This is an updated version of a post originally published on February 23rd, 2017.

Construction is underway on Modera Glisan, a new mixed use building in the Pearl District designed by SERA Architects. The 12 story, 145’ tall building for Mill Creek Residential Trust will include 291 residential units at the upper floors, which ground floor retail / commercial space facing all four adjacent streets. Below grade parking for 223 vehicles is proposed. Long term parking for 445 bicycles will be provided.

The site for the project, seen above in 2016, is approximately three quarters of the block bound by NW Glisan St, 14th Ave, Hoyt St and 15th. The site included two buildings most recently occupied by Premier Press, who have since moved their operations to Swan Island. A project to convert and expand those two buildings into new office space was approved by the Design Commission in October 2015, but was never submitted for building permit review. Other buildings on the site that were demolished included a 1939 service station, most recently occupied by the Hawaiian Time fast food restaurant, and a single story retail building most recently occupied by restaurant Le Bouchon.

A separate project, connected to the 1430 NW Glisan St development across the street, will develop a surface parking area on the block into a parklet, in order to allow a transfer of allowable Floor Area. Lango Hansen are the landscape architects for the parklet and for the Modera Glisan. While the parklet will remain in separate ownership common design elements will be used on both sites in order to create a cohesive development.

The historic Fire Station #3, which at one time was proposed to be demolished, will remain on the site. The building will undergo a renovation that will include a seismic upgrade and the creation of new openings facing the parklet.

Primary materials for the building are proposed are a granite colored brick. While the applicant showed a tan colored brick at the second hearing, a condition of approval added by the Design Commission requires that the brick color presented at the first hearing be used.

Other materials proposed include metal panel in two colors, aluminum storefront, VPI vinyl windows and glass balcony railings.

A 30′ wide courtyard between the new and existing buildings will be developed, creating the opportunity for an outdoor seating area for future restaurant tenants.

Changes made to the Modera Glisan during between its first and second hearings included: relocating the pool maintenance area at level 10 away from the corner of NW 14th & Glisan; altering the courtyard design to make it continuous around the fire house; adding new openings to the fire house gable walls; and integrating the exit stair at the west elevation into the overall facade expression.

During the hearing Commissioner Livingston spoke about her reaction to the changes made by the applicants:

I appreciate the amount of work that you have put into making the fire house be a building that sits in the landscape… it’s a much stronger response to the parklet now, and it’s much more integrated. The courtyard, to the extent that it exists (it’s 50 feet deep)… it’s a place that people can be, and it now has a connection to the fire house because you can bust open those walls. That’s great. It’s just really really nice. It’s significantly improved, and is a much better response to guidelines.

The Modera Glisan was unanimously approved by the Design Commission at their February 9th meeting. The lone abstention on the vote was from Commissioner Savinar, who had concerns about the similarity of building design to that of the 1500 SW Taylor project approved at the same hearing.

Construction on the project started in October 2017, when a permit for the excavation, shoring, concrete structure was issued. The building is expected to be ready for move ins by January 2020.

Drawings