The Design Commission has approved Con-way Block 291E, a seven-story apartment building. The development, designed by SERA Architects for Cairn Pacific, will include 192 residential apartments units, a small amount of ground floor commercial space, and a two story amenity pavilion. The project will include one level of below-grade vehicular parking, which will also have room for 212 bicycles.

The project site is the eastern half of the block bound by NW 21st Ave, NW Raleigh St, NW 20th Ave, and NW Quimby St. The site is currently used as surface parking for XPO Logistics, who purchased Con-way in 2015. In December Blocks 291 and 292 were sold by XPO to Prometheus Real Estate Group.

Immediately to the west will be the Saltwood South apartment building, which is currently under construction. A city park is planned on the eastern of Block 290 to the south. The Block 290 and Slabtown Square development was approved by the Design Commission in August 2017, and subsequently appealed by the Northwest District Association. The approval was upheld by the Portland City Council in November 2017, by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals in June 2018, and by the Oregon Court of Appeals in February 2019.

Other nearby buildings that are under construction, or have been completed in recent years, include The Carson, LL Hawkins and Slabtown Marketplace, Raleigh Slabtown, and Q21.

The building is arranged in a 7-story L-shape, which wraps around the 2-story amenity pavilion at the southwest corner. In addition to the entry doors at the ground floor, the pavilion will be linked to the main building by a bridge at level 2.

The primary material for the building will be brick, in two colors. Other materials include vinyl windows, aluminum storefronts, standing seam metal wall panel, cedar siding, board formed concrete and metal balconies.

The project will build out the eastern half of the pedestrian walkway that will link NW Quimby to NW Raleigh, between NW 20th and 21st Avenues.

Con-way Block 291 East was approved by a unanimous vote of the Design Commission at their July 2nd, 2020 hearing. In the Final Findings and Decision by the Design Commission the project was praised for the way it interact with some of the major public spaces in the Con-way masterplan area:

The proposed development will be well integrated with the neighborhood through its scale, varied massing, high quality materials, tall ground floor, design details, and the significant amount of outdoor area provided. The location of the site gives it an important role in the vibrancy of Con-way’s key public open spaces: city park, public plaza, pedestrian accessway and festival street. The massing of the buildings makes the south facing courtyard and the unique heavy timber pavilion focal points that make the site unique. The ground floor program and articulation will present active frontages to synergize with these public realm focal points. A large number of balconies, porches, patios, and upper level terraces will also activate the public space frontages and will provide human scale, allow interaction between residents and passers-by, and allow for informal surveillance of the street. 

Buildings permits will need to be obtained before construction can start.

Drawings