Portland’s skyline is changing.

Several high-rises are finishing up and are under construction, including the 460-foot-tall Block 216 that is climbing the Portland skyline and Alamo Manhattan’s Block 41 – a 23-story tower popping up in South Waterfront.

Here are the next nine towers in Portland’s pipeline:

(Click the images for more information on each project)

[1] Pearl Block 24

Developer: Greystar
Architect: GBD Architects

Pearl Block 24 would be a 22-story (about 250 feet tall) tower with roughly 440 units and 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail. The project site is bordered by railroad tracks diagonally to the north, The Fields Park to the east, Northwest Quimby Street to the south, and The Abigail and The Holden of Pearl, a senior living tower under construction to the west.

The high-rise would include slightly more than 450,000 square feet and include a seven-story, angled bar-shaped portion and a three-story podium with about 300 below-grade parking spaces. The project last received design advice from Portland Design Commission on Oct. 20.

[2] The Phillip Apartments

Address: 555 N.W. Park Ave.
Developer: Fields Holdings
Architect: TVA Architects

Three design options are on the table for the eastern half of the historic Honeyman Hardware block in the Pearl District: An 11-story, half-block scheme; a 16-story tower; or a 19-story quarter-block scheme. Initially, a 23-story high-rise was proposed for the site, but after comments from Portland’s Historic Landmarks Commission and the public, plans for the building were significantly scaled down.

The project last received design advice from the Historic Landmarks Commission at the end of September. In the meeting, the preferred option presented was the 11-story, half-block scheme with about 200 residential units. The structure consisted of an eight-story addition that would hover above the two-story Bindery Building on the block. The addition would have a penthouse suite on top.

[3] RiverPlace Phase 1

Address: 150 S. Montgomery St.
Developer: NBP Capital
Architect: GBD Architects

A 30-story, 344-unit tower is set to rise on the southern parcel of Block 1 in the approved RiverPlace master plan area. The development is phase 1 of a more extensive buildout of the 8.03-acre RiverPlace site adjacent to the South Waterfront Park.

The Bureau of Development Services projected the project to cost about $82 million during the land use process. The Portland Design Commission approved its final design in August. Most recently, a demolition permit was issued for the RiverPlace Athletic Club on the site.

[4] Sandy Pine

Address: 900 S.E. Sandy Boulevard
Developer: SolTerra Capital Inc.
Architect: LEVER Architecture

At 125 feet, Sandy Pine is anticipated to be Portland’s tallest mass-timber building. The Portland Design Commission approved the 12-story structure in June. The development will have 276 apartments (including six live/work units), 14,500 square feet of commercial space and bike parking, and 2.5 levels of below-grade parking for 178 vehicles.

The project is LEVER Architecture’s second attempt at a mass-timber tower in Portland. The first, Framework, a 12-story mixed-use building envisioned for the Pearl District, gained approval and even had building permits issued – but financial difficulties halted the project in 2018.

In its design review, Sandy Pine was valued at about $36 million. Framework initially was expected to cost $34 million.

[5] Welby 

Address: 1325 N.W. Kearney St.
Developer: Killian Pacific
Architect: Bora Architecture + Interiors

The Portland Design Commission approved the design of the 21-story, 280-unit multifamily building in May. The tower’s green facades could make it a standout building in the North Pearl District as it will stick out from the gray, black and brown tones of most skyward buildings.

Welby will have 5,500 square feet of retail space at ground level and 4-1/2 levels of underground parking. The Bureau of Development Services projected the project to cost about $106 million during the land use process.

[6] SW Park Apartments

Address 2059 S.W. Park Ave.
Project Owner: Park Avenue PSU LLC
Architect Tahran Architecture & Planning

A 12-story affordable housing development is set for the corner of Southwest Park Avenue and Southwest Clifton Street. The building will have 98 residential units.

Plans for the development initially called for an 11-story, 89-unit building, but in October, the Portland Bureau of Development Services reapproved it as a 12-story development.

Most of the structure will be prefabricated and use modular units with mass plywood panel flooring and ceiling systems. As planned, SW Park Apartments will be the tallest modular structure in the city.

[7] Modera Main Street

Address: 1155 SW 19th Ave.
Developer: Mill Creek Residential
Architect: Ankrom Moisan
Contractor: MCRT PNW Construction

The 17-story building set for Goose Hollow will be one of Portland’s largest multifamily developments. At nearly 435,000 square feet, the development will fill a full-city block and hold 337 apartments.

