Portland's vision for Pearl District post office could include skyscrapers, Union Station plaza

UPDATE: What do you think is the best redevelopment option? Take our poll

Portland doesn't yet own the U.S. Postal Service's 14 acre mega property in the Pearl District, but the city is already looking at five potential redevelopment options.

Whatever is built, Portland wants to go up -- creating a dense, urban neighborhood with thousands of new jobs and residents, public open spaces and thousands of parking spaces.

Development officials stressed that the concepts are preliminary and "the approach to parking is continuing to evolve as the concepts are refined."

RelatedLearn more about the city's plans and take a survey on which of the five options you prefer.

Two of the concepts include new skyscrapers that, if built, would be Portland's tallest, eclipsing the 546 foot Wells Fargo Center. Other sketches include embracing Union Station as an icon and creating a new public plaza surrounding the train station.

Earlier this year, the Portland Development Commission entered formal negotiations with the postal service to buy the 14 acre site, which city leaders long pined for and describe as one of the most high-profile pieces of land in the city. The development agency is in the due diligence phase, and the city is attempting to find a new home for the postal service.

Here's a breakdown of the five options on the table (in no particular order). The development commission's board and the City Council are expected to vote on the proposals in October.

1) "Cascade"

Concept: Extend the North Park Blocks into the heart of the 14 acre lot, connecting with planners' vision to create a "Green Loop" throughout the city (The Green Loop is a multi-use separated pathway that would span both sides of the Willamette River).

Parking: 2,971 spaces

New Residents: 3,077

New Jobs: 6,348

Tallest building: 282 feet

2) "Station"

Concept: It's all about Union Station. A public plaza in front of train station will be a centerpiece of the district. Jobs would center on the city's "maker-doer culture."

Parking: 4,863 spaces

New Residents: 1,923

New Jobs: 12,446

Tallest building: 584 feet, at the northeast corner of the property

3) "Innovation"

Concept: This plan would limit open space options while maximizing the development footprint on the 14 acre lot. City officials envision an anchor tenant, perhaps a Silicon Valley namesake company, grabbing one or more of the large buildings.

Parking: 3,854 spaces

New Residents: 1,232

New Jobs: 9,588

Tallest building: About 132 feet. This is the least dense of the five options.

4) "Stitch"

Concept: One of the key challenges of the post office site is connecting the new buildings to both the Pearl District and Old Town Chinatown. This plan would do so with a focus on open space, water features and better views of the Willamette River.

Parking: 4,004 spaces, but parking will be primary revenue generator for city

New Residents: 2,091

New Jobs: 8,945

Tallest building: Several buildings of roughly 415 feet (roughly the height of the PacWest Center)

5) "Weave"

Concept: Pathways and open space are meant to dominate this potential development plan, which includes extending the Green Loop bike path through the property.

Parking: 4,984 spaces

New Residents: 2,006

New Jobs: 12,084

Tallest building: 575 feet

The development agency is deep in the weeds on a plan for a 24 acre area known as the Broadway Corridor, which encompasses the post office land, nearby Union Station and other city-owned lots.

The post office property at 715 N.W. Hoyt Street was appraised in 2007 at $45.5 million.

You can vote on the five proposals or attend the final public meeting on the ideas on September 8 from 5 - 7 p.m. The meeting location is still undetermined.


-- Andrew Theen
atheen@oregonian.com
503-294-4026
@cityhallwatch

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