Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland articles from February 2009

Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland archives from February 2009

Big industrial building in Portland is certified LEED silver.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf The 573,000-square-foot Rivergate Corporate Center III Building A has become the largest speculative industrial building in the state to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. And the LEED...

Panel in Portland tells AEC firms not to fear work in public sector.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci Don't be intimidated by public-sector jobs, panelists told an audience of architecture, engineering and construction professionals Thursday at a Portland luncheon, even if the process seems, well, intimidating. ...

City of Portland welcomes more public input on Columbia River Crossing.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf Public discussion of the number of lanes for the Columbia River Crossing bridge will continue until Feb. 25, Mayor Sam Adams said at a meeting at Portland City Hall last week that featured public testimony. More than...

Oregon House bill aims to get homeless into homes.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson Oregon's real estate document-recording fee would go up from $11 to $26 to help provide affordable housing for the poor, under a plan presented to Oregon legislators. The money would also be used to fund services...

Portland Development Commission: Resource Access Center project will move ahead.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf The Portland Development Commission board on Thursday passed a development agreement to ensure that the Resource Access Center project in Old Town/Chinatown continues to move forward. A day earlier, City Council...

Portland's Pittock Mansion has architecture photos on display.
February 2, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports As part of Oregon's sesquicentennial celebration, photographs of Oregon's unique architecture are now on display at the Pittock Mansion. Celebrate Oregon: 150 Years of Architecture Photography will feature...

Design lecture in Portland will focus on climate change.
February 2, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Environmental studies and politics professor David Orr will be at the White Stag Building this month to give a lecture to the building and design community on climate change. Some Like it Hot, But Lots Don't:...

Commentary: Oregon House bill looks to close tax loophole.
February 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson House Business and Labor Committee members were introduced last week to a smattering of bills that affect Oregon business, none of which sparked any vocal opposition. One big happy family? Well... You're not just...

Reitmeier CEO is new chair of Associated Builders and Contractors' Pacific Northwest Chapter.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci David Rich, the CEO of Reitmeier Mechanical, remembers working as an apprentice in a Navy shipyard near Napa, Calif. Forty years later, Rich is still a believer in apprenticeship. When I started out, I was given...

American Institute of Architects Oregon group lobbies in Washington.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on an economic stimulus package, representatives from American Institute of Architects chapters across the country, including Oregon AIA, will lobby congressional leaders this week...

New name, new home for Portland real estate company.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf At a time when many people in the real estate industry are tightening their belts, Don Hanna is ready to expand his business. Hanna, a longtime property redeveloper who does much of his work in the Montavilla area as...

Survey: landscape architects seeing business slow.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett Landscape architects are feeling the effects of the down economy, according to recent figures from the American Society of Landscape Architects. In latest business quarterly survey by ASLA, two-thirds of firms...

Advisory group to choose Sellwood bridge alignment.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports A decision is expected to be made on the preferred alignment for the new Sellwood Bridge on Friday afternoon. The bridge's Policy Advisory Group will meet at 3 p.m. at the Multnomah County Boardroom, 501 S.E....

Housing Authority of Portland adds Gresham city councilor to board.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf Gresham City Councilor David Widmark was named to the Housing Authority of Portland board of commissioners last week. He is one of two board members representing a Multnomah County jurisdiction outside of Portland. ...

Michele E. Stone hired as an associate at Portland firm.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf PC has hired Michele E. Stone as an associate with the firm. Stone's practice focuses on complex civil and business litigation. Prior to joining MHGM, she was an associate...

Portland's NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson hires Andrew Rosengarten as a broker.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson has hired Andrew Rosengarten as a real estate broker. He will work with Jennifer Medak, vice president and office broker. Rosengarten previously completed an internship with Cushman...

Oregon Electric Group hires Brian Elijah.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports Oregon Electric Group has hired Brian Elijah as a project manager in its mid-valley office and Lee Herbert as a project and field manager for its Integrated Systems Group.

Commentary: Changes hit Americans with Disabilities Act.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Clay Creps Employers need to take notice of the new Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, which took effect Jan. 1. This law created new potential liability for employers by broadening the scope of who is considered to be...

Design process begins for Gresham skate park.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports The city of Gresham has begun the design process for a new downtown skate park. The 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot skate park will be located in Main City Park, a 21.6-acre park at 219 S. Main Ave. After...