The building will wrap around a large-scale parking structure with 403 stalls that residents will share with Multnomah Athletic Club members.

The project is under building permit review with the Portland Bureau of Development Services.

[8] Press Block’s Full-Block Development

Address: 1621 S.W. Taylor St.
Developers: Security Properties and Urban Renaissance Grou
Architect: Mithun

The second phase of the Press Blocks development is underway in Portland’s Goose Hollow neighborhood. The entire development comprises one-and-a-half city blocks at 1621 S.W. Taylor St., on the old Oregonian printing press site near Providence Park. Construction wrapped in summer 2020 on the eight-story, half-block, Canvas office building.

Now, it is the full block’s turn. The site will include a 24-story high-rise with 341 apartments as well as a three-story, 30,000-square-foot commercial building with retail space, live/work units and creative office space. The developments will be linked by an underground parking structure that will hold 473 vehicle parking stalls and secured bike storage.

Demolition began in September on the old Oregonian printing press building and will last roughly six months, according to a representative for Security Properties. The final Press Blocks buildout will take about three years to complete.

[9] Hollywood HUB Housing

Project Owner: TriMet
Developer: BRIDGE Housing
Architect: Holst Architecture

Hollywood HUB Housing would be TriMet’s first transit-oriented development under its new Transit-Oriented Development Guidelines. Plans call for a 12-story, 120-foot building capable of supporting 234 affordable units. The project, in part, is a reimagining of the Hollywood Transit Center.

The goal for the site is to create a seamless transit connection from the Hollywood MAX station across the Interstate 84 pedestrian bridge to the three bus lines that run down Halsey Street. The project’s scope includes a new pedestrian and cyclist connection to the end of the pedestrian bridge.

The post Nine Portland high-rises in the pipeline appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

A 434,720-square-foot building set for Goose Hollow will be one of Portland’s largest multifamily developments after winning land use approval from the Design Commission.

Modera Main Street was approved by a 4-1 vote on Thursday. The commission’s chairwoman, Julie Livingston, cast the sole vote against the project. Commissioner Sam Rodriguez did not participate in the hearing; he recused himself because he is senior managing director in Portland for the project’s developer, Mill Creek Residential Trust.

The Design Commission approved project plans despite complaints from Goose Hollow residents that the 17-story building will be too large for the neighborhood and will worsen traffic, among other concerns.

“We heard from a lot of people, and very heartfelt testimonies on issues that I personally have a lot of empathy for,” Commissioner Zari Santner said. “Regretfully, we as a body do not have the authority to really respond to those.”

Final findings will be issued by Oct. 8. Then appeals of the Design Commission’s decision may be filed, said Ben Nielsen, a senior planner for the Bureau of Development Services.

The project’s approval comes as city officials push for more housing to meet demand. Modera Main will have 337 apartments – one more than earlier design iterations included. The building will wrap around a large-scale parking structure with 403 stalls that residents will share with Multnomah Athletic Club members.

The approval is also a milestone for Mill Creek. The national developer, based in Boca Raton, Florida, has been working for at least a decade to bring a multifamily building to the site. Mill Creek has built seven Modera-brand multifamily projects in neighborhoods around Portland, often inciting ire from local residents. Most recently, Mill Creek proposed Modera Woodstock, which would bring 194 apartments to the Southeast Portland neighborhood.

Commissioners were largely complimentary of Ankrom Moisan Architects‘ design for Modera Main. Commissioner Brian McCarter said the podium and tower are well integrated, and he praised the simplified facade, which will be broken into three-story groupings.

Commissioners also praised how well the design hides the parking structure.

“The fact that the entire garage is surrounded by program use is a very big deal,” Commissioner Jessica Molinar said. “It’s not easy to pull off.”

The garage will have only one entrance and exit, reducing conflicts with people using surrounding streets and sidewalks.

Livingston said she voted against the design because it does not activate Main Street on the ground level and thus falls short of meeting public realm guidelines.

“I look at Main Street, and I see the thinness of the program behind the facade adjacent to the sidewalk, and it’s just not enough to support real activity,” she said.

Livingston nevertheless praised the overall design.

“This is a really strong proposal and it will be a very strong building,” she said.

