Why We’re Proud of These 7 Properties in Portland’s Central Eastside

Once exclusively an industrial zone across the Willamette River from downtown Portland, Oregon, the Central Eastside neighborhood has maintained its historic roots while attracting new development. Its proximity to densely developed residential neighborhoods in inner southeast and northeast Portland has enabled the Central Eastside to transform into a viable live and work location. In recent years, new, higher-density development, including mid-rise and high-rise buildings with a mix of housing and office space, have transformed the skyline. A number of older buildings in the area have been renovated into commercial offices that preserved some original structural and design elements, such as exposed concrete and wood beams. Offering flexible, open floor plans, these renovated office buildings are attractive to architecture, design, and technology-related industries, as well as breweries and upscale restaurants. The Central Eastside is a fitting location for our corporate headquarters as it blends so much of why we build in urban environments.

UD+P has been developing and managing real estate assets in the area for more than a decade, and we are deeply invested in and committed to its success. We are a proud and active member of the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC), which has been a driving force behind revitalizing the community.

Learn how UD+P supports the character of neighborhoods in our communities.

Since 2011, we have developed or renovated seven different properties in the Central Eastside. Take a brief tour of each of these buildings with us:

1. Slate

111 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Portland, Oregon

Standing on a half-acre lot at the corner of NE MLK Jr. Blvd. and Couch, Slate is a focal point of a generational transformation underway at the Burnside Bridgehead. It is thoughtfully designed to fit seamlessly into the neighborhood, with post-tension concrete construction. This 10-story “live” and “work” space, built in 2016 by Yorke & Curtis and designed by W.PA, offers multi-family living, retail, and office space.

The staggered façade incorporates large windows that draw fresh air and abundant natural light into each unit while creating visual interest from the street. The building has achieved high standards for energy efficiency and is LEED Gold Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Slate Quick Facts:

2. Framework

134 NE 6th, Portland, Oregon

Completed in Fall 2015 and sold in 2020, Framework features exposed structural elements, walls of glass, and sustainably sourced glulam beams, an innovative material that is stronger than steel and has greater strength than comparably sized lumber. The first floor has street-facing retail in the front and parking in the back. Each of the four upper floors has nearly 5,000 sq ft of workspace, allowing tenants to adapt the space to fit their needs and create collaborative work environments.

With flexible, open floor plates that can meet the needs of various tenants, Framework is designed to foster creative partnerships in the neighborhood. For this project, we partnered with Yorke & Curtis and W.PA, and at the sale we produced a multiple on invested capital of 2.86 and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 30.65%.

Framework Quick Facts:

Interested in investing back into Portland’s architectural charm? Contact our investment team for more information on how you can get involved with UD+P.

3. American Brush

16 NE 6th, Portland, Oregon

Built in 1907, this  4-story, turn-of-the-century brick building is a Portland landmark we re-envisioned as a creative office project. The building originally housed a candy factory, then a grocery store distribution center, and later became the headquarters of the American Brush Company in the 1950s.

Renovations began in the winter of 2012 and were completed in early 2013. Today, American Brush serves as UD+P’s headquarters.

In partnership with Stack Architecture and general contractor Lorentz Bruun, we completed a voluntary seismic retrofit, restored the brick façade, and replaced the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.

American Brush Quick Facts:

4. Hotel Grand Stark

509 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Built in 1909, this four-story brick masonry building was originally a hotel and served various functions over the years. If you grew up in Portland, you probably know it as Shleifer Furniture. For nearly 80 years, from 1936 to 2015, this beloved local icon occupied two buildings within four blocks of each other.

UD+P and Beam Development jointly acquired the property in 2015 with the intent of converting it back into a hotel. Key components of the renovation included the restoration of the historic character of the exterior, modernization of outdated systems, and renovation of the upper floors.

Though the rooms on the upper floors were shuttered in the 1970s, they remained intact for renovation. Today, Hotel Grand Stark is a boutique hotel with 57 rooms and a ground-floor restaurant, bar, and lobby.

Lauded as one of the best hotels in the Pacific Northwest, Hotel Grand Stark has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Vogue, and Sunset Magazine.

Hotel Grand Stark Quick Facts:

Invest with a company sensitive to existing communities, tenants, neighbors, local businesses, and the environment. Invest with UD+P today!

5. Coffee Warehouse

224 SE 2nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon

The second Shleifer Furniture property is just a few blocks down from Hotel Grand Stark, and served as Shleifer Furniture’s storage facility through almost 80 years of business. 

Built in 1936, Coffee Warehouse is a 15,000 sq ft masonry building. In 2016, UD+P and Beam Development jointly acquired the building and in Spring 2018 we completed a comprehensive core and shell renovation.

Today, Coffee Warehouse now serves as a bright creative office space that caters to light industrial and office tenants. 

Coffee Warehouse Quick Facts:

6. District Office

525 SE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon

This project began in 2016 as a joint venture with Portland Music Company (PMC) to redevelop the site that housed their retail music store and offices until 2018. District Office’s architecture and design incorporates exposed beams, extensive wood details, and large sun-filled windows to create a modern industrial aesthetic.

The building is constructed of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), an innovative, exceptionally strong, and durable engineered timber product manufactured using wood from sustainably managed forests. Compared to most other building types (e.g., concrete, steel, and masonry), CLT buildings have a lighter carbon footprint, superior thermal performance, and better energy efficiency.

District Office Quick Facts:

7. 550 SE MLK

550 SE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon (Under Construction)

Currently under construction, 550 SE MLK is our newest project in the Central Eastside. A 7-story mixed-use residential property, it will bring 132 thoughtfully designed apartment homes and 3,600 SF of neighborhood-serving ground-floor retail to the area. Located adjacent to Hotel Grand Stark and across the street from District Office, 550 SE MLK completes our vision of a 3-block bike/ped and transit-oriented development node that will transform the built environment in the immediate neighborhood.

550 SE MLK Quick Facts:

At UD+P, we don’t just invest in real estate; we invest in our communities. Our team is invested in Portland because we’re locals too. It’s our goal to contribute thoughtfully to Portland’s vitality and promote smart growth one building at a time. 

We couldn’t do what we do in this inner Portland neighborhood without the good work of our friends at the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC). As advocates for businesses, customers, and employees, CEIC works hard to promote our neighborhood’s unique identity as a central city industrial district and innovation hub.

Intrigued by the Central Eastside Industrial neighborhood, too? Schedule a meeting with us to learn more.

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