very much,鈥� Commissioner Tad Savinar said. 鈥淚t’s a lot of parts, but I’m not sure they tie together to create a great space.鈥�

Commissioners were pleased with slight revisions the Mithun design team made since a previous hearing last month to plans for Seattle-based Security Properties‘ Block 136 project. Plans call for a five-story office building facing 13th Avenue and a 15-story residential tower on 12th Avenue separated by a public courtyard connecting Johnson and Kearney streets. The 13th Avenue building will contain approximately 15,000 square feet of retail space and 60,000 square feet of office space. The 12th Avenue building will have approximately 208 residential units and 211 underground parking spaces.

The two buildings will occupy a full block bordered by Northwest 13th and 14th avenues and Johnson and Kearney streets. The block currently is home to the Pacific Northwest College of Art, which will relocate to the 511 Federal Building.

Minor changes that Mithun designers presented at Thursday’s hearing included extending out the glass canopies on the 12th Avenue building further over the sidewalk, adding a window to the ground floor at 12th and Johnson, increasing the size of the apartment balconies and widening the space between benches in the courtyard.

Commission Vice Chairman Ben Kaiser said he appreciated that the design team took commission feedback to ensure the office and residential building relate to one another.

鈥淚 think they’re all great improvements,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey’re both working very well together now.鈥�

It was a shame the project won’t improve pedestrian conditions on Northwest 13th Avenue and proposes a loading dock-like structure on the office and retail building that’s similar to others in the area, Commissioner Guenevere Millius said.

鈥淚 don’t think 13th Avenue functions all that well as a street,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don’t love the solution to this. That is a flaw of this project.鈥�

Commission Chairman David Wark said that overall he was impressed.

鈥淚 think it’s an excellent project,鈥� he told the design team. 鈥淚 think you came in with one of the stronger concepts I’ve seen. I think design can get you places in this world.鈥�

Wark and other commissioners showered similar praise on the designs for Gerding Edlen‘s The Muse. The Portland-based developer plans to demolish the 10,000-square-foot Portland Police Association building on the property to make way for the apartment project.

Crews from general contractor R & H Construction Co. are scheduled to start construction this spring, likely in April or May, said Jill Sherman, vice president of Gerding Edlen.

Commissioners reviewed the project for the first time Thursday because the GBD Architects design team chose to forgo the option of sharing preliminary plans with the commission during an optional design advice hearing. The designers didn’t need that extra commission feedback because they did their homework, Commissioner David Keltner said. He appreciated careful attention to making sure the project’s three ground-floor apartments facing Northwest Overton Street straddled the fine line between providing privacy for the tenants and engaging passersby on the sidewalk.

鈥淭he residential units on the ground floor I think are going to be very successful,鈥� Keltner said. 鈥淚t’s great to see somebody spend so much time on it. This is great. I just really appreciate the coherency of the whole thing 鈥� just really simple moves, but elegant.鈥�

The design team solved the challenge of offering privacy to residents on the ground floor with extensive landscaping, including a series of planters and patio space leading up to the front doors, GBD principal Agustin Enriquez told the commission. The units also have a mezzanine-level loft for sleeping.

鈥淭here are a number of privacy strategies we’re implementing to make the ground-floor units as strong as they can be,鈥� he said.

Millius said those units could serve as an example of successful ground-floor apartment design.

鈥淲e appreciate strong work coming in (for design review) given our overheavy schedule,鈥� she said. 鈥淚’m just glad to see it walk through so quickly.鈥