How would you design commercial and real estate development near the Hillsboro Airport terminal building over the next 20 years?

That was the assignment and friendly competition for two teams of students in the Portland State University Master of Real Estate Development Program.

The project ran in conjunction with our current update of the airport’s master plan.

The Aero District

Team Viking Development envisioned the Aero District offering a warehouse district feel and paying homage to airport history through adaptive reuse of existing buildings, including:

• Retail—a 65,600 square foot international food market as anchor tenant, plus other tenants offering food and small shops;
• Flex Industrial—offering 178,150 square feet including a small, multi-use sports arena; and space for small business development like educational services, fitness, technology, tap house and winery; and
• Hotel—when market conditions are right to build.

HIO Landing

Team CAVU (Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited) Partners designed HIO (Hillsboro Airport) Landing. Its first phase development program consists of five buildings. Using an aviation theme, the students gave the following names to each building:

• Hangar—a 36,000 square foot retrofit, hosting a motion picture studio exhibit;
• Debrief—offering a regional winery and tasting room;
• Air Works—converting the existing airport terminal building into office space and a tap room;
• Galley—offering commercial kitchens, and
• Check-In—providing a coffee shop.

The second phase consists of constructing a new flex office-industrial building and a hotel replacing the existing hotel.

In the end, the judging panel composed of real estate development professionals gave the nod to CAVU Partners, while praising the work of both student teams.

Student ideas will help inspire more formal airport planning processes as the airport’s terminal area redevelops over the next 20 years.

We appreciate NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association Oregon Chapter, for sponsoring this event, and PSU for this educational partnership.