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Division 28, a distinctive, modern condo building with potential to further the evolution of Southeast Division Street, was approved Thursday night by the Portland Design Commission.

The 37,000-square-foot building will be four stories, but with a significant step back from the property line. The building will have 10 condominiums and one floor of underground parking, along with two retail spaces intended for a restaurant and one or more boutiques.

The project is from Portland’s Urban Development + Partners, with a design by Hacker. It will be constructed at Southeast 28th Place and Division Street in a stretch that has been transformed in recent years with restaurants, boutiques and multifamily housing.

Division 28 had a relatively stress-free trip through the city’s design review process, with only a single previous design advice meeting taking place in August. Commissioners were largely complimentary of the design, although some voiced concerns about scale and shadows, because the building will tower over its neighbors.

Commissioner Jessica Molinar expressed unease about the building’s relationship to the context on Division Street.

鈥淚 had major issues with context (at the August meeting), and I still do,鈥� she said. 鈥淢ultiple houses beyond this building will be in shadow.鈥�

But in the end, she was won over by Chairwoman Julie Livingston’s argument that the building met design guidelines on balance. Commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of the project.

鈥淭his project shows there’s more than one way to meet the design guidelines, and they’re doing it in a very novel and innovative way,鈥� Commissioner Brian McCarter said.

Most of the condo units will have two bedrooms, and range in size from less than 2,000 square feet to approximately 2,800 square feet. The building also will have common spaces.

鈥淐ompared to a typical condo, they have a little more robust common area on the fourth floor,鈥� Joren Bass, senior development manager for UD+P, said in an interview.

The project came about when a tight-knit group approached UD+P about constructing them a condo building that they intend to occupy. The result was Division 28. All 10 condos have been spoken for, Bass said.

鈥淚t’s a group of family members and friends who have come together to develop a building that allows them to age in place and age together,鈥� he said.

The property is owned by a limited liability company with an address in Los Angeles.

The building’s facade will be primarily glass and terra cotta, with landscaped terraces spilling over each story. One retail space 鈥� likely to be a restaurant 鈥� will front the corner of 28th Place and Division Street. A second retail space of about 1,350 square feet will front Division. The retail space is divisible, Bass said.

鈥淲e’ve found in our experience on Division, the 600-square-foot boutique space works well,鈥� he said.

One resident testified with concerns about the project. Heather Flint Chatto, chairwoman of the Richmond Neighborhood Association land-use committee, said the Southeast Division corridor had been transformed by a small number of developers.

鈥淲hile it is a cool and interesting building, the character of our corridor has been redefined by about four people, or groups,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat’s a lot of power.鈥�

UD+P hopes to break ground on the project in summer 2020, Bass said. He declined to reveal the project budget.

In addition to Hacker, the project team includes DCI Engineers, Vega Civil Engineering and Bend-based SZABO Landscape Architecture. Siteworks Design-Build is on board to serve as general contractor.

鈥淥bviously it’s a very walkable neighborhood,鈥� Bass said. 鈥淚t’s close to downtown, but also offers all the benefits of being on Division with restaurants, shops and retail as well.鈥