Broadway Corridor’s first development progressing

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The Portland Design Commission on Thursday got its first look at the proposal for a 14-story affordable housing tower in the Broadway Corridor, on the north half of Block 4 at the southeast corner of Northwest Ninth Avenue and Johnson Street. The site is part of the former U.S. Postal Service property in the Pearl District.

Holst Architecture designed the project. Home Forward and the Urban League of Portland are developing it.

This development will be the first within the master plan approved in 2020. The master plan established the framework for future development within the 14-acre property that will eventually include approximately 4 million square feet of new commercial, employment, and residential space, as well as open space.

Project plans call for 229 affordable units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments. The ground floor would hold an early childhood education center, a workforce development center, property management offices, and more. Also, a community room would overlook a second-story roof deck.

Northwest Johnson Street will become a continuation of the existing neighborhood greenway to the west of Ninth Avenue and provide enhanced facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. A two-way cycle track will be created on the south side of Johnson Street along Block 4’s frontage, a Portland Permitting & Development staff report states.

The block’s east frontage will consist of a curb-less street that will transition to the large central open space that will be an extension of the North Park Blocks. The design team is looking to maximize the building’s relationship to the future park, Holst Architecture senior associate Nici Stauffer said. The proposed community room, early learning center, building entry and outdoor spaces on the second floor will engage with activities at the future park, the staff report states.

An amendment of the Central City Master Plan will be required to relocate the loading area to Ninth Avenue instead of Irving Street. The project team is also seeking modifications to ground-floor windows along Ninth Avenue and exceptions to oriel window regulations.

Building materials proposed for the project include brick with metal panel accents and a lot of glazing. The team is looking at different texture options for the brick, such as a reflective or a matte. The commissioners liked the brick but suggested the design team carefully consider the color and texture so that it stands out more.

Commissioner Zari Santner suggested adding Juliet or traditional balconies.

“A child just being on the balcony and observing things, I mean these things are life-changing for a lot of kids, and for the elderly if they live in those buildings,” Santner said.

Regarding weather protection, the commissioners agreed that there should be canopies added either everywhere or at least more than just entries for people as they walk along the outside of the building.

“I’m a little bit concerned that as this four-million-square-foot (development) builds out and this is a main access way over to Union Station, that you could make the argument that this will be a route that people take in rotten weather,” Design Commission Chair Brian McCarter said. “It’s a chance to give them a block of protection.”

The project is valued at $46 million, according to Portland Permitting & Development. It could be completed by summer 2028, according to the project’s website.