I wouldn't want to be the arborist (or for that matter, a pedestrian 20 stories below).

hahahahahahahaha stop, stop, yer killin' me....er uh, yeah Jack is right.

What's scary is that most folks voting there really like the idea.

Babylon did a similar thingy several millennia ago. Perhaps a modern version would be in order for our little hamlet: “The Hanging Beer Gardens of Portlandia.”

Outrageously expensive. Far worse than just having a costly eco-roof.
So the only interested entities will be government or government subsidized developers who will of course use government borrowed money backed by existing tax sources of revenue.

Perfect for Portland. JPACT will love it and want the Obama administration to send money for it.

One of these towers between the Tram, Streetcar and New PMLR Transit bridge in SoWa would be the ultimate. Maybe the Zidel property?

On a smaller scale, wasn't this what was initially planned for the Federal Building remodel? And it was either too costly, or too unproven, but for some reason the Feds went with the metal pieces placed a few feet from the outer wall instead.

And abandoned buildings in large cities already have these - usually the "Tree of Heaven," an invasive species from China.

Great idea. Will applaude every private dollar that goes into these (with NO public subsidies).

Looks like a preview for the next "Life After People" episode.

Who gets charged for the leaf drop... ten blocks away. Nice view, too.

Because of taxes, water/sewer, power, { with damn removal can you imagine the increase in rates? } The progressives in charge and their developer partners understand that home ownership in this town on a fixed income will be extremely difficult. The social engineers convince the sheeple that apartment living is all the rage. Once in the barracks they will decide what you pay and what is and is not acceptable behavior.

Don't fence me in

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above
Don't fence me in
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love
Don't fence me in

Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please
Don't fence me in

Just turn me loose
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the Western skies
On my cayuse
Let me wander over yonder 'til I see the mountains rise

I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences
Gaze about the moon until I lose my senses
Can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in

Just turn me loose
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the Western skies
On my cayuse
Let me wander over yonder 'til I see the mountains rise

I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences
Gaze about the moon until I lose my senses
Can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in

Don't fence me in
Don't you fence me in

========================================
Cease the high rise bunker mentality....lotsa land to plant the trees.....ON THE Ground!

Just sayin'

Oohkay then, moving right along....

Is there a full moon tonight? I need to go take a peek.

Somewhat of a crazy idea as depicted in the elevation.
Sunlight into each unit is obliterated. Views are lost.
Maintenance isn't considered.
Heat loss from solar is severly limited. And the cost?-tremendous.

All these factors were applied to Portland's federal building. But the budget did the greenwall in, so they said.

And I get a kick out the three question choices. Why not a question that would at least reflect a few of the facts I mention, and ask "No way would I live in these building for the above facts".

The O like CoP, PDC, Metro, TriMet don't ask the obvious, right questions. They manipulate the outcome, just like they did with the bike counts and surveys.

We already have a vertical forest. It is called the Cascade Mountains.

This plan seems quite a bit different than the "living wall" proposed for the federal building, it basically seems to be balconies with planters that can handle trees and stuff.

Love or hate highrises, what is the deal with the general lack of balconies in these parts? Look at Vancouver, BC, the vast majority of units include some outdoor space. Around here you're usually stuck going to a park.

Thinking as hard as I can, the closest hint of this (trees growing on balconies) around here is a couple of the condos in the KOIN tower, and the trees you can see growing on one level at the PacWest center.

Don't get me wrong: I don't have a problem with the idea on principle. I just know that the execution is going to suck. Not only is Mr. Grumpy right about what happens to folks 20 stories down from the arborist, but I'd love to see what's going to happen in the first serious storm. I also would LOVE to hear from the crew proposing this about who's responsible for fertilizing those trees, too. I'm sure that the happy citizens of Portlandia are willing both to pay for the necessary fertilizer and replacement soil for their high-rise trees AND haul it up 20 stories. (Sorry if I sound so cynical, but I'm watching similar proposals being suggested in Dallas, too. Many of the same yups who think that this is a great idea also couldn't be bothered to water the trees in their backyard during last summer's drought, because "I have other things to worry about.")

A modern day Kudzo. I'm pretty sure architects were used by the Mayans.

The only vertical forest that our citizens are getting is Joshua Trees. Check out ZeroHedge to understand the greater meaning of "Getting the Joshua Tree".

I propose an amendment to the state constitution, those in government who propose silly ideas will live in or utilize them. No exceptions.

Of course the architects and greenies are already drooling all over this and wishing they were first to do it. It's competitive out there for wacky ideas. At least 2of the plants listed for the Italian job are invasive here. I can see it now - uncontrolled seed distribution, bitter fights among neighbors about whose leaves dropped onto whose balcony, water penetration issues even in the summertime, and pruning! All those bad pruning jobs, or maybe no pruning at all and the attendant infestations and diseases.... Something tells me that people who choose the uber urban lifestyle are not horticulturists, at least as it comes to getting their hands dirty. Container Plants are a responsibility not unlike pets.