Hoyt Street Yards

Ball Janik LLP represents Hoyt Street Properties, the developer of this mixed-use project on 40 acres of former railyard in Portland's Pearl District, which the client has transformed into a high-density residential and commercial neighborhood, where thousands of people now live and work. The Pearl is planned to include more than 2,500 units of housing with support retail and services. Our Land Use attorneys helped the client obtain development approvals and participated in extensive negotiations with the City over the provision of infrastructure and public amenities such as three public parks. In addition, we worked closely with our Environmental practice, which provided comprehensive advice to the developer with regard to extensive soil and groundwater contamination issues within this former railyard, which operated fueling and repair facilities for over 80 years.

The firm's work included: negotiation and implementation of a Consent Decree with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to address site remediation and redevelopment; negotiation of a Development Agreement with the City of Portland, which helped lead to significant new public infrastructure serving the area; and representation of the developer in litigation with the former owner, a railroad, regarding cleanup issues.