Focus: Our 25 Most Popular Posts of 2017

Vista Pearl

The Block 20 condominium tower, now known as Vista Pearl, was the subject of our most popular post of the year

2017 is the third full year Next Portland has been in operation. Although the onset of Inclusionary Zoning has slowed down the number of new applications submitted, there was a lot to write about in 2017 while the projects submitted in late last year and early this year worked their way through the development review process.

Over the course of the year we published 176 new blog posts, and our development map now has over 1,000 unique projects listed (including completed and cancelled projects). In 2017 Next Portland had over 900,000 page views, a slight increase from the previous year.

Sixteen of the articles that made the top 25 most viewed posts were published this year; seven were published in 2016; and one was published in 2015. Our second most popular article from the 2015 list and fourth most popular article from the 2016 list—about the Goat Blocks—was still the fifteenth most popular article of 2017 despite having been written in December 2014. The 2016 roundup of the tallest buildings planned in 2016 was the third most popular article of the year, and although there wasn’t an equivalent list published in 2017 we hope to write one in early 2018.

So, with that Happy New Year to all. In reverse order, here are our 25 most popular posts of the year:

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Metro Reports: Adidas Campus Expansion, Robert & Ann Sacks House, 7 Southeast Stark, and more

7 Southeast Stark

A building permit was issued for Harsch Investment Properties’ 7 Southeast Stark development, designed by Works Progress Architecture

Every week, the Bureau of Development Services publishes lists of Early Assistance applications, Land Use Reviews and Building Permits processed in the previous week. We publish the highlights. This post covers December 4th to December 10th, 2017.

Early Assistance has been requested by Barghausen Consulting Engineers Inc for a project at 8123 SE 17th Ave:

Future code – Construction of a 13,292 square foot retail pharmacy with parking for 20 vehicles.

Early Assistance has been requested for a project at 7119 SE Knight St:

Current Code – Proposal is for a Type 2 Conditional Use review to remove properties from the boundary (approved through LUR 96-00181 CU) for a future multi-dwelling development.

Early Assistance has been requested for the Adidas Campus Expansion at 5060 N Greeley Ave:

Future code: Proposal is for a new office building, new amenity building, new underground parking garage, right-of-way work; new site work and landscape at existing campus.

Early Assistance has been requested by Baysinger Partners for a project at SE 24th & Tacoma:

Current code: Construction of two (2) commercial pad buildings, one with drive-through, 33 vehicular parking stalls, landscaping, and ped walkways/plazas and two (2) accesses to SE Tacoma St. One access is full ingress/egress, the second is drive-through egress only.

A Pre-Application Conference has been scheduled to discuss a project at 1512 SW 58th Ave:

Site zone will change to R2 under new code. 11 new condos, both existing homes to remain. PLA adjustment may be submitted to separate existing homes from remainder of the site. There is no Type III but applicant still wants to do this as a PC.

A building permit was issued to Allied Works Architecture for the rebuild of the Robert and Ann Sacks House at 2281 NW Glisan St:

Repair to 5-story building damaged by explosion – repair damaged structural members, terrace, & roof; install new MEP systems, exterior cladding, elevator, interior walls, fixtures, & finishes; no change to footprint *** mech separate ***

A building permit was issued to Siteworks Design | Build for the final building of the Sunshine Portland development at 3680 SE 29th Ave:

New 15 unit four story apartment building. ( building 4 of complex) with associated site work

A building permit was issued to Works Progress Architecture for 7 Southeast Stark:

New core and shell development of 5 story CIP concrete slabs and columns, 5 story steel frame with composite steel floor decks, mixed-use with ground floor industrial service, 6 floors of commercial parking and 4 floors of industrial and traditional office.

Metro Reports: 5325 N Interstate Ave, 2789 NE Halsey, 610 NE Prescott, and more

A building permit was issued for a 140 unit project at 5325 N Interstate Ave, which is being developed by Fairfield Residential

Every week, the Bureau of Development Services publishes lists of Early Assistance applications, Land Use Reviews and Building Permits processed in the previous week. We publish the highlights. This post covers November 27th to December 3rd, 2017.

A project at 9809 SE Holgate Blvd has been submitted for building permit review by Wynn Design:

New 3 story, 6 unit multi-family attached with a breezeway to a 6 dwelling unit apartment with no onsite parking, includes associated sitework *** elec, plum, mech, fs, fa steel guardrails, steel stairs and security deferred submittals***; <120 sq ft detached trash enclosure

A project at 2789 NE Halsey St has been re-submitted for building permit review by Urban Development Group:

New constuction of 3-story apartment building with 53 studio and one-bedroom units, interior trash room, dog wash, and bike parking. Separate mechanical and fire sprinklers

A project at 1823 NE 2nd Ave has been submitted for building permit review by Allusa Architecture:

Construct new 2 story 8 unit townhouse style apartments units; 2 bed/2 bath; includes trash enclosre under 120 sq; no parking; includes site utilities

A building permit was issued to Ankrom Moisan Architects for a project at 5325 N Interstate Ave:

New 7 story 140 unit apartment building with underground parking garage, bike parking and retail on 1st floor

A building permit was issued to SERA Architects for a project at 610 NE Prescott St (previously 602 NE Prescott St):

New construction of one story 1465 sf building for rehearsal studio and prop shop at east elevation; and 4 foot retaining wall septic decommissioning required. Call for inspection 842.

