Holst Transforms Decrepit Downtown Motel Into Hotel Modera (Updated)

The old Days Inn Portland City Center is currently undergoing a transformation into an upscale boutique hotel called Hotel Modera that will also bring the work of one of the city’s best firms, Holst Architecture, to downtown.

    The intent is to embrace the original mid-century modern original architecture. The five-story hotel has 174 rooms and suites and takes up nearly an entire city block between SW Fifth and Sixth and Columbia and Clay.  It will feature an outdoor courtyard that includes a “living wall” of vegetation, fire pits and plenty of seating.  The plaza courtyard will integrate the indoors with the outdoors and is intended to provide guests and Portlanders with a place to gather and unwind in downtown. It’s also a big improvement on the ugly surface parking lot that’s been there.

Holst created a new motor entrance and lobby off SW Clay Street to accommodate for the condemnation of the SW 6th Street motor entrance due to the new TriMet MAX light rail lines that will run adjacent to the hotel. Led by project manager Kevin Valk, the architects chose to extend the lobby out of the SW Clay Street entrance and design a courtyard with the extra space.

Through the Percentage for Art Program, TriMet has commissioned Michihiro Kosuge to install his artwork on the downtown transit mall.  This will include three sculptures fronting the courtyard of Hotel Modera. The artwork will be created from granite that has been recycled from a fountain that previously existed along the bus mall.

Specific green features of Hotel Modera include a stormwater filtration system in the courtyard, upgraded windows and HVAC, occupancy sensors, added insulation to exterior building shell, and a new reflective roofing to reduce heating island effect.

Perhaps Holst’s biggest project planned to break ground this year, however, is the new Pearl District headquarters for Ziba Design. More on that soon. But for now, it’s great to see that eyesore of a motel downtown be re-imagined, and by Holst to boot.

UPDATE 2/29: It just occurred to me that there are a couple other aging chain hotels in the downtown area that would seem ideal candidates for such a makeover. How about the Sheraton along the waterfront beside the Morrison Bridge? Although my parents spent their wedding night there 40 years ago, I never have once heard of anyone else staying there or even going there.

Perhaps another riverfront hotel, the Marriott, could also stand an upgrade. In its way, it's kind of an iconic building for Portland given its scale and site. But even Bob Frasca of Zimmer Gunsul Frasca, who designed it, has said it's not exactly the firm's proudest accomplishment. What could they do to give this place a fantastic design makeover?

UPDATE 3/5: I've replaced the images with larger, sharper ones.

Comments

[Aneeda]

Brian,
Can you tell us who the landscape architect is for the project? The courtyard looks wonderful.

[kevin valk]

The landscape architect is LangoHansen, and they have done an amazing job. kudos to them.

[kyle]

kurt lango is a pleasure to work with. i have worked with his office on a couple of projects and the work has been well integrated. this project by Holst looks like an exciting downtown project. i love to see how it is wrapped up like buildings in europe - now all we need is the super graphics too!

[Aneeda]

I would love to see more features on some of Portland's amazing landscape architecture firms. It is one of the things that makes Portland really fantastic. I'm so tired of looking at books and magazines of incredible architecture with the most depressing site integration. Great job Lango Hansen.

[Lindsay]

Hey Brian -- any word on when this project is scheduled for completion? It's only a few blocks from my condo, and I look forward to a hip hotel close by for out-of-town guests.

[Monforts]

Agreed, this project is sublime. I can't wait to sit in that courtyard this summer and drink a beer between the green wall and white grid.

[kevin valk]

The hotel is scheduled to be open at the beginning of June. I believe reservations are being accepted through several of the online sites...expedia etc.

[gc]

Can't wait to see Holst's next project in built form. 937 was cool in the early renderings, but very disappointing now that it has its brick cladding up. I hope they bounce back as we know they can with really great buildings for Ziba and Hotel Modera.

[Jaime]

Does anyone know who if Holst is also doing the Interior Design for Hotel Modera?

[Brian]

I should have mentioned the interior designer in the first place, just like I should have done with the landscape architect. (Well chap my hide!) The interior design form is Corso Staicoff. I met Jim Staicoff (the Staicoff in Corso Staicoff, obviously) a few years ago when he was running his own firm, and I can vouch that he's an excellent designer.

[peter]

I'd love to see the hotel pick up the parcel on the sw corner that has an insignificant little building on it, and create another wing. Could be a separate developer, doing apartments that integrate with the hotel courtyard as well as the street. Any developers out there looking for a cool project?

[MarkDaMan]

"How about the Sheraton along the waterfront beside the Morrison Bridge?"

That's now the Hotel Fifty and is undergoing its own major transformation.

[KJ]

leave it to holst to make a 1960s motel look 1950s, just like skylab can bring any building into the 1970s.

[Studio Art Direct]

Hotel Modera will be brimming with local artwork. We curated about 300 original paintings, black and white photographs, glass, marble sculpture, and nude figurative drawings for the project.

You can see the collection of beautiful modern black and white photos of Oregon's "natural beauty" and Portland urbanscapes (which will hang in the corridors)at www.studioartdirect.com

Owners of hotel should be commended for supporting the local arts community.

[Interior Decorators Designer]

Interior design can actually be quite difficult because it all depends on personal preferences. The trends in commercial and residential interior design change on a regular basis, however what goes out of fashion will normally come back into fashion in around 50 years. Lots of people like nostalgia, which is why things typically come back into fashion. Interior Decorators Designer http://interior-decorating-trends.blogspot.com

[outdoor fabrics]

Now that's what I'm talking about, if your going to renovate then renovate with style.

[Ed Schwitzky]

You suggested "the Sheraton along the waterfront beside the Morrison Bridge" as a candidate for a makeover. Well, have a look now! In 2009-2009 over $7M was invested inside and out, resulting in the all-new Hotel Fifty and H5O bistro & bar.