What Readers Think About a Deal a Portland Developer Made to Build High

"A few households in the West Hills will lose their Mount Hood views? Tough.”

Park Avenue West (Reid Kille)
By WW Staff

Last week, WW wrote about a deal that real estate developer Vanessa Sturgeon made with City Hall to build a 30-story tower downtown ("Tall Tales," WW, March 27, 2019). The building, the fourth-tallest in Portland, is higher than city zoning codes normally allow, in part because Sturgeon agreed to hire union cleaners and security guards. Instead, Sturgeon didn't hire any contractors for cleaning—and the building's tenants use non-union labor. Here's what readers have to say.

MgFrobozz, via wweek.com: "The developers know they'll always win when dealing with the city."

Nick Zukin, via Facebook: "It's hard to feel bad when a developer is able to wiggle out of such agreements that shouldn't be required in the first place."

Ryan Hodges, via wweek.com: "The city needs to reassess its zoning requirements if that tower doesn't fit into them and, in any case, really has no business mandating stuff like who a building owner is going to use as service providers years after the building is completed."

Seems2Me, via wweek.com: "Once again the city pens a squishy contract it cannot enforce. Seems to be a weekly occurrence."

Natasha Brant, via Facebook: "What's it matter? We all know they'll let it happen and at most give them an obligatory slap on the wrists that don't affect them."

(((TW))), via Twitter: "Keeping your word is a thing of the past. How sad."

TrollTroll, via Twitter: "Build up not out. They should be encouraged to build these types of buildings, not crucified."

Suzanne Fleming, via Facebook: "Shame on the city for lack of oversight."

Keith Wilson, via Facebook: "Why is city government cutting deals for union jobs?"

Nathan Oleson, via Facebook: "Why do we artificially restrict building heights in the downtown core to begin with? Because a few households in the West Hills will lose their Mount Hood views? Tough."

Mark Medina, via Facebook: "Corporate bosses can't be trusted ever. City Council should enforce the rule."

Iris Hockett, via Facebook: "Guess they'd better remove those extra top floors."

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.