Construction is underway for one of the first of many development projects slated for downtown surface parking lots owned by the Goodman family's Downtown Development Group. Due to open in fall of 2018, The Collective is a 15-story mixed use apartment building planned for 425 residential units and underground parking at SW Fourth and Harrison. New-to-Portland developer Core Spaces will develop the project. An anchor grocery store and restaurant are targeted for the ground-floor retail.
Core has designed the project in harmony with the surrounding South Auditorium District, home to architectural landmarks such as the KOIN Building and the Keller Auditorium. The urban renewal district is a remnant of efforts to develop the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the area in the 1950s. The Coliseum eventually was built across the river in Northeast Portland's Rose Quarter, now also home to the Portland Trailblazers at the Moda Center.
Aimed at students and recent graduates of nearby Portland State University, as well as young professionals and empty-nesters, The Collective is a far cry from the college dorms many of us remember. The building will have more than 6,000 square feet of common outdoor space, including a pool, hot tub, dog run, and bocce courts. Indoor amenities include a fitness center, spa, business center, and community kitchen.
The Goodmans are long-time Portlanders who are bullish on downtown Portland. Their concern for the community in which they live is clear from their long-term plans for redevelopment of their considerable holdings. In addition to The Collective and other project sites ringing downtown, their vision for The Ankeny Blocks near the west end of the Morrison Bridge shows a thoughtful and ambitious plan for the Portland of the future. It will be exciting to watch as their vision morphs into reality over the coming years.
