Guide to New River Front Condo Projects
 

Pacifica  The Pacifica is one of the largest resident glass front buildings in Portland. The Pacifica Tower features 75 units. Each unit boasts floor to ceiling glass and some units feature expansive panoramic views.

The homes are finished with engineered hardwood floors, slab granite counter tops, European fixtures, large soaking tubs, plush carpeting and expansive windows are all standard. Owners can choose from contemporary color palettes. Slab granite countertops and custom cabinetry in kitchens. Engineered hardwood flooring throughout living level. 10' ceiling height. Eight-foot doors throughout main living level.

The developers of the Pacifica are the same as Riverscape Townhomes.

Sales Update

Pacific has sold 74 of its 75 units as of early 2012. To view possible resale of Pacifica unit check here.

• Location:  NW 18th and NW Front.  Located on the Willamette River 1.5 miles from the heart (Pioneer Square) of downtown Portland.  This is three-quarters of a mile from McCormick Pier (see above map for location).   See map of area.
• Developer:  In 2003, Apollo formed Apollo Development to build town homes.  Apollo Development built the 80-lot McGregor Heights in Southeast Portland, the 21-lot Eagle Ridge in Beaverton, and nine-lot subdivisions in Milwaukie and Forest Grove called Davies Place and David Hill, respectively. Principals Dan Grunewald and Tim Ralston (Apollo Custom Homes - 4805 SW Oleson Road, Portland, OR) are the owners of Apollo Development.
• Construction Type:  New.
• Number of Units:  The building has 75 units in eight stories.
• Style:  Lofts and traditional.
• Pricing:  Lofts are priced from $239,900 - $389,900.  One bedroom are priced from $339,900 - $499,900.  Penthouses are priced from $499,900 - $2,099,900.
• Parking:  Secured parking.
• Sales Office:  304 NW 11th Avenue (corner of Everett).
• Completion Date:  The Pacifica was finished in early 2008. 

Riverscape Townhomes

Riverscape Townhomes is a development of 104 townhomes along the Willamette River 1.5 miles north of downtown (Pioneer Square).  The developers may also build some brownstones and condos on the same site. They plan for two towers that will contain condo units - one tower will be eight stories and the other 16 stories.

The townhomes will have hardwood floors, decks, attached garages, and large master suites. Units will have 1,489-3,700 square feet with attached garages. 

The homes are located at NW 16th Avenue and NW Front Street in an industrial area that is beginning to change to residential living. The first townhomes were completed in the fall of 2005.  Due to the size and scope of the project, it will be approximately five years before the entire project will be completed.

Sales Update

As of early 2012 there were still a few townhomes available for sale.

• Location:  NW 16th and NW Front.  Located on the Willamette River 1.5 miles from the heart (Pioneer Square) of downtown Portland.  This is three-quarters of a mile from McCormick Pier (see above map for location).   See map of area.
• Developer:  In 2003, Apollo formed Apollo Development to build town homes.  Apollo Development built the 80-lot McGregor Heights in Southeast Portland, the 21-lot Eagle Ridge in Beaverton, and nine-lot subdivisions in Milwaukie and Forest Grove called Davies Place and David Hill, respectively. Principals Dan Grunewald and Tim Ralston (Apollo Custom Homes - 4805 SW Oleson Road, Portland, OR) are the owners of Apollo Development.
• Construction Type:  New.
• Number of Units:  104 townhomes. Possible brownstones and two towers of condos after the townhomes are sold.  Tentative plans call for 65 moorage slips on the river.
• Style:  Townhomes.
• Parking:  Townhomes have an attached garage.
• Sales Office:  Showroom at 1830 NW Riverscape Street. Portland, OR 97209. Telephone (503) 295-3744.
• Completion Date:  The first townhomes were occupied in the early Fall of  2005.

Waterfront Pearl  Development partners, Pemcor Investment Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Grancorp Inc. of Seattle, built a luxury project at the River Queen parking lot on the edge of the Pearl District.  The property, held for years by the Naito family, is bordered by Naito Parkway, the Albers Mill building to the south and the Portland Police paddock to the north.

This area has approximately 900 feet of waterfront and is called "Waterfront Pearl."  This area is located on the Northeast corner of the Pearl District neighborhood.

Amenities include an underground parking garage, exercise room, boardroom and common area. The developers do not plan to pursue regulatory approval for docks or river-oriented amenities.

