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Allied Works Architecture‘s design for a 4,000-seat expansion to Providence Park was approved with conditions by the Portland Design Commission on Thursday.

The $50 million project will add a stack of seats to the stadium’s east side, with a translucent rooftop curling overhead.

Commissioners questioned the design’s commitment to views into the stadium, which is used primarily by the Portland Timbers and Thorns pro soccer teams. Commissioners expressed skepticism whether a sidewalk encroachment would achieve any public benefit. In the end, the five commissioners present voted unanimously to approve the project.

Architects made a major change to the design from a prior iteration that went before the Design Commission for advice. The east grandstands were reduced to three floors, from four.

鈥淭he three-level scheme allows us to bring down the height of the building,鈥� said Chelsea Grassinger, associate principal at Allied Works.

The roof height will be 93 feet, 3 inches. That’s still much higher than the existing stadium, which tops out at 49 feet.

While the latest design reduces the roof’s overall height from the prior iteration, it increases the floor-to-ceiling heights of each level. This was done to accommodate the 4,000 additional seats desired by the Timbers. The Major League Soccer team has sold out 118 consecutive games.

As a result, the new design pinches views into the stadium. Commissioners lamented the narrower view into the stadium from the sidewalk.

鈥淚 like having the view into the stadium, so that’s a bit of a loss from what we have today,鈥� Commissioner Don Vallaster said.

Commissioner David Wark agreed, saying there are simply too many objects between the rear of the grandstands and the sidewalk in the design.

鈥淲hat can you take away, what can you delete, what can you edit?鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause the view into that stadium for decades has been so important.鈥�

Wark also complained that the design team didn’t tell the commission that the grandstands had been lowered. He had to notice it.

鈥淭hat’s a bit of a bother,鈥� he said.

In the end, commissioners added a condition that the grandstands begin 12 feet above the concourse to preserve views into the stadium.

Commissioners also wrestled with whether approving an encroachment into the sidewalk would yield adequate public benefit. A cabling system ties into the sidewalk to support the proposed roof structure.

Grassinger noted the renovated sidewalk approximately doubles the width of the existing sidewalk.

鈥淚t’s hard to argue that clear, organized sidewalk isn’t a public benefit,鈥� she said.

The encroachment must be approved by the City Council, most likely at a late August or early September meeting.

Commissioners added a condition that the face of the south elevator and stair tower be given over to public uses, such as promotions for nonprofits.

Ken Puckett, senior vice president of operations for the Timbers, said the club would not object to that.

鈥淚 think the use of the towers for public benefit is a great idea,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don’t think we would have a problem with that.鈥�

Raising the bottom of the grandstands will require more architectural work to preserve the 12-foot aperture into the stadium. But Puckett said the commission’s mandated changes are achievable.

鈥淲e’ll figure it out,鈥� he said.