Who needs Homer?
LocalNewsDaily.com had a story the other day about how Portland developer Homer Williams was at one point talking to famed architect Frank Gehry about designing a building for "affordable" condos in Northwest Portland. Somehow Homer got busy making bigger bucks by grinding the soul out of the city, and gee whiz, the building never got built.
Well, why doesn't it? Gehry's still in L.A., and still active as best I can tell despite his advanced age. And Portland still says it wants to show the world how affordable housing can be done. To heck with Homer Williams, and forget about the condo concept for this. I think Erik Sten, Sal Kadri from the Portland Development Commission, and Richard Harris from Central City Concern ought to schedule a visit to Gehry right away and get cracking. Ask him to draw up something for families to rent.
You want cool? Frank Gehry affordable housing would be way cool. Seriously.
| Posted at 1:30 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (15)
Beyond cool. Further, it surely would give Portland the international profile and recognition to rival, say, Paris! Or Seattle! Seriously, can you even name another city that has a fabulous, fabulous Gehry?
I bet it would even get mention in Town & Country!
Posted by skyview satellite | October 25, 2006 2:18 PM
LOL. It definitely would satisfy those who see the need to be "the next Barcelona" or whatever. But that's not the point. Having low-income folks live in our Gehry would be one of the strongest statements imaginable of the egalitarian ideals that most Portlanders share. There's more to it than bicycles.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 25, 2006 2:22 PM
If "cool" is the new "egalitarian" then the tram is "egalitarian".
Now what we need is a low-income tram.
It's a slippery slope...er, cable.
Posted by rickyragg | October 25, 2006 3:02 PM
Methinks you've just coined Portland's new slogan (to replace "keep portland weird"...."city that works")
PORTLAND:THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN BICYCLES
Posted by veiledorchid | October 25, 2006 3:03 PM
I don't think it will fly. Several of our commissioners apparently disagree with it.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 25, 2006 3:08 PM
Then how about: PORTLAND: THERE'S NO MORE TO IT THAN BICYCLES.
Posted by Allan L. | October 25, 2006 3:14 PM
Yeah...we was beat before we began....Grampy rides recumbantly with Crtical Mass....Randy rides to work, and Sam's gonna commit art $$$ to the zoobombers. Can't win. It IS all about bicycles, isn't it?
Posted by veiledorchid | October 25, 2006 3:18 PM
I love biking, but when it starts raining, I, like most of the recent converts to bicycle commuting, come to my senses.
Posted by Jack Bog | October 25, 2006 3:28 PM
That's what separates the men from the masochists.
Posted by rickyragg | October 25, 2006 5:49 PM
If we get Gehry public housing, can we put a few I.M. Pei public restrooms downtown?
Sooooooo Portland.
Posted by Misty Tee | October 25, 2006 6:58 PM
First off you'd have to get rid of all the permits with those out of sight fees for poor people to be able to afford them.
Then the uppercrust would move in because it would be soooo kwoool. Just like jeans. See the poor folks with the holes in their jeans. Ooops those aren't poor folks. Them riche people.
Nickle
Posted by The Plugged Nickle | October 25, 2006 7:13 PM
Not THAT cool....I have worked on the structural side of a Gehry project (a certain museum in Seattle) and yes, the guy has an eye for design, but man, building it is a PITA.
And you know if someone with that much fame builds a project in Portland, it certainly wont be for an "affordable" housing project.
Posted by Jon | October 25, 2006 10:48 PM
Kind of reminds one of "The Fountainhead" where Dynamite was the answer to the poor problem.
Posted by John Capradoe | October 26, 2006 7:51 AM
I.M. Pei... in Restrooms...did anybody get it?
McDonald?
Posted by Misty Tee | October 26, 2006 8:07 PM
If Gehry is employed to do some "low-income housing" (hard to believe it could be low income when some of his projects are over $800 per sq. ft.), will the housing project be called HOMERVILLE?
Posted by Jerry | October 27, 2006 9:47 PM