91视频

The Portland Design Commission gave its first impressions of the proposed $50 million, 4,000-seat expansion of city-owned Providence Park during a design advice hearing on Thursday. It attracted a large crowd of architects, neighborhood business representatives, team officials and soccer fans.

鈥淓very time I hear the door squeak, it sounds like a Timbers horn,鈥� said Tim Heron, senior planner for the Portland Bureau of Development Services. 鈥淚 was anxious that this was going to be an interesting hearing.鈥�

The proposed expansion of the 91-year-old stadium, which is home to both the Timbers and Thorns soccer teams, calls for the addition of two seating decks as well as concession stands and restroom facilities. Also, the existing 47-foot facade would be modified to rise to 92 feet, 10 inches.

One of the major reasons why advice was requested at this early stage of the design process is that the project owner has an aggressive timeline for construction.

鈥淭heir goal is to get first work started in the right of way in October,鈥� said Bob Haley, senior planner with the Portland Bureau of Transportation. 鈥淭hat is a pretty optimistic schedule to get through a very complicated public works permit to do all the utility work in October. And then the following year I believe is when the structural work begins. It’s a very quick timeline.鈥�

One of the major problems is that plans include a major encroachment into the public right of way on Southwest 18th Avenue. That will require approval of the Portland City Council, the Portland Bureau of Transportation and TriMet, which operates mass transit in the area. The Design Commission is expected to recommend that the City Council approve the encroachment request.

Project planners wanted the Design Commission to give advice on the overall concept before moving forward with discussions with other agencies.

鈥淣o one has a problem with building in the public right of way,鈥� Design Commission Chairman David Wark said. 鈥淚t seems like the major encroachment idea is supported. Now it’s about working out the messy details.鈥�

Many of those details still have to be finalized. Project architect Allied Works Architecture is still working on plans ranging from crowd control to whether the proposed roof, extending over the grandstand, will be metal or fabric. Another issue is how Southwest 18th Avenue will be treated.

Currently, temporary barriers are used to direct crowds to transit options on game days. However, those barriers are often ignored as fans cross streets illegally. Commissioners and project officials discussed the merits of a permanent structure that would prevent jaywalking both on game and non-game days.

鈥淚t seems to be that there needs to be some idea of how to get out instead of just at the north and south area,鈥� Wark said.

A permanent structure, however, would present its own problems.

鈥淎dding thousands of people 鈥� if you build this fence, then you only have a 10-foot-wide sidewalk,鈥� Design Commissioner Jessica Molinar said. 鈥淭here are 3,000 people on the sidewalk; you’re sort of penning them in in this space.鈥�

Discussions on Thursday also touched on project officials’ need to demonstrate a public benefit in order to justify the encroachment on public space. The Design Commission encouraged the team to look for ways to increase that benefit.

鈥淥bviously there is economic benefit in terms of income,鈥� Wark said. 鈥淵ou do have to pay to go in here, so it automatically limits the people that can benefit from this. It seems like there should be something in addition to the unseen public benefits.鈥�

Overall, the design proposed was largely influenced by the vertical elements of stadiums in Europe and Central America. It includes an open steel latticework to create platforms for people. Tensioned cables lining the new facade would support a roof structure that will cover the new and existing seats.

鈥淭he expansion of Providence Park creates a new stadium type,鈥� said Brad Cloepfil, principal and founder of Allied Works Architecture. 鈥淭he design was conceived to amplify excitement, theatricality and intensity of the stadium experience.鈥�

Also on Thursday:

Lloyd Center

The Design Commission got its second look at plans for CAPREF Lloyd Center LLC‘s renovation and expansion of the aging Lloyd Center mall. The design presented Thursday by Waterleaf Architecture‘s Bill Bailey was different in several ways from the one shown March 9.

Many of the changes focused on the plaza at the corner of N.E. Ninth Avenue and Multnomah Street. Commissioners previously recommended that designers use it to shape the building’s entry.

Overall, commissioners were complimentary of the changes; however, they said the plaza isn’t defined adequately.

鈥淭he plaza needs to take a firmer position on whether it’s public space or if it’s part of the mall,鈥� Commissioner Julie Livingston said. 鈥淚t should be more public and perform more like other public spaces in the neighborhoods do.鈥�

Commissioners also advised designers to make sure the plaza would be useful at all times of the year. Currently, plans call for a lot of outdoor tables, planters and a water feature that could have limited use during winter months.

鈥淭he outdoor space needs to work when it’s raining on Tuesday in October,鈥� Commission Vice Chairman Tad Savinar said. 鈥淚t’s October on a Tuesday afternoon for nine months of the year here.鈥