Weekly Roundup: Post Office Redevelopment, Portland Rock Gym, Block 26 affordable housing and more

Modera Pearl apartments

Modera Pearl apartments

The Oregonian reported that the Portland Development Commission is close to striking a deal with ZRZ Realty for redevelopment of the Zidell Yards in South Waterfront.

According to the Mid-County Memo, the first tenants will move into Glisan Commons Phase II on April 15th. The building will be known as Gilman Court.

An expansion of the Portland Rock Gym will add 10,000 sq ft of new climbing terrain. The Portland Business Journal published images of what the finished project will look like.

Talks between the Portland Development Commission and USPS have resumed for the Post Office Redevelopment, which would free 14 acres of land in the Pearl District.

The planned Multnomah County Health Department Headquarters in Old Town will require a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to increase the maximum heights from 75′ to 150′. As reported on page 10 of the Northwest Examiner [PDF] the changes are being opposed by the Pearl District Neighborhood Association.

The Portland Housing Bureau is close to striking a deal to purchase Block 26 from Hoyt Street Properties. This will enable to Bureau to develop another affordable housing project in the Pearl District.

The Portland Mercado opened this week. An article in The Oregonian looked at how the project will provide space and support for Latino business owners.

The Cash & Carry in the Pearl is moving to allow the construction of the Modera Pearl apartments. Work is expected to begin on the new building later this spring or early this summer.

Plaza del Toro, John Gorham’s new test kitchen and private event space in the Plow Works Building, will have a launch party on April 17th.

The Portland Mercury had a look inside the under construction Society Hotel. The new hotel in Old Town will have bunk beds starting at $35-40 a night.

Weekly Roundup: Oregon Square, Lents Town Center, PNCA and more

possible development scenario meeting targets for approximately 20,000 new housing units and 30,000 new jobs in the West Quadrant

Image from the West Quadrant Plan showing a possible development scenario meeting targets for approximately 20,000 new housing units and 30,000 new jobs.

Our weekly roundup covers the stories relating to architecture & development in Portland:

In a 4-1 vote the City Council approved the West Quadrant Plan which will shape the development Downtown, South Waterfront, the Pearl and Goose Hollow for the next 20 years. The lone no vote was Amanda Fritz, who stated that she was “disgusted” at the way the hearing was conducted.

The public got their first chance to see the PNCA 511 Building when it opened for its first First Thursday event. At Portland Architecture Brian Libby writes about his experience of visiting PNCA’s “transformational new home” now that it’s finished and the students have moved in.

The Portland Mercado  has set an opening date of Saturday, April 11. The market will include food cart vendors from regions of Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Argentina and El Salvador.

After years where South Waterfront was a retail desert, Urban Works Real Estate is now reporting that they are running out of space to offer in the district. They recently announced that have leased the entire 14,000 square feet of retail space at The Ardea.

The Portland Chronicle published photos of the stretch of N Williams / N Vancouver on which the Cook Street Lofts, The Woods and the Cook Street Apartments are all either planned or under construction. They noted that “between the two blocks 360 residential units are in development on property formerly home to three residential dwellings”.

The Oregonian published two articles about the Oregon Square development. The first article focused on the proposed public plaza, and quoted Kyle Anderson of GBD Architects who said that they “definitely see it as being both an amenity and asset to the development, but also a destination.” The second article revealed that that the tower might be the first building in Portland to undergo a peer review of its seismic design, instead of using the prescriptive requirements of the building code.

Chad Rennaker’s Palindrome Communities won the development rights to Lents Town Center Property #1 and Property #2. The Portland Tribune wrote about his plans for Lents, which also includes the Z Haus brewpub and restaurant.

Under Construction on SE Foster: the Portland Mercado (images)

The Portland Mercado is under construction at SE 72nd and Foster. The project, by Hacienda CDC, will create a Latino themed food market, with approximately 20 vendors. An existing building will be converted into a market hall, with an associated commissary kitchen. A taproom will sell beers and wines from across Latin America. Outside, there is space for up to 8 food carts. The intent of the project is that it will also intended to function as a hub for Latino culture in Portland. According to a profile of the project in Portland Monthly, the inspiration for the project comes from Minneapolis’ Mercado Central.

portland_mercado_01

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