Portland RowhouseBUILDER

A publication of GPB Construction

PER FEC T HOME S FOR A N UR BA N L IFE S T Y L E

Simplicity without sacrificeCool rowhouses, close-in neighborhoods

Also: Meet The Builder • Page 6 | Alberta Row • Page 10Richmond Row

"Simplify without sacrifice."

"These are not your average rowhouses."

COOL ROWHOUSES, CLOSE-IN NEIGHBORHOODS

Simplicitywithout sacrifice

2 Portland Rowhouse Builder

Portland Rowhouse Builder 3

Portland is a city that loves its neigh-borhoods, and a city of neighbors who love to be active and on the go.

And in the city’s most active, close-in neighborhoods, that’s where you’ll find Portland’s best rowhouses by GPB Construction.

Neighborhoods such as Hawthorne, Alameda, Piedmont and Woodstock — established city neighborhoods where sustainable, luxury urban living fits the profile for folks who enjoy a convenient lifestyle.

Builder Guy Bryant creates homes for upscale city living at its best, and his rowhouses are designed with more than just a nod to the surroundings. GPB’s rowhouses fit elegantly into the streetscape with classic designs but also offer the modern amenities that suit Portland’s upscale, urban lifestyle. The units allow buyers to simplify their lives without sacrificing what they treasure in a single-family home.

Bryant doesn’t just build for that urban lifestyle — he lives it (see story, Page 6).

He’s a city dweller who works hard during the week and loves to lock and leave his house and hit the beach on the weekends. He works from his home office. He likes to hang out in his neighborhood and minimize his time in the car. These are the ideas that sit at the core of everything he builds.

"It’s the lifestyle I prefer, to live in an amenity-rich, urban environment," Bryant says. "It’s easier to work, it’s more practical, and it’s easier to have fun."

— continued on Page 5

COVER STORY

Above: Alameda Row on Northeast Fremont Street

Photo by Aaron Ziltener

By PHIL FAVORITEFavorite Media

This page: Large, bright open spaces are a hallmark of GPB rowhouses. A family room at Richmond Row

features sliding doors to a rear patio and backyard (top). A master bath features

a double-basin vanity topped with granite and a window to brighten

the space (right).

Opposite: A full-tile backsplash and custom cabinets shine in a kitchen at

Hawthorne Row (top). A window lights up a master bedroom (center).

Copper-stained granite adds a funky, urban feel to the top of a kitchen

island with wine bar (bottom).

4 Portland Rowhouse Builder

Every rowhouse by GPB Construction is low-maintenance and convenient. Private outdoor areas (small backyards or front courtyards) and safe, secure attached garages are crucial, and are luxuries rarely available in a downtown high-rise condo.

From the fixtures, surfaces and appliances to the sheetrock, siding and trim, quality oozes in a GPB rowhouse — in the kitch-ens, baths, bedrooms and living spaces. Numerous high-end, stylish finishes such as granite counters and real hardwood floors are standard in every GPB rowhouse.

Thoughtful designs are another GPB hall-mark. Dramatic, open spaces are perfect for entertaining, with decks and large windows to help bring in natural light. Beautifully finished gas fireplaces add to the warm feel of every unit, and thought-ful features such as home offices, wine bars and well-placed powder rooms add functionality to the spaces.

The rowhouses also fit the Portland profile in another significant way — they’re

environmentally friendly (see story, Page 7). Built to Earth Advantage® standards with energy-efficient, Earth Smart® appliances, GPB rowhouses are all about a convenient lifestyle that encourages residents to stay out of their cars as much as possible, take advantage of public transportation or walk to their favorite market, specialty shop or restaurant.

"We try to create an environment that fosters a more convenient, sustainable lifestyle," Bryant says. "Being a part of a true mixed-use neighborhood gives you a connection, and a convenience that’s sustainable. Everything you want is just blocks away, not miles."

It’s this unique combination of location, high-quality construction and design that makes each new collection of rowhouses by GPB Construction a one-of-a-kind de-velopment, one that will hold its value and stand the test of time. ■

Portland Rowhouse Builder 5

— continued from Page 3

STORY BY PHIL FAVORITE

If you catch homebuilder Guy Bryant off duty, you might see him at his neigh-borhood grocery store, your favorite restaurant, at the local gym working out, or maybe on the mountain pulling the skis from his roof-rack.

Bryant lives an active lifestyle. He likes to stay in shape, he likes to have fun, and he likes to stay in touch with his clientele and be connected to the neighbor-hoods he builds in.

