Focus: Our 25 Most Popular Posts of 2017

Posted on December 31, 2017 by nextportland

The Block 20 condominium tower, now known as Vista Pearl, was the subject of our most popular post of the year

2017 is the third full year Next Portland has been in operation. Although the onset of Inclusionary Zoning has slowed down the number of new applications submitted, there was a lot to write about in 2017 while the projects submitted in late last year and early this year worked their way through the development review process.

Over the course of the year we published 176 new blog posts, and our development map now has over 1,000 unique projects listed (including completed and cancelled projects). In 2017 Next Portland had over 900,000 page views, a slight increase from the previous year.

Sixteen of the articles that made the top 25 most viewed posts were published this year; seven were published in 2016; and one was published in 2015. Our second most popular article from the 2015 list and fourth most popular article from the 2016 list—about the Goat Blocks—was still the fifteenth most popular article of 2017 despite having been written in December 2014. The 2016 roundup of the tallest buildings planned in 2016 was the third most popular article of the year, and although there wasn’t an equivalent list published in 2017 we hope to write one in early 2018.

So, with that Happy New Year to all. In reverse order, here are our 25 most popular posts of the year:

Weekly Roundup: Eleven West, Housing Bond, Office Development, and more

Posted on July 24, 2017 by nextportland

Eleven West is being designed by ZGF Architects, who also designed the nearby Twelve West tower

The Oregonian wrote about Eleven West, the 24-story tower with swimming pool planned for downtown Portland’s West End.

The Willamette Week wrote about how Mayor Wheeler has “blown past a deadline his own office set for starting to spend a $258 million bond approved by voters last November to build and rehab affordable housing units”.

Portland Architecture took a look at the offices of Stoel Rives and Simple, respectively located in Park Avenue West and Clay Creative.

The Portland Business Journal looked at how the Goat Blocks are bringing “new flair to a transforming neighborhood.”

An analysis by the Business Tribune showed that the real estate market in Portland is moving towards the construction of office space.

Weekly Roundup: Canopy Hotel, Oregon’s Development Spree, Best of Portland, and more

Posted on July 17, 2017 by nextportland

Construction has topped out on the Canopy Hotel, designed by ZGF Architects

The Oregonian took a look at Oregon’s development spree, which include “21 cranes, 15 hotels [and] 10,000 jobs”.

Construction has topped on the Pearl District’s Canopy Hotel. The DJC published photos of the progress to date.

Portland Architecture interviewed Brian Cavanaugh of Architecture Building Culture.

The Portland Business Journal looked at how the Goat Blocks are bringing “new flair to a transforming neighborhood.”

Next Portland came in third place for “Best Local Blog” in the annual Willamette Week “Best of Portland” Readers’ Poll. Thank you to everyone who voted for us.

Weekly Roundup: Portland Building, Providence Park, Ankeny Apartments, and more

Posted on June 26, 2017 by nextportland

The proposed reconstruction of the Portland Building, which will include a new aluminum rainscreen cladding

Portland Architecture looked at the proposed rebuild of the Portland Building, where the city is taking a “bold, non-historic approach [to] restoring [the] Graves-designed landmark.”

The DJC reported that after a second City Council hearing the Ankeny Apartments are still in limbo despite mediation and revised plans*.

Eater Portland took a look at Schilling Cider, who have opened the world’s largest cider taproom in the Goat Blocks.

Citylab wrote about how Oregon HB 2007 could strip Portland of its NIMBY powers.

The Oregonian reported on a revised financing deal for the Providence Park Expansion, which includes a larger tax break for the Timbers in the near term, in exchange for more money for the City from 2025 on.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Goat Blocks, Hi-Lo Hotel, Karl Miller Center, and more

Posted on May 30, 2017 by nextportland

Businesses have started to open in the Goat Blocks development

Eugene-based grocery store Market of Choice opened last week in the Goat Blocks. The Portland Business Journal published photos of the new grocery store and the adjacent Orchard Supply Hardware. Schilling Cider, which plans the “world’s largest cider taproom” has set an opening date of June 16th.

Eater PDX took a look at Alto Bajo, the modern Mexican restaurant opening tomorrow in the Hi-Lo Hotel.

