Prometheus Real Estate Group – Daily Journal of Commerce /news/tag/prometheus-real-estate-group/ Building and Construction News in Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest Tue, 10 May 2022 16:33:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.6 /files/2023/08/favicon.webp Prometheus Real Estate Group – Daily Journal of Commerce /news/tag/prometheus-real-estate-group/ 32 32 Crews break ground on Slabtown project /news/2022/02/03/crews-break-ground-on-slabtown-project/ Thu, 03 Feb 2022 22:30:03 +0000 /?p=264206 Freewell, a 265,000-square-foot development, is being brought to market by Cairn Pacific LLC and Prometheus Real Estate Group.

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The seven-story building will hold 192 apartments and ground-floor retail space. ()

Construction of one of the final projects within the Con-way master plan has begun in the neighborhood of Northwest Portland.

Freewell, a 265,000-square-foot development, is being brought to market by LLC and . A seven-story building will host 192 apartments, ground-floor retail space and underground parking. A bridge will connect to a two-story pavilion building with amenities.

The project site is Block 291 East, at 2030 N.W. Raleigh St. Freewell will front a future park to be developed by the city of Portland.

The Portland Bureau of Development Services last week issued a $44 million construction permit for Freewell. However, construction costs have increased so much since a permit was sought nearly a year ago that they’re expected to be around $60 million, Cairn Pacific principal Tom DiChiara said.

Freewell is the eighth project for Cairn Pacific in Slabtown. SERA Architects designed the development – the firm’s third for Cairn Pacific in the neighborhood; Saltwood and are the others.

SERA also designed Greystar‘s Slabtown Savier, which was approved by the Design Commission in December 2021. That project will occupy blocks 261 and 262.

“T provided a blank slate to design and develop an entire neighborhood from the ground up,” SERA Architects principal Kurt Schultz stated in a press release. “Our approach when designing at neighborhood scale is to design buildings that are unique but also in harmony with the surrounding context.”

Freewell will feature brick, wood and natural materials, and the pavilion building will be constructed of mass-timber. Materials were chosen as an ode to the neighborhood’s past, when it was filled with warehouses, Schultz stated.

The 20-acre neighborhood previously was owned by the trucking company. The master plan called for creation of a 24-7, mixed-use area for people to live, work and play.

There are 17 development parcels within the Con-way master plan, and projects for 16 of them are completed or in development. The remaining block, 292 East, is a Prometheus Real Estate Group property. At this point there is no project planned for 292 East, DiChiara said, but developers are hoping it will become senior housing or something other than multifamily.

Over the past nine years, Cairn Pacific and Prometheus Real Estate Group have partnered on five mixed-use projects in the neighborhood. Freewell, their sixth joint venture, will “add a finishing touch to the district,” DiChiara stated.

is the general contractor. Construction is expected to finish in spring 2024.

(SERA Architects)
(SERA Architects)

 

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Full-block building in Portland fetches $75 million /news/2021/12/15/full-block-building-in-portland-fetches-75-million/ Wed, 15 Dec 2021 18:08:00 +0000 /?p=262935 A Pearl District apartment building has been sold to a Canadian real estate investment firm.

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10th @ Hoyt, a six-story building in Portland’s , was completed in 2004. (courtesy of )

A Pearl District apartment building has been sold to a Canadian real estate investment firm for $75 million.

The 10th @ Hoyt building, at 925 N.W. Hoyt St., has 178 units that average 758 square feet. Completed in 2004 in one of Portland’s priciest neighborhoods, 10th @ Hoyt also includes 13,000 square feet of retail space and 157 parking spaces.

The six-story, full-block building was purchased by RISE Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust based in Victoria, British Columbia, that has focused on the Pacific Northwest. The company has snapped up multifamily properties in Oregon, including seven since the pandemic began.

The seller was , based in San Mateo, California.

“We’ve been searching for an urban asset to diversify our Portland portfolio and couldn’t be more pleased with the acquisition of 10th @ Hoyt,” Jason Murray, RISE’s director of investments, stated in a news release. “T opportunity is unparalleled given the excellent Pearl District location, the quality of the asset and the opportunity for a transformative renovation.”

RISE plans to renovate common areas and unit interiors and reinvest in marketing the 194,044-square-foot property, according to Murray.

“We continue to believe in the long-term fundamentals of the Portland metro, with its strong job base, relative affordability and lifestyle amenities, including access to the outdoors and an attractive urban center,” he stated.

The sale equates to $421,348 per residential unit, or approximately $386.50 per square foot. 10th @ Hoyt has studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.

Prometheus was represented by ‘s Joe Nydahl, Phil Oester and Josh McDonald.

