Apple has submitted a proposal for the largest Apple Store front in the world, spanning a whole city block in Pioneer Place, formerly Saks Fifth Avenue, between 4th and 5th on Yamhill St., in downtown Portland. The new storefront would entail a 165 foot wide wall of glass, topping the current record holder (a “mere” 120 feet) in Sydney, Australia by 45 feet. The proposed plans were submitted for formal approval in February and the Design Commission responded with some questions and suggestions during a hearing in mid-March. The overall design is very impressive. The main area includes a 17.5 foot high ceiling covering 9000 sq ft of public space. The project covers a total of 23,532 square feet
This project is a follow up to a proposal for a different location that Apple submitted to the city of Portland in 2007. The largest request by the design commission was the inclusion of an ecoroof that would require some large design alterations as the current design could not withstand the stresses added by the needed substrate for vegetation to grow. The current Apple store in Pioneer Place is a pretty underwhelming sight. There is a lot of hope that these plans become a reality.