Current Conditions:

Like the site between Washington and Alder, this site also has a parking lot taking up half of the block – the western half in this case.  There are three fast food carts located in the parking lot – two Indian carts and one Mexican cart.  One of the Indian Carts is regarded as one of the better food carts in the city.

The building on the northeast corner of the block is a two story parking structure, while the building on the southeast corner is a ten story office building.  The office building appears to be in good condition, and is home to a coffee shop on the ground level.  This building is a significant structure and it might be worthwhile to leave it on the site and build a new development around it.

Adjacent Buildings and Uses:

Yamhill is the street on which the MAX enters the downtown area from points west such as Hillsboro and Beaverton.  Further, the North Interstate Yellow MAX line has its current terminus and turnaround on the block directly north of the site.  However, with the Yellow Line transitioning this year to the Mall Corridor, this turnaround may be used for other purposes.

Along with the MAX lines, the most notable adjacent factor to the site is the Portland Central Library.  This historic and active structure, built in 1913, takes up the entire block to the east of the site.  The library is a stately building and at a modest 3-4 stories tall, allows an opportunity to create a strong visual tie to the Willamette River and Mount Hood – the library is a site that pretty surely won’t be redeveloped, meaning there would be no concerns that these views would be usurped.

A third important factor adjacent to the site is the First Baptist Church, which takes up the block to the south of the site and is a classic stone structure.  It is several stories tall, with a bell tower on the northwest corner of the block. Constructed in 1894 and speaks to the areas historic place as an affordable alternative to neighborhoods closer to the Willamette at the time of its construction.

(Click on a building to see a close-up of that structure)

Site Observations

During the observation, the sky was overcast and a slight rain began to fall – the trees on the west side of 12th Avenue offer some cover, although there are no trees on the site itself.  One of the first things one notices on this site is the hum of traffic along I-405.  Other sounds encountered at the site were the bells of the adjacent First Baptist Church, the sound of wind through the trees on the west side of 12th Avenue, gulls calling, and the occasional MAX passing by.

The site slants downward to the east more than other sites, with a noticeable change in elevation.  The presence of the MAX line on Yamhill makes this site feel more central than other sites, and the proximity to the public library makes it feel closely tied to the life of the city.

To the west of the site lies a parking lot.  Were the site to be developed it could potentially block some afternoon sun; however, the sound dampening effects of a structure on the site may minimize the traffic sound emanating from I-405 and make the tradeoff worthwhile. 

Kitty corner from the site on the northeast, southeast and southwest are apartment buildings with proportions that frame the street nicely – building off these structures, along with the library and church, great urban streets could be imagined with some foresight.

[On to Site C] ->

The sidewalk on Yamhill is new and in great shape, having perhaps been redone along with the MAX construction or subsequent improvements.  Other sidewalks on the block are in relatively aged, although no serious or dangerous flaws exist.