From: Jim Herb

Sent: Wed Sep 16 14:50:10 2020

To: Council Clerk â Testimony

Cc: Jim Herb; chonghees@gmail.com

Subject: Alamo Manhattan South Waterfront Development

Importance: Normal

Microsoft Exchange Server;converted from html;

Portland City Council,

We are residents of South Waterfront for over ten yards living in Atwater Place on S. Gaines Street. We have seen all the development here since the original group of buildings and have been very satisfied, in fact impressed, with the way the City has handled the process of balancing the desires of residents here and the developers. We have not been opposed to any of the development, and in fact, welcome it. We are glad to see the neighborhood grow and become more energized, as well as provide needed housing and opportunity for economic and social activity. The City and us residents have been, and are, in the process of building a larger, better community in Portland of which everyone could be proud.

Unfortunately we have found out from other Atwater residents and other neighbors that our positive record is in danger of being marred. The development south of us being proposed by Alamo Manhattan seems to be asking/ getting exceptions to rules and regulations that will mar our waterfront and our community.... building heights, public access, density, scale, etc.

We are particularly concerned about the proposals for exceptions to the greenway area. We understand that there is no public access to the river and the design appears to make that part of the greenway available for exclusive use of this project's buildings. We recall that there was much hard work done to preserve the integrity of the greenway when The Osprey Apartments were constructed. Fortunately that result has turned out very well. I’ve would ask for your serious and critical view during your approval processes to protect that aspect of our neighborhood. It would be almost criminal to construct the final piece of the greenway in that location and not have it meet the same high standards as all the other developments in creating the current beauty and functionality of the greenway.

I spend a lot of time on the greenway exercising and relaxing. I have spoken to many people (not SWaterfront residents) that use the greenway for their leisure activties and many of them remark about how wonderful it will be when it its completed and "We can go from Sellwood to Downtown along the river!" There is only one chance to do the right thing for the greenway, and in our opinion , the entire South Waterfront part of our City.

We respectfully ask that you take great care in granting approval for a final plan that would destroy, rather than improve, this neighborhood and the City.

Sincerely ,

James Herb & Chonghee Suh

Owners , Unit 1206 Atwater Place 841 S Gaines St

P.S. We'd love to have any of you come down for a beautiful walk along the river...after the smoke clears!