“T new owner will enjoy tremendous upside potential,” Nydahl stated.

10th @ Hoyt was designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects and originally developed by Trammell Crow Residential and C.E. John. It was built by TCR Pacific Northwest Construction. Prometheus bought the property in 2008.

The property will be managed by Seattle-based Thrive Communities.

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On the Boards: Freewell Con-way Master-Planned Project /news/2020/12/28/boards-freewell-con-way-master-planned-project/ Mon, 28 Dec 2020 21:14:27 +0000 /?p=252651 A new apartment complex weaves into the Con-way master-planned area of Northwest Portland. The seven-story apartment building, planned for Block 291 east, will live adjacent to the neighborhood park.

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Art gallery space in the two-story amenity pavilion. (Rendering courtesy of SERA Architects)
Art gallery space in the two-story amenity pavilion. (Rendering courtesy of )

A new apartment complex weaves into the master-planned area of Northwest Portland. The seven-story apartment building, planned for Block 291 east, will live adjacent to the neighborhood park.

“This park is meant to be the heart of the neighborhood,” Kurt Schultz, principal at SERA Architects, said.

and are the property owners. SERA Architects is the designer and Co. is the contractor.

Project ‘s site has two buildings on it designed to respond to the park next to it. The stand-alone two-story pavilion building lends as a step stool for the 192-unit apartment complex down to the park.

The pavilion building will be constructed out of mass-timber wood and host a fitness studio, community room and a maker’s studio. It’ll also have an art gallery, which will be open to the public on the first Thursday of each month.

The design’s goal is to “let the park roll into the buildings,” Schultz said.

The apartment complex is a 5-2 with wood framing over concrete — the seventh-floor sets-back to open up to the park. The building is 235,000 square feet, including a 120-lot basement parking garage.

The complex’s ground floor will have retail spaces, a lobby, building amenities, and a few residential units. Live-work units will also be available facing the park.

Schultz said the challenge was creating a building that meshed with the park and addressed the neighborhood association’s needs.

The neighborhood association suggested that the two-story amenities building would give the park light and help keep the space open.

Construction on the project plans to start in December 2021 and will be finished by 2023.

“It’s really hard to create a new neighborhood from scratch but it’s a great opportunity,” Schultz said.

is a 91Ƶ feature offering a look at the projects in Oregon being tackled by local architecture firms. To have your firm’s projects considered, contact Alex Jensen at ajensen@djcoregon.com.

Rendering courtesy of SERA Architects.
(Rendering courtesy of SERA Architects)

 

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Years later, mixed-use project reappears /news/2020/03/06/years-later-mixed-use-project-reappears/ Fri, 06 Mar 2020 20:36:57 +0000 /?p=201086 Portland design commissioners on Thursday suggested significant revisions to two South Waterfront towers proposed by a Dallas-based developer.

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A pair of 250-foot waterfront towers are part of a proposed South Waterfront development by Texas-based Alamo Manhattan. (WDG Architecture)
A pair of 250-foot waterfront towers are part of a proposed development by Texas-based . ()

Portland design commissioners on Thursday suggested significant revisions to two South Waterfront towers proposed by a Dallas-based developer.

The proposal represents the latest iteration for Southwest Portland blocks owned by . Alamo Manhattan won design approval in August 2017 for two multifamily buildings, but did not move ahead at that time.

Five buildings are proposed on four riverfront blocks between Southwest Lane and Lowell streets. The parcels north of the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant have long sat vacant. The new buildings would bring 1,232 residential units, 20,000 square feet of retail space and more than 700 parking spots, along with new streets and river access.

In December 2019, the developer withdrew its application and resubmitted the proposal under a new land-use case based on a 2017 subdivision of the property. The maneuver makes the Alamo Manhattan proposal subject to the city’s inclusionary housing requirements for affordable units. However, the move frees the Dallas developer from meeting requirements that are part of Central City 2035 zoning updates, including those for bird-safe glazing, eco-roofs and low-carbon building performance.

Avoiding the requirements is likely to save Alamo Manhattan substantial money, because the premium for bird-safe glazing on only one large building can run several hundred thousand dollars. An eco-roof likewise is a costly requirement for space that brings building owners no revenue.

The development would fill in a section of the South Waterfront that is currently broken. Alamo Manhattan has been unable to reach agreement with city officials regarding funding to build a high-quality greenway in the area.

“We’re excited to have this stretch of the greenway come into development,” said Brett Horner, planning manager for . “We were unable to reach agreement with them on public assistance for enhanced greenway. We would really like to see an enhanced greenway that would more closely match the built greenway to the north.

“All the bureaus worked together, and we were represented by Prosper Portland for some potential public involvement, particularly in the greenway. Those talks did not end result in any agreement,” Horner said.

The design is from the Dallas office of WDG Architecture, and Dallas landscape architect Linda Tycher and Associates. The Design Commission dealt with 250-foot-tall towers proposed on blocks 41 and 44. Plans call for a largely light-colored design on Block 41 and a reddish-brown metallic treatment on Block 44 to the south.

Proposed greenway space between a pair of proposed towers and the Willamette River needs more refinement, according to Portland Design Commission members.
Proposed greenway space between a pair of proposed towers and the Willamette River needs more refinement, according to members.

Commissioners and Bureau of Development Services staffers praised the glassy, river-facing design for Block 44, which would feature a small notch mid-building. They had serious concerns, however, about the L-shaped tower. The staff report even suggested revisiting the building’s footprint, which would be a major step.

For both buildings, commissioners suggested simplifying the façade treatments for a consistent design language.

The land-use case is one of the most complex the Design Commission has faced in recent years, with multiple buildings on multiple blocks, river access, transportation issues and the greenway all playing a role.

In response to earlier criticism, the design team moved the buildings back from the greenway. Linda Tycher and Associates’ landscape design fills in a required 2,500 square feet of space largely with shrubbery. Commissioners said the space needs to provide a greater public benefit.

“It’s just kind of a leftover space that nobody wants anyway,” Commissioner Don Vallaster said.

Chairwoman Julie Livingston agreed.

“T 2,500 square feet needs to make a place,” she said. “It is all about having space for the public to occupy.”

The current design, Livingston added, “is negative space for the building. It seems more about providing privacy for residents of the building.”

Designs for the interior blocks are scheduled to be reviewed on March 12. After that, at least one more review hearing will have to be scheduled before the Design Commission can issue approval.

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Completion date within sight for mixed-use project /news/2020/02/28/completion-date-within-sight-mixed-use-project/ Fri, 28 Feb 2020 22:14:28 +0000 /?p=200752 Crews are scheduled to finish building Raleigh Slabtown, a six-story development in Northwest Portland, at the end of July.

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Raleigh 22 will contain 173 residential units over ground-floor commercial space. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
will contain 173 residential units over ground-floor commercial space. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

Multifamily projects are continuing to pop up in the area of Northwest Portland, including one at 2222 N.W. Raleigh St.

General contractor is building Raleigh Slabtown, a six-story mixed-use development that will cover three-quarters of a standard city block at the corner of Northwest 22nd Avenue and Raleigh Street. The project, designed by SERA Architects, is technically just outside of the Master Plan area. But the development from and will complement buildings being constructed within the area.

Raleigh Slabtown will have a total of 173 residential units, including a select few on the ground floor that will be accessible only from a landscaped courtyard.

The project team is employing the typical top-down construction for wood-framed buildings of this type. And right now, drywall installers and other interior tradespeople are dominating the job site.

The use of prefabricated wall panels and other strategies have combined to accelerate construction.

“Pretty much all trades are on site,” said Ted Rhodes, a project manager with R&H Construction. “We’ve got at least 100 guys here every day right now, and with 173 (residential) units you walk around and it seems sparse in some places. But yeah, there are over 100 guys here each day.”

More than 60 of those are drywall installers from Westside Drywall and Insulation. But the site also is populated at present with HVAC technicians with American Heating, sprinkler fitters with Delta Fire Protection, and ironworkers with Refa Steel Erectors who are erecting the steel canopies on ground-floor units. Another subcontractor with a large presence is B&B Masonry; its workers are busy laying brick masonry for the exterior.

Five wood-framed stories are atop a concrete podium and two levels of below-grade parking.

Builders broke ground in late 2018, and the first slab pour followed in January 2019. Now, completion isn’t far off.

“T project is going really well,” Rhodes said. “We’re on schedule and slated to finish at the end of July. We’re going to start our site concrete in the courtyard, where it wraps around. And then we have a west courtyard where there’s a mail room, but mostly it’s private patios for the ground-floor units.”

A Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating is being targeted for the project.

