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The Portland Design Commission on Thursday got its first look at Welby, proposed as a 15-story, mixed-use building in the Pearl District. Mass timber would be used.

The project at 1325 N.W. Kearney St. comes from developer Killian Pacific, with a design by Bora Architects. It’s the latest iteration of a redevelopment proposal for a half-block site. In January 2018, the Design Commission approved a project known as Lovejoy Square for the same location, but it did not move forward to construction.

The new design calls for 12 floors of residential space above two floors of offices and ground-floor retail space. The Bureau of Development Services valued the project at $85 million.

Welby will meet its inclusionary housing obligations on site, said Michi Slick, director of development at Killian Pacific. Plans call for a mix of residences, including two- and three-bedroom units.

As proposed, the tower would stand 180 feet high, within the 250-foot height limit with bonuses, according to BDS. It would be Portland’s tallest mass-timber building.

Design commissioners and a representative of the Pearl District Neighborhood Association criticized the proposal during Thursday’s design advice hearing, saying it doesn’t fully fit the neighborhood.

鈥淲e don’t feel it’s very contextual,鈥� said David Dysert, co-chairman of the PDNA’s Planning and Transportation Committee. 鈥淲e just don’t feel it’s really fitting the site with the articulation of the facade.鈥�

Dysert urged Bora to look to precedents in the Pearl District, namely Pearl West and Heartline. Those buildings, he said, were contextual 鈥渨ithout pretending to be old buildings.鈥�

The proposed facade facing Kearney Street would be 鈥渙ut of context,鈥� Commissioner Zari Santner said.

Dysert and commissioners also raised concerns about Bora’s proposed use of cement panels.

The project has an 80-foot right of way, a vestige of its former use as a rail yard. The applicant proposes a 6.5-foot vacation of Northwest 14th Avenue in the 900 block. A raised bike lane would be built.

The PDNA stated in a letter to the Design Commission that it supports the street vacation as long as the project team pays for the improvements.

Welby’s residential entrance should be better articulated, commissioners said. They also urged Bora to consider extending canopies on all sides to provide weather protection.

鈥淲e expect there to be a lot of pedestrians on 14th and Kearney, and I don’t know why we wouldn’t want to see more continuous awnings on bays,鈥� Commissioner Brian McCarter said. 鈥淭his really warrants considering more continuous rain protection.鈥�

McCarter also urged designers to include more trees along Kearney Street.

The project team could decide to return for another design advice hearing, or seek design review.