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A new future is emerging for the long-anticipated redevelopment of Centennial Mills, which has sat vacant along the Willamette River for over two decades.

On Thursday, Portland design commissioners got their first look at the proposed project, which would cost $100 million, according to a Bureau of Development Services estimate. MLR Ventures is aiming to revitalize the iconic Centennial Mills location with construction of three five-story buildings holding approximately 277 residential units, 400 square feet of retail space, 244 parking stalls in a shared underground garage, and a greenway trail adjacent to the river.

Additionally, the proposal calls for the creation of two public plazas, including a sculpture that would pay homage to the site鈥檚 water tower 鈥� a prominent landmark that has crowned the location for over a century.

Unless the water tower can be saved 鈥� and currently that is the plan 鈥� no existing structure on the site will be preserved.

Centennial Mills is 鈥渁n amazing site but very, very complex,鈥� SERA Architects principal Kurt Schultz said. Due to its location between Northwest Naito Parkway and the river, the site is subject to four different design and planning overlays, as well as site constraints.

One of the key issues discussed during Thursday鈥檚 design advice meeting was the location of the top of the riverbank, which directly impacts the site鈥檚 developable area. The debate centers on determining where the top of the bank line should cross the 35-foot inlet on the site鈥檚 northern portion. City staffers contend that it should be measured around the inlet with the existing seawalls, resulting in a 50-foot setback. The project team wants a different crossing point, aligning with two perpendicular seawalls, based on the Central Reach Top of Bank Map.

In the proposal presented Thursday (based on the project team鈥檚 top-of-bank location), the building area covers only 27 percent of the approximately 93,000-square-foot site, which is relatively low for an urban area, Schultz said. This is due to site constraints involving the greenway setback, plazas, Tanner Creek easement (a 10-foot-wide no-build zone from Naito Parkway to the river), requirements for open views along Naito Parkway, and an additional easement for a potential pedestrian bridge landing from Fields Park over Naito Parkway.

While commissioners largely expressed that the development is heading in the right direction, there was some disappointment regarding the lack of density for a potential neighborhood destination.

鈥淚t feels like an insertion of any part of the city on the waterfront,鈥� Commissioner Jessica Molinar said.

The proposed open space feels 鈥渧ery privatized,鈥� she added. There would be many ground-floor residential units but not much commercial space, and the plazas feel more like pathways, she said. Commissioners also suggested that the team consider adding water access for people with kayaks or paddleboards via a small ramp 鈥� a feature lacking in the central city.

The proposal has a 2:1 floor area (FAR) ratio, with the potential to go up to 5:1 with inclusionary housing bonuses. Each building would be 60 to 75 feet in height, primarily due to financial feasibility.

鈥淩ight now, there is not an appetite among investors and financiers for high-rise construction or even large-scale podium construction,鈥� Schultz explained.

Financial feasibility also led to the decision to demolish the former flour mill rather than restore it, as initially planned. This is due to the building鈥檚 poor condition and the risk of liquefaction in a seismic event without construction of new deep-pile foundations. That cost factor has hurt previous attempts by developers to redevelop the site, Schultz noted. Restoration of the iconic water tower will be attempted, although it might disintegrate if it鈥檚 removed from its perch by crane, according to KPFF.

鈥淚 think the biggest shock for me was that the building 鈥� the mill building 鈥� was gone and potentially the water tower is not salvageable,鈥� Commissioner Chandra Robinson said.

The former Centennial Mills flour mill operated from 1910 to 2000. It鈥檚 an iconic Portland structure, Robinson said. She urged the team to consider placing the new tower at a similar height to the existing one, so it can be a wayfinding tool in the city.

Public concern during the meeting was primarily centered around access to the river and views, as well as the adequacy of parking for the development. Also, seven construction workers spoke up for fair-wage practices and equitable access to work, urging the development team to prioritize this when selecting the project鈥檚 general contractor.

鈥淲e must do better for the local communities we serve,鈥� Nickeia Hunter said. 鈥淩eal growth comes from the ability to be diverse and inclusive, making sure that this in future projects benefit the entire community, not just a select few.鈥�

MLR Ventures representatives did not respond to any of the public comments.

Due to the site鈥檚 complexity, BDS has offered the project team the opportunity to return for a second design advice meeting before submitting the proposal for design review.