Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland articles from February 2002

Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland archives from February 2002

City to begin Lovejoy ramp repair.
February 1, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Travel across the Willamette River is once again restricted for motorists wishing to use the Broadway Bridge. The bridges closure began on Monday and will continue for the next three weeks while crews replace parts on...

Portland-Vancouver I-5 panel adopts plan.
February 1, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher A bi-state task force has adopted draft recommendations for improving traffic flow along the Interstate 5 corridor between Portland and Vancouver, Wash., including a light-rail loop in Clark County that would...

Groundbreaking held for new Bridgeport condos.
February 4, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Development in Portlands Pearl District continues with a recent groundbreaking on two seven-story condominium towers. The new Bridgeport Condominiums, a Hoyt Street Properties development, will be bordered by Northwest...

Nominations sought for housing excellence.
February 4, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Farm worker housing hasnt always been a sector of residential development to cast under the glare of spotlights not, at least, in terms of the highest ideals. But in an effort to encourage the best possible...

Endura Wood Products gets behind green building materials.
February 4, 2002... Byline: Dan Carter The recent interest in green building has really been a big plus for our business, said Ed Mays, owner and general manager of Endura Wood Products in Southeast Portland. Mays started Endura Wood Products 1994 with the...

Locals lead in standard environment product info.
February 5, 2002... Byline: Jeremy Vesbach The idea a pair of Portland architects came up with over lunch last spring the Sustainable Products Purchasers Coalition has every indication of growing into the standard used by people on this continent to...

Damascus area urban plan under study.
February 5, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Two environmental groups are leading an effort to ensure that the Damascus/Boring area is not left without a voice in shaping the future of its community, in the event it is targeted for high-density growth in...

Commentary: It's true -- everything changes and yet still stays the same.
February 5, 2002... Byline: Jim Penn As youve noticed, I read everything and anything. One of the secrets in commenting on business trends, companies and people is to read beyond the business world. Why, Ive even read Week, the timely magazine. Never heard of...

Gov addresses budget in final 'State of the State'.
February 5, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Gov. John Kitzhaber discussed his budget proposal when he joined Portlands City Club for his last State of the State address Friday afternoon at the Multnomah Athletic Club in downtown Portland.The speech drew nearly 500...

Urban renewal projects on hold after court ruling.
February 6, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Only a few months ago, the momentum of renewed vigor in 10 communities across Portland was showing up in fresh storefronts, dressier street sides, and projects big and small to revive decaying buildings and...

OR State Univ. rec center expansion begins.
February 6, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Oregon State Universitys Dixon Recreational Center will at last undergo its final phase of construction, over 25 years after the building first opened to students.The building originally opened in 1976 with an...

Commentary: Enron collapse illustrates need for regulation.
February 6, 2002... Byline: Bernard Levy Business requires and thrives on predictability. Part of business predictability relies upon the integrity of businesses and the professionals that review, audit, analyze and advise them. Another part is a best-kept...

Two-story Target installs shopping cart conveyor.
February 6, 2002... Byline: Dan Carter Shoppers move between floors of retail businesses very easily using elevators, escalators and even the old-fashioned staircase. However, shopping carts dont make the move nearly as well.The new two-story Jantzen Beach...

Downtown retail study session planned today.
February 7, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Citizens can take an insiders look at the work underway to chart a course for the future of retailing in downtown Portland and make their views known when an open house is held late this afternoon and...

General contractors association's new president makes plans.
February 7, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel As he begins his term as 2002 Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia chapter president, Jim Hirte joked, Im thinking from a different perspective than my predecessor, who got up last year and said Im promising...

37-foot high Paul Bunyan statue to be moved.
February 7, 2002... Byline: Dan Carter Paul Bunyan has been standing watch over the Kenton neighborhood for 43 years.He will continue to do so, even with the arrival of the Tri-Met Interstate MAX light rail line and the construction of the Kenton/North Denver...

Commentary: What's the outlook for the bond market in 2002?
February 7, 2002... Byline: William Lockwood Everybody, it seems, pays attention to the stock market. Its big news whenever the Dow Jones industrial average either shoots up or plummets. In contrast, fixed-income vehicles, such as bonds, often seem to move...

Commentary: New 2001 tax law provides credit for adoptions.
February 7, 2002... Byline: Judith McGee Financial planning is life planning, encompassing matters of the heart as well as the pocketbook. Planning often takes place during lifes milestones: birth, college, marriage, death, divorce, career move, a move to a...