University of Oregon completes Tigard downtown vision plan.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports The city of Tigard, working in conjunction with the University of Oregon, recently completed a Downtown Future Vision project for the city. City staff worked with a team of UO graduate students and professors...

Historic gorge hotel in Hood River forced to close.
February 3, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Reports The historic Columbia Gorge Hotel in Hood River has been forced to close its doors, according to a report by the Hood River News. Owners Boyd and Halla Graves were forced to close the hotel on Friday after the...

Small architectural firms collaborate in Portland.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett Although Matt Loosemore's project at Southeast 45th Avenue and Stark Street has not sold as quickly as he had hoped, he said he accomplished the goal of transforming a vacant lot into contemporary multiunit housing that...

Amid recession, construction spending in Oregon and in the nation continues to fall.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci As Congress mulls, debates and tweaks the proposed economic stimulus package, construction companies continue to watch their jobs dry up. The latest economic numbers, in Oregon and in the nation, provide a grim...

Overlook neighborhood in Portland gets new affordable housing.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf Finishing touches are being added to the Patton Park Apartments, the first affordable housing units to open along high-traffic North Interstate Avenue since the MAX Yellow Line opened in 2004. Envisioned by TriMet,...

City of Portland audit: '02 levy had misleading language.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf According to a recently released city audit, a 2002 summary statement for a five-year Portland Parks and Recreation levy was misleading about how $54 million would be spent. Money for the levy was generated by a...

Oregon's Prevailing Wage Advisory Committee gets co-chairs.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci State Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian appointed Jim McKune and Donald Kool to co-chair the Prevailing Wage Advisory Committee. Both have extensive experience working on projects covered by prevailing wage rate law,...

New service launched by Portland chapter of AIA helps architects find temporary work.
February 4, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report The Portland chapter of the American Institute of Architects has launched a new service to help individuals looking for work in architecture. In the Architemporaries program, job seekers can bring their...

Tonkon Torp hires Tom Hughes to its newly formed policy group.
February 4, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Tonkon Torp LLP has hired Tom Hughes to its newly formed Tonkon Torp Policy Group LLC. In addition, Tonkon Torp has entered into a strategic alliance with Capitol Hill Consulting Group and its president, David C....

Holland & Knight promotes Heskett to partner in its Portland office.
February 4, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Holland & Knight LLP has promoted Sara Heskett to partner in its Portland office. Heskett is a member of the firm's business section and focuses her practice on real estate, syndication and partnership, low...

ShoreBank Pacific offers to lend up to $10 million for sustainable projects.
February 5, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci A loan program introduced this week aims to get more developers working on sustainable projects. ShoreBank Pacific's Green Building Loan Program offers up to $10 million to applicants that meet its sustainability...

University of Oregon's architecture program honored by DesignIntelligence.
February 5, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett At the University of Oregon's Department of Architecture, teaching sustainability is second nature. We're in a region that has sustainability on its mind all the time, said Kent Duffy, an SRG Partnership architect...

Bridge City medical clinic moves to Gateway area in Portland.
February 5, 2009... Byline: Nathalie Weinstein Teri Bunker's family medical clinic wasn't in an ideal location. Since moving the Bridge City Family Medical Clinic into an older home at Northeast 58th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard in 2007, the nurse...

Lease Crutcher Lewis moves into new Galleria space in downtown Portland.
February 5, 2009... Byline: Dan Carter John Rasmussen with Form & Structure, Inc., a case-work and countertop contractor in Northeast Portland, puts the finishing touches on an office shelf in the new headquarters of Lease Crutcher Lewis in the Galleria...

Oregon-based Platt Electric Supply names new president.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Platt Electric Supply announced Monday that it has promoted Jeffrey Baker to president of the company. Platt Electric Supply distributes electrical products to 99 locations throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho,...

Tour of addition to historic Portland church is set for tonight.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report A tour of a recent addition to Portland's historic First Unitarian Church designed by THA Architecture will take place tonight at 5 p.m. at 1220 S.W. Salmon St. The Buchan Education Center addition was built to...

Clatsop Community College in Astoria looks at historic preservation.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report An effort is currently under way at Clatsop Community College in Astoria to add to the curriculum a one-year certificate program and a two-year associate degree program in historic preservation and restoration,...

Corvallis ranks first in U.S. for green power purchases.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report The city of Corvallis has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for green power purchasing by the Environmental Protection Agency. Corvallis was atop the EPA's most recent national list of Green Power Communities. The...

