(Building Y | Rendering Courtesy of Old Mill District)
Trio of New Buildings Planned for North End Close to ‘Hot Ponds’
The latest chapter in the story of Bend’s thriving Old Mill District is being written, with plans unveiled for a northward expansion to include three new buildings. The vibrant 270-acre mixed-use waterfront development, nurtured into being by visionary developer, the late Bill Smith, has played a leading role in helping transition the city from a shrinking timber-based economy to one trumpeting recreation, tourism and lifestyle. And developer River Bend Limited Partnership is building on that legacy to add even more capacity and variety.
Bucking the national trend, demand remains high for retail, dining and entertainment space in the complex, spurring the decision to green light development of three new buildings at the north end of the Shops. The structures have been dubbed Buildings X, Y and Z, totaling around 31,000 square feet. Building X, spanning around 5,000 square feet, will feature flexible indoor/outdoor spaces, expansive patios and a roof terrace — envisaged for food and entertainment use — and is located adjacent to the riverfront trail. This trail, first envisioned by Smith, provides public access along an entire stretch of the Deschutes, and allows the Old Mill complex to remain a connected, active blend of public and private uses.
Building Y, a 7,000-square-foot multi-tenant retail building, will sit alongside the historic former mill ‘Hot Pond,’ while Building Z, situated near the main entry to the Shops, is designed as a mixed-use building with ground-floor retail for a single tenant and short-stay apartments on the second floor, potentially for use by visitors to the nearby Hayden Homes Amphitheater. Conceptual design by Portland-based TVA Architects for the north addition project began in 2021, with the firm’s first design challenge being to provide convenient parking access without having the buildings overly auto-focused. The solution came through situating the buildings closer to the Hot Pond and placing the parking and vehicular access behind them. This approach improves connectivity between the new development and the Old Mill District’s landscape and open spaces, creating a series of pedestrian-focused plazas and circulation patterns.
Construction will be overseen by General Contractor, Bend-based Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company (KNCC) and is expected to begin later this year, with new tenants set to bring fresh energy, shopping and dining options to the community, close to an existing strip of restaurants including Cafe Yumm, Lady Bird and Pasta Pastini. Peter McCaffrey, vice president of William Smith Properties, which manages the Old Mill District, said the two buildings closer to the river will have food and beverage tenants, and will be brick-and-mortar shops, rather than a food hall or food truck scenario. The Old Mill District has received a lot of interest from prospective tenants but previously not had sufficient space to meet demand, said McCaffrey. The new buildings aim to offer leasable space for businesses complementary to existing ones.
“For one of the spaces, we are seeking a restaurant operator with a concept and a menu that will fit within the district and is not currently being provided,” McCaffrey said. “For many it is hard to make deals work in this environment, but we have owned this land and been developing it for the last 30 years, and we balance things out by taking the long-term view — for the next 30 years and beyond. We are excited to accommodate new retail and dining options, and for the furnished short-term and long-term rentals, which we hope will cater to, for example, groups of visitors to the amphitheater or to locals looking for a ‘staycation.’ For the remainder we anticipate 50% retail and 50% food and beverage use, with active conversations with prospects ongoing. The designer of the project, Tim Wybenga’s fingerprints are all over the Old Mill development — it is key that he understands Bill’s original vision and continues to be intimately involved in the project’s evolution. Part of this is not necessarily wanting buildings to look old, but to be contemporary yet pay homage to the Old Mill’s past history, including utilizing some of the old bricks and steel from the original mill in landscaping and so forth — maintaining that legacy connection.”
Latest happenings in Old Mill District include the vacating of the former Victoria’s Secret space, to be replaced by two suites — one set to accommodate national eyewear retailer Warby Parker, the other subject to ongoing discussions with an active prospect. Old Mill District Marketing Director Beau Eastes added there would be a number of announcements upcoming on new developments at the complex in the near future.
The design team began conceptual site planning in fall 2021, said Portland-based TVA Architects Principal in charge Wybenga. Options were sought for three sites at the Old Mill District’s north end. At the beginning of his career, Wybenga worked with Smith on the first seven buildings at the Old Mill District and was on site when it was just an abandoned mill. “To see what was envisioned then come to reality and become this huge success is just fantastic, and it’s really exciting to be connected to the future success of this place,” he said. “Amazingly, with all of the constriction in brick-and-mortar retail in the last few years, there is a great demand for space in the Old Mill because it’s such a unique and successful development.”
For the specific buildings planned for the north end expansion, TVA Architects has incorporated types of outdoor spaces that represent the shops and placed parking behind buildings so that they instead open toward the hot ponds and the Deschutes River. Building Y will have approximately 7,300 square feet, possibly for three tenants — most likely retail or food and beverage. The front doors will face the Old Mill District’s hot ponds and the pedestrian bridge that crosses them. The ponds formerly supported wood production and now serve as decorative and place-making features.
Building Z will have approximately 8,000 square feet of ground-floor retail or restaurant space as well as nine apartments — with one or two bedrooms — above. Five to seven residential units will likely be furnished for short-term use, McCaffrey said. They could be used by people visiting Bend for business, serving as a seasonal worker, or contributing to a performance at the Amphitheater directly across the river. The others will have long-term leases. The units will be clean and simple, with a focus on hospitality; they will also have small balconies.
Building X is expected to have between 5,000 and 7,000 square feet. It will sit next to the river, directly across from the amphitheater. Building X will likely be built to specification for a single tenant. That building will have ample outdoor seating on a ground-level patio as well as a significant roof terrace with views of the district, the river and the amphitheater. “The sites will also have really nice views on the river and towards the Cascades from where we sit,” added McCaffrey. The expansion is intended to meet community demand and enhance the district’s appeal to visitors, and the new buildings will incorporate the outdoors by facing the hot ponds and pedestrian footbridge at the north end of the property.