HUD hailed for easing multifamily insurance rates.
February 8, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher The National Association of Home Builders is lauding the Department of Housing and Urban Developments decision to lower mortgage insurance premiums on apartments a move the industry says could lead to new...

Sheltered Market Program graduates 1st contractors.
February 8, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Twenty-seven local contractors became the first graduating class of Portlands Sheltered Market Program this week.Portland Mayor Vera Katz awarded graduates with certificates at a ceremony Monday afternoon at Portland...

Church group leases space in tech building.
February 11, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Where Electric Lightwave once was at Columbia Tech Center in Vancouver, Wash., another source of energy now shines in the upper reaches of Building 2.Seventh-day Adventists have subleased 24,699 square feet of...

Green ideas eligible for local grant money.
February 11, 2002... Byline: Jeremy Vesbach The city of Portlands Office of Sustainable Development Green Building Division has begun accepting submissions for a pair of competitions that will next month award nearly a quarter of a million dollars to Portland...

PGE Earth Advantage to teach about green homes.
February 11, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel With green building becoming more and more common in the commercial construction industry, its no wonder the same trend is being reflected in residential building as well.That is why Portland General Electrics Earth...

Open houses planned to discuss county trans. needs.
February 12, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher For those in real estate and development circles, the plan provides a glimpse of what to look for, as the fast-growing area braces for the coming two decades.What we are trying to do is identify the needs...

Commentary: A tale of Hans Christian, er, Arthur Andersen.
February 12, 2002... Byline: Jim Penn It was storytime at the Home for Retired Executives, CPAs and Stuntmen (and women). Once a week, the neighborhood librarian, Mabelle Nickerman, made her rounds spreading cheer and reading stories. The group formed a...

Expansion at Lewis & Clark law library dedicated.
February 13, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel About 1,000 people attended the official dedication of the new Louise and Erskine Wood Sr. Hall at Lewis & Clark Law School Sunday.U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was the keynote speaker. His attendance drew...

South Portland seen as science, tech area.
February 13, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Three developers are working with the city and Oregon Health & Science University to design a new south Portland community that would be the hub of a new bioscience industry all in a plan addressing OHSUs...

State economy down, even as nation twitches.
February 14, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Widespread vacancies in commercial office space that have flooded the market since last year will continue to spread, as projects begun before the recession continue to come on line, adding to a ready and...

Groups team up to teach kids about engineering.
February 14, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Engineering professionals across the country are gearing up for National Engineers Week 2002. It runs from Feb. 17 through Feb. 23.As part of the festivities, the organizers of National Engineers Week are teaming with...

Commentary: How to stop sabotaging your own success.
February 14, 2002... Byline: Duane Smelser Developing health, fulfillment and a sense of mastery are lifes greatest challenges. Its particularly difficult these days because we have so much knowledge, yet fail to apply it. We know, for example, if we burn more...

New home planned for addiction recovery program.
February 15, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel A building designed to be a beacon of hope and rebirth not only for the neighborhood, but for its occupants as well, is planned for the corner of Northwest Third Avenue and West Burnside Street in Portland.The Union...

House bill may boost county road, utility projects.
February 15, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Clark County road and utility projects could get a boost if the state Senate follows up on the Washington House of Representatives approval of $11 million in low-interest and interest-free...

Hillsboro citizens to discuss city plans, projects.
February 15, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Ongoing efforts to chart the future of Hillsboro, and convert citizens ideas into reality, will come before a public forum next week as part of a process evolving over the next two decades.On Wednesday, Feb....

Community college buys Southeast Portland site.
February 19, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Portland Community College has finalized the purchase of a 10.3-acre property for $5.7 million on the corner of Southeast 82nd Avenue and Division Street in Portland for the construction of a new Southeast Center.The new...

Expansion allows OR Convention Center to keep pace.
February 19, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Portlands Oregon Convention Center will nearly double in size when the expansion is complete next year, but even at that, it wont gain any competitive edge as a bigger facility among its counterparts...

Commentary: Best show on TV -- the Enron congressional hearings.
February 19, 2002... Byline: Jim Penn I was visiting one of my favorite lawyer friends, Juris (Gerry) Prudents, to view the legal beauty pageant, Miss Demeanor 2002 on the legal channel. Its a tough one to find.There were the usual events; swimsuit, talent and...

Tech firm headquarters rise along Sunset Corridor.
February 20, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Hard times for high-tech are nowhere more evident in the region than along the Sunset Corridor, where contraction in the industry has resulted in a backwash of commercial office space spilling far and wide....

