Downtown Portland awaits Ritz-Carlton's summer opening
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The new Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, will be one of the city’s tallest buildings. Photo: Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland
The $600 million Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland, at 900 SW Washington St. was slated to be partly open this month, and though that has not happened, the developers are sticking with their late-summer schedule for completion.
Why it matters: Developer Walt Bowen is betting big on the return of our once-bustling downtown, while city officials are hoping to use the new luxury landmark to lure Portlanders of all kinds — not just the top 1% — back to the city's center.
The numbers: At 460 feet and 35 stories, the building is one of the tallest in the city.
- The multi-use tower will include 132 residences and penthouses and 251 hotel rooms.
- A deluxe king-size hotel room will run guests an average of $470 per night, while residences have been priced at $1.7 million to $7.3 million.
- Encompassing an entire city block, the Ritz is 1.1 million square feet in total.
Details: Accessible to the public, the hotel’s ground-floor food hall, Flock, will house ten food vendors.
- Confirmed tenants include Korean barbecue favorite Kim Jong Grillin’, the Mexican tacos staple Birrieria la Plaza and James Beard-nominated Magna Kusina, as well as Artly Coffee, Prime Tap House, and more.
- The 20th-floor restaurant, Bellpine, will feature sweeping views of Mount Hood and dishes created by Portuguese Michelin star chef Pedro Almeida and executed by República's Lauro Romero.
- Taking inspiration from the Pacific Northwest's landscape, the lobby bar is designed to mirror Forest Park, with timber walls and a chandelier filled with saplings.
What they're saying: "It’s really important to us that the community — everybody out there — feels comfortable to come in and experience something new," Marie Browne, the Ritz's general manager, told Portland Monthly.
Flashback: The groundbreaking occurred in July 2019, and developers have stuck to the construction schedule with few hiccups.
- To make way for the quasi-skyscraper, at least 50 small businesses from the longstanding Alder Street food cart pod were forced to move.
The intrigue: Bowen declined to build affordable housing units, opting instead to pay an estimated fee of $7.7 million to comply with city and state building regulations.
- He had previously agreed to follow zoning measures that would make 20% of the 132 condos affordable.
What's next: The opening is expected to be in "late summer," a spokesperson said.
This story has been corrected to reflect that the name of the property is the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Portland (not simply Ritz-Carlton).