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Boora Architects has developed a new plan for a long-vacant three-block area at the foot of the Hawthorne Bridge 鈥� completely on spec.

Boora principal Michael Tingley said his firm has spent 18 months working on a design research project called Water Avenue Yards that calls for a series of low-rise, flexible-space buildings covering 400,000 square feet, pedestrian-friendly streets and access to activities on the Willamette River.

The project was a labor of love for Boora, said Tingley, who doesn鈥檛 want to see the site sealed off from the river.

鈥淔or us, it was the significance of the site where you could access it from the east side,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e wanted to enhance and preserve that quality.

鈥淎 typical response would be creating a wall between the river and the freeway (Interstate 5) and (considering it) a dead zone, but that just exacerbates the character of having the east side sealed off from the river.鈥�

Shawn Uhlman, spokesman for the Portland Development Commission, said the agency is moving forward with negotiations to purchase the land from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 identified a time when we expect it to wrap up,鈥� he said. 鈥淏y the end of the year would be our desired goal, but we鈥檙e not going to rush this. It鈥檚 really about ensuring that we get it right.鈥�

Uhlman said he is aware the Boora project was done on spec and that nothing has been commissioned by the PDC 鈥� at least not yet.

鈥淔rom what I鈥檝e heard, (Boora鈥檚 plan) seems quite impressive, and the project folks on our end are certainly aware of it,鈥� he said.

The three-block area is slightly north of the bridge, Tingley said, and would relieve overuse of the boat launch and swimming area south of the bridge.

鈥淭his is just an idea to say, 鈥楬ow could we redevelop this site in a public-private partnership?鈥� 鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about business opportunities, but not to do it in a way that reduces or compromises access to the waterfront and the view (of downtown Portland).鈥�

Pat Harrington, managing principal at Boora, said presenting the proposal to the city is not a 鈥渇ishing expedition鈥� to find a developer, but simply a pitch for one possibility for the site.

鈥淭his was a labor of love, an in-house pro bono effort and more about our personal motivation and care for the city,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it materializes to a product and we could help shape the outcome, then we felt we have done our part. If it turned out to have some specific momentum closely akin to this idea and we have a developer, then it鈥檚 icing on the cake.鈥�

Boora calls for developing blocks between Southeast Taylor Street and Madison Street from Water Avenue to the river. The project would add about 500 parking spaces and 12,000 square feet for sports and playground space at the water鈥檚 edge.

Boora鈥檚 plan doesn鈥檛 specify the total number of buildings, but the firm states in a press release that the structured shelter provided by the freeway overpass could support a range of outdoor activities. Possibilities include outdoor performances, food carts and possibly a beer garden and could bring a 鈥渕uch-needed communal and park space to this area.鈥�

The plan would facilitate more river activities by reshaping the riverbank to provide direct water access, terraced seating and 鈥渆xtraordinary view of the Portland skyline,鈥� according to Boora.

One unusual feature of Boora鈥檚 plan is to use the Dutch concept of woonerf (pronounced VONE-erf), which means 鈥渓iving yard.鈥� Park-like streets would be created throughout the area, and pedestrians and bicyclists would be given priority over cars.

Harrington said the woonerf concept could be considered a mixed-use thoroughfare.

鈥淲hile it is predominantly pedestrian and bicycle friendly, there needs to be access for trucks for delivery and pickup,鈥� he said.

Suggested businesses for Water Avenue Yards could be digital fabricators, environmental consultants, small-scale producers, direct-to-retail fabrication ships and craft food and beverage operators.

Harrington said his firm is not expecting to be reimbursed for its work planning Water Avenue Yards, but he鈥檚 not closing any doors.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a possibility a developer might like the idea and say, 鈥楲et鈥檚 team up,鈥� and might open a door that way,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 not why we did it. We see this as a space in the city we thought was really important and wanted to encourage broader thinking about what can be done with that space.鈥