Construction begins on new Cottage Grove school.
February 20, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Construction has begun on a new high school in Cottage Grove, a project that has been in the works for over a decade.South Lane School District in Lane County has been considering a new high school since the late 1980s,...

Home & Garden Show opening today.
February 20, 2002... Byline: Dan Carter For Jo McCormick, district manager for Globe Lighting, the day before the GMC Portland Home & Garden Show opens has been a most hectic time.Our entire display was in Atlanta for a national home building show just four...

Commentary: Government response to Enron debacle is nauseating.
February 20, 2002... Byline: Bernard Levy I turned on the TV recently and observed Harvey Pitt, the new Securities & Exchange Commission chairman, testifying before an Enron Congressional Committee hearing. In response to a question posed by Congressman Ken...

Oregon Food Bank top winner at Canstruction.
February 21, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel The food was plentiful, the creativity was flowing and the competition was fierce, but it was all for a good cause at the annual 2002 Canstruction competition Tuesday evening.Local design and building professionals...

Local firm to design 'Walk of Heroines' tribute.
February 22, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel Portland-based landscape architecture and urban design firm Mayer/Reed was recently chosen to work on a tribute to women at Portland State University. The Walk of the Heroines will fill a space between Hoffman Hall and...

Urban renewal districts are hit unevenly in court case.
February 22, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Funding levels for Portlands 10 urban renewal districts will vary dramatically over the remainder of the fiscal year in the wake of the landmark Shilo Inn court decision that sharply restricts the stream of...

Gorge visitors center awaits funding.
February 22, 2002... Byline: Jeremy Vesbach A proposed $6.9 million visitors center touted by officials as a new front door to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is working its way through the funding process.A previous proposal was rejected because...

Retail planned at old Wilsonville truck stop.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher For decades, the Burns Bros. cfor anyone traveling Interstate 5 in search of a destination on either side of Wilsonville. Today, though, the buildings on the east side of the freeway at the Stafford...

Contractors foundation grants over $30K in 2001.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel While local and national economies dove into recession in 2001, area contractors didnt stop digging deep into their pockets to support local charities.Associated General Contractors Oregon-Columbia Chapter Foundation was...

One-year study of forestry certifications complete.
February 25, 2002... Byline: Jeremy Vesbach Catherine Mater, vice president of Corvallis-based Mater Engineering, has completed a one-year project comparing the countrys two leading forestry certification systems, the FSC certifications system and SFI...

Industrial land an issue in SW Washington.
February 26, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Prevailing views are that Vancouver and surrounding Clark County have a good supply of land for industrial development, but the newly elected board chairman of the Columbia River Economic Development Council...

Estimators host upcoming green building series.
February 26, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel With more and more buildings applying for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, its becoming essential for industry members to become more familiar with the particulars of green construction.To...

Commentary: Enron's debacle -- building a house of cards in business.
February 26, 2002... Byline: Jim Penn Since I was feeling low and seeking fraternal companionship, I made my way to the corner of the State Street Bar and Grill that the Boys frequented. Only Bill was there, nursing his usual ginger ale. Hey Jim, you look...

Historic Portland building undergoing renovation.
February 27, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel The historic Balfour-Guthrie building at 733 S.W. Oak St. in downtown Portland is undergoing a facelift, nearly 90 years after its original construction. Built in 1913, the structures first tenant was the Balfour-Guthrie...

Costa Pacific Homes expands with new division.
February 27, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Costa Pacific Homes is expanding its horizon with a new division that accounts for more than the houses that emerge on the streets.The Beaverton-based builder has formed a new division, Costa Pacific...

Local man to head online real estate program.
February 28, 2002... Byline: Gretchen Fehrenbacher Paul Aragon has been named to head Marylhurst Universitys Center for Professional Real Estate Studies, succeeding the man who launched the degree program just over a year ago.With 29 years experience in real...

New Sauvie Island bridge under consideration.
February 28, 2002... Byline: Lee Scopel The public is invited to a community meeting next month to discuss plans for a new Sauvie Island bridge.The only road connection to the heavy industrial and residentially populated Sauvie Island, the existing Sauvie...

Teachers learn practical uses for math.
February 28, 2002... Byline: Dan Carter Its likely that every student who ever took a math course has asked the same question at least once Where will I ever use this stuff?Math teachers from throughout the Portland Public School District found a number of...