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The Portland Design Commission on Thursday voted 6-0 to approve a 166-unit mixed-use development in the Lents neighborhood.

Palindrone Communities鈥� project, designed by YBA Architects, calls for a five-story, 159-unit apartment building and a two-story row house building with seven units. The two structures will form a U-shaped development on a 2.1-acre site, at 9330 S.E. Harold St.

The site formerly was a home of the Belmont goats 鈥� a popular herd that has lived in many parts of the city. Now it is a vacant field near the Wattles Boys and Girls Club and Zoiglhaus Brewing Company鈥檚 space with its rebranded Zed food hall.

The five-story building鈥檚 ground floor will have two commercial spaces at each corner along Southeast 92nd Avenue as well as a lobby and five residential units. An outdoor open area for residents will have ample seating, green space and a pet area.

Overall, commissioners praised the project鈥檚 design, particularly regarding its courtyard details, ground-floor programming, and townhome-style row house. However, its context within the neighborhood left them stumped.

鈥淭he real strength of this project has been in doing the little things extraordinarily well,鈥� Commissioner Don Vallaster said. 鈥淏ut I think it came at the cost of maybe the overall architectural concept for the building itself, which may be a little unfortunate.鈥�

The project is one of the first in the city subject to the new Portland Citywide Design Guidelines that were adopted in 2021. In many ways, Commissioner Julie Livingston said, this development meets the guidelines but nevertheless lacks distinctness.

鈥淭he big motivator behind these guidelines was the fact that Portland is losing the unique character of all of its neighborhoods,鈥� she added. 鈥淧ortland is just becoming very much the same from neighborhood to neighborhood. This building could be anywhere in the city of Portland.鈥�

Commissioners recognized, however, the transitional nature of the Lents neighborhood, which was essentially cut in half in the late 1970s when Interstate 205 was built. Now the area is starting to see a flourish of activity.

Livingston noted there may not just be a whole lot to contextually respond to yet.

In addition to the courtyard, the project site will have 60 motor vehicle parking spaces (included voluntarily) and 249 long-term bicycle parking stalls. Half of the bike parking will be within the units; the other half will be in a shed east of the courtyard. The shed will be draped in vines, leading Commissioner Brian McCarter to call it a 鈥渘ice, landscaped building.鈥� Its placement is meant to ensure the courtyard has a more private feel as well as block the view of I-205.

Photovoltaic arrays are planned for rooftops, and slightly fewer than 80 trees are planned on the site. The project team is seeking a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold rating.

The two buildings are phase one of a larger build-out of the block. Plans call for a development between this project parcel and the I-205 multiuse path that abuts the site.

鈥淚 believe that some buildings are background buildings,鈥� Commissioner Sam Rodriguez said. 鈥淭his one does a background building with a phenomenal response to the immediate context and the public realm.鈥