City of Salem turns to community for input on balancing budget.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Faced with $5 million in general fund budget reductions for the coming fiscal year, the city of Salem has scheduled a series of community budget meetings to hear public input on funding priorities. The four...

Eugene-based nonprofit purchases seven lots in downtown Veneta.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report St. Vincent de Paul has purchased seven lots in downtown Veneta from the Guilford Family, according to a report by the West Lane News. The lots are located in the West Broadway Mixed Use Area, which is part of...

Commentary: Hire private firms with public money.
February 5, 2009... Byline: Mike Salsgiver There is a lot of activity attempting to stimulate the economy these days. Governments around the country (around the world, in fact) are throwing trillions of dollars on the table to try to keep people working and...

Portland-based Stoel Rives LLP hires Glazer.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Stoel Rives LLP has hired Anne W. Glazer to its Portland office as a member in its Technology and Intellectual Property group. Glazer will focus her practice on trademark, copyright, licensing and trade secret...

Seattle, Washington-based Shannon & Wilson Inc. promotes staff.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report Shannon & Wilson Inc. has promoted Risheng Piao to senior associate geotechnical engineer, Yuxin Lang to senior principal geotechnical engineer, David Higgins to principal engineering geologist, Derrick Hayes to...

T.Y. Lin International hires Swain.
February 5, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report T.Y. Lin International has hired Jerry Swain as a senior roadway designer. Swain is a professional land surveyor in Oregon and has 30 years of experience in civil engineering and land surveying. His design...

Oregon governor approves $175M stimulus package.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson A $175 million stimulus package designed to help put at least 3,000 Oregonians back to work on public projects was signed Thursday by Gov. Ted Kulongoski after the Oregon House passed it along sharply divided party...

Building professionals in Oregon continue to fight mold.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci Building during the wet winter months can be a pain even if handled properly. Handled improperly, it can turn into a moldy disaster. Staying clear of mold problems and the lawsuits they can cause was the...

University of Oregon seeks team to design dorms.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf "Dorms Like Dungeons." The list compiled by the Princeton Review speaks for itself. The University of Oregon for years has topped, or nearly topped, the category included in the company's annual book that ranks U.S....

Portland firms say they 'Can' do it: Annual Canstruction event will include Fun Run & Walk this year.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Nathalie Weinstein Have you ever seen a structure that can feed dozens of families? That's what will be on display in Pioneer Place later this year when the 2009 Canstruction competition kicks off. Sponsored by the Portland chapter...

East Portland plan goes before City Council.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Report Portland City Council will meet on Feb. 18 to consider adopting the East Portland Action Plan, which was created by a group of local residents, business people, elected officials and other...

Commentary: Capitol Eye: Oregon land-use bill: apocalypse now?
February 6, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson Welcome to hell. Visit our juice bar. It's right over there - on what used to be your family farm. And be sure to take the kids to see former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall spinning in his grave. Giving counties more...

UO seeks team to design dorms.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf Copy: Dorms Like Dungeons. The list compiled by the Princeton Review speaks for itself. The University of Oregon for years has topped, or nearly topped, the category included in the company's annual book that ranks U.S....

Portland firms say they 'Can' do it.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Nathalie Weinstein Have you ever seen a structure that can feed dozens of families? That's what will be on display in Pioneer Place later this year when the 2009 Canstruction competition kicks off. Sponsored by the Portland chapter...

East Portland plan goes before City Council.
February 6, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Portland City Council will meet on Feb. 18 to consider adopting the East Portland Action Plan, which was created by a group of local residents, business people, elected officials and other stakeholders. The plan, created...

Annual event is organized by Architecture Foundation of Oregon.
February 6, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff The Architecture Foundation of Oregon is looking for architects to participate in its 2009 Dinner With An Architect program. The program invites local architects to open their homes and offices for dinner to raise funds...

Capitol Eye: Oregon land-use bill: apocalypse now?
February 6, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson Welcome to hell. Visit our juice bar. It's right over there - on what used to be your family farm. And be sure to take the kids to see former Oregon Gov. Tom McCall spinning in his grave. Giving counties more control...

Commentary: Solutions at Work: When love enters the workplace.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Rich Meneghello Problem: A recent survey revealed that approximately 40 percent of U.S. workers have dated a fellow employee, and that another 40 percent would consider doing so. Inevitably, most workplace relationships end. Some...

Could Columbia River Crossing increase congestