Plans to redevelop Centennial Mills received the Portland Design Commission‘s unanimous approval on Thursday.

Three mixed-use buildings are designed for the site, at 1362 N.W. Naito Parkway, along the Willamette River. Buildings 1 and 2 will be five stories and Building 2 will be six stories; all will share 174 below-grade parking spaces. The proposal is to include a total of 272 residential units and four retail spaces in the buildings.

SERA Architects designed the project – valued at $80 million, according to Portland Permitting & Development – for Lindquist Development Co.

The project team participated in a pre-application conference in 2023 and then twice met with the Design Commission for advice. The team submitted a land use application this past August. The first land use hearing was held last month, when the commission delayed voting on the proposal.

The Design Commission approved modification requests to reduce the size of parking stalls, allow non-river-dependent exterior lights for ground-floor residential patios, and allow vehicle access along Naito Parkway. The review included allowing buildings and associated development in the River Environmental overlay zone, ramp and stair access to the river, a public trail, and four stormwater outfalls.

The commission added to the summary a note suggesting the project team acknowledge the Indigenous community in some way regarding the river access, possibly with signage, although it is not a requirement for approval.

During the previous hearing, the commission discussed the issue of human access to the river, the apparent absence of HVAC units on the rooftop, and plans for the existing water tower and a new replica.

The condenser units will be underground in the parking garage, the team explained.

The applicant, SERA Architects, added stairs and a ramp for river access. At the intersection of the Tanner Creek woonerf and plaza and the Greenway Trail, there will be an overlook of the river.

“From that overlook, we’re proposing a concrete, very gentle stair that takes you down to what we’re calling the beach area that is just riverward of the sea wall that is existing currently on the site,” SERA Architects principal Kurt Schultz said.

From that overlook area, the design team has added an accessible path, allowing pedestrians to reach the river in a different location. The path will also be made of concrete.

Commissioner Sarah Vaz asked about widening the pathway to accommodate bicyclists. A 15-foot-wide trail exists now, Schultz said. The design team sees this new path as a pedestrian promenade to the river.

The design team also added a landscaping area with trees to create a buffer against the new pathway. To make the pathway wider, the landscaping strip would have to be narrowed but would still include some trees. Commissioners Zari Santner voiced concern about reducing the size of the landscaping strip and Chair Brian McCarter said widening the pathway is not necessary.

For the water tower, the plan is to create a steel replica of the structure holding up the water tank on the roof of parcel 2. The existing water tank is intended to be salvaged and relocated to the prepared armature. If salvage of the original tank is not possible, a replica tank will be built out of metal with the same details and proportions as the original.

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