Commissioners attached two conditions of approval. One requires additional outdoor lighting in landscaped areas, and the other sets a minimum gauge for metal copings and exposed metal flashings.

The record was closed after a prior Design Commission hearing, so the project team did not speak at Thursday’s meeting, which was conducted virtually.

Opponents may appeal to the City Council. However, the council has not been receptive to opponents of housing projects in recent years, routinely rejecting appeals of Design Commission approvals.

The post Large-scale multifamily project gets green light appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Modera Main Street, the 434,720-square-foot multifamily building and parking structure proposed for Goose Hollow, will have to wait for land-use approval from the Portland Design Commission.

A hearing that was to be held Thursday was delayed because the Design Commission could not muster a quorum, Chairwoman Julie Livingston said. A vote had been expected at that meeting.

The hearing was continued until Sept. 23. The record is closed, meaning commissioners can debate and take a vote, but no new written or oral testimony will be accepted.

Modera Main has drawn opposition from neighbors who have protested the proposed height and bulk. At 17 stories and 175 feet tall, it would be one of the largest multifamily buildings in the city. It would occupy the full block surrounded by Southwest 19th and 20th avenues, and Main and Madison streets.

The Mill Creek Residential Trust proposal has a large parking component. A portion of Modera Main’s 403 parking spaces would be dedicated to users of the neighboring Multnomah Athletic Club.

Livingston previously said she will vote against the project because it falls short of public realm guidelines on its Main Street frontage. Four other commissioners have indicated they will vote in favor of the project.

Commissioner Sam Rodriguez has recused himself from the case because he serves as senior managing director for Mill Creek Residential Trust.

The project is being designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects.

The post Hearing delayed for huge multifamily project appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

LEVER Architecture‘s next design for a mass-timber building in Portland is planned for the site of a closed post office in the Northwest District.

Design commissioners got their first look Thursday at the four-story, 40,000-square-foot proposal. It would use mass timber and brick in a contemporary office building for Thesis, a local marketing and creative services agency.

Commissioners said they liked the design presented by LEVER principal Thomas Robinson.

“The architecture response and the landscape response are both sensitively thought out,” Commissioner Brian McCarter said.

However, commissioners warned Robinson that he could not expect a requested modification to minimum standards for floor area ratio (FAR). The proposed building would have a 1.2:1 ratio – below the minimum 1.5:1 ratio. The zoning regulation ensures a minimum density for projects built within the Central City.

“Minimum FAR is something Design Commission has fought hard for,” Chairwoman Julie Livingston said. “It’s asking a lot to ask for a modification on minimum FAR. That’s probably an uphill struggle.”

Reaching the minimum with the current design would require a site adjustment, the project team and commissioners said.

“Find a way to redefine the site and get to the floor area ratio,” Livingston told the design team.

Lango Hansen is on board as landscape architect. Patrick Kessi’s PHK Development is the project’s developer.

Initial plans also proposed a one-story office building on the property at 1706 N.W. 24th Ave. However, Robinson said the project team may prefer to place food carts there, potentially with an eye toward adding a larger building on that portion of the site in the future.

Commissioners said the property might be better served with food carts than a one-story building that is not meant for the long term.

“The one-story building on Thurman (Street) seems like a lot of money for very little gain,” Livingston said. “If the real plan is to do real development at a time that has not been identified, then stick to something that is easy to take away.”

McCarter agreed.

“I lean towards the food cart solution, which leaves the option to build a more substantial building in the future,” he said.

Thursday’s meeting was a design advice hearing meant to provide initial guidance. The project could proceed to a Type II design review, which would be overseen by Bureau of Development Services staff.

Also on Thursday:

Sizable project on track

Design commissioners appeared to be on the verge of approving Modera Main Street, a 17-story, 434,720-square-foot apartment building planned for Goose Hollow.

Commissioners did not vote on the Mill Creek Residential Trust proposal, and it is scheduled to return Sept. 2. Several commissioners said the latest designs from Ankrom Moisan Architects had made progress on reducing a dead zone on Main Street, relocating mechanical ventilation and other issues.

“I think they were very responsive,” Commissioner Don Vallaster said.

Livingston said she would vote no on the project because it still does not meet design guidelines. Portions of the Main Street frontage appear destined to be storage, she said.

“I so hope that when this building is constructed I am proved wrong,” she said.

Livingston was the only commissioner who still opposed the project design in a straw poll. Four other commissioners said the project would earn their vote of approval at a future meeting.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described developer Patrick Kessi’s role in the office project.

