91视频

LAKE OSWEGO 鈥� Like many new developments, Patrick Kessi’s 200-unit luxury apartment project started with a relationship.

Around a decade ago, Kessi served on the University of Portland board along with Gene Wizer, a local businessman who owned a keystone block in downtown Lake Oswego. Wizer had long had notions of redeveloping the block, which was home to small shops, and had discussed the possibilities with a succession of developers.

The recession scared off most firms. With few developers interested in tackling a big project, Wizer asked Kessi for his impressions.

鈥淗e had talked to multiple developers for years and years,鈥� Kessi said of Wizer, who died in 2015. 鈥淚 knew him from the board, and when the market went down, he asked me to take a look at it.鈥�

Kessi liked what he saw. Lake Oswego’s community could support an expensive project. The city had invested in the area, and opened Millennium Plaza Park. Another developer built Lakeview Village, bringing high-end shopping to the neighborhood.

Housing could be the missing ingredient, Kessi thought.

鈥淚t was a very good time to start looking at new properties in this location,鈥� he said.

A decade later, The Windward is opening to residents. The first tenants can begin moving in on March 15.

The opening marks a milestone for Kessi and his company, PHK Development, which has focused on developing condos and apartments in the Portland area.

PHK fought opponents of the project for years. Lake Oswego’s Development Review Commission denied the project, but Kessi successfully appealed to the City Council. The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals and then the Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the City Council’s decision, until finally the state Supreme Court declined to hear the case. The appeals were lodged by the Evergreen Neighborhood Association and a group called Save Our Village.

Kessi, a Portland-based developer who grew up on a dairy farm in Scappoose, was confident enough in the eventual outcome that he had his general contractor, Lease Crutcher Lewis, break ground before the Supreme Court turned down the case in November 2015, letting the favorable appeals court ruling stand.

After some community backlash, the design was reduced from five stories to four.

Kessi said he’s pleased his patience was rewarded.

鈥淚f you do the right thing, the right thing will happen,鈥� he said.

The Windward is nearing completion, with 200 luxury apartments, more than 42,000 square feet of commercial space and 430 underground parking spaces, including 135 public spaces.

鈥淔rom the outside, the building looks really good,鈥� said Jackie Manz, a Lake Oswego city councilor. 鈥淭here’s quality materials. It’s amazing how quickly it has come to fit into our downtown streetscape.鈥�

Apartment configurations range from studios to three bedrooms, spanning 650 square feet to 2,400 square feet and renting for rates of $1,600 to approximately $6,000 a month 鈥� an eyebrow-raising rate that could pay down a hefty home mortgage.

Kessi said the initial tenants are mostly Lake Oswego residents and former residents with ties to the tony suburb southwest of Portland who are interested in the downtown lifestyle.

鈥淚t’s the person who doesn’t want the yard maintenance, the house maintenance, who wants the security,鈥� he said.

The ability to walk to restaurants and shops nearby has also proved a popular draw. Early interest for the apartments has been strong, Kessi said.

The development is also attracting commercial operations. So far, ice cream maker Salt & Straw, pizzeria Chuckie Pies, Bamboo Sushi, fitness studio StarCycle, Richard Henry Barber Co. and clothing retailer Adorn have signed deals for space in The Windward. Some of the commercial spaces have been offered for sale.

鈥淲e have a good mix of Portland best-in-class and Lake Oswego best-in-class commercial tenants,鈥� Kessi said.

The Windward is composed of three buildings, each of which follows a Lake Oswego design style: 鈥淥regon Rustic,鈥� 鈥淓nglish Tudor鈥� and 鈥淎rts and Crafts.鈥�

The structures are largely concrete and steel studs, not wood-framed, opening the possibility of a later condo conversion. Kessi said any conversion to condos would not happen until years in the future. The apartment tenants are on one-year leases.

Kessi said the building will be rated Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design gold for environmental performance.

Lake Oswego’s redevelopment agency is subsidizing the development with $5.2 million for development costs and permits and $749,000 for construction. The city received from PHK Development public parking, a public easement that allows pedestrian access between First and Second streets and assurances that the commercial spaces facing First Avenue and A Street would be active-use retail, said Elaine Franklin, a spokeswoman for The Windward.

The project was designed by ZGF Architects and Ankrom Moisan Architects. A public pension fund provided financing.

PHK Development is also building a 162-unit condo project at Northeast 21st Avenue and Multnomah Street in the Lloyd District.

After that?

鈥淎nd then, we’ll just keep going,鈥� Kessi said. 鈥淚t’s what we do.鈥