On the job site, you'll find him with his contractors — sleeves rolled up, at-tending to every last detail of his latest rowhouse project — or maybe discuss-ing those details with an interested neighbor or potential buyer.

The new homes he builds for GPB Construction are designed to relate well to their established neighborhoods, and they reflect his values, emphasizing quality construction and a low-mainte-nance lifestyle rich in amenities.

"I've been in the real estate business since 1986, beginning while I was a student at the University of Pennsylva-nia," Bryant says.

Over the past 14 years, Bryant has struck a nerve with Portlanders who want to live in a beautiful new rowhouse in a well-established neighborhood. He's built some of the best rowhouses in the city's most coveted neighborhoods,

and he's sold them out fast. Rowhouses by GPB Construction hold their value, and turnover in any of Bryant's projects is rare.

All this has earned him a reputation as one of the best infill rowhouse builders in town.

Growing up in major metropolitan areas and seeing how his grandmother lived in New York City — without a car but within walking distance to everything she needed — inspired Bryant to build Portland's most desirable urban homes.

His skillful combination of design, loca-tion and quality has resulted in unique and valuable residential developments that are ready to stand the test of time.

"I don't need to be the most cutting edge," Bryant says. "I like a look that’s right for a particular site. I want to use materials that I know are going to work. I still use old-fashioned cedar siding because it works. It's all about taking the time to make the right choices that suit the project.

"Most importantly, I build homes, not sculptures. They can’t just look cool on the outside and not function on the inside."

The company's success during difficult economic times is a testament to the care Bryant puts into selecting

his projects. That also speaks to the builder's understanding of the real estate market.

"He's a researcher," says Joe Spanish, a local RE/MAX Equity Group agent who has listed several of Bryant's new homes. "He's the type of personality who needs to be fully confident in every detail before he begins a new venture."

One project, 2009's Richmond Row — a collection of four rowhouses in Port-land's Richmond neighborhood — sold out within a few short months of going on the market in the middle of the worst housing and financial market of this generation.

Simply put, Bryant builds what people want: quality rowhouses that comple-ment a buyer's active lifestyle but also are a welcome addition to the existing, established neighborhood.

"He builds with the idea that these homes are going to be there forever," Spanish says. "In 15 years, if one of these units comes up for sale, they'll say, 'That's a Guy Bryant rowhouse. I gotta have it.' " — Phil Favorite

Above: Guy BryantSuccesshits close tohome

MEET THE BUILDER

6 Portland Rowhouse Builder

He likes to think of himself as an "accidental environmentalist," but builder Guy Bryant’s success is no accident.

As our society increasingly invests in developing renewable energy sources, more people are looking for ways to make a difference individually, changing to a lifestyle that is less about consumption and more environmentally conscious.

It's a movement Bryant found himself part of without even knowing it.

He's been building high-style rowhouses in close-in Portland neighborhoods for 14 years, all crafted with quality, long-lasting materials and responsible methods that meet and exceed the criteria for Earth Advantage® certification.

Earth Advantage® homes are designed to improve energy by 15 percent over a conventionally built home, incorporating products such as energy-efficient windows, appliances, mechanical systems and light fixtures that can add up to lower energy usage and greater comfort year round.

Sustainably Speaking: Rowhouses built to last

There are hundreds of ways for Orego-nians to reduce their carbon foot-prints, but one of the easiest and most comprehensive is choosing a place to live that promotes sustainability.

A carbon footprint is the negative impact that a person or business has on the environment, specifically the amount of carbon emitted by some-thing during a given period.

A study by the Brookings Institute in 2005 indicated the average resident of metro Portland emits a staggering 35 percent less carbon than the average resident of America's 100 largest metro areas.

The Natural Resources Defense Council cites a 2008 study by Criterion Planners of Portland that indicated the Portland metro area's highest per capita emissions are in the outlying areas, with the lowest emissions occur-ring in the central core.

"Those neighborhoods closest to (the downtown district) have by far the lowest per-capita carbon footprints," according to Kaid Benfield, the NRDC director of smart growth. "That's because residents there don't need to drive as often and can frequently drive shorter distances when they do."

The research supports local planners' vision of the "20-minute" neighbor-hood, where one can walk to essential amenities and services within 20 minutes, falling under a broader vision of smart growth.

"It's about designing communities that are more vibrant," says Donna DeCostanzo, senior attorney for NRDC, "where people have more transporta-tion choices and where daily needs and amenities like our schools, our jobs, our restaurants and our shops are located close to where we live."

