Category Archives: News Roundup

Weekly Roundup: Atomic Orchard, Residential Infill, Eagles Lodge, and more

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A potential future for the “Innovation Quadrant”, as envisioned in the Central City 2035 Plan

The DJC wrote about Guerrilla Development’s “weird concept” for the Atomic Orchard Experiment at 2510 NE Sandy Blvd. The apartment building will include a mix of market rate and affordable housing, with some of the affordable units renting for less than $600 per month – without government subsidies.*

With Portland’s parking minimums for multifamily housing effectively repealed, Portland Shoupistas asked “what’s next?”

The Oregonian reported that the Portland City Council voted to approve the Residential Infill Project, which aims to reduce demolitions of single family houses while increasing the number of duplexes and triplexes built.

Portland Architecture discussed the Central City 2035 plan with three planners from the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability.

OPB looked at the toxic legacy of the Zidell Yards—and the efforts to clean the site up.

The Business Tribune wrote about plans to redevelop Chinatown’s Wong Laundry building at 227 NW 3rd Ave, which will have to clear the high bar of City Council approval for the demolition of a contributing building in a historic district.

The Portland Mercury reported that the Eagles Lodge at 4904 SE Hawthorne Blvd may soon be sold, with redevelopment of the site likely.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Goat Blocks, 38 Davis, AC by Marriott, and more

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Two new retail tenants have been confirmed for the Goat Blocks development in SE Portland

Two new retail tenants have been confirmed for the Goat Blocks development in SE Portland

The Business Tribune reported on Portland’s latest trend: retail alleys. Recently completed or planned projects mentioned include the Goat Blocks, the Lloyd Cinemas Redevelopment, 38 Davis and Milwaukie Way.

The Portland Business Journal had a first look at the downtown’s AC by Marriott Hotel, which is nearing completion.

The DJC reported that the City Council voted to overturn* a condition of approval imposed on NW 14th & Raleigh by the Design Commission.

Excavation for the Broadway Tower has hit the bottom, according to the Portland Business Journal. The 19 story tower should be complete by September 2018.

Oregon Business took a look at 38 Davis, the Old Town mixed use building that now houses the new headquarters for its designers, Ankrom Moisan Architects.

The Business Tribune reported that Colas Construction has broken ground on Alberta Commons, the Natural Grocers-anchored retail development at NE MLK & Alberta.

Developers are racing to beat Portland’s Inclusionary Zoning policy, reports The Oregonian. The policy is scheduled to take effect in February, however projects that have been submitted for building permit or design review before then would be grandfathered in under the current rules.

Jazz Mecca Jimmy Mak’s will close forever, according to the Willamette Week. The bar was scheduled to move to make way for the Modera Davis, however owner Jim Makarounis’ battle with cancer has forced him to cancel the build out of a new space.

Two new retail tenants have been confirmed for the Goat Blocks: Russian restaurant Kachka, which will open a second location; and Seattle’s Schilling Cider, which will have “more cider taps than any cider house in the United States”.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Parking Minimums, Post Office, ITAP, and more

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Conceptual image of the Post Office Redevelopment, from the 2015 Broadway Corridor Framework Plan

Conceptual image of the Post Office Redevelopment, from the 2015 Broadway Corridor Framework Plan

A little more than 3 years after the Portland City Council added minimum parking requirements for new apartment buildings, it has voted to remove them, reports the Portland Mercury.

The Post Office site in the Pearl has formally been handed over to the Portland Development Commission, writes the Business Tribune. Development on the site could begin in two years.

According to a report seen by the Oregonian, major problems with the Bureau of Development Services’ paperless permitting system ITAP were “enabled by ‘significant gaps’ in leadership.”

Walker Macy has presented the interim findings for the Design Overlay Zone Assessment Report, writes the Business Tribune.

The buyer of the Macy’s space at the Meier & Frank Building has confirmed their plans to the Portland Business Journal:  ground floor retail with creative office space above.

The DJC published photos of the completed Burnside Bridgehead building Slate.

Construction Dive wrote about The Amy, the 141 unit student-oriented affordable housing now under construction in SW Portland.

Weekly Roundup: Fair Haired Dumbell, AIA Portland Awards, PSU School of Business Administration, and more

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Fair Haired Dumbell

The Fair-Haired Dumbell will have a facade painted with a mural by Los Angeles-based artist James Jean

The DJC wrote about the ‘elaborate’ Building Information Modelling (BIM) process* being used to help deliver the PSU School of Business Administration.

The Portland Business Journal reported that the paint scheme has been chosen Fair-Haired Dumbbell building, and “it’s unlike anything else in town“.  They also revealed that co-working company TENpod will occupy 8,000 sq ft in the building.

The Oregonian reported that the Sears building in the Lloyd Center has been sold, and the retailer’s presence in the mall “will either shrink significantly or disappear altogether“.  On Thursday morning, the ice rink at the center of the mall reopened, after a major renovation.