Tony Peabody, a journeyman HVAC technician with American Heating, Inc., installs ductwork in an apartment unit at Raleigh 22. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Tony Peabody, a journeyman HVAC technician with American Heating, installs ductwork in an apartment unit at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice HVAC technician James Sisniegas, an employee of American Heating, Inc., wires the power supply for a heat pump. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice HVAC technician James Sisniegas, an employee of American Heating, wires the power supply for a heat pump. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
The building will contain 173 residential units. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
The building will contain 173 residential units. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Jovanni Orantes, a drywall specialist with Westside Drywall, applies a skim coat of mud to the underside of a door frame. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Jovanni Orantes, a drywall specialist with Westside Drywall, applies a skim coat of mud to the underside of a door frame. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Westside Drywall installers Sergio Ayala, left, and Esaias Valdez install drywall in the building's elevator shaft. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Westside Drywall installers Sergio Ayala, left, and Esaias Valdez install drywall in the building’s elevator shaft. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Ground-floor units at Raleigh 22 will have 10-foot ceiling heights. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Ground-floor units at Raleigh Slabtown will have 10-foot ceiling heights. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Tom Peabody, left, and Josh Ruggles, both journeyman HVAC technicians with American Heating, install ductwork. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Tom Peabody, left, and Josh Ruggles, both journeyman HVAC technicians with American Heating, install ductwork. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Carpenters with Westside Drywall construct a soffit in the sixth-floor community room. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Carpenters with Westside Drywall construct a soffit in the sixth-floor community room. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A courtyard will provide residents with access to Northwest 22nd Avenue and Quimby Street. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A courtyard will provide residents with access to Northwest 22nd Avenue and Quimby Street. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Matt Allen, a journeyman HVAC technician with American Heating, pressure tests a rooftop heat pump unit. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Matt Allen, a journeyman HVAC technician with American Heating, pressure tests a rooftop heat pump unit. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Westside Drywall installer Bernardo Hernandez Estrada applies mud to corridor wall. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Westside Drywall installer Bernardo Hernandez Estrada applies mud to corridor wall. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
The project is sited near the Con-Way Master Plan area. (SkyShots, courtesy of R&H Construction)
The project site is near the area. (SkyShots, courtesy of R&H Construction)

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Senior living project planned for Con-way parcel /news/2019/12/03/senior-living-project-planned-con-way-parcel/ Wed, 04 Dec 2019 02:00:02 +0000 /?p=197073 A six-story multifamily development geared to serve retirees is planned for property in the Con-way master-planned area in Northwest Portland.

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A six-story multifamily development geared to serve retirees is planned for property in the master-planned area in Northwest Portland.

The latest infill project in the former industrial district is being designed by . It’s set to discuss the project with the Portland Bureau of Development Services at a pre-application conference on Dec. 10.

As proposed, the development would take up the eastern half of a superblock that stretches between Northwest 20th and 21st avenues and Northwest Raleigh and Savier streets. The building would feature six stories of above-grade construction and include 184 residential units as well as a single level of below-grade parking with approximately 100 vehicle spaces. Parking access would be maintained from Savier Street.

Type III is required for this project.

purchased the 2.59-acre parcel in December 2017 for slightly more than $39.3 million. The firm is backing the adjacent Saltwood North project that is under construction on the western half of the property. SERA Architects also designed that project, which features two levels of below-grade vehicle parking and six stories of mixed-use space. is the general contractor for , while is the general contractor for Saltwood South – another mixed-use project being built one block to the south.

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Concrete crews pour it on for mixed-use project /news/2019/11/27/concrete-crews-pour-mixed-use-project/ Wed, 27 Nov 2019 21:47:05 +0000 /?p=196838 The build-out of Northwest Portland is continuing apace, and general contractor Bremik Construction is doing its part for the six-story Saltwood North project.

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A crew of cement masons with Local 555 and LaRusso Concrete pour the foundation slab at Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A crew of cement masons with Local 555 and pour the foundation slab for the mixed-use building. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

The build-out of Northwest Portland is continuing apace, and general contractor is doing its part for the six-story Saltwood North project.

The mixed-use development was designed by for half of a superblock in Portland’s neighborhood. The six-story building will have 177 market-rate apartments above ground-floor retail space. There will be two levels of underground parking.

Bremik Construction is self-performing all structural concrete work, as well as installations of windows and wood siding.

Recently, LaRusso Concrete crews were at the site to assist with the largest single-day concrete pour Bremik Construction has carried out as a general contractor since it was founded in 2004. The pour of 1,700 cubic yards covered the first half of the building’s foundation slab; the second followed shortly thereafter.

“Kicking it off with the foundation obviously kicks off all of our vertical concrete and lets us go up instead of down,” Bremik Construction superintendent Josh Ring said.

Saltwood North is one half of the entire Saltwood project being developed by for owner on a master-planned block bordered by Northwest 20th and 21st avenues, and Savier and Quimby streets. Saltwood South (with only one level of underground parking) is being constructed by general contractor and will rise on a nearly identical parcel.