Residents of Multnomah Village are challenging Portland’s recently passed Comprehensive Plan, writes the Portland Tribune.

The DJC wrote about how the project team behind the PSU Karl Miller Center is zeroing in on a LEED platinum rating*.

The Portland Tribune wrote about the current state of the construction market in Portland, with hotel development being particularly strong.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: Hampton Inn, Custom Blocks, Garlington Center, and more

Posted on March 20, 2017 by nextportland

Interior of the Custom Blocks development, by developer Capstone Partners and architect Scott Edwards Architecture.

Eater PDX reported that chef David Machado will open Tanner Creek Tavern this summer in the Pearl District Hampton Inn & Suites.

The Business Tribune looked at the transformation of the Goat Blocks.

Places over Time studied the past, present and future of the Lloyd District, which is being transformed by developments such as Oregon Square, 1400 NE Multnomah, 1510 NE Multnomah and Block 45.

The Custom Blocks at 1340 SE 9th Ave and 925 SE Main St are the latest industrial buildings in the Central Eastside to be converted to creative office use. The Business Tribune looked at how the buildings are evolving.

The Portland Business Journal reported that the Garlington Center affordable housing / health care development has been awarded $4.5M in tax credits.

Oregon Business reported that Portland is getting ready to issue $9 million of bonds to fund future affordable housing projects, backed by revenues from short term rentals such as airbnb.

Focus: Our 25 Most Popular Posts of 2016

Posted on December 31, 2016 by nextportland

The post about 5 MLK’s first Design Advice Request hearing was Next Portland’s most popular post of the year. [See this follow up post for the most recent images of the project.]

2016 is the second full year Next Portland has been in operation. With development showing no signs of slowing down it’s been a busy year. We published 234 new blog posts, and our development map now has almost 800 unique projects listed (including completed and cancelled projects). Over the course of the year the site had almost 900,000 page views; up 84% over 2015.

6 of the articles that made the top 25 viewed posts were published in 2015; 2 were published in 2014. Our second most popular article from the 2015 list, about the Goat Blocks, was still the fourth most popular article of 2016 despite having been written in December 2014. Our most popular post of 2015, about the 25 tallest buildings planned in the city, remained in the list at third place, and was just beaten out in popularity by the updated 2016 list. Two pioneering Cross Laminated Timber buildings, Carbon12 and Framework, took up three places on the list.

In reverse order, here are our 25 most popular posts of the year:

Weekly Roundup: Goat Blocks, 38 Davis, AC by Marriott, and more

Posted on December 5, 2016 by nextportland

Two new retail tenants have been confirmed for the Goat Blocks development in SE Portland

The Business Tribune reported on Portland’s latest trend: retail alleys. Recently completed or planned projects mentioned include the Goat Blocks, the Lloyd Cinemas Redevelopment, 38 Davis and Milwaukie Way.

The Portland Business Journal had a first look at the downtown’s AC by Marriott Hotel, which is nearing completion.

The DJC reported that the City Council voted to overturn* a condition of approval imposed on NW 14th & Raleigh by the Design Commission.

Excavation for the Broadway Tower has hit the bottom, according to the Portland Business Journal. The 19 story tower should be complete by September 2018.

Oregon Business took a look at 38 Davis, the Old Town mixed use building that now houses the new headquarters for its designers, Ankrom Moisan Architects.

The Business Tribune reported that Colas Construction has broken ground on Alberta Commons, the Natural Grocers-anchored retail development at NE MLK & Alberta.

Developers are racing to beat Portland’s Inclusionary Zoning policy, reports The Oregonian. The policy is scheduled to take effect in February, however projects that have been submitted for building permit or design review before then would be grandfathered in under the current rules.

Jazz Mecca Jimmy Mak’s will close forever, according to the Willamette Week. The bar was scheduled to move to make way for the Modera Davis, however owner Jim Makarounis’ battle with cancer has forced him to cancel the build out of a new space.

Two new retail tenants have been confirmed for the Goat Blocks: Russian restaurant Kachka, which will open a second location; and Seattle’s Schilling Cider, which will have “more cider taps than any cider house in the United States”.

*This article will be unlocked for the rest of this week. After this week it will only be viewable by DJC subscribers.