Eater PDX reported that Tom’s First Avenue Bento will close after nearly 25 years, to make way for the Multnomah County Central Courthouse.

The 12-unit Jarrett Street Condos are receiving very little interest from those eligible to receive the city subsidized down-payment assistance, according to The Oregonian.

Portland Architecture wrote about the winning projects at the AIA Portland Architecture Awards. Buildings honored include Slate, 1638 NW Overton St, Framework (CEID), Albina Yard, Karuna at One North, The Cosmopolitan on the Park and Park Avenue West.

Preservation group Restore Oregon announced their top restoration projects of 2016, including the Pine Street Market and the Society Hotel.

The Portland Business Journal showcased the “stellar views and cool workspaces” at Slate.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Affordable Housing Bond Measure, Fisk Tire Co Building, 1400 NW Raleigh, and more

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Riverplace Parcel 3, which will include 203 subsidized units in a 14-story tower, plus 176 market-rate apartments

Riverplace Parcel 3, which will include 203 affordable housing units in a 14-story tower and 176 market-rate apartments in an adjacent 6 story building.

Portland voters approved a $258M affordable housing bond measure on Tuesday, that will create at least 1,300 housing units.

The Willamette Week wrote that Mayor-elect Wheeler agrees with outgoing Mayor Hales that it’s time for Portland to end its ban on apartments without parking.

The DJC took a look at* the ongoing renovation of the Fisk Tire Company Building. The Pearl District building was most recently home to retailer Cargo, and is now being converted for use by Room & Board.

The Portland Development Commission is planning on buying three Central Eastside blocks, according to the Portland Business Journal. The acquisition will allow the PDC “to deliver on goals to increase affordable industrial space and district parking.” Last year Bora Architects developed a conceptual plan for the site, which they called Water Avenue Yards.

The Business Tribune wrote about the upcoming AIA Portland Architecture Awards. Winners will be announced at a ceremony held at Revolution Hall, on Thursday November 17th.

Moovel North America will close its Austin office, and consolidate all 116 of its employees into a new headquarters at the Overland Warehouse Company Building in Old Town.

The Oregonian reported that the mixed income development at Riverplace Parcel 3, which was recently submitted for Design Review, will not include a grocery store as originally planned. 

With construction about to begin on 1400 NW Raleigh, the Portland Business Journal reported that the site has been sold for $5.8 million.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Block 20, Inclusionary Housing, Apartments without Parking, and more

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Pearl Block 20

Construction is about to start on Hoyt Street Properties’ Bora-designed Pearl Block 20 Tower

The Oregonian reported that developer Capstone Partners is quietly pitching new vision for Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, which “would transform the coliseum into a niche music venue and feature mixed-use redevelopment of surface parking lots”,

The DJC wrote that developers concerned about Portland’s proposed Inclusionary Housing program* are putting “forward an alternative proposal that would ramp up adoption of inclusionary housing requirements over several years and offer more generous incentives than the city’s plan”.

According to the Willamette Week  Mayor Hales is proposing to rescind Portland’s ban on apartments without parking, enacted in 2013.

The Oregonian reported Zidell will miss the first deadline for construction in South Waterfront. Under the terms of the 2015 Development Agreement a mixed use project at Zidell Block 1 was due to begin construction by the end of this year, but has yet to move forward.

Newly appointed PDC Director Kimberly Branam has said that the PDC “over-promised and under-delivered” to the poor, the elderly and people of color in North and Northeast Portland.

The November issues of the NW Examiner reported [PDF] that the developers behind the Block 20 tower in the Pearl will use acoustic wrap to reduce noise from the impact-hammer pile driving. The paper also broke the news that the developer behind the redevelopment of the Northrup Market at 1120 NW 21st Ave has walked away from the project.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: James Beard Public Market, Field Office, 333 SW Park, and more

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Interior view of the James Beard Public Market

Interior view Snøhetta’s design for the James Beard Public Market at the Morrison Bridgehead site

Portland Architecture broke the news that the James Beard Public Market will no longer be built at the Morrison Bridgehead site. The market’s board of directors is now investigating other sites. The Oregonian reported that the Morrison Bridgehead site, formerly owned by Multnomah County, is now owned by MMDC Company.

With work underway on the Field Office , on NW Front Ave, The Oregonian reported that developer Project^ “imagines new neighborhood north of the Pearl“.

In Downtown, Project^ are planning a major renovation of a building at 333 SW Park, which will convert it to creative office space with a ground-floor restaurant. While the project goes through the permitting phase, The DJC reported* that the building will be used as a temporary homeless shelter.*

Site work has begun on the Multnomah County Central Courthouse, according to The Oregonian.

