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Plans to construct two new office buildings at Zidell Yards, in the South Waterfront District, may be on track to soon move ahead.

Block 4 and Block 6 were received well by the Portland Design Commission during a design advice meeting last month. Zidell Yards Managing Director Matt French believes that is a good sign that plans will receive the commission’s OK when type III design review takes place in January.

鈥淚t was very encouraging,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e put a tremendous amount of effort, collectively as a team, into this and it felt like a real endorsement of the work the team has put into it. Given the feedback we got, we had a really strong proposal. We’ll consider all the feedback and hopefully strengthen what we’ve got. We’ll get something approved and move forward.鈥�

ZRZ worked on Block 4 and Block 6 with design firm LEVER Architecture and architect of record GBD Architects. Block 4 will sit across Moody Avenue from The Emery, an apartment complex that opened in 2013, and have six floors and 132,000 square feet. Block 6 will sit next to the Tilikum Crossing, and have five floors and 255,000 square feet.

鈥淚n general, they were good projects,鈥� Design Commissioner Don Vallaster said. 鈥淭hey’re going to be good for the area.鈥�

One of the key aspects that needs to be addressed before design review, French said, is the plan for building entrances and pathways. Commissioners suggested that the team considers including covered space rather than open space.

鈥淭hat was the comment they had on both buildings in terms of the pedestrian experience when it’s raining,鈥� French said.

Commissioners’ comments were helpful, he said.

鈥淲hen you’re not immersed in the project every day, you get a different perspective,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he feedback we got from them was very constructive.鈥�

Block 4 was designed to fit with surrounding infrastructure, including The Emery, The Gantry food cart pod and the Portland Aerial Tram.

While the commission liked much of the design, Vallaster said that Block 4 鈥渋s going to need a little more work.鈥�

However, Vallaster and the other commissioners were very impressed by Block 6.

鈥淢y guess is Block 6 needs very little for approval,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e thought it was a really nice, strong design. We liked the clarity of it.鈥�

Block 6 will essentially be two buildings connected by a bridge. Each floor will be about 52,000 square feet, which will allow for huge open floor plans that French believes will be desirable for health care and technology companies.

French was ecstatic about the commission’s initial response to the design.

鈥淥verall, seeing their enthusiasm for the type of architecture we’re proposing down here was really exciting,鈥� French said. 鈥淏lock 6, specifically, is not your traditional building. To see the Design Commission support doing something nontraditional down here and stretching the boundaries a little bit was really great.鈥�

Ultimately, the project team wants to finish Block 4 and Block 6 by 2018. Last month’s meeting before the Design Commission was a positive first step, French said.

鈥淭hese are huge milestones,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s hard to articulate the excitement around here for everything that’s happening.鈥