Weekly Roundup: the NV, Zidell Yards, Goat Blocks and more

Posted on June 5, 2016 by nextportland

The NV apartments in the North Pearl by ZGF Architects

The Business Tribune wrote about The NV, one of the growing number of residential towers in the North Pearl.

Eater PDX reported that pizzeria Please Louise will be going into the ground floor of the LL Hawkins building in Slabtown.

Urban Land Magazine analyzed how the mix of uses at the Goat Blocks made the development possible.

The Oregonian broke the news that up to 67 windows will be added to the nearly complete Yard tower at the east end of the Burnside Bridge. The cost of the revisions will mostly be covered by the City of Portland, through fee refunds.

ZRZ Realty has hired Thomas Henneberry, “a longtime real estate consultant from the D.C. area” to oversee development of the Zidell Yards, according to the Portland Business Journal. The firm last year received design advice for Zidell Blocks 4 & 6, though do not intend to break ground on the buildings until tenants are secured.

BikePortland had a look at the 600 space Lloyd Cycle Station, developed as part of the Hassalo on Eighth project.

The Oregonian reported on developer Gerding Edlen’s plans for a 17 story tower at 5 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. The building would replace the building that has housed Fishels Furniture for decades.

The Business Tribune checked in on the construction progress at the Japanese Garden Expansion. The new cultural village by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is expected to be completed in April 2017.

Portland Architecture spoke to Allied Works founder Brad Cloepfil, in advance of a retrospective exhibition about the firm’s work at Portland Art Museum.

The Business Tribune looked at the ongoing restoration of the former Oregonian publishing building at 1320 Broadway. The renovation is set for completion on June 30th.

New restaurant Q, the successor to Veritable Quandary, will be located in the 2&Taylor building, according to the Portland Business Journal. The former Yamhill Marketplace and Bally’s Total Fitness underwent a major renovation in 2014, and is now home to Jama Software.

The Willamette Week asked whether it is appropriate for the new 2035 Comprehensive Plan to downzone areas of East Portland in the middle of a housing crisis.

Eater PDX reported that Danwei Canting Chinese food pop-up is likely going into the under construction Central Eastside 811 Stark building.

Focus: Our 25 Most Popular Posts of the Year

Posted on December 17, 2015 by nextportland

LOCA @ The Goat Blocks, the subject of our second most viewed post of 2015

2015 is the first full calendar year Next Portland has been in operation, and it’s been a year of huge growth for the site. As the year draws to a close it seemed like a good time to look at what the most popular posts of the year were. If there’s an overall trend evident it’s that posts about tall or large buildings do well. The single most popular post was the round up of the 25 tallest buildings planned or under construction. Posts about high rise buildings under construction—including Block 136, The Cosmopolitan, The NV (formerly The Overton), and Yard (formerly Block 67)—feature prominently in the list. The giant development at Oregon Square makes the list three times, and the redevelopment of the USPS site in the Pearl is included three times. The most popular post about a single project covered LOCA @ The Goat Blocks, a superblock development currently under construction in inner Buckman.

Other posts to make the top 25 were more surprising. The list includes the Worldmark by Wyndham and The Society Hotel, both relatively small hotel projects in Old Town. The initial post about 3rd & Taylor likely performed so well not because of the scale of the project, but because Next Portland was the first place to write about the potential demolition of the Hotel Albion. At only 8 stories Carbon12 wouldn’t come close to making the list of the tallest buildings planned for Portland, but is notable for the fact that the high rise structure will be built out of wood.

Were there any posts you particularly enjoyed reading this year? Let us know in the comments. Here is the full list of our most popular posts of 2015:

1 – Focus: 25 Tallest Buildings Planned or Under Construction

2 – LOCA @ The Goat Blocks

3 – Burnside Bridgehead, Pt II: Block 67

4 – Focus: 20 New Hotels Proposed For Portland

5 – Worldmark by Wyndham set to receive Design Advice

6 – Carbon12, an 8 story wood building, proposed for N Williams

7 – Concepts released for redevelopment of USPS site

8 – Pre-Application Conference scheduled for SW 3rd & Taylor

9 – Under Construction in Old Town: The Society Hotel

10 – Cook Street Apartments

11 – Lloyd Cinemas redevelopment returns in front of Design Commission (images)

12 – The Fair Haired Dumbbell