Robinwood Center...

As many of you may know, last year Robinwood, Hidden Springs and Skyline Ridge Neighborhoods lost their local grocery market when Bale’s closed its doors for good. That retail space has remained empty ever since with weak prospects for ever attracting another grocery chain. The market was a vital part of this Community, servicing the daily and critical needs of local residents, while the property itself yielded profit for its owner and contributed to the commercial tax base of the City. It is therefore, in everyone’s interest to see this retail center remain fully successful.

FIGURE1: Existing Conditions

The City of West Linn needs a new Police Station. Citizens are nearly unanimous on this topic. The question is, ‘where to put it?’ I submit that Robinwood Center offers an interesting solution as a temporary or permanent home for this respected Department. With inventive foresight and a public-private partnership, a new facility can be created in an ideal location. Robinwood Center has direct highway and arterial access, with effective connectivity to all parts of the City and a link to public transportation, where a current retail development is struggling under the stresses of change & economic uncertainty. Working with the Property owner, the City can solve its functional needs, and realize a primary vision (Hwy 43 Plan), while reviving a vital aspect of the Community, and contributing renewed value to an important Commercial District. Its a winning solution all around.

What is being proposed is a two-phased plan intended to initiate development at lowest possible cost, while limiting disruption of the current commercial activities at the Shopping Center. The initiaL focus is to improve circulation and overall marketability of the Center while providing adequate space to locate a new City Police Station: Officers, Staff and all associated support functions. In addition, space can be developed to attract a small grocery responding to local market niche; one that may or may not be adequately met by the new First Choice Market opening across the street. Either way, new pedestrian-oriented street front retail space should be quiite appealing to incoming businesses.

The extended focus is to complete the new Center as visioned with significantly more leasable real estate and a vastly improved Community appeal than the current Center, which will be mostly demolished with the remaining parts renovated to match the new Architectural expression. A new space can be developed specifically to attract a midl-sized grocery market, like New Seasons, Trader Joes, Thriftway or even Whole Foods. New pedestrian-oriented street-front shops will be added with more leasable commercial space above. Specific improvements might proceed as follows...

Figure 2: Phase 1 Site Plan

Phase 1... Realign the main entrance with Cedar Oak Drive allowing traffic to move by signal through the intersection in all directions. Crosswalks would connect across in standard fashion while a ramped drive and sidewalk allows universal access and improved overall circulation. By Excavating the east frontage, Premium retail space is added at Street level oriented along a wide tree-lined pedestrian corridor. One or two levels of lease space are created above the retail at the main level. This space would house the West Linn Police Department. The vacant retail shell could be renovated for secure parking, vehicle maintenance, an indoor range, and other support functions. All existing buildings would remain intact and serving their current functions until Phase 2.

Figure 3: Phase 2 Site Plan

Phase 2... the main shell, spaces J & K are demolished, while H and I are fully renovated. The remaining northeast frontage is excavated and a new building is added to match the first while all parking and landscaping is realigned behind. The new building could be built to suit a particular grocery store on 2 levels with associated retail and or commercial lease space included. A clock tower or other Iconographic architectural form could mark the corner of the intersection of Willamette Boulevard and Hidden Springs Drive, while the surrounding streets sidewalks and landscaping could be completed to conform to City initiatives as outlined in the Highway 43 Plan. The Police Station could remain with support facilities otherwise accommodated, or it could move to a new and permanent location.

Figure 4: Conceptual Facades - What it could look like from Highway 43.

Figure 5: Community Amenities

The new Robinwood Center would be a model project for commercial development along Highway 43 through West Linn, especially in the ailing district at Robinwood. As a gateway to the City from Portland and Lake Oswego, and in close proximity to the growing University of Marylhurst, this new Neighborhood Oriented Development (N.O.D.E.) would be a source of pride and excitement in the spirit of the citizens of this blooming Community, while offering a creative and innovative solution to several of the City’s current challenges.

Ultimately we hope that the Task Force is successful at recommending a suitable option that fits the Departments needs, that Staff and Council are in agreement, that voters can accept in strong majority, and that the ideal new facility gets built...someplace. Ours is but one option to consider in any event.

These are truly a unique challenges. And a unique challenge requires an innovative solution. We hope we have been of some assistance in this matter.