Recently, a development team in Portland’s New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District have asked for height increases, additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and exemption from Historic Landmarks Commission’s historic review process. Restore Oregon provided these examples in testimony to City Council regarding this development to show projects which have recently and successfully worked within the established heights and Landmarks Commission review criteria to arrive at economically viable and historically compatible designs.
Restore Oregon has compiled a list of six projects in Portland’s central city historic districts illustrating the viability and approvability by the Landmarks Commission for compatible infill in historic districts which adhere to the allowed height. For example:

SW 3rd and Ash Development

  • Location: Skidmore/Old Town Historic District
  • Height: 75’
  • FAR: 5.36: 1
  • Units: 133 residential units, 20% of which will be reserved for people earning no more than 80% of median family income and retail space on ground floor
  • Status: Approved by Landmarks Commission, building permit under review

 
 
 

Pearl East Building

  • Location: Thirteenth Avenue Historic District
  • Height: 96′
  • FAR: 8.16:1
  • Use: Office space with two retail spaces on ground floor
  • Status: Approved by Landmarks Commission, building permit under review

 
 
 

Grand Belmont

  • Location: East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District
  • Height: 81′
  • FAR: 5.73:1
  • Units: 121 residential units and 6,000 sq ft of ground floor retail
  • Status: Under construction

 
 
 

Block 8L

  • Location: Skidmore/Old Town Historic District
  • Height: 75’
  • FAR: 4.85:1
  • Use: Three small retail spaces on ground floor; second through fourth floors are offices; fifth and sixth floors have 65 residential units, 16 of which are affordable to those earning less than 80% of median family income
  • Status: Completed

 
 

The Grove Hotel

  • Location: New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District
  • Height: 99′
  • FAR: 5.5:1
  • Use: 112 room hotel with retail on ground floor
  • Status: Completed

 
 
 
 

WorldMark

  • Location: Skidmore/Old Town Historic District
  • Height: 79’
  • FAR: 4.65:1
  • Use: Vacation ownership (hotel) with a mixture of studio, one and two-bedroom units
  • Status: Under construction

Restore Oregon