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Development in the Con-way master-planned area took another big step forward Thursday, as the Portland Design Commission enthusiastically approved a design proposed for Saltwood: a two-building mixed-use project.

Commissioners voted 6-0 in favor of SERA Architects‘ design, allowing developer Cairn Pacific LLC to move forward with a pair of six-story market-rate apartment buildings. Combined, they will hold approximately 17,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space, 354 residential units and below-grade parking.

This will continue the transformation of the intersection of Northwest 21st Avenue and Raleigh Street into a bustling retail hub as part of the Con-way Master Plan. It calls for redevelopment of 17 city blocks of former industrial space into a residential and commercial center.

鈥淎ll of this stuff is woven together very, very well,鈥� commission Chairwoman Julie Livingston said to Cairn Pacific principal Tom DiChiara and SERA Architects principal Kurt Schultz. 鈥淲hat is happening at the intersection of Raleigh, with Carson South and L.L. Hawkins 鈥� that’s really nice urban space, and when you expand it across the street, it’s fantastic urban space.鈥�

Saltwood will rise on city blocks 291W and 292W as a pair of mixed-use apartment buildings with distinctly different appearances. The common denominator will be brick masonry, but the style, color and textures will differ. By contrast, cedar and other decorative wood will dominate the ground-floor retail spaces.

The property under development is split into north and south blocks. It is bounded on the west by Northwest 21st Avenue, on the north by Savier Street and on the south by Quimby Street.

Both buildings will feature landscaped courtyards open to the outside neighborhood. On the ground floor, a wide variety of storefront design features are intended to distinguish each retail space from the next.

鈥淲e want to see a great mix that makes that 24-7 style of neighborhood work,鈥� DiChiara said.

The south building will have lighter-colored brick accents with additional metal panels to accent the brick, while the north building will feature darker burgundy brick.

鈥淭he south building is not so industrial and probably more urbane in character,鈥� Schultz said.

One of the highlights of the design is a quarter-block expression in each building; combined, they will dominate the northeast and southeast corners of Northwest 21st Avenue and Raleigh Street. Connected to the main buildings by pedestrian walkways, this aspect provides variation of height, rhythm and color coveted by designers.

Another interesting aspect of the plan is the inclusion of large ground-floor, walk-up townhomes on the east side of each building that will front future pedestrian walkways called for in the master plan.

Commissioners praised the manner in which Saltwood fits into the area, which in recent years has seen development of a number of significant projects. These include: the L.L. Hawkins, a six-story mixed use building fronting Northwest 21st Avenue and stretching between Quimby and Raleigh streets; The Carson, a 13-story mixed-use building and a six-story mixed-use building; a New Seasons supermarket at the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and Quimby Street; and the Leland James Center, an adaptive reuse effort at the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and Raleigh Street.

Future development on the Con-way Blocks will include a new park stretching along the west side of Northwest 21st Avenue between Quimby and Pettygrove streets.

鈥淭his is a quality couple of buildings you’ve put together,鈥� Commissioner Andrew Clarke said of Saltwood. 鈥淭he massing and the way you broke up the massing feels like an urban area that’s actually been here for a little while. I like the quality of colors and materials that you use all the way down to the public realm areas, which are continuing to stitch this new neighborhood together.鈥