As part of its “Regional Snapshots” series Metro took a look at Portland-area housing costs, and the factors that influence them.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: 9101 Foster, 1725 SE Tenino, Hotel Chamberlain, and more

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9101 SE Foster

9101 Foster by Hacker

A gas explosion in NW Portland destroyed the 110 year old Wilfred & Gustav Burkhardt Building, and caused significant damage to nearby buildings including Allied Works’ Ann Sacks Residence at 2281 NW Glisan St. The explosion happened after an underground gas pipeline was struck by a subcontractor performing pre-construction work at the site of the future Restoration Hardware.

The DJC wrote about the partnership* between Beam Development and Urban Development + Partners, who first collaborated on the Central Eastside building Slate. Future projects include the adaptive reuse of the Hotel Chamberlain at 509 SE Grand Ave, a 13-story mixed-use development at 550 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, and a mid-rise creative office building at 525 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Construction finished over the summer at Milwaukie Way, the Westmoreland retail development that wraps around Relish gastropub. The Portland Business Journal took a look at how it turned out.

Eater reported that Catalan restaurant Can Font will open a second location, in the ground floor of the Cosmopolitan on the Park.

The Oregonian reported that modern Mexican restaurant Alto Bajo will open early next year in the Hi Lo Hotel.

The Portland Mercury reported that Sellwood burger restaurant Mike’s Drive-In is likely to be replaced by new apartments. Developer UDG recently requested Early Assistance for a 78 unit residential building at 1725 SE Tenino St.

Portland Architecture discussed the design of Portland Art Museum’s proposed Rothko Pavilion with museum director Brian Ferriso.

The Portland Business Journal reported that a groundbreaking ceremony for 9101 Foster was planned for Sunday. The PDC developed building in Lents Town Center will include 54 apartments–16 of which will be affordable housing–and 9,000 sq ft of retail space.

Kevin Howard of Northwest Self Storage wrote in the Portland Business Journal about the boom and the impending bust of self-storage facilities in Portland.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Roosevelt High School, 1500 SW Taylor, OMSI Masterplan, and more

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Roosevelt High School, which is currently in the middle of a major rebuild designed by Bassetti Architects

Roosevelt High School, which is currently in the middle of a major rebuild, to designs by Bassetti Architects

The Portland Business Journal reported that Norweigan-American architecture firm Snøhetta has been selected to develop a masterplan for the 16 acre OMSI campus.

The Portland Chronicle reported that the Holman House in Goose Hollow has been demolished. An 11 story residential development has been submitted for the site at 1500 SW Taylor St.

Construction of the Jantzen Apartments may not mean the end to dive bar Club 21. According to the Portland Mercury the bar might be moving—building and all.

The DJC looked at construction progress at Roosevelt High School, which has stayed open during the $92 million rebuild*.

An opinion piece by the Portland Business Alliance, published in the Portland Tribune, argued in favor of passage of Portland’s $258.4 million affordable housing bond measure.

The Business Tribune that the Cross-Laminated Timber panels that will be used at Framework have passed fire tests.

Portland Architecture looked at what Portland’s next big moves should be.

An analysis of ridership trends for the Portland Streetcar showed that for every new housing unit built, the streetcar gains another rider.

With housing prices growing rapidly, Strong Towns asked “what’s the matter with Portland?”

The Business Tribune looked at what the future might hold for the Zidell Yards in South Waterfront.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Rothko Pavilion, Alphabet District Downzoning, 5035 NE Sandy, and more

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Rothko Pavilion

The Portland Art Museum’s Rothko Pavilion

The Oregonian reported on Portland Art Museum’s multimillion-dollar expansion. The Rothko Pavilion will connect the museum’s two existing buildings, which are currently only joined below ground. Places Over Time took a look at Vinci Hamp Architects’ design for the structure.

The Business Tribune wrote about a request by the Northwest District Association to downzone parts of the Alphabet Historic District, which would reduce the amount of housing that could be built in the area. According to the paper it would “kill” plans to build a 160-unit project at 1727 NW Hoyt St, which “would provide 60 years of affordability for seniors making $15,000 or less.”

The DJC wrote about plans by Oregon Democrats to “introduce a package of legislation next year to lift a ban on rent control and provide new protections to tenants facing eviction.” *

The Portland Business Journal wrote about the developers lining “up to back Portland’s affordable housing measure“.

Despite not having an approved design, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the Multnomah County Central Courthouse, reported the Business Tribune. The building is scheduled to go in front of the Historic Landmarks Commission for approval on October 24th.

Venerable Properties has released details of what will replace Der Rheinlander at 5035 NE Sandy Blvd. A new “multi-specialty health care center” owned by The Portland Clinic will be built on the site, according to the Portland Business Journal.

The Central Eastside’s newest coworking space has opened in Slate, reported the Portland Business Journal. CENTRL Office will occupy 22,000 sq ft of space across two floors of the Burnside Bridgehead building.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.