The post Project’s possible ‘uphill struggle’ identified appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The Portland Design Commission meets throughout the year on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Here is a glimpse of projects the commission is scheduled to examine on Aug. 19:

Modera Main Street

Address: full block bounded by Southwest Salmon and Main streets and 19th and 20th avenues

Developer: Mill Creek Residential Trust

Architect: Ankrom Moisan Architects

This is continuation of a design review hearing that began Aug. 5. Previously, the project team proposing a 17-story, 434,720-square-foot building faced significant questions from the Design Commission.

The commission’s chairwoman, Julie Livingston, said she would vote against the project as designed currently because it would fail to activate its Main Street frontage.

“We are allowing a building to go up that acknowledges the nothingness of this block of Main,” she said. “All four of these frontages need to be active to be a strong response to public realm guidelines. I feel strongly enough about this that it will cause me to vote no.”

One hour is allotted for Thursday’s meeting. A final vote may or may not take place.

Cambria Hotel Portland

Address: 105 and 135 N.W. Park Ave.

Developer: HighSide Development

Architect: SERA Architects

Engineers: Vega Civil Engineering and KPFF (structural)

HighSide Development of Denver, new to the Portland market, is seeking design advice for its proposed Cambria Hotel. It’s one of the Choice-branded hotels the developer is working on across the U.S., including downtown L.A.

The six-story Cambria Hotel Portland, designed by SERA Architects, is planned for the Pearl District. It would have 174 guest rooms and  look out onto Portland’s North Park Blocks.

The first floor would contain the hotel lobby, a restaurant and bar, meeting rooms, a fitness space, and a 1,900-square-foot tenant space.

Two office buildings

Address: 1706 N.W. 24th Ave.

Architect: LEVER Architecture

LEVER Architecture aims to make another notch in its mass-timber belt – this time with a 40,000-square-foot office building to serve as the new headquarters for a Portland-based creative agency. A design advice hearing is planned for Thursday. Patrick Kessi of 1706 LLC is the owner’s representative.

The proposed plan places the four-story mass-timber structure at the corner of Northwest 24th Avenue and Savier Street. A one-story accessory office building would be oriented along Northwest Thurman Street.

The project team is seeking adjustments to the minimum FAR (floor-area ratio) and building height.

The post What’s coming before the Design Commission? appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Mill Creek Residential Trust‘s massive Modera Main Street proposal – 17 stories, 434,720 square feet, 336 apartments, 403 parking spaces – faced significant questions from the Portland Design Commission on Thursday, but eventual approval may be all but assured.

The Design Commission held an initial review hearing on Thursday, after two previous design advice meetings. At least three commissioners signaled they may vote against the proposal, and a fourth, Don Vallaster, said he wants to see changes before voting in favor.

The multifamily colossus designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects for the Florida-based developer is planned for a vacant Goose Hollow lot that neighbors the Multnomah Athletic Club. The building would be linked to the MAC via a tunnel, and have parking for club users as well as building residents.

The Design Commission’s chairwoman, Julie Livingston, said that even if the project were rejected by design commissioners, it would surely be approved by the housing-friendly City Council.

“We have not won on this issue, ever,” Livingston said, referring to height and scale concerns. “There have been several appeals to commission based on building height and building scale – FAR (floor-area ratio) – and Design Commission has gotten no traction on this issue.”

Goose Hollow has been a locus of growth, aided by accommodating zoning thanks to the Central City 2035 plan. Projects such as ART Tower, Sawbuck and Press Blocks stand to add hundreds of multifamily units to the neighborhood.

Developers have targeted the close-in neighborhood, which enjoys walking proximity to downtown and transit options including a MAX light-rail line. Major institutional projects – including a new Lincoln High School and a Providence Park expansion – also have moved forward.

Goose Hollow’s explosive growth has raised the ire of residents, who are watching the neighborhood with historic Victorians become much denser. Several residents testified against the project on Thursday.

“The sheer size, height and mass of the building are just going to destroy the neighborhood,” said Chrys Martin, who was one of several MAC members who opposed the project despite the athletic club’s agreement to use Modera Main’s parking.

Rachel Clark, daughter of former Mayor Bud Clark, said Modera Main would be one of Portland’s largest residential buildings and break a decades-old promise to not further expand MAC parking.

