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The Portland Design Commission unanimously approved plans for a six-story mixed-use building in North Portland after an earlier staff denial.

Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the project at 3217 N. Williams Ave. on Thursday. Commissioner Jessica Molinar did not participate in the vote.

The project consists of 73 residential units with approximately 2,740 square feet of ground-level retail space and 19 parking spaces in partially below-grade structured parking. The building also features a raised internal courtyard.

The original application called for two buildings, but property owner Deborah Parker opted to go forward with only one. The property is an L-shaped collection of three parcels bounded by North Williams and Vancouver avenues and North Cook and Fargo streets. Currently, The People’s Pig, a barbecue restaurant, occupies the property; however, that structure will be demolished.

Thursday’s hearing was the third appeal hearing for the project. Bureau of Development Services staff denied modifications requested for project approval in an April 9 decision letter.

Parker and the project’s architects have since changed the project in several ways. The applicant agreed to work with the Regional Arts and Culture Council to install a public art piece on a blank wall facing Cook Street that will reflect the history of the site and surrounding area. The applicant also agreed to build a secondary lobby along Cook Street to help activate the frontage.

Commissioner Tad Savinar urged Parker to allocate an appropriate amount of money toward the artwork.

鈥淚 think it’s critical for this to work 鈥� there has to be a certain budget allotted for this that is conducive to a respectful work of art,鈥� he said.

Commissioner Zari Santner said RACC is optimistic the project team will 鈥渨ork with an artist to create something that is worthy of the heritage of that neighborhood.鈥�

鈥淚 want to commend the applicants for being patient to work with the commission,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s a result, your project is a far better project when it’s built.鈥�

The appeal also included more information about landscaping, lighting and other details that were not included in the original application.

The project team exchanged some vehicle parking for additional bike parking. The building will have 108 long-term bicycle parking spaces.

Parker’s architect of record was Jennifer Nye of William Wilson Architects. Local architect Ken Moholt-Siebert designed earlier iterations of the project. Parker was also represented by attorney E. Michael Connors of Portland firm Hathaway Larson.

Parker, who currently resides in Los Angeles but formerly was a longtime North Portland resident, has been planning the project since at least 2013. At that time, draft plans called for four live-work units.

Parker also owns the property at 33 N. Fargo St. Some design work has been done for a project there, but Parker opted not to go forward with it at this time, Nye said.

The neighborhood has seen an explosion of new development, particularly multifamily projects. The Century, a five-story, 104-unit apartment building, has been completed on the northwest corner of the block. Cook Street Apartments, a six-story, 206-unit mixed-use building, has been completed a block to the north. A New Seasons grocery store was built two blocks to the north.