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Despite a recommendation of conditional approval from staff at the Portland Bureau of Development Services, the Portland Design Commission on Thursday decided designs for Blocks 41 and 44 in the South Waterfront need more revisions.

Developer Cairn Pacific and land owner Prometheus Real Estate Group want to include two 7-story buildings with a total of 524 market-rate apartments, 10,500 feet of retail space and parking. The complex will be bordered by Southwest River Parkway to the west, the Willamette River to the east, Southwest Lowell Street to the south and Southwest Lane Street to the north. Abernethy Pedestrian Way will separate Block 44 and Block 41.

鈥淭he building massing took an approach to create a hard urban edge to create some rhythm along the streetscape and create a lot of activity to reinforce the street edge,鈥� Kyle Andersen, principal with GBD Architects, said. In addition to handling the design for Block 44, GBD teamed up with Jones Architecture for the design of Block 41.

The design team tried to soften the urban edge as it approached the river and tried to create space between the two structures, according to Andersen.

鈥淚n particular, (Blocks) 41 and 44 share some massing elements, which create some negative space between them,鈥� he said.

However, some commissioners thought the buildings shared too many elements and suggested designers try to vary some design features to give each building a more distinct look.

鈥淲hen I look at these two buildings, although I know you in your designer mode see them as two completely different buildings, with their muscularity and scale of the setbacks, they read kind of like twins,鈥� said Commission Vice Chairman Tad Savinar. 鈥淚 know that is not your intent. You’re working very hard not to have that.鈥�

Of particular concerns for the design panel were the north elevation of Block 41 and the west elevation of the Block 44. Both elevations currently present long stretches with minimal elements breaking up each wall.

鈥淚 think there is an issue of extremely long, by Portland standards, walls that could use some attention. 鈥� The massing seems monolithic.鈥� said Commissioner David Wark, who relinquished his seat as chairman to Julie Livingston earlier this month.

Another issue that concerned both commissioners and neighbors near the proposed development focused on the tops of the two buildings. The proposed designs for both buildings show white rooftops around HVAC equipment in order to maximize energy efficiency and reduce cooling needs of the structures.

Diane Pelaski said she and others living in buildings near the proposed development are concerned that such a treatment could reflect light and cause glare for people living in nearby apartments.

Neighbors said they also were concerned about possible conflicts between cars and pedestrians on Abernethy Pedestrian Way. In the current design Abernethy serves as both a driveway to the garages for both buildings and a pedestrian way that leads to the greenway and river to the east.

Commissioners recommended adding signage and possibly using different materials for pedestrian and vehicle areas to differentiate them.

鈥淚t seems like there is a logic and safety here that might help everyone out,鈥� Savinar said. 鈥淵ou give (pedestrians) one color and cars another.鈥�

For the the Block 41 structure, commissioners asked the development team to look at ways to increase retail along the waterfront

鈥淲e still don’t have a restaurant along that stretch of the waterfront,鈥� Savinar said.

Commissioners were also concerned with massing and coherency of the Block 44 building, saying changes in color and height gave the impression of too many interlocking sections of different buildings.

One area of the project that drew compliments from commissioners was the use of landscaping, including how trees were used in the complex. Place Studio is the landscape architect for the project.

鈥淭he tree diversity and the use of different species (are) fantastic,鈥� Savinar said. 鈥淚n that landscaping strip, the diversity of trees is some of the best I’ve seen in the project, so I appreciate that.鈥�

The project will return to the commission on聽Aug. 17.

Also on Thursday, the design commission unanimously approved a design for The Pearl Apartments, a new seven-story, market-rate apartment building at聽 1319 N.W. Johnson St.

Developed by The Paul Properties LLC, the 39,000-square-foot structure will include 58 residential units and approximately 3,400 square feet of ground-floor retail.

TVA Architects’ design for the project was approved on its second attempt before the commission. Commissioners were very enthusiastic of design revisions that they made.

鈥淭his will be a fantastic addition to the Pearl District,鈥� said Commission Chair Julie Livingston. 鈥淚t’s very well done and well executed. The quality and permanence guidelines you’ve just knocked out of the park as well.鈥