The Design Commission has approved the Grand Avenue Mixed Use Apartments, an 8-story development designed by Ankrom Moisan Architecture for developer Fairfield Residential. The 92′-5″ tall project will include 170 residential units over ground floor retail. 52 vehicular parking spaces and 136 long-term bike parking will be provided.
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 project site is a roughly 22,000 sq ft L-shaped parcel, at 203 NE Grand Ave and 206 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. A single story garage, built in 1929, currently sits on the parcel facing Grand Ave. The rest of the site is currently used as surface parking.
The primary material at the upper floors of the building will be a white ribbed metal panel, with charcoal gray insulated metal panel at the lower two floors. Other materials include white insulated metal metal panel, aluminum storefront glazing, vinyl windows, glass balcony guardrails, perforated aluminum balcony guardrails, and steel canopies with wood soffits.
The Grand Avenue Mixed Use Apartments were approved by the Design Commission at their third design review hearing, held on January 3rd, 2019. Earlier concepts for the development had previously been discussed at Design Advice meetings held in April, May and June of 2018.
In the Final Findings and Decision by the Design Commission it was noted that the project will act as a “gateway” between the Lloyd District and the Central Eastside:
The site lies at a de facto gateway from Lloyd into the Central Eastside and contributes to the Burnside Bridgehead gateway into Portland’s east side. The proposed massing of the building helps to develop and strengthen this gateway location. Massing articulation in the form of the projecting white “box ends” at the street intersections and again at the northwest and northeast corners of the building help to mark and celebrate this gateway into the Central Eastside.
Building permits will need to be submitted and approved before construction can start.
Drawings
Plan | Site 
Plan | Garage 
Plan | Level 1 
Plan | Level 2 
Plan | Level 3 
Plan | Levels 4 & 5 
Plan | Levels 6 & 7 
Plan | Level 8 
Plan | Roof 
Elevation | South (NE Davis) 
Elevation | West (NE MLK) 
Elevation | East (NE Grand) 
Elevation | North ( 
Section | East / West 
Section | East / West 
Section | North / South 
Section | North / South
Once again the Design Commission opts for a boring stick building rather than something that could really define the district. So disappointing.
Nate, I’m curious what kind of building you have in mind instead. Is there an example in Portland you could reference so I could get a more concrete idea? Cheers.
I’d say this is a major improvement over earlier concepts. Nothing groundbreaking or exciting here, but at least it’s clean and the street level looks good. Say what you will about the design commission, the fact remains that projects are almost always better for having gone through the process.
Another great job by the Lack of Design Committee !
Another homogenized generic apartment building acting as a symbolic gateway to the east side. Give me a break. I dont know whether to laugh or cry or just expect more generic homogenization of our city by the chosen few.
I live close by, and while I may not be thrilled with the design, it surely looks better than what is there now…….
I don’t understand how folks can complain about a random infill building. Who gives a **** ifs not an architectural masterpiece. It’s a solid design that addresses the need of more housing in this town
In 20 years these buildings will look like some of the communist slums. Who gives a $$$?!? Obviously you don’t. And the units are NOT affordable to those who need the housing. The developers have given this city a big snow job calling on the need for housing and giving us crap buildings that will exist longer than any of us all while raking in tons of profits at our expense. So when your kids say why has Portland become so ugly with these future slum like buildings you can tell them because it filled a need.
RH, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I’ve some questions for you since I don’t know any the details about development in Portland. What specific features of this building looks slum-like to you? I’m not sure what kind of building that you have in mind that would look better. Could you give me an example? How much money do these new buildings make for their investors? And are the investors individuals or institutions? If institutions, what kinds? If new apartment housing that does not fill a need, then won’t most of its units stand mostly empty? Sorry to barrage you with so many questions.
Cheers!
Would have been a lot better without those awkard projecting balcony masses. In particular, the SW corner’s composition is lacking.