The Portland Design Commission gave conditional approval to plans for a mixed-use building with 138 residential units at Southwest 16th Avenue and Burnside Street. Ankrom Moisan Architects’ design for the site, which currently houses an auto dealership, was OK’d by a 4-0 vote on Thursday; Commissioner Tad Savinar abstained.

“I think there is a lot that is very handsome about this building,” Commissioner Julie Livingston said. “There is a lot of strength in the composition and this will be a strong addition to the Goose Hollow neighborhood.”

Wood Partners is developing the project, which now has a design significantly different than one presented during a previous design advice hearing.

Approval came with two conditions. The first is to bring the garage door on Alder Street 18 inches to front of the building. The second is to include a half break reveal on the vertical joints on the west wall.

Early in the discussions on Thursday, the commission raised concerns about the use of balconies, oriel window designs and the orientation of ground-floor retail space and sidewalks.

“Doing a 15-foot sidewalk will make it a whole lot more pedestrian friendly than it is now,” Commissioner Don Vallaster said. “It’s not a very retail friendly location. You have fast traffic. Anything that happens there is going to be a whole lot more satisfactory going up on 16th and on Alder Street.”

There was also discussion of a concentration of garage and utility apparatus on the wall along Alder Street.

“I count about 49 feet of blank wall conditions on the back side,” Savinar said. “That may be an exaggeration, but it is certainly more than 35.”

Though most commissioners questioned the amount of space devoted to the utilities along that wall, they accepted it.

“I agree that there is a lot of area given to backhouse functions,” Livingston said. “However, it is nicely composed and fits within the architectural systems that have been developed overall. It’s not just thrown together. It’s considered.”

Also on Thursday:

Park Avenue West sign

On its second try, Ambrosini Design gained approval from the Portland Design Commission for a Stoel Rives sign to hang on the Park Avenue West tower.

The commission voted 4-0 in favor, with Savinar abstaining, for the proposed 92.9-square-foot sign. Its location was adjusted from earlier plans to go on the building’s horizontal component. The sign will be moved away from the parapet and wiring will be concealed.

Lighting levels were also adjusted to keep the sign from overwhelming the lantern above it.

Overton 15

The commission also approved Vallaster Corl Architects’ design for Overton 15 at 1440 N.W. Overton St. by a vote of 3-1. Savinar voted against approval. The building will include 68 residential units, three retail spaces and ground-level parking.

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