A building permit was issued to SG Architecture for a project at 3850 SE 11th Ave (previously 3926 SE 11th Ave):

New 1-story fellowship center with mezzanine and basement; main floor – multi-purpose area, commercial kitchen, restrooms, storage; basement – storage, mechanical equip, trash enclosure. Mezzanine for storage; exterior stairs/driveway on north elevation, new ADA ramp and stairs on west elevation, new parking lot on east elevation ***mechanical permit 17-174944MT ***

 

Design Commission Approves N Richmond Apartments (images)

The Design Commission has upheld the staff level approval of the N Richmond Apartments at an appeal by the Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association. The project is being by SERA Architects for Mainland Northwest, and will include 96 residential units. 46 vehicular parking spaces are proposed in a partially buried garage.

6620 N Richmond Ave

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Weekly Roundup: Overlook Apartments, Multnomah County Health Dept HQ, Rothko Pavilion, and more

The Multnomah County Health Department HQ has reached its full height

The Willamette Week reported that the Overlook Restaurant will close on January 21st. The diner at 1332 N Skidmore St will be replaced by the Overlook apartments, which will include 158 residential units.

The first new build affordable housing project financed with the voter approved $258 million housing bond will be on the site of the former Safari Showclub at 3000 SE Powell, writes the Oregonian.

The Multnomah County Health Department HQ has topped out, according to the Business Tribune. Completion is scheduled for early 2019.

By a 3-1 vote the Portland Art Museum received city council blessing to enclosure a pedestrian plaza and move forward with the Rothko Pavilion.

Design Commission Approves Eleven West (Images)

The Design Commission has approved Eleven West, a 290′-6″ tall tower planned for SW 11th & Washington St. The 24 story building is being designed by ZGF Architects for Gerding Edlen Development and Downtown Development Group. At the ground level the building will include 7,816 sq ft of retail fronting onto all three streets surrounding it. Levels 2 to 7 of the tower will be offices, while levels 8 to 24 will include 222 residential units. Four levels of below grade parking will provide 258 vehicular parking stalls, accessed from SW 12th Ave. Long term parking for 365 bicycles will be provided.

Eleven West

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Weekly Roundup: The Porter, Riverplace Parcel 3, Rothko Pavilion, and more

The Xport Rooftop Lounge will be one of the dining options in the Porter Hotel, currently nearing completition at SW 2nd and Jefferson

Eater Portland wrote about the four unique dining options planned at Hilton’s new downtown hotel, The Porter.

The Willamette Week covered 6 cities that are “smarter than Portland about housing.”

A 200 bed shelter at 320 NW Hoyt St is inching forward, reports the Portland Mercury.

The Oregonian wrote about a city council vote on whether to subsidize affordable housing at Riverplace Parcel 3. Later that day the council voted 4-0 to move forward with the development.

Mayor Wheeler ousted the director of the Portland Housing Bureau, Kurt Creager.

BikePortland wrote about the Portland Art Museum’s return in front of city council, in order to ask permission to modify an easement and allow construction of the Rothko Pavilion.

Weekly Roundup: 1177 NE 21st, Block 45, Rothko Pavilion, and more

The under construction building at 1177 NE 21st Ave was designed by Hacker architects for PHK Development

OPB reporting on how Portland Art Museum is adapting plans for the Rothko Pavilion in order to win over critics.

According to the Oregonian the bidder that intended to purchase an Alaska ferry for use as a floating hotel at 2260 NW Front Ave has backed out of the deal.

The Willamette Week reported that Lents will get a new craft beer bar with food carts, in a currently under construction development at 9316 SE Woodstock Blvd.

The Hollywood Star News reported on the construction of a seven-story, 162-unit condominium project at 1177 NE 21st Ave.

The DJC published photos of the self storage building rising at 910 SE 7th Ave.

Prosper Portland, the agency formerly known as the Portland Development Commission, struggles to make money from the property it owns, writes the Oregonian.

Portlanders for Parking Reform wrote about how a project at 1717 SE Tenino St will include less affordable housing but more parking spaces, as a result of city regulations.

The NW Examiner looked at conflicting opinions of Pearl District residents regarding views of the Fremont Bridge that would be blocked by the Fremont Place apartment tower, which is currently going through design review.

The Portland City Council approved financing and transfer of the land for Block 45With all 240 units now planned to be affordable, the building will be city’s largest single building affordable housing development in 50 years.

The Portland Mercury reported on how the Republican tax plan would eliminate eliminate private activity bonds, a tool commonly used to fund affordable housing projects across the country.

The Willamette Week looked at a potential conflict between two of Governor Brown’s priorities, timber towers and clean air.

Design Commission Reviews Lovejoy Square (images)

An initial Design Review hearing has been held for Lovejoy Square, a proposed mixed use building in the Pearl by Bora Architects for developer Killian Pacific. The 10 story building would reach a height of 148′-6″ at top of parapet. At full build out the phased development would include approximately 16,000 sq ft of ground floor retail, 56,000 sq ft of office space on levels 2 to 4 and 186 residential units. Two levels of underground parking would provide 143 parking spaces. Long term parking for 318 bicycles is proposed.

Lovejoy Square

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