"It also helps conserve land," Benfield says, "so it works for the planet at the same time."

Reduce your carbon footprint

Above: Woodstock Row

Above: Hawthorne Row

— continued on Page 8

By PHIL FAVORITEFavorite Media

Portland Rowhouse Builder 7

Maybe more important in the long run, Bryant's homes are close to mass transit, within walking distance of shopping and restaurants and take advantage of exist-ing infrastructure, significantly minimiz-ing the environmental impacts of new construction.

Infill rowhouses don’t require new roads, new sewer systems or new utility systems. They fit in well with their neigh-bors in established neighborhoods.

Even at the most fundamental level — he's recycling the land — Bryant is making a difference.

"It's a lifestyle I enjoy, and what I do for a living," Bryant says. "I found out that what I was already doing, without even thinking about, was enough to be Earth Advantage® certified with just a few small adjustments."

Bryant's building process often starts with a demolition that is mostly a mas-sive recycling project. Just about every part of an old structure — concrete, trim, siding, hardwoods, appliances, fixtures, other building materials — can be donated, reused or refashioned at a later date. For Bryant, recycling the old struc-ture just makes good business sense.

"You would never take all the nice wood and pay thousands of dollars by weight to dump it in a landfill," he says. "I'm just being practical."

Bryant's philosophy on building sustain-ably is simple: use long-lasting materials, emphasize quality and finish well above building code. To build Portland's best rowhouses, he uses real, three-quarter-inch hardwood floors, real cedar siding and Energy Star®-rated appliances.

"Cedar is renewable. It grows," Bry-ant says. "It's a natural process. There's no mining involved. No old-growth timber being cut for siding. And it’s just a perfect siding product. It lasts. It’s naturally mold-resistant. It breathes, and it’s beautiful."

Location alone earns a nod from Earth Advantage®, which awards points for density, proximity to mass transit and for recycling the land as infill.

"We're spending billions of dollars on light rail," he says. "If we don't get more people to live near these things, it's just going to be a big waste of money."

Every GPB Construction rowhouse has a private garage to keep your car safe and secure when you want to leave it at home, and a home office or studio to help you work from home and stay out of congested morning traffic.

Basically, Bryant is offering his new-home buyers an alternative: an amenity-rich, low-maintenance, energy-efficient rowhouse within walking distance of goods and services in a way that makes life simpler, without a whole lot of sacrifice.

"I make it easy for you to make fewer trips in the car, to meet your friends for dinner down the street, to lower your energy bills," he says. "It all adds up."

"In the long run, which is more sustainable?" ■

"You would never take all the nice wood and pay thousands of dollars by weight to dump it in a landfill. I'm just being practical."

— Guy Bryant

This page: Hawthorne Row

— continued from Page 7

8 Portland Rowhouse Builder

AINSWORTH ROW, 3283 N.E. Ainsworth St.Site: Two units; 1,764 square feetNotable: Two-level townhomes feature second-level living with deck off living room for outdoor entertaining.

ALAMEDA ROW, 4602 N.E. Fremont St.Site: Six units; 1,400 square feetNotable: Eye-catching white trim and two-foot overhangs a styling nod to the neigh-boring Arts & Crafts-style bungalows.

HAWTHORNE ROW, 1518 S.E. 30th Ave. Site: Five units; 2,011 to 2,195 square feet Notable: Classic brick for an urban brown-stone look, just steps from Hawthorne shopping.

Rowhouses by GPB Construction are located in some of Portland's most desired, close-in neighborhoods. They offer spaces to work from home, easy access to mass transit and a lock-and-leave lifestyle that allows residents to enjoy all the benefits and outdoor amenities Portland has to offer. All have sold out within months of being listed.

PIEDMONT ROW, 5504 N.E. Mallory Ave. Site: Five units; 2,231 to 2,310 square feet Notable: Separate ground-level entrances open to flex space for home office, live/work unit or separate living quarters.

RICHMOND ROW, 3948 S.E. Woodward St. Site: Four units; 2,040 to 2,064 square feet Notable: Craftsman exterior touches take cues from neighbors; sunken family room opens to back yard.

WOODSTOCK ROW, 5902 S.E. 47th Ave. Site: Four units; 1,860 to 1,940 square feet Notable: Front courtyards with stylish wrought-iron fences welcome visitors to a ground-level entry and adjacent spacious den.

