Block 216 Tower - Ritz Hotel and Condos | 459'-11 1/2" | 35 floors | Complete

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by winstonLT5

Yes I agree it would be a perfect spot, but a gentle reminder that without changes to height restrictions we cannot have a new tallest. Park Avenue West (and Block 216, I think?) are built to the current max height at 460'. (although Park Avenue West is sometimes listed at 501' including its "spire").

There are no height limits in parts of the North Pearl. As long as the floorplates are 12,500 sq ft or less the only limitation on height is how much FAR can be transferred onto a site. With that said, there's only a handful of undeveloped sites that can use this and I doubt the economics of a very tall skinny building work in Portland.

[Nunya]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

There are no height limits in parts of the North Pearl. As long as the floorplates are 12,500 sq ft or less the only limitation on height is how much FAR can be transferred onto a site. With that said, there's only a handful of undeveloped sites that can use this and I doubt the economics of a very tall skinny building work in Portland.

Does City of Portland have any rules that would prohibit using the loophole that was used in NYCs to increase building heights without using FAR by having unnecessarily large mechanical and/or unoccupied floors that didn't count towards FAR. If you made floor heights unreasonably large or left large unoccupied floors I could see someone getting creative and getting a new tallest.

[rsbear]

Originally Posted by Nunya

If you made floor heights unreasonably large or left large unoccupied floors I could see someone getting creative and getting a new tallest.

There is no financial incentive to do either, and I doubt neither method would be approved to get around height restrictions.

[maccoinnich]

Originally Posted by Nunya

Does City of Portland have any rules that would prohibit using the loophole that was used in NYCs to increase building heights without using FAR by having unnecessarily large mechanical and/or unoccupied floors that didn't count towards FAR. If you made floor heights unreasonably large or left large unoccupied floors I could see someone getting creative and getting a new tallest.

In most of the city you'd hit the height limit before you ran out of FAR, especially now that it's easier to transfer FAR between sites. In the North Pearl, which has unlimited height, I suppose it could be done, but I can't see the economics of it working. Also, while I'm not anywhere of anything in the zoning code that would stop this, Portland does have Design Review (which New York doesn't), and I can't see the Design Commission looking on this favorably.

[curt-pdx]

starting to see some form and structure (to support 35 floors . . .)


block216_20201224_c by ce, on Flickr

[MarkDaMan]

Slow but steady.

[PacificNW]

[nxnw]

Not much longer until this is visible above the surrounding buildings

[CorbinWarrick]

Looks great. Thank god this project started just months before the pandemic. No way it would have broke ground otherwise

[HillsboroTech]

What a perspective!! Thank you for this shot!

[Rob Nob]

Originally Posted by CorbinWarrick

Looks great. Thank god this project started just months before the pandemic. No way it would have broke ground otherwise

I got two calls from staff at a property developer I have worked with asking me to be a reference in their job hunt. The company let almost everyone go the last six months, as they have no new projects in the chute. Pretty sad for all those people.

Those still there are all working on their only project with nothing lined up when that wraps.

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by Rob Nob

I got two calls from staff at a property developer I have worked with asking me to be a reference in their job hunt. The company let almost everyone go the last six months, as they have no new projects in the chute. Pretty sad for all those people.

Those still there are all working on their only project with nothing lined up when that wraps.

Ah man that’s very sad. I do believe we’ll have a nice post pandemic boom when this is all over. I hope they get to experience that rebound

[uncommon.name]

View from the 9th floor of an adjacent building

[urbanlife]

I can't wait to see this tower rising in the skyline

[CorbinWarrick]

Originally Posted by urbanlife

I can't wait to see this tower rising in the skyline

Great skyline booster for sure now we just need about 5 more dotting the skyline further lol

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by CorbinWarrick

Great skyline booster for sure now we just need about 5 more dotting the skyline further lol

I would just be happy seeing some more 20ish story high buildings. I am loving all the new density going on around the east side of the Burnside Bridge. It would be great to see some buildings similar size going up in the West End of downtown.

[nxnw]

[Socinus]

Thanks for posting the image - I feel like some sort of construction addict and this thread is the only dealer in construction pics at this point.

[PacificNW]

Thanks for posting the image!

[Abide]

Originally Posted by Socinus

Thanks for posting the image - I feel like some sort of construction addict and this thread is the only dealer in construction pics at this point.

Preach!