The Design Commission has approved an 8-story mixed use building at 1715 SW Salmon St, designed by SERA Architects for Greystar Real Estate Partners. The 84’-9″ tall building will include 182 residential units over approximately 12,000 sq ft of retail. Vehicular parking will provided in a garage accessed from SW Taylor St, with most of the spaces provided in a mechanized parking system. 278 bicycle parking spaces will be provided, with 106 spaces in a secure bike room at level 2 and rest provided in the units. The building will be subject to the city’s inclusionary housing rules, which require the provision of affordable housing or the payment of a fee-in-lieu.

The site for the development is an approximately 28,000 sq ft parcel, on the southern portion of the block bound by SW 18th Ave, Taylor St, 17th Ave and Salmon St. The site is currently owned by TriMet, and used as surface parking. In 2006 the Allego tower, a 21-story building with 270 residential units was proposed on the site. The building was approved by the Design Commission, however the approval was subsequently overturned by the city council. The tower subsequently redesigned and approved as a skinnier 20-story tower with 158 units. Due to an inability to secure financing at the start of the financial crisis the Allegro never broke ground.

Other projects in Goose Hollow that are planned or under construction include the Providence Park Expansion, 1440 SW Taylor, the Press Blocks, 1638 W Burnside St and the ART Tower. An 11 story building at 1500 SW Taylor St, which was approved by the Design Commission in 2017, now appears to be dead, with a 7 story building recently proposed on the site.

The building is arranged in a U shaped plan, which comes to a “Flatiron” corner where SW 18th and Salmon meet at an acute angle. The corner is set back at the 8th floor, where the building will have a club room for the use of building residents. A roof deck will be provided at the top of the building.

Primary materials for 1715 SW Salmon St include cream colored brick, Equitone fiber cement panel, black vinyl windows at the upper floors, black alumnium storefront glazing at the lower two floors, steel canopies and glass guardrails.

1715 SW Salmon St went in front of the Design Commission three times in total: for advisory Design Advice Request meetings in May and June 2018; and for one Type III Design Review hearing on September 27, 2018. The project was approved by a 5-1 vote, with Commissioners Molinar, Santner, Vallaster, Rodriguez and Livingston voting in favor of the project and Commissioner Savinar voting against. In the Final Findings and Decision by the Design Commission was praised for its active ground level:

The project contributes to an active, pedestrian oriented environment with pervasive active ground-level program, strong flatiron and unified architectural expression, SW corner plaza, enclosed parking, and public art that interprets historic context in contemporary expression and enhances overall physical and cultural character of the broader neighborhood.

Building permits will need to be obtained before construction can begin on site.

 Drawings