Hyatt Place & Allison Residences Goes in Front of Design Commission (images)

A proposed 23 story tower in the Pearl District has gone in front of the Design Commission for its first Design Review hearing. The project is being developed by Vibrant Cities in partnership with the Sunray Group, with design by Otak. The lower 11 floors of the 249′ tall building would be occupied by a 170-room Hyatt Place branded hotel. The upper 12 floors would be residential, with 110 apartment units. No vehicular parking is proposed. 174 long-term bicycle parking spaces are proposed in a mezzanine level bike room.

The building will be subject to the city’s inclusionary housing rules, which require the provision of affordable housing or the payment of a fee-in-lieu.

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

The project site is a quarter block at NW 12th & Flanders, currently used as surface parking. A large silver maple tree is currently growing at the corner of the site. The site is on the same block as the Oakwood Pearl (originally known as the Janey).

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences
Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

Exterior materials include ribbed and flat metal paneling, aluminum windows, glass guardrails, steel canopies, formed concrete piers and aluminum storefronts. Balconies would project out from the building at the upper residential floors.

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences
Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

A fitness center and double-height lounge and amenity space for the residential units is proposed at level 22. The lounge will open out onto a south facing roof terrace.

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

The hotel lobby and and lounge will be accessed from the corner of NW 12th and Flanders. The hotel will also have a bar/cafe area at the ground floor. Conference rooms will be provided in the single basement level.

A separate lobby for the residential units will be accessed from NW 12th Ave.

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences
Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

On NW 12th Ave a water feature is proposed, in response to the city’s River District Design Guidelines.

Hyatt Place and Allison Residences
Hyatt Place and Allison Residences

The project had previously been in front of the Design Commission for Design Advice Request meetings in October 2018 and January 2019. A Staff Report, published before the July 18th hearing, did not yet recommend approval. Issues raised in the Staff Report included the design of the water feature; the relationship of the ground level to the rest of the tower; and the design of the top of the tower at the north and west elevations.

A substantial amount of written and oral testimony in opposition to the proposal was received from members of the Pearl Neighbors for Integrity in Design (PNID), a “group of concerned residents and businesses in the Pearl District”. Concerns raised by PNID in a press release include the lack of on-site parking and the potential for the project to create congestion along the future NW Flanders Bikeway. Comments were also received from the Pearl District Neighborhood Association, who argued that the tower required more sculpting; that the base needs a “stronger, simpler and more consistent articulation”; and that the facade needed to be made more coherent.

The Hyatt Place & the Allison Residences is currently scheduled to return in front of the Design Commission for a second hearing on September 19th, 2019.

Drawings

10 thoughts on “Hyatt Place & Allison Residences Goes in Front of Design Commission (images)

  1. This is a great looking tower. Imo it shouldn’t take long to get this baby approved. I hope they eventually get to build it

  2. I live nearby and our HOA donated $5,000 from the HOA budget to a legal fund to oppose this project. Seems like a waste of money to me and it’s very frustrating as a resident that supports development in the area. Looking forward to this getting approved and built.

    • While I think that the design has improved, I think it needs more work. I am not opposed to the height, and I fully agree that quarter-block projects are more desirable than half-block projects which at 200 ft wide are bulky and overpowering. For instance near PSU, the block bounded by SW 11th, 12th, Market, & Clay has been developing densely with four quarter-block housing projects. While the designs are not ground-breaking, the urban environment benefits from having four different buildings on the block. Another surprise is the less-than-quarter-block hotel going up across from Jake’s Grill at SW 10th & Alder.

  3. I like the height and I like the density. I am sad that we’ll be losing yet another big tree. I do wish the design was a little more inspiring, it’s a little on the grey and corporate side.

  4. Otak isn’t exactly known for their architecture. Odd choice for an out of town developer not to partner with a more established local architectural firm.

    • “Vibrant Cities” is an off-shoot of SolTerra, which split a few years ago. SolTerra once had an in-house design team, and a lot of that team moved to Otak after SolTerra laid everyone off. From what I understand, Otak is (or was?) trying to make a bigger play as a “design” company. Building a bigger team and going after more jobs like this.

      Anyway, there’s a line of individuals that carries through these companies. That’s the reason for the “odd choice”, as you put it.

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