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Another project featuring cross-laminated timber will soon go before the Portland Bureau of Development Services for evaluation.

A pre-application conference for an eight-story, 144,000-square-foot mixed-use building in the East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District is scheduled for Jan. 9. Applicants from TVA Architects will outline plans for the project, which is being developed in an opportunity zone by Sturgeon Development Partners.

The property, at 236 S.E. Grand Ave., is half of a block bordered by Southeast Grand and Sixth avenues and Southeast Ash and Pine streets.

鈥淚t’s a really well-located site and a neighborhood that’s transitional,鈥� said TMT Development CEO Vanessa Sturgeon, whose firm purchased the parcel in September for $3.55 million. 鈥淭he property is currently underutilized, so we’re looking forward to being part of the neighborhood transformation.鈥�

鈥淚t’s going to be an office building with retail on the ground floor,鈥� Sturgeon said. 鈥淭he retail is necessary to serve the office tenants. The tenants really like to have places to eat and services that are walkable, so this is contributing to all that.鈥�

TVA Architects principal Robert Thompson is the project’s design architect.

鈥淲e’re going to be going after the creative workforce market,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, the building is going to be a combination of exposed concrete structural framework vertically in terms of the core and perimeter columns, and all interior floors will be glulam beams and cross-laminated-timber floor panels; it will be beautiful.鈥�

The project’s location will require review by the Historic Landmarks Commission.

鈥淭he building will honor and respect the character and the massing 鈥� the overall look and feel 鈥� of the historic buildings that make up the Grand Avenue Historic District,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淏ut at the same time we’re putting forward a more contemporary, modern interpretation of that look.鈥�

Two exterior cladding options are being considered: brick masonry and an architectural precast concrete skin. Thompson said the design team like the idea of using fiber-cement panels as an accent.

鈥淲e’re evaluating the options,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we’re leaning heavily toward the precast option, which is in concert with a lot of buildings not only in the Grand Avenue district but also the inner southeast industrial district.鈥�

Generous amounts of glazing will further serve two purposes.

鈥淲e’re looking at a lot of large windows to express the retail to the public and the timber structure of the building, so it will be perceived as a very warm, progressive workplace,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淥ur plan is to get under construction within this calendar year 鈥� in the fall of 2020 鈥� and be under way with the project.鈥�

Sturgeon said the use of cross-laminated timber is more than just a passing fad.

鈥淧art of it is the sustainability,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd frankly, we just really like the look of the product 鈥� it’s beautiful. In Oregon we’re on the cutting edge of sustainability, so we’re looking to push the envelope and go eight stories instead of six through some new developments in the technology.鈥�

Building industry fears about shortages of cross-laminated timber panels are not influencing this project, Thompson said.

鈥淚t’s not an ongoing concern,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut it’s what’s current, it’s what people like right now, and it creates a unique, warm, inviting environment to work in. Timber is one of our great resources, and Portland is leading this industry at a national level.鈥