Space Needle-sized tower proposed for Portland
The SM-Art tower is pictured in this artist's rendition. By Brian Barker and KATU Web StaffPORTLAND, Ore. – A developer is proposing building a $120 million tower on Portland's waterfront that would dwarf Oregon's tallest building. At 650 feet tall, the building would be 10 stories taller than the Wells Fargo building (546 feet), offering an observation deck with views over the West Hills and north to Mount Rainier. For comparison, the Space Needle is 605 feet tall. And the U.S. Bancorp Tower – known as Big Pink in Portland – is 536 feet. The designers are calling it the SM-Art tower, which stands for Sustainable Modern Art, because it would be covered in wind turbines that would produce energy. Designers say it would be a monument to sustainability - generating power to sell to the city.
It was designed when the city asked for ideas to replace Portland's old visitor information center on the waterfront - where the McCall's restaurant building is now. Another use won the bid for that spot, but land developer Derek Hanna said he still wants to build the tower. "A lot of different developers, they wait till they get to a certain point to release it," Hanna said. "We're releasing it at this step because we want the input from the people. We want the people of Portland to be proud of it. We really want all the input, negative and positive." He said he would charge guests $10 a piece to ride to the top, and a coating of photovoltaic cells would power the structure. It would also only be 90 feet wide - meaning it would not block views like an office building. "It's really like a viewing tower, and what's beautiful about it is it's probably the only place in Portland where you'll see Portland from above," said Eric Cugnart of MulvannyG2 Architecture.
Hanna added that he won't ask for public money to build it. Now developers have to find a place to put it and get the city to approve the plan. They said they plan to spend the next two years selling the idea to the city. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TOWER? LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW: |
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