91视频

Portland developers say they’re caught in a no-win situation over where to put transformers for the crop of towers rising throughout the Central City.

The seemingly low-wattage issue has become a live wire for developers, who find themselves caught in a circular debate involving three big, institutional players: the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Bureau of Development Services and Portland General Electric.

The disagreements are causing lengthy delays and adding costs as all sides dig in with entrenched viewpoints, according to interviews.

For Cairn Pacific‘s forthcoming project to build 385 apartment units in blocks 294 and 295 in the Con-way area, it took more than a year for all sides to agree on locations for the project’s three transformers.

鈥淭here are all these dueling criteria,鈥� said Thomas DiChiara, a Cairn Pacific principal. 鈥淚t’s frustrating because you’ve got to make these decisions early on, and coincident with design review, and you can’t get the players to agree.鈥�

In the end, Cairn Pacific agreed to locate one on the sidewalk along Quimby Street and two within buildings, requiring design modifications.

DiChiara said the city needs to clarify its policies regarding transformer locations.

鈥淚t has been a struggle recently getting a coherent policy out of the city with what’s allowed and what is not allowed,鈥� he said. 鈥淭ell me where to put it and we’ll put it there.鈥�

Multifamily developers working on infill projects in Central Portland said they face recurring issues with finding a workable location to install their transformers. Often, the city’s design review process discourages transformers from being installed in locations on or alongside a building that mar its aesthetic appeal or take ground-floor frontage, preferring they be installed underground. Portland General Electric wants transformers to be safe and accessible 鈥� ideally, above ground. And the Portland Bureau of Transportation wants them out of pedestrians’ way.

The transformer issue has been a topic of discussion among the city’s tight-knit community of multifamily developers.

鈥淭here’s a lack of collaboration with the design review, and unfortunately we get into a catch-22 where we’re trying to be respectful of PGE‘s safety and reliability goals, and there’s nothing we can do as a developer,鈥� said Noel Johnson, vice president of Killian Pacific. The Vancouver, Washington, firm is at work on projects such as the Goat Blocks and Clay Creative in Southeast Portland.

Design Commission Chairman David Wark did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Design review typically asks for transformers to be placed underground, but that’s not always possible because of competing uses, such as sewer and water. Portland’s sidewalks are surprisingly packed underground, Johnson said.

鈥淚n some ways, the underground part of Portland is the most robust, well-designed part of Portland,鈥� he said.

On one 100-unit Killian Pacific project that the developer took over from a previous developer, design review insisted a brick wall be built around a transformer 鈥� a solution that was not to PGE or Killian Pacific’s liking. PGE didn’t like the access challenges, and Killian Pacific wasn’t thrilled about the added cost.

The three groups have had lengthy discussions about the transformer location, but have yet to find a solution that works for each of them, Johnson said.

鈥淚 honestly don’t know what I’m going to do right now,鈥� he said.

Deane Funk, spokesman for PGE, said the utility is primarily concerned with being able to access the transformers.

鈥淥ver the last many decades, we’ve accommodated requests to put them in the right of way as long as we have access,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e try to be as accommodating as we can, but we have our own standards.鈥�

Developers said PBOT prefers underground transformers with concrete lids. But PGE doesn’t like the concrete lids, fearing their weight could pose an obstacle during an emergency.

A PBOT spokesman said the city agency is working to make its process more developer-friendly.

鈥淲e’re working with utilities to develop a new process and standards,鈥� spokesman Dylan Rivera said. 鈥淪o hopefully it’ll be more consistent and make the review process faster.鈥�

PBOT is charged with implementing the city’s pedestrian design guidelines, which call for preserving the pedestrian through-zone and keeping it clear of obstacles, Rivera said. But he acknowledged developers’ concerns.

鈥淭here are opportunities for improvement,鈥� he said.

At the Con-way site, Cairn Pacific used a lighter-weight, concrete-like lid. That seemed to be a workable solution for all concerned, DiChiara said.

鈥淜eeping them in the sidewalk is the best solution, and focusing on getting a lid that everyone can live with,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s the best, worst option out there.鈥�

Building the underground vaults costs about $150,000 鈥� a significant added cost, DiChiara said.

For now, the three players are working with developers on a case-by-case basis. That’s adding up to uncertainty and delay for developers, like the one-year process it took for DiChiara’s project.

鈥淲e’ve had meeting and roundtables, and nothing ever seems to get solved,鈥� DiChiara said. 鈥淚t’s frustrating.鈥