In total, Saltwood will provide 354 new apartments and 17,000 square feet of commercial space. Saltwood North alone will feature a spa, a swimming pool, a steam room, a sauna and other amenities like a rooftop deck and a lounge.

Ian Malsbury, foreground, and Rogelio Estrada, both journeyman cement masons with Local 555 and LaRusso Concrete employees, pour concrete at the Saltwood North mixed-use project in Northwest Portland. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Ian Malsbury, foreground, and Rogelio Estrada, both journeyman cement masons with Local 555 and LaRusso Concrete employees, pour concrete for Saltwood North in Northwest Portland. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

Excavation and site work for Saltwood North began in August. Substantial completion is expected by winter 2021.

“It’s pretty exciting to be able to be involved with a good-sized pour like this,” Ring said. “We looked at trying to do this all in one whack, but it’s really tough to get all the variables to line up to work – weather being one of the most important. It’s got to time out.”

Work on the first concrete pour started at 2 a.m., Ring said, so that trucks would have easier access to the site. Crews poured about 290 yards per hour on average, which he called a really good rate.

“T challenge is if you try to pull this off on a weekday, the rush hour just kills you,” he said. “Having this dry November has been awesome. And from a concrete perspective we’ll probably be wrapping up about August with all the structural concrete. We’re just pumped right now to be able to start going vertical.”

Saltwood North is a half-block, six-story project developed by Prometheus Real Estate Group. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Saltwood North is a half-block, six-story project developed for Prometheus Real Estate Group. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Jason Cleveland, a journeyman cement mason with Local 555 and employee of LaRusso Concrete, uses a bull float to finish the floor of an elevator shaft. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Jason Cleveland, a journeyman cement mason with Local 555 and employee of LaRusso Concrete, uses a bull float to finish the floor of an elevator shaft. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman Mario Ornelas, left, operates a concrete screed as he leads a crew of cement masons in finishing a section of foundation slab. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman Mario Ornelas, left, operates a concrete screed as he leads a crew of cement masons in finishing a section of foundation slab. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Kelly Campbell, a journeyman cement mason with Local 555 and an employee of LaRusso Concrete, runs the nozzle. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Kelly Campbell, a journeyman cement mason with Local 555 and an employee of LaRusso Concrete, runs the nozzle. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews with Bremik Construction and LaRusso Concrete carry out the first of two 1,700-cubic-yard foundation slab pours at Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews with Bremik Construction and LaRusso Concrete carry out the first of two 1,700-cubic-yard foundation slab pours at Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews with LaRusso Concrete carried out two 1,700-cubic-yard slab pours over two weekends at the Saltwood North mixed-use project in Northwest Portland. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews with LaRusso Concrete carried out two 1,700-cubic-yard slab pours over two weekends for Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Mario Ornelas, second from left, operates a gas-powered concrete screed as a crew of cement masons finish a section of foundation slab. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Mario Ornelas, second from left, operates a gas-powered concrete screed as cement masons finish a section of foundation slab. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman cement mason Ray Pierce, a member of Local 555 and an employee of LaRusso Concrete, performs finish work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman cement mason Ray Pierce, a member of Local 555 and an employee of LaRusso Concrete, performs finish work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Ian Malsbury oeprates the nozzle as his crew pours a 1,700-yard foundation slab at Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Ian Malsbury oeprates the nozzle as his crew pours a 1,700-yard foundation slab at Saltwood North. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A crew of cement masons with Local 555 and LaRusso Concrete perform finish work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A crew of cement masons with Local 555 and LaRusso Concrete perform finish work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

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Another Slabtown project on the rise /news/2019/04/25/another-slabtown-project-rise/ Thu, 25 Apr 2019 20:28:54 +0000 /?p=188007 Construction is moving ahead on one of the latest projects in Portland’s Northwest District: Raleigh Slabtown, a six-story mixed-use building.

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Journeyman ironworker Jesus Silva, a member of Local 29 and an employee of Bar M Steel, guides a load of rebar on the second-floor deck at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman ironworker Jesus Silva, a member of Local 29 and an employee of Bar M Steel, guides a load of rebar on the second-floor deck at Raleigh . (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

Development has been ramping up in Portland’s Northwest District for the past several years. One of the latest projects to move ahead there is Raleigh Slabtown, a six-story mixed-use building designed by for the partnership of and California-based . is serving as general contractor.

The project site – formerly occupied by the George Morlan Plumbing warehouse – is slightly west of the area, which consists of 20 acres formerly owned by Freight. Raleigh Slabtown will be across Northwest 22nd Avenue from the new Breakside Brewery and New Seasons Market. Other developments nearby include the Leland James Building and The Carson Apartments.

