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A 19-story mixed-use building is planned for 1455 S.W. Broadway; however, its design isn’t quite ready yet, according to the Portland Design Commission. The project is set to return before the commission on April 21.

Plans for the building, designed by GBD Architects for Generations Columbia Property LLC, call for 180 hotel rooms on six floors and 175,000 square feet of open office space on 10 floors. The ground floor is expected to hold a restaurant, a lobby and retail space. A below-grade garage will provide parking for 210 motor vehicles and 132 bicycles. Plans also call for a glass curtain wall with terra cotta and composite metal panels incorporated.

One main topic of discussion during Thursday’s Design Commission meeting was how the three-quarters-block development’s floor-to-area ratio will be increased through bonus allowances. Two methods were discussed. One would be for the owner to make a $1 million donation to be divided between the city’s affordable housing fund and Portland Parks & Recreation. The second method would be to designate about 30 percent of the total units as affordable housing, which was preferred by staff and the commission.

If money were to go to the parks bureau, it would be used for master planning for improvements to the South Park Blocks. Commissioner Tad Savinar said he would like to see just one of the adjacent South Park Blocks be improved in the near future as an example of what is to come.

But Brett Horner, planning and design manager for Portland Parks & Recreation, said improvements and needed maintenance of all 12 South Park Blocks should be planned at the same time and that the process could take up to two years. He said implementation would then be done in phases.

Kurt Creager, director of the Portland Housing Bureau, said he would rather see affordable housing added to the project rather than a contribution to the affordable housing fund.

鈥淚t’s better for us to get the units than to get the money,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd there could be potential for the city to invest in a later date.鈥�

Michael Marcus, GBD’s lead designer for the new building, told commissioners that one existing building on the property would be salvaged and that 30,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil would be removed at a cost to the developer of more than $3.4 million.

Since the project’s previous review in November, Marcus said the lobby entrance was expanded to two stories high, hearkening back to the city’s old theater district days. The second floor will include a lounge and conference space.

Marcus said he couldn’t reveal the name of the hotel yet, but said it will have a 鈥渂randed entry鈥� in red.

GBD principal Phil Beyl told the commission that the project will have 鈥渟ignificant economic benefits鈥� to the city and create more than 1,700 new jobs, including 250 temporary construction jobs.

Plans call for project completion in June 2020.

During the public comment period, several citizens concerned about possible increased traffic voiced objections to the planned loading dock’s location on Southwest Clay Street.

鈥淲ith all the cars on Clay and the loading docks, it will stop traffic,鈥� Marian McNamara said. 鈥淎 more logical place for the loading dock is on Columbia (Street).鈥