Yesterday the city council declared its intent to explore saving the decrepit Centennial Mill. The council is calling for public input over the next several months on saving the 200,000-square-foot, circa-1909 grain mill. Clearly it's the hope that a private developer will step forward during that borrowed time and pledge to save the building.
One need only look to a project like the Brewery Blocks and its preserved brew house, or to other old Pearl District warehouses, to see how nice a re-imagined old industrial building can be. And situated on Naito Parkway along the river, Centennial Mill occupies coveted real estate.
But the building is in real bad shape. Can it really be saved without bankrupting its developer? I can only assume many out there wouldn't touch it. Historic preservation always comes with surprises, often bad ones. But might there be a developer out there with the guts to take on Centennial Mill? The reward could be immense if somebody could save even portions of the structure and re-imagine it for the next century.
It would take some serious money to jump start this project, but I hope something happens. I don't think the same type of retail would work well there as the Brewery Blocks. The spot is a bit isolated and Front just isn't as important or as affluent an arterial to warrant Whole Foods or Diesel.
It would be an incredible site for condos, however, maybe some flex office. It's cool enough of a property that a destination restaurant would well too. There's really nothing else like it anywhere in Portland
Posted by: Mike Thelin | May 26, 2005 at 01:39 PM
Its a pretty good location for condos being that its in the Pearl and on the waterfront plus its a historic building. I would think it could be rehabbed (at least part of it) as luxury condos/lofts and at high prices per unit too in order to justify the high cost of renovation. Perhaps the maritime museum could be on the first floor and have the tug boat tied up outside.
Posted by: pdxstreetcar | May 27, 2005 at 12:05 PM