Raleigh Slabtown will have a total of 173 residential units – some on the ground floor.

“Tre’s a lot of retail space on the ground floor too, and we spent some time focusing on setting it up for successful leasing,” said Mike Kremers, a senior project manager with R&H Construction. “It’s got a rooftop amenity as well, and it’s basically full of fairly high-end finishes.”

A Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating is being targeted for the project.

The building will feature five wood-framed stories atop a concrete podium and two levels of below-grade vehicle parking. These days, crews of carpenters from are busy building formwork, while ironworkers from Bar M Steel and MEP workers from and other subcontractors are installing conduit, plumbing and other utilities on the second level deck in advance of pouring the second half of the concrete floor slab.

A prefabricated wall-panel system is being used for Raleigh Slabtown. Carpenters from are preparing to arrive on site in the next few weeks to start installation of wood-framed interior and exterior wall systems. The interior walls will consist of bare timber while the exterior walls will come framed and covered with DensGlass sheathing. Exterior masonry and metal panel siding will be installed separately along with drywall and MEP fittings on both interior and exterior walls.

Raleigh Slabtown will encompass about three-quarters of a standard Portland city block at Northwest Raleigh Street and 22nd Avenue. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Raleigh Slabtown will encompass about three-quarters of a standard Portland city block at Northwest Raleigh Street and 22nd Avenue. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

“It’s a huge effort to do the shop drawings, but it’s a smaller framing crew on the site,” Kremers said. “We’re in a tight labor market, and it’s really to Wood Mechanix’s and R&H’s advantage to do this. To get large framing crews – it’s tough.”

Building stick-framed walls on site would extend the schedule, R&H Construction project manager Ted Rhodes said. Because of the project’s scale, he added, purchasing prefabricated walls from Pacific Wall Systems made financial sense.

“On a project like this (on-site framing) probably adds at least four weeks to the framing schedule,” he said. “And there are less labor hours on-site (with prefabrication), so it’s safer.”

Because of an ongoing shortage of skilled labor, Kremers said, it’s likely that use of prefabrication in construction will only increase.

“I see us in the future panelizing virtually everything,” he said.

“Tre’s a shortage of labor, especially after the last downturn,” Rhodes added. “We lost two million workers (nationally) and those people never came back. The market is now way hotter and we just don’t have the bodies.”

Journeyman carpenter Doug Cummins, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, constructs formwork at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman carpenter Doug Cummins, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, constructs formwork at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
The Raleigh Slabtown features two levels of below-grade parking and six stories of mixed-use commercial and residential space. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
The Raleigh Slabtown features two levels of below-grade parking and six stories of mixed-use commercial and residential space. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice carpenter Allan Meeps, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, grades aluminum shoring. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice carpenter Allan Meeps, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, grades aluminum shoring. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman ironworker Jesus Silva, a member of Local 29 and an employee of Bar M Steel, guides a load of rebar to the second story deck at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman ironworker Jesus Silva, a member of Local 29 and an employee of Bar M Steel, guides a load of rebar to the second story deck at Raleigh Slabtown. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Justin Shepherd, an apprentice electrician with Bear Electric, uses a survey prism as he and his partner take measurements oconduit placement. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Justin Shepherd, an apprentice electrician with Bear Electric, uses a survey prism as he and his partner take measurements oconduit placement. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Two levels of underground parking at Raleigh Slabtown will contain a total of 120 vehicle spaces. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Two levels of underground parking at Raleigh Slabtown will contain a total of 120 vehicle spaces. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice carpenter William Thornton, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, grades aluminum shoring. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice carpenter William Thornton, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, grades aluminum shoring. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman carpenter Doug Cummins, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, guides a load of plywood onto the second-floor deck. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman carpenter Doug Cummins, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, guides a load of plywood onto the second-floor deck. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews are currently at work on the second-floor deck of the L-shaped structure. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Crews are currently at work on the second-floor deck of the L-shaped structure. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman carpenter and crew superintendent Ish Lopez, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, builds concrete edgework on the second-floor deck. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Journeyman carpenter and crew superintendent Ish Lopez, a member of Local 1503 and an employee of Whitaker Ellis, builds concrete edgework on the second-floor deck. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice electrician Justin Shepherd of Bear Electric hammers down a marker on the second-level deck in preparation for laying conduit. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Apprentice electrician Justin Shepherd of Bear Electric hammers down a marker on the second-level deck in preparation for laying conduit. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)

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Portland developers thinking big /news/2018/07/10/portland-developers-thinking-big/ Tue, 10 Jul 2018 20:27:58 +0000 /?p=177410 Developers looking to build in Portland are increasingly coming to the same conclusion: In this market, it’s time to go big or go home.

