Yesterday the Daily Journal of Commerce featured a proposal from PSU graduate architecture students to build some high-rise structures as a "Pearl District Gateway."

The complex would go in between Burnside and Davis, and 13th and 14th Avenues. The designers are suggesting some national chains, like Best Buy and Apple, as anchor tenants. Quoth Jonathan Malsin of Beam Development:

"Having national chains close-in would be great because we know people will go to them. At Burnside Bridgehead there was a lot of resistance to big box stores. But the Pearl is a retail-specific area that already has several national chains. People value authenticity here, so you do risk backlash."

The students pitched their idea to developer Harsch Investment Properties yesterday morning. So long, South Waterfront! Hello, Pearl!