From: Lynne Coward <lcoward@imagina.com>
Date: October 8, 2007 4:44:10 PM PDT
To: Peyton Snead
<Peyton_Snead@johngallup.com>, Stacy Mason
<kylemason@mindspring.com>, Guy Kyle <gmkyle@bpa.gov>
Cc: Michael Harrison
<hconsult@aracnet.com>, Miguel Hidalgo <miguelhidalgo@comcast.net>,
Jeff Salvon <jsalvon@ci.beaverton.or.us>
Subject: History of
Parcel #8 and Holladay Place
Guy suggested that some background would be helpful. Here's my first attempt.
Background
for Holladay Place Proposal
History of Block 177
When the 1987 Sullivan's Gulch Neighborhood Plan was adopted,
Block 177 (between NE 16th and 17th and NE Halsey and Clackamas) was largely
vacant--containing only 2 of the original homes. The block and it's neighbor to the west had been a part of the wholesale
land buying and demolition of the Lloyd Corporation.
(See Gordon Oliver's Oregonian article which gives a wonderfully
insightful perspective on this block's role.)
In the mid 1990's the Ring Road was designed and built around the
Lloyd District. SGNA participated in
this process. The eastern portion of
the ring road forms the boundary between the Lloyd District and Sullivan's
Gulch. In talking with Linda Wisner,
SGNA land use chair at the time, the
objective was to have these western blocks serve as buffer between the high
density development of the Lloyd District and lower density residential
character east of NE 17th. SGNA was
instrumental in getting the broad pedestrian connection through the new Lloyd
Apartment development.
Redevelopment of Block 177 began in the mid
'90's.
Neighborhood contact
Developers, Brown/Wakefield of Vancouver, met with SGNA and ICA
(Irvington). Seeing the initial
proposal, the neighborhoods strongly suggested that the developers employ an
architect. Mark Engberg of Colab was
engaged. Mark remembers meeting with
the neighborhood and their interest in having lower height rowhouses along NE
17th and pushing the higher building to the southwestern corner.
Subdivision of Block
In 1996 Engberg on behalf of Brown/Wakefield applied for a
subdivision of the land into 13 parcels with a unified design plan. With the subdivision, each rowhouse would
have its own parcel of land---only the larger multi-unit building would be in
condo ownership. The alleyway would be
owned and maintained by all owners within the subdivision.
The subdivision plan was approved by the Hearing Examiner with
significant conditions. One of which is
that the condo building on parcel #8 when built would be in substantial
conformance to the plans and drawings exhibited at the time of the
hearing. The drawings showed a
four-story condo building.
Construction and
sales begin and developers go back to the Hearing Examiner for an adjustment
The first four units were
built on NE 17th and went on sale in the fall of 1998. Along Clackamas three other units were
taking shape. At that time, buyers were
shown the initial drawings. The
drawings showed the four-story building.
Sales were going well.
Next to be built were two units on NE Halsey between the existing two
single-family houses. The existing
homeowners asked that the developers modify the exterior of the two units from
contemporary to traditional in style. This was agreed to. In addition, the developers recognized that
they needed an adjustment to the original '96 decision to allow the garage of
one of the Halsey units to be built along the property line instead of being
set back the typical 5 feet. As the
owner of the abutting property, I was asked to sign off on this request. I did.
(As I have discovered since, additional adjustments were added to the
application without my knowledge.) The
subsequent '98/99' decision of the Hearing Examiner (actually a different
person) not only permitted the placement of the garage, but appears to have
given the entire block the right to develop up to 65 feet in height. (The appropriateness of that process leaves
many questions, but ones that only an attorney can answer; I don't plan to go
there at this time.)
Meanwhile, three more
rowhouses are built on NE 16th.
Neighbors on Block
Come Together
September '99, as guests of the developers, new owners, soon-to-be
owners and original residents of the block come together at McMenamin's to a
get acquainted. Going around the large
table each spoke to why they had chosen to live on the block. There was a very strong sense of wanting to
be a part of the urbanization taking place here in Sullivan's Gulch. These neighbors still come together frequently for pot lucks and occasionally
for meetings. The alleyway became the
meeting place and the open lot served as space for gardens until it was
excavated and fenced off.
Mark Engberg, on
behalf of Brown/Wakefield, acquires building permit for Sullivan's Place.
Brown/Wakefield began selling units in the newly permitted
building that Engberg had designed.
This building was five stories over below grade parking.
Brown/Wakefield pull
back and put off development of Sullivan's Place.
Brown/Wakefield sell
property to Alan Kravitz
With sales of his condos at 1620 Broadway going well, Alan Kravitz
bought the lot from Brown/Wakefield for $725K in spring of '04. I attended what I assumed was an informal
meeting at the Bureau of Development Services with both Brown/Wakefield and
Kravitz. Discussion is primarily around
access to the below grade parking---our block preferring that the alleyway not
become a major thoroughfare.
Kravitz met both with our block residents and with the land use
committee. Both groups approved his
plans for a five-story condo building; 65 feet high, with parking partially
below grade. I sent a memo to Eric
Engstom of BDS indicating SGNA Board support.
( I do not remember this being a formal land use review---in fact I have
notes to the effect that our meetings would relieve the new developer of such
review. In October of '05, the Kravitz
designed condo building was permitted.
Kravitz abandons
project
Shortly after excavating the site, Kravitz abandoned the
project. Steel prices were a factor.
Kravitz sell to
Pacific Retirement Services.
In late '06 Pacific Retirement Services bought parcel # 8 along
with the permitted plans for a price of $1,950K. Block 177 residents were happy because they see HPP as good
responsible neighbors.
January '07. Miguel Hidalgo becomes land use chair and is
faced with a Type III land use review.
Jan. 31 Pacific Retirement Services invites SGNA land use
committee and block neighbors to a presentation of their proposed
"Holladay Place" condo.
Subsequently the land use committee met at Jeff Salvon's to review
shadow studies which compared the effect of the proposed new building with that
permitted to Kravitz. Little difference
could be detected with the exception that the latter allowed more sunlight on
the roofs of the rowhouses. Miguel
prepared a memo to Mary Naylor of PRS and architect, Tuan Luu of Ankrom Moisan, noting the block neighbors
concerns about shade.
Lynne Coward stepped aside from the land use committee so that she
could act as an advocate for her block.
The block engaged planner Michael Harrison to prepare a zoning review of
parcel #8. This written review was
shared with the land use committee and SGNA co-chairs.
With Harrison suggesting that based on the '96 Hearing Examiner's
decision our block could expect a significantly shorter building (than the 75'
one proposed), the block neighbors reached a consensus to go for a building as
close as possible to what we were shown when we bought our units.
On May 30 the majority of block residents met with Brian McLemore
of PRS, Tuan Luu and Megan McNamara of Ankrom Moisan, and Miguel Hidalgo. Both "sides" expressed their
interests. There was no significant
movement. (The architects had tried
splitting the top floor of condos and placing those from the east onto the
west---creating an 85' building. They
also pulled back the eastern wall by 2 feet to allow better turning radii in
the alleyway. The former was not
acceptable to the block residents or the City.
On July 31st Lynne Coward sent an email to Mary Naylor, checking
on the process and suggesting that further talks would be necessary. No response.
At the end of August, Miguel received a request from Megan
McNamara to present their proposal to the SGNA Board on Sept. 11. The response was that the issue had to first
be taken to the land use committee that would prepare a recommended action for
the Board's consideration.
October 16
Meeting between block residents and PRS/ HPP with Michael Harrison attending. No progress.