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A Cairn Pacific effort to redevelop multiple blocks in the Con-way Master Plan area of Northwest Portland is among a crop of large Portland-area projects in various stages of development. (Sam Tenney/91Ƶ)
A Cairn Pacific effort to redevelop multiple blocks in the Master Plan area of Northwest Portland is among a crop of large Portland-area projects in various stages of development. (Sam Tenney/91Ƶ)

Developers looking to build in Portland are increasingly coming to the same conclusion: In this market, it’s time to go big or go home.

Large projects are in development or under construction all over the Portland-metro area, including a 35-story mixed-use downtown tower from Walt Bowen’s BPM Real Estate Group and Downtown Development Group, ‘s The Waterfront Vancouver and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry master plan. of Seattle is on the verge of breaking ground on a 24-story mixed-use tower at the in Goose Hollow, and beginning the process for the PepsiCo superblock redevelopment on Sandy Boulevard.

A number of factors are pushing developers in the direction of large projects, according to sources:

  • Institutional lenders and investors are behind many of Portland’s largest current projects, and they prefer to dole out capital in large chunks rather than small ones. Big projects need big loans. Some lenders are also willing to accept smaller returns and remain patient while large projects get built.

“Ty’re willing to do lower and lower yields than we’ve seen before,” said Tom DiChiara, founding principal at Cairn Pacific.

Cairn Pacific’s major backer is of San Mateo, California. Prometheus has taken a long-term position on Cairn Pacific’s projects in Northwest Portland, DiChiara said. Cairn Pacific is the developer behind the George Morlan Plumbing building and the Leland James, L.L. Hawkins and New Seasons mixed-use projects in the fast-changing industrial area.

  • In the 10th year of economic growth, most developers have successfully completed profitable projects in recent years and are flush and confident enough to do something bigger. Developers figure if they made a little money with a smaller project a couple of years ago, they can make more with a larger project now.
  • The loss of income due to inclusionary housing rules, which require developers to either devote 15 or 20 percent of units to qualifying tenants below market rate or pay a hefty fee, hurts less in a large project.

“Part of it is that there’s economies of scale, especially when construction costs start going up,” said Sam Rodriguez, senior managing director of Mill Creek Residential Trust, a major multifamily developer in Portland. “Inclusionary housing, for example – it becomes at some point somewhat neutral.”

  • Many costs are fixed or grow only modestly with larger scale. The same holds true for permit approval: a multifamily project of 350 units and one of 150 units face similar design review processes.
  • Land costs are high.

“You paid for the land,” Rodriguez said. “In theory, the more density you put in, the less you’re paying per unit.”

  • Population and job growth are driving demand for ever-increasing density in central Portland.

“Demand is driving most of the need,” said Bob Thompson, founding principal of . “T demand for housing, it’s just over the top.”

TVA Architects designed Fremont Place Apartments, a 17-story tower that won approval from the City Council in May after an appeal from the Neighborhood Association. The firm is also designing a potential future $1 billion Major League Baseball stadium for the Portland Diamond Project in a partnership with global firm .

The 14-story Carson mixed-use building under construction in Northwest Portland is part of a massive redevelopment effort by Cairn Pacific. The two-building Carson South also is under construction, and the Leland James office building was completed earlier this year. (Sam Tenney/91Ƶ)
The 14-story Carson mixed-use building under construction in Northwest Portland is part of a massive redevelopment effort by Cairn Pacific. The two-building Carson South also is under construction, and the Leland James office building was completed earlier this year. (Sam Tenney/91Ƶ)

“That’s an exciting project that is a reflection of the growth we’ve seen,” Thompson said.

A number of headwinds suggest the red-hot pace of development could cool. Construction costs are causing some developers to carefully consider whether to pull the trigger, and subcontractors are so backlogged that projects are facing delays.

“T labor pool is just completely tapped,” DiChiara said. “Everybody is behind schedule, the cost is higher and the quality is lower. It’s a tough recipe.”

Furthermore, new projects face increasing competition, particularly in the multifamily and office sectors, as earlier projects deliver. DiChiara said he expects to see some developers hit pause on large projects.

“I can’t really see how any of them make economic sense,” he said. “I think a lot of people, frankly, don’t know their costs, and they’ll be shocked when they come in.”

Then there’s the question of when the broader economy could cool. Interest rates have risen, and a flattening yield curve is showing foreboding signs. A slowdown may be in the offing, DiChiara said.

“I don’t have concerns about the long term here,” he said, “but I think the next year or two could be a little bumpy.”

