Architecture and Development in PDX
The Design Commission will offer its advice this week on a renovation and expansion of the Whidden & Lewis Building. The 1897 building is an early work by Whidden & Lewis, a prominent architectural firm who later designed the Multnomah County Courthouse. Since 2000 the building has been owned by Venerable Properties, a developer known for its work on historic buildings, including the White Stag building and Washington High School.
The City Council will this week vote on whether to approve a re-zoning for the MAC Block 7 apartments. (EDIT: the council heard evidence, and decided to continue discussion on January 8th. No vote was taken.) The project is a multi-story building with up to 280 apartments and 420 parking spaces. The change from High Density Multi-Dwelling (RHd) to the Central Commercial (CXd) is required to allow 225 parking spaces to be used as commercial parking for the Multnomah Athletic Club. Commercial parking is not allowed in a residential zone. The project will also include 16 studio apartments for the short term use of MAC members and guests. These are classed as a Retail Sales and Service Use, and are also prohibited in a residential zone. The apartments and associated resident parking would be allowed in either zone. The developer is Mill Creek Residential Trust and the architects are Ankrom Moisan.
Perspective presented during Design Advice in 2013
An expansion of The International School is proposed, according to a Notice of a Pre-Application Conference [PDF] posted on the City website. The independent elementary school located at 025 SW Sherman Street provides Chinese, Spanish and Japanese language immersion.
The Oregonian reported earlier in the year that Hilton planned to open a new hotel in Downtown Portland in 2016, under its new Curio Collection brand. That project is now set to have its first Design Advice hearing on December 4th, prior to submitting the project for a full Type III Design Review. The architects are HC Architecture of Atlanta.
The team behind the proposed AC by Marriott hotel in Downtown have applied for a full Type III Design Review. The 13 story hotel, first announced in August, will have 204 bedrooms, as well as a bar, lounge, lobby and dining room on the first floor. No on-site parking is proposed. The developer is Minneapolis based Mortenson, who are also developing the Convention Center Hotel. The architects are SERA.
A Pre-Application Conference [PDF] has been scheduled for the Oregon Convention Center Hotel project. The project is still at an early stage in its design, but current plans are for a building 15-19 stories tall on the superblock to the north of the Convention Center. The Hyatt owned hotel would have 600 rooms. There will also be an above grade parking garage with approximately 385 spaces. The project team includes Minneapolis-based developer Mortenson, ESG Architects, also of Minneapolis, local architects Ankrom Moisan, and landscape architects Mayer Reed.
A Design Advice Request posting notice [PDF] shows the first image of a proposed 15 story building in Downtown Portland. The project, by Core Campus, includes 30,000 SF of retail at the first floor, and 14 floors of apartments, aimed at the student market. Two levels of underground parking are proposed, with 192 spaces, for the use of both the residents and the grocer. Outdoor amenity spaces are provided on the 2nd floor courtyard and on a roof deck at the 15th floor.
Works Partnership have scheduled a Pre-Application Conference [PDF] with the Bureau of Development Services to discuss the following proposal:
Pre-Application Conference to discuss a Type III Design Review for a new 4-story commercial building (existing building will be demolished). The new building will include parking and a roof deck.
The site is at the intersection of SE Stark and Sandy. It is currently occupied by a single story office building, with associated surface parking.
2012 rendering of the PSU Viking Pavilion
The Oregonian reported Wednesday that Portland State University Head Football Coach Nigel Burton’s contract is being terminated. Included in the story was the following statement from PSU President Wim Wiewel:
“We’ll soon be hiring a new athletic director who will decide on a permanent head coach and start construction on our new Viking Pavilion Athletic and educational building.”
The proposed Viking Pavilion will be located on the South Park Blocks, at the location of the existing Peter W. Stott Center.
The Bureau of Development Services has published its Staff Report and Recommendations to the Portland City Council [PDF] for the demolition of the Buck-Prager Building at 1727 NW Hoyt. If the review is approved, the applicant proposes to build a half-block residential building, with 82 units. The developer is Gerding Edlen and the architect is Holst.