Portland'sTracking

BestRowhouses

5

84

26

Downtown Portland

Willamette River

Columbia River

Piedmont Row

Ainsworth Row

Alameda Row

Hawthorne Row

Richmond Row

Woodstock Row

NORTH

WA

OR

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Portland Rowhouse Builder 9

ALBERTA ROW: THE FIRST PHASELOCATION2530-2536 N.E. Alberta St

PRICING Starting in the mid to upper $400s

FEATURES• Rowhouseswithtwobedrooms, 2.5 baths plus lofts • Ground-levelstudioswithoverhead glass door to front courtyards • Dramatic,open,light-filledlivingspaces with ceilings soaring to 17 feet •Gourmetkitchenswithwinebars • Realhardwoodfloors,granite counters and cedar siding • Rear-loading,two-cargarges • Privateoutdoorareas •High-quality,eco-friendlyconstruction •AlbertaArtsDistrictLocation • Fee-simpleownershipwithno condo association

"You can have an artist's studio, a gallery, a home office or just an entertaining space, where people can come to your party without necessarily having to go to the more private spaces of your home." — Guy Bryant

FIRST FLOORSECOND FLOOR THIRD FLOOR

ALBERTA ROW FLOOR PLAN

DECK

GREAT ROOM

KITCHEN

BATH

MASTER BEDROOM

WIC

GARAGE

BATH

BEDROOM / STUDIO

FOYER

LOFT

MECH /ATTIC

OPEN TO BELOW

WD

BATH

R

COURTYARD

10 Portland Rowhouse Builder

Up Next:Alberta Row

CLOSE-BY AMENITIES•NewSeasonsMarket(grocery) • PetiteProvenceBoulangerie & Patisserie • Yogaandpilates •AlbertaRoseTheatre • CorkwineShop • TalismanGallery • Frockboutique •WestCoastFitness • Zipcarvehiclerental •Dozensofrestaurantsand coffee shops

CONTACTSJoe Spanish, broker, RE/MAX Equity Group, 503-495-5877

* Northeast Alberta Street between 12th and 31st Avenues is a multicultural hotspot, one of Portland’s most established neighborhoods. It has seen a revival as a thriving community with an exhilarating blend of culture. SOURCE: www.artonalberta.org

** Deemed “very walkable” in relation to parks and public spaces, pedestrian-friendly design and proximity to schools, workplaces and mass transit. SOURCE: www.walkscore.com

Right in the heart of the Alberta Arts District*, a cleverly designed collection of luxury rowhouses will connect residents to their eclectic neighborhood and its fun mix of shops, galleries and restaurants in a fresh and exciting way.

The first phase of Alberta Row, the next project by local infill leader GPB Construction, features designs with studio spaces built directly at street level, com-plete with roll-up glass front doors that open to courtyards fronting Northeast Alberta Street at 26th Avenue.

These gated front courtyards will con-nect residents with the action on Alberta yet can provide a buffer when they want more privacy.

With an impressive "walk score" of 80*, the rowhouses will sit within blocks of some of the city's hottest restaurants, favorite gathering places and popular grocery stores, including New Seasons. They'll also face the well-celebrated sidewalks of Alberta's Last Thursday monthly street fair, and are just steps from mass transit and Zipcar.

The rowhouses are simply the latest incarnation of the flexible spaces his projects are known for, but builder Guy Bryant designed his Alberta Row units as residences first and foremost. Each studio still serves as an excellent work space but also could function as a family room with easy patio access.

"You can have an artist's studio, a gallery, a home office, or just an entertaining space where people can come to your party without necessarily having to go up into your private home," Bryant says.

The main living areas are on the second level for increased privacy. They will be open and light-filled with ceilings soaring 16 feet to an upper-level loft that offers a front-to-back overview of the home. Southern-facing rear sliding glass and skylights will bathe the spaces in light, and a rear deck off the great room provides a second outdoor living area.

Another feature that's unique for a row-house is a two-car garage. "I could see someone benefiting from that, particu-larly someone who uses their studio as a workspace," Bryant says. "They could use the garage for staging, shipping, storage, delivery or pickup as well as a place for their own car."

But it's the front of Alberta Row that will speak most to the Alberta Arts lifestyle.

"I design my projects from the ground up to make the best possible use of the site and its surrounding neighborhood," Bryant says. "I thought the best use of the land was a residential home but with a cool indoor-outdoor space that makes that great connection to Alberta."

— Phil Favorite

Portland Rowhouse Builder 11

Favorite Media10600 SE McLoughlin Blvd., Suite 206Milwaukie, Oregon 97222 503-659-5433

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