[Interview / Portland Business Journal] South Waterfront's Willamette Tower to include smart homes

Apr 4, 2023 Updated Apr 4, 2023, 5:06pm PDT

Robert Pile thinks about AI as more than just ChatGPT.

In his line of work, Pile prefers "architectural intelligence." Blending design and technology, this kind of AI should predict and adapt to comfort the modern smart home resident.

The company Pile works for, Homma Group Inc., has made Portland a research lab for its tech, opening one mid-sized development in North Tabor and laying plans for another in Woodstock. But a high-stakes venture in a high-rising South Waterfront tower will further test demand.

Homma Group will be responsible for 30 apartments inside the 24-story Willamette Tower, which finishes this year as part of the roughly $500 million Alamo Manhattan Blocks development. They'll put those homes on two floors, with features similar to Tabor: a single app for a unit, with automated lights, thermostat and connected door locks.

Pile, head of real estate strategy, said this is the proof of concept for whether the Homma experience translates into a high-rise.

"The design coordination is significantly more complicated," he said.

Teamwork should make this electric dream work. Doing a project solo usually means more flexibility. Homma's work locally has been smaller-scale (and closer to the ground). Homma Haus Mount Tabor had 18 homes.

"This opportunity to work with Matt and his team and Andersen Construction is really testing our ability to work as part of that larger, more complex team," Pile said. That's Matt Segrest, who leads Dallas, Texas-based Alamo Manhattan. He's regularly in Portland.

"We are excited about the introduction of Homma's technology into Willamette Tower," Segrest said over email. "The smart home technology will bring a level of sophistication, sustainability and livability that does not exist in a Portland high-rise today."

Mitsubishi Corp.'s real estate investment arm, Diamond Realty Investments Inc., facilitated the connection between the now-partners.

"That mutual partner that we have in DRI opened the conversation with Matt about the possibility of introducing us and telling him about what we're doing," Pile said.

No word yet on where, precisely, these smart apartments will land within the building, but the idea is to be somewhere between floors 14 and 17. Pile didn't discuss pricing, either. North Tabor rents were around $3,000.

Jonathan Bach
Staff Reporter
Portland Business Journal