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The long-awaited Framework building is close to taking root in the Pearl District.

Portland developer Project^ plans to break ground in early 2018 on the 11-story mixed-use building. Framework will be the United States’ tallest building to use cross-laminated timber 鈥� a factor that has led to a long development period.

鈥淢ost projects don’t have an R-and-D phase,鈥� said Anyeley Hallova, a partner at Project^. 鈥淭hey just start designing and submit for their permit.鈥�

Construction is estimated to take 14 months from ground being broken.

The project recently took a leap forward when the city of Portland announced Framework had been selected as a recipient of a $6 million Fast Start grant to provide affordable housing. Framework will include 60 apartments, all affordable at 60 percent of area median income. Home Forward, a Portland nonprofit, will own and operate the affordable units.

The building’s commercial areas will be financed separately, adding to the project’s complexity. Commercial financing has not yet closed, but is nearly wrapped up, Hallova said Tuesday. She said she could not identify the lender until the loan has closed.

Albina Community Bank and Beneficial State Bank have agreed to occupy office space in Framework and provide services to the low-income residential tenants. Other commercial tenants will include street-level retail and B-corporation businesses with closely aligned social missions.

The ground floor will feature include a tall-timber exhibit. The building’s 11 floors will be topped by a roof deck.

Some other aspects of the project remain under wraps; Hallova declined to identify Framework’s CLT supplier ahead of an official announcement.

Framework’s high profile has brought plenty of media and industry attention. The project team has fielded questions from fellow developers, investors, manufacturers and government agencies interested in CLT technology, Hallova said.

鈥淓very week we have somebody talking to us,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 believe that there are quite a few projects that are in development or thinking about this technology.鈥�

The influential Atlantic magazine featured Framework and its designer, LEVER Architecture, in a feature for its December 2017 issue.

Framework’s status as a highly visible timber project has attracted the ire of the concrete industry, which argues CLT technology lacks a proven safety record. A statement issued by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association also took issue with Framework’s timber-industry backing.

鈥淭he welfare of the local timber industry should play no part in the rationale of what is otherwise strictly a construction decision,鈥� stated Kevin Lawlor, spokesman for the concrete association’s 鈥淏uild with Strength鈥� campaign.

Framework’s materials underwent a stringent two-year testing process covering fire resistance, seismic strength and acoustics, Hallova said. Also, CLT buildings have a successful record in Canada and Europe, she noted.

Framework will be particularly earthquake resilient, Hallova said.

鈥淲e’ve actually gone above and beyond the seismic code and created a building that after a major earthquake 鈥� would have little or no damage,鈥� she said.

The $6 million grant from the city of Portland was only the latest grant the project has been awarded. Framework earned a $1.5 million prize by winning the U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Softwood Lumber Board and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council.

Framework has also received grants from the U.S. Forest Service, Metro, the Hewlett Foundation, the Harbourton Foundation, the Edwards Mother Earth Foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation.