New Townhomes in west River Market? (along Wyandotte)

[ComandanteCero]

from El Dorado's upcoming projects section:

Rivermarket Townhomes

In response to the number of loft/condos in the market, the client desired to experiment with a shotgun-like townhouse approach to urban living.  Located on the west side of the River Market neighborhoods, the site is currently a parking lot.  Lined along Wyandotte Street, the housing maintains the existing number of parking spaces, meeting the neighborhood zoning laws.  Constructed of concrete foundations and exposed glue-laminated beams, the project offers a combination of one and two-bedroom townhomes with full height basements, living, dining, kitchens, at least two full bathrooms, and roof decks/gardens for outdoor living.  New street trees and ten foot deep yards provide a relief from heat gain and a buffer from the city street.

the images look decent, although i would like to see greater density in that area

www.eldoradoarchitects.com

[zonk]

i think this is located on the surface parking lot across from HOK SVE.  I think Tom Trabon is the owner/developer.  His son is taking over the Delaware Cafe at 3rd & Delaware.

[Midtownkid]

They look cool.  I love the trademark wood slats that El Dorado always employs.

[TheBigChuckbowski]

So, is this a done deal or just a concept?

[staubio]

I don't mind shotgun low-rise smaller structures, but lets put more than one unit in them. I don't want to turn the River Market into a place of New Urbanist McMansions. We need density to make this neighborhood great.

[jimb]

Other than they aren't tall, the rendering on the website looked "dense" to me for this kind of development.  Shoulder-to-shoulder townhomes seem a nice option.

[trailerkid]

I don't mind shotgun low-rise smaller structures, but lets put more than one unit in them. I don't want to turn the River Market into a place of New Urbanist McMansions. We need density to make this neighborhood great.

That's quite a jump to say this encourages new urbanist mcmansions...

I think great cities mix densities. I don't see a problem with building single family houses that respect the pedestrian and street in the River Market. It's not like this is going in at 13th and Main. RM has the potential to be the premier urban housing destination and projects like this from el dorado push them towards that goal.

[FangKC]

When is construction set to start?

[staubio]

That's quite a jump to say this encourages new urbanist mcmansions...

See also City Homes. You aren't going to achieve residential density giving everyone 1500 square feet in a free-standing unit. I guess this is better than the parking lot, by far, however.

[Midtownkid]

*Not saying this is a fact but,*  Maybe you can't attract residents without giving everyone 1500 sqft in a free standing unit.  At least for that price...

[Gretz]

I just spent a good ten minutes cruising the site without finding anything specific about this.  Would someone mind enlightening me, or providing a more direct link?

[FangKC]

It's under "Projects," then "On the Boards," then "River Market Townhouses."

[staubio]

*Not saying this is a fact but,*  Maybe you can't attract residents without giving everyone 1500 sqft in a free standing unit.  At least for that price...

I understand that we've got a fickle market. My point is that the paradigm shift and the product at least have to meet in the middle. It rubs me the wrong way to see low-density row home McMansions in my neighborhood.

I'm really reacting more to City Homes. At least these could be built with some quality.

I just don't want to see this become the trend. The only new product we're getting in the River Market is single family. It is a small area. We don't have an unlimited amount of space to put up homes to gain 20-30 new residents. We'll kill ourselves with a "take what we can get" attitude.

[trailerkid]

I understand that we've got a fickle market. My point is that the paradigm shift and the product at least have to meet in the middle. It rubs me the wrong way to see low-density row home McMansions in my neighborhood.

I'm really reacting more to City Homes. At least these could be built with some quality.

I just don't want to see this become the trend. The only new product we're getting in the River Market is single family. It is a small area. We don't have an unlimited amount of space to put up homes to gain 20-30 new residents. We'll kill ourselves with a "take what we can get" attitude.

I hate to bring this up, but the new stuff in the Pearl District in Portland is like tower, midrise, single fam, tower, single fam, mid-rise, tower. The single family stuff is quite appealing and interactive at street level. A tourist could probably spit on someone's front door. It's basically recreating the old, "Eastern style " urban residential in a Pacific Northwest, modern interpretation. Adding urban, single family homes in the center of the city belongs as long as its done to match its environment.

[RiverMarketDweller]

I'm really reacting more to City Homes. At least these could be built with some quality.

What is wrong with the quality of City Homes.  I went through them and they looked very nice.

[LindseyLohan]

The 100 year old brick homes in the area will be around for another hundred years...

Those new homes will look like crap in 5-10 years. Waferboard does not hold up to moisture very well.

[Valdoro]

Waferboard??  It's callled brick and stucco---real portland cement stucco; OMG not another armchair architect!

[LindseyLohan]

Waferboard??  It's callled brick and stucco---real portland cement stucco; OMG not another armchair architect!

OMG!?!!? OMG?!?! IS IT REALLY PORTLAND STUCCO?!?!? WOW!!!! I'm guessing you have something to do with the project? Which townhomes are we talking about? The ones I'm thinking of are a bunch of Stucco covered waferboard homes...

[zonk]

This is opposite of what I've seen at City Homes....on all my tours the quality there is probably the best i've seen of all downtown/plaza condo projects. 

I'm not sure about this "waferboard" discussion.....?  LiLo....you off the wagon again? 

[HalcyonKC]

- I've never heard of waferboard (plywood made with random chips instead of laminated into sheets) as having a particular problem with moisture, any more so than any other wood product.  I think you may be thinking of masonite, but I'm not sure.
- The inner portion of the building envelope where the waferboard is, shouldn't be coming into contact with water anyway.  It would only happen if the overall workmanship were poor--roof, window openings not flashed / caulked correctly, or maintenance neglected.