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The adequacy of a panel material emerged as the main point of contention for a seven-story mixed-use building proposed for West Burnside Street.

The 147,507-square-foot proposal comes from Lennar Corp., a Miami-based developer. The site at 815 W. Burnside St. is a Firestone tire shop on one of Portland’s busiest thoroughfares, two blocks east of Powell’s City of Books.

Lennar proposes to build 144 housing units along with 8,960 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The development would have 50 underground parking spaces.

The Portland Design Commission held a work session for the project on Thursday.

Lennar and designer Ankrom Moisan Architects propose to use oko, a type of commercial paneling. Commissioners questioned why brick wasn’t used. They also asked architect Bronson Graff why the design team chose Juliet balconies rather than full balconies.

鈥淪imply put, management of the budget,鈥� Graff said.

The city valued the project at $32 million.

Commissioner Tad Savinar questioned whether the project would have a cohesive appearance using the oko material.

鈥淚 have a problem with the material in this context and how the material is treated,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’m extremely concerned about all the seams, joints 鈥� the way this is going to be built.鈥�

The project should reflect the urban location and the nearby Park Blocks, Savinar said.

鈥淚t reads pretty suburban, and this is not a suburban environment,鈥� he said.

Savinar said he liked the building’s massing.

Designs show a residential lobby on Park Avenue and a loading bay on Northwest Ninth Avenue. The building’s east side has a rectangular white element that surrounds a portion of the exterior windows.

Graff assured commissioners the design would be further refined.

鈥淚 agree that the devil’s in the details,鈥� he said.

The upper floors are more active in the design, he said.

鈥淔rom far away, it would have a 鈥� more grand expression,鈥� he said.

Commissioner Andrew Clarke said he preferred the design without full balconies, saying it would look cluttered if they were added.

鈥淚 tend to agree,鈥� Commissioner Sam Rodriguez said. 鈥淚 think the clarity of the concept is important.鈥�

The oko paneling could be OK with some additional design work, Rodriguez said.

鈥淚 just think this is a refinement process that needs to happen,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s just a matter of dialing it and calibrating these materials.鈥�

Chairwoman Julie Livingston likewise said the design is on the right track.

鈥淵ou’re getting there, and I think you’re going to get there with a majority of commissioners with this scheme and these materials,鈥� she said.

Graff said he would like to have a work session with Bureau of Development Services staff before proceeding to a Type III design review, ideally in August.

The project exemplifies the institutional money that has come into Portland in recent years as the city’s employment base and population have grown. Lennar purchased the property from Firestone for $7 million in December 2017, according to Multnomah County records.

The tire shop was still open Thursday, with work under way on several cars. Auto repair shops and car lots have proved to be popular redevelopment opportunities in recent years, with several older buildings in the Central Eastside and along Sandy Boulevard receiving updates.