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After years of preparation, a pause during the recession and a state land-use appeal, the Portland Japanese Garden’s plans to expand are moving forward.

Garden officials this week said Hoffman Construction Co. crews are scheduled to start work in late August on a $33.5 million expansion project aimed at accommodating the growing number of visitors to the 5.5-acre garden in Portland’s Washington Park. The project to add four new buildings and landscaped areas is being designed by the Japanese firm Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Portland Japanese Garden curator Sadafumi Uchiyama and Portland-based firms THA Architecture Inc. and Walker Macy.

When the garden first opened 48 years ago, it received about 30,000 visitors a year. Now, more than 300,000 visitors pass through the garden’s gates annually, often detracting from its intent to be a peaceful place, Portland Japanese Garden Chief Executive Officer Stephen Bloom said at a press conference Tuesday.

鈥淲hile it may have been tranquil with 30,000 people, with 10 times that it was starting to impact that,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o the garden is not overrun; we have (designed) buildings and places for people to be. That was first and foremost.鈥�

But shortly after plans were made in 2007 to expand the garden, a recession hit and officials decided to hold off on fundraising efforts, Bloom said.

鈥淲e thought perhaps it was not the best time to raise $30 million,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e put the project on hold for a few years.鈥�

Once the economy improved, the project first had to undergo the city of Portland’s land-use approval process. The Japanese Garden Society of Oregon, a private nonprofit, operates the garden on 9.1 acres leased from the city. The expansion project will increase that acreage to 12.5.

These plans were criticized by neighbors of the garden who raised concerns that insufficient public feedback was gathered on the project involving park property and that the expansion would block access to a well-used footpath that connects to Washington Park’s popular Wildwood Trail. Last fall, Portland architect Hilary Mackenzie, who lives near the garden, appealed the city’s conditional approval of the project to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

LUBA dismissed the appeal in March, upholding city approval of the project, and garden officials confirmed the expansion plans were proceeding. Bloom said on Tuesday that more than $20 million has been raised so far to pay for the project. This includes $1.5 million in state lottery bond funding.

Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who oversees Portland Parks & Recreation, said city officials are happy to see the project move forward.

鈥淚t’s been a very tricky land-use process,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e really appreciate the partnership with the Japanese Garden staff 鈥� The enhancements to the Japanese Garden are going to make it even more special.鈥�

Project plans call for 11,328 square feet of new construction, including a relocated entrance and ticketing pavilion and adjacent Cultural Village with several new buildings.

鈥淭he idea of the design was to build a small Japanese village,鈥� Bloom said.

In the Cultural Village, a new Village House will be built with a gift shop, art galleries, Japanese gardening library, multipurpose classroom and administrative offices. The Cultural Village will also include the new Tateuchi Courtyard, a plaza for hosting seasonal activities, performances and demonstrations, an upgraded maintenance facility for gardening staffers and a tea caf茅.

鈥淲e listened to our members and we listened to our visitors and the biggest thing they said is we want a place where we can sit and have tea,鈥� Bloom said.

The project will relocate the main entrance to align with the garden’s existing parking lot on Southwest Kingston Avenue instead of at the top of a steep hill. This will ease access to the garden, Bloom said.

鈥淲e knew that there were logistical and safety issues that we had to address,鈥� he said.

The hillside will then be enveloped into the garden to become part of a series of new landscaped areas, including a bonsai tree terrace and Japanese tea flower garden.

The Portland Japanese Garden expansion is Kengo Kuma & Associates’ first public project in North America, said Balazs Bognar , the firm’s chief manager and design director. Nature and the existing gardens served as chief inspiration for the design, he said.

鈥淭he gardens are at the heart of the design,鈥� Bognar said. 鈥淲e are not touching the existing gardens. Those are perfect. What we are doing as the architect part of the team is simply filling in the gaps.鈥�

A groundbreaking celebration for the project is scheduled for Aug. 31 with plans to close the garden starting on Sept. 8 during the height of construction. The garden will reopen on March 1 while construction continues. The project is scheduled to be complete by spring 2017.

Portland Japanese Garden expansion

Location: 611 S.W. Kingston Ave.

Cost: $33.5 million

Anticipated construction start date: August 2015

Anticipated construction completion date: Spring 2017

Owner: Portland Japanese Garden Society of Oregon

Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates and THA Architecture Inc.

Landscape architects: Sadafumi Uchiyama and Walker Macy

Engineers: PAE, KPFF Consulting Engineers and Geotechnical Resources Inc.

General contractor: Hoffman Construction Co.