Design Includes Water Feature

Plans include an extensive water feature.  The water features covers almost the entire property and will range in depth from 18 to 36 inches. Water will cascade down a series of waterfalls, be recycled through a series of filters, and re-circulated. It is designed to assist with storm water management, building temperature control and irrigation. It will also provide gray water for fire fighting.

The effect makes the buildings look like they're resting in the shallows of the Willamette River. The project calls for extensive landscaping, maintains view corridors from Naito Parkway and continues the riverfront trail that currently ends at the edge of the parking lot. 

Soren Rasmussen, the architect, sees the project as a bridge that will connect the Pearl District to the Willamette River and teamed with Portland landscape architectural firm Walker Macy to design a central water feature intended to illustrate the connection. Rasmussen's design for the two towers calls for sculpted, wedge-shaped buildings that enable most condo units to view the river.

Project Time Table

Sales Update

The Waterfront Pearl has a number of condos still for sale as of early 2012.

• Location:  North of downtown along the Willamette River.  It is bordered by Naito Parkway, the Albers Mill building to the south and the Portland Police paddock to the north. See map of area.
• Developer:  Development partners, Pemcor Investment Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Grancorp Inc. of Seattle.
• Construction:  New building.
• Number of Units:  97 suites in Mistral, the first building.  They range from 900 to 2,000 square feet in a 10-story building. The Azure has 95 units ranging in size from 900 square feet to over 3,200 square feet.
• Style:  Traditional condo style.
• Pricing:  Waterfront Pearl's planned 192 condominium units will range from 900 square feet to more than 3,200 square feet and vary in cost from $350,000 to more than $2.7 million.
• Parking:  Underground.
• Sales Office:  Alber’s Mill Office Building at 1200 NW Naito Pkwy, Suite 100.  Presentation Center features a fully furnished 1286 square foot model home.  For more information, call 503-229-7600. 
• Completion Date:  Construction started in early October 2005 and the project was finished in the spring of 2008.

The Strand at RiverPlace

The Strand at RiverPlace  The Strand, being developed by a partnership created by Jack Onder and Homer Williams, in the RiverPlace area will feature three condo towers, an 8,000-square-foot restaurant and underground parking. It differs significantly from the original 1999 proposal, which included a hotel with 80 to 130 rooms.

Condos and Townhomes

The final plan calls for three condominium towers, two with 11 floors and one with 13, and a single-story restaurant. The glass and metal point towers are brick and metal at the base, where two-story townhomes offer another option for residents looking for a different feel. The total unit count is 189 condominiums and 27 two-story townhomes. 

The location is just south of the Hawthorne Bridge and near the west end of the Marquam bridge.  A small commercial area of shops, restaurants, and a hotel are located in the area.  There are other residential buildings in the area as well as the RiverPlace Athletic Club. 

Parking

The commission required The Strand to include a 150-space parking garage for public parking because of the need for more parking in the area. Those spaces will be owned by a nonprofit made up of RiverPlace-area businesses. The residents will also have a 261-space garage.

Streetcar Line Connects Downtown Portland to RiverPlace

The Portland Streetcar opened the connection between downtown and RiverPlace on March 11, 2005.  It expanded toward the South Waterfront area in 2007. The Strand and South Waterfront, where Williams also is a developer, complement each other in another way. Taxes paid by condo owners in The Strand will help fund streets, parks and other infrastructure for the South Waterfront development.

Developers

The Portland Development Commission in mid June 2004 approved the sale of a barren parcel to RiverPlace Partners LLC for $3.67 million.  The development firm is headed by Homer Williams, who has been a condominium developer on other urban renewal projects such as the Pearl District in Northwest Portland.  Williams was involved with the North Macadam development where he created a vibrant community centered around the aerial tram connection to Oregon Health & Science University.

Sales Update

The Strand has a few new units unsold. 

• Location:  South of downtown along the Willamette River.  The property is next to South Waterfront Park on Southwest River Drive between Montgomery and River Parkway. This area now has a marina, 2-blocks of retail, athletic club, apartments, and condos. See map of area.
• Developer:  Homer Williams and Jack Onder.
• Construction:  New building.
• Number of Units:  189 condos and 27 townhomes in three towers.  Two of the towers will be 11 stories and one of the towers will be 13 stories.
• Style:  Unknown as of early 2005.
• Pricing:  Starting at $190,000.
• Parking:  150 public spaces and 261 private spaces.
• Sales Office:  The project is being marketed by the The MacNaughton Group located at 1220 NW Lovejoy, Suite 130, Portland, Oregon 97209.  Telephone:  (503) 292-9119. 
• Completion Date:  Construction started in February 2005 and completed in 2007.