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 April 6th, 2020 to April 12th, 2020.
Early Assistance has been requested by Base Design & Architecture for a project at 1840 SW Main St:
New 4-story mixed-use, modular building with potential parking below grade, retail and shared functions at grade level, office space at the second level and residential uses on the third and fourth levels. Two options have been provided: Option 1 with below grade parking and modification of Oriel window standards. Option 2 has no on-site parking or application of the oriel window standard.
Early Assistance has been requested by LRS Architects for a project at 836 NE 24th Ave:
New 4 story, quarter-block 30,000 sf mixed-use office building and core-and-shell development intended to contain warehouse and freight movement, wholesale sales, and manufacturing and production space for medical equipment. Development intent is to demo existing NW quarter-block structures to allow for new construction and to consolidate all NW quarter-block properties. Both the NE quarter-block and south block properties would maintain access but remain adjacent properties. New development intends to provide roof decks on upper levels.
Early Assistance has been requested by Ink:Built Architecture for a project at 8914 SE Ellis St:
New 3-5 story apartment building, with either 19 units proposed (not affordable housing) or 33 units proposed (affordable housing), no parking proposed.
A project at SE 2nd and Ash has been submitted for a Type II Adjustment Review by GBD Architects:
The proposed project is a 83,045 gross sf building (with less than 59,576 sf of industrial office, 5,000 sf of traditional office, ground floor retail and structured parking). The building has a day lit basement level and first floor of concrete, with 5 levels of Type 3-A heavy timber above. Stormwater will be collected on the roof of the building and treated in flow through stormwater planters on the third level. Adjustment requested for the loading requirement.
The Multnomah County project at 333 SW Park Ave has been submitted for a Type III Design Review by Carleton Hart Architecture:
Accessibility upgrades, expansion of ground floor storefront, window replacement, roof leveling and membrane replacement, and eco-roof installation. New vertical circulation systems are also proposed which will bring the building up to current egress codes. North of the existing building, the current surface parking lot will be converted into a private plaza. This will include bicycle parking, a trash and recycling area, stormwater planters, paved recreation area, and covered seating.
Building permit were issued to Opsis Architecture for the Madison High School Modernization at 2735 NE 82nd:
Modernization and addition of existing high school *** w/19-255928-CO, 19-259176-CO, and 19-259237-CO ***
MADISON HIGH SCHOOL – New ticket booth *** w/19-116412-CO, 19-255914-CO, 19-255928-CO, and 19-259237-CO ***
MADISON HIGH SCHOOL – New concessions building with electrical room, women’s restroom, and men’s restroom *** w/19-116412-CO, 19-255914-CO, 19-259176-CO, and 19-259237-CO ***
MADISON HIGH SCHOOL – New bike shelter *** w/19-116412-CO, 19-255914-CO, 19-255928-CO, and 19-259176-CO ***
While I am certainly no expert on inclusionary zoning, it feels like the project at 8914 SE Ellis St shows that it might not be working very well. Obviously we cannot extrapolate from this single project, but if developers across the city are deciding to reduce the number of new housing units from 33 to 19 (a 40% reduction!) aren’t we shooting ourselves in the foot here? I feel like I have seen a lot of 19 unit projects being moved through the review process as well, I wonder if good intentions have resulted in a poor long term policy.