Steelhead Architecture have requested Early Assistance for Lightbox Going, a three unit, four story development on a narrow site in the Humboldt neighborhood. The developers of the project, which is intended to achieve LEED Platinum, are Lightbox Portland, LLC. Other projects by Steelhead Architecture and Lightbox Portland include Lightbox 44 on SE Division, and the net zero energy Lightbox 23, which is about to start construction.
The site for the project is a vacant parcel of land on the south side of NE Going, between N Williams and NE Cleveland Street. The site is zoned R1 – Medium Density Residential, which allows buildings of up to four stories and 45′ in height. As described in the Zoning Code the “major type of new housing development [in the R1 Zone] will be multi-dwelling structures (condominiums and apartments), duplexes, townhouses, and rowhouses.”
Lightbox Going was initially intended to be a net zero development, however there is not enough roof area for the quantity of solar panels needed for net zero. The project team will instead pursue LEED Platinum. Thick 2×8 walls with 2″ of graphite impregnated EPS insulation on the outside will result in an R40 insulation value (typical code minimum is R21). The roof buildup is expected to be somewhere between R55 and R60. LED lighting and high efficiency mechanical equipment will be used throughout the project. Exterior materials are still being explored, but are likely to include Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.
An application for an Early Assistance was received by the City on February 25th 2016. The property is not located in an area with a Design overlay, so will not be required to go through Design Review. The architects will need to apply for and receive building permits before construction can begin.
Drawings
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- Plan – Site (Existing)
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- Plan – Site (Proposed)
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- Elevation – East
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- Elevation – West
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- Elevation – North & South
I guess this is what we have to look forward to. Wealthy overlords staring down upon us from their cubes, mere inches away. What a nightmareish vision of the future.
A couple of points on FSC certified wood. First, it’s great for U.S. woods, but it doesn’t mean much for tropical woods. They are almost all coming from primary (previously unlogged areas), and no one has ever shown that primary tropical forests can be logged without damage to biological communities. So I would encourage the developers to avoid trendy tropical woods like cumaru, ipe and tigerwood, even if FSC-certified. More information is available at http://www.rainforestrelief.org
Well said, Jeremy! Blotting out our sun too…. the poor people in the house next door. Pun intended.
Gross!!! Stay out of Portland!!! No one wants these ugly disgusting buildings here! Quit ruining our city!
I counter some of the other posts and think this is a great design! Given the site is is zoned R1 – Medium Density Residential, which allows buildings of up to four stories and 45′ in height the project is attempting to maximize the scare resources of land to proving housing for 3 families. With the desire to achieve LEED Platinum they are attempting to minimize the environmental impact of the construction and life of the building. Cities are like living organisms, they grow and change over time. With the growth projections of Portland’s to be 132,000 by 2035 densification is the right approach unless we adopt the model of other cities and go the “Urban Sprawl” route or cheaply built track homes. Here you are seeing a project where the team is attempting to maximize the scare resources and ensure a long term “healthy” project. The other option will be a big apartment box or a single McMansion.
A lot of the time I feel like people over-react to infill housing. Not this time, though. This is a truly horrible fit for any residential neighborhood. Not only is it a very contemporary design in a more historical area, but as others have pointed out, it will erode privacy while changing the flow of foot traffic. The idea of putting these buildings in a row from one side of the block to the other is truly baffling. Are we that pressed for space already?
LEED certification has ultimately just become a designer label for wealthy people to wear while they pat themselves on the back for singlehandedly saving the earth with the monstrosities they choose to live in. This project is a huge offense to the neighbors surrounding the property. Density crusaders rarely care about community or context. Just relentless expansion delivered with the smug satisfaction of being “green”. It’s nauseating, like this get-rich-quick project.
R1 should really just allow up to 3 stories. It’s mostly located in older residential neighborhoods with 1- and 2-story single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, etc. It might make more sense to go 4 stories when located on commercial streets. Three units could easily be accommodated on this lot in 2- or 3-stories.
Nobody wants more hideous skinny houses made for the elite of the Bay Area. You pooped in your own backyard – why don’t you live in it?
I’ve been hesitant to reply, but … I live on the same block as this project. Infill is going to happen, and everyone recognizes people have to live somewhere. But this Lego inspired mid-60s East German designed project does absolutely nothing for the neighborhood.