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South Waterfront project has historical perspective /news/2017/09/01/south-waterfront-project-has-historical-perspective/ Fri, 01 Sep 2017 21:33:24 +0000 /?p=167676 The Portland Design Commission on Thursday commended and approved a proposal to construct two seven-story buildings on blocks 42 and 45.

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The seven-story mixed-use building planned at Block 42 is designed to pay homage to the area’s history by resembling stacks of lumber. (GBD Architects)
The seven-story mixed-use building planned at Block 42 is designed to pay homage to the area’s history by resembling stacks of lumber. ()

GBD Architects hit the right combination of historical reverence and architectural beauty in its proposal for two seven-story buildings in the , according to the .

Commissioners on Thursday praised GBD’s design for blocks 42 and 45, calling it a significant architectural asset to the area before approving the proposal with a 4-0 vote. Commissioner David Wark abstained.

“Now when we see anything else,” Commission Vice Chairman Tad Savinar said, “I am going to say, ‘Take a look at Block 42/45,’ because they are excellent examples of how you can build in this economy, and with these sites, to do something that is extraordinary.”

is developing the project for owner . Block 42 will have close to 200 market-rate apartments and Block 45 will have around 315. Each building will have approximately 14,000 square feet of retail space.

The development site is bordered by Southwest Lane Street on the north, Southwest Bond Avenue on the west, Southwest River Parkway on the east and Southwest Lowell Street on the south.

The two buildings were designed to reflect the area’s history of use by the shipbuilding and lumber industries. For Block 42, designers tried to give the appearance of wood stacks as they might have appeared in the early 1900s.

“We are excited about the rich character that (the building) creates along the street,” said Tye Bailey, an associate with GBD Architects. “Looking at lumberyards, you have the stacks oriented in all these different variations. So we applied that logic to the facade in a way that creates an alternating rhythm of texture and light and shadow around the building.”

Designers took advice from a previous hearing and reworked the live-work units and the retail space to create a larger shopping zone in the northwest corner. They also reconfigured a plaza to create more community space.

The end result left commissioners with little to criticize.

“It’s just what it needs to be a proud building,” Savinar said. “No tricks, just architecture.”

Design Commission Chairwoman Julie Livingston was equally complimentary.

“T changes that you’ve made, while pretty subtle, really have turned this from a strong building with a big idea into an extraordinary building with a big idea,” she said.

Commissioners were nearly as complimentary of the Block 45 design. The concept aims to pay homage to the waterfront’s shipbuilding legacy.

“We tried to make the three buildings look like ships,” said Ashley Koger, an associate with GBD Architects.

The main issues commissioners had with the plans were the lack of canopies on the ground floor and placement of balconies on the east and west ends of the buildings.

Though the balconies became glass juliets and another foot was added to the recess for the retail space, in place of canopies, it wasn’t enough to win Wark’s vote even though he was complimentary of the design overall.

“T canopies are the thing for me,” he said. “I think these are exemplary projects in many ways. The projects will set a new level of quality for the with the exception of canopies.”

The lack of canopies wasn’t enough to dissuade other commissioners though.

“You have done a great job,” Livingston said. “Both of these buildings are great additions to South Waterfront.”

Other projects addressed by the Design Commission on Thursday included:

Multifamily building

An appeal by the Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association of Type II approval of ‘ design for a five-story market-rate apartment building at 6620 N. Richmond St. was put on hold for three weeks. An attorney for the Union Pacific Railroad had requested the record be held open. The appeal will resume on Sept. 28. The project owner/developer is Ben Wood of North Crawford Partners/Mainland North Richmond LLC.

Mixed-use building

The Design Commission sent plans for a six-story mixed-use building at 1732 N.E. Second Ave., in the Eliot neighborhood, back to the design team for revisions. is designing the project for developer Parker McNulty of ENT Ventures VI LLC. The project will return before the commission on Oct. 5.

 

Also on Thursday:

City Council finalizes two decisions

The Portland City Council issued final decisions on two appeals stemming from Design Commission decisions.

Commissioners unanimously overturned the Design Commission’s denial of developer Landon Crowell’s proposal to build a 17-unit, L-shaped building at 1122 S.E. Ankeny St. Development of a proposed 70-foot apartment building, around a single-family residence, will be allowed to go forward.

Commissioners also unanimously rejected an appeal by neighbors of the Design Commission’s approval of the massive project on 1.5 blocks in Goose Hollow. The Goose Hollow Foothills League opposes the three-building project from developers Urban Renaissance Group and .

The decisions were expected after previous City Council hearings. Commissioners Nick Fish and Dan Saltzman were absent from the meeting, which lasted fewer than five minutes. – Chuck Slothower

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