Erin Winn, a counselor, said she and her husband are looking to move.

“We can’t imagine staying here once the neighborhood changes so drastically with this tower right out the front window,” she said.

Winn said she values quiet in the neighborhood because she counsels trauma victims.

Modera Main would occupy a full block bounded by Southwest 19th and 20th avenues, and Main and Madison streets.

Some testifiers complained that Sam Rodriguez, managing director of Mill Creek Residential Trust in Portland, also serves on Design Commission. Rodriguez did not participate in the hearing, but that did not satisfy some opponents who expressed concern that commissioners could be biased toward their fellow commissioner. Mill Creek is one of the most prolific multifamily developers in the city.

Livingston said she would vote against the project, as presented Thursday, because it fails to activate its Main Street frontage.

“We are allowing a building to go up that acknowledges the nothingness of this block of Main,” she said. “All four of these frontages need to be active to be a strong response to public realm guidelines. I feel strongly enough about this that it will cause me to vote no.”

Livingston praised other aspects of the project, calling the landscape plan “lovely.”

Commissioners said the design team had made strides in reducing the building’s apparent size since the design advice meetings.

“I think they’ve made improvements in sculpting the mass a bit more,” Commissioner Chandra Robinson said.

The building fits in an increasingly dense Goose Hollow, Commissioner Zari Santner said.

“As incongruous as this may appear, from the perspective of looking at the guidelines, I think this is contextual.”

Commissioners also scrutinized vinyl window frames planned for the façade. Isaac Johnson, managing principal at Ankrom Moisan Architects, said the frames had been used successfully in other Portland buildings.

“These are high-quality products,” he said. “I think they look very good, and they are a good value.”

The project team will return for a brief check-in on Aug. 19. That’s likely to be followed by a final meeting and a vote on Sept. 2.

Johnson said the project team is eager to apply for permits soon.

“We need to lock our design in,” he said.

Johnson added that architects would revisit the building’s Main Street frontage design.

“We have heard you and we need to take a look at it and see if we can make any improvements,” he said.

The post A development too big for Goose Hollow? appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

The team developing a 175-foot tower in the Goose Hollow neighborhood is continuing to refine the design. The Portland Design Commission on Thursday got another look at plans.

Modera Main Street was proposed as a 16-story building with 340 residential units at the southeast corner of Southwest 20th Avenue and Main Street – slightly south of Providence Park. The lower four stories would be a podium with 408 structured parking spaces and residential units wrapping around. Atop the podium would sit a 12-story L-shape tower with more residential units.

The applicant, Francis Dardis of Ankrom Moisan Architects, filed for the request for design advice on behalf of property owner Mill Creek Residential Trust. This was the second design advice hearing; the first was held in November 2020.

Commissioner Sam Rodriquez is the senior managing director for Mill Creek Residential Trust in Portland. As such, he recused himself from the meeting.

The Design Commission expressed concerns need for a more dramatic setback of the tower from the podium.

The podium would sit on a hillside from 20th Avenue, Madison Street and 19th Avenue. The tower would step down to the southwest corner. The 19th Avenue façade would start at the base and go 16 stories up without a break.

“It feels much larger than it actually is,” Commission Chairwoman Julie Livingston said.

The tower’s proposed mass drew outcry from the community because of neighborhood context.

“It’s absurdly larger than the surrounding (buildings),” community member Sean O’Donnell said. “I think the public realm is disadvantaged by this design.”

While the tower’s height received the most disputes, the Central City plan allows for a building up to 175 feet high.

“(We) wrestled with how we break the massing down,” said Paul Jeffrey, design lead at Ankrom Moisan.

The team is looking at two slightly different design schemes. The first approach would keep the base, midsection and top one color. The other would make each one a different color.

The podium would be a highly textured brick, and as it goes into the mid-section of the tower, it would smooth out. The top of the tower would transition to metal panels to give a completely smooth look.

“We had hoped to see some more aggressive sculpting of the tower,” Commissioner Brian McCarter said.

Commissioners agreed that materials and details are moving in the right direction, but there needs to be a clear shift from the tower’s lower and upper portions.

The next step for the project is a land-use review hearing.

In the meantime, the team is developing the project’s public realm. The site is an empty lot that has operated as a community green space for many years.

The community expressed loss for the green space, and Jeffrey said the team would work to incorporate a soft, grassy landscape into the design to make up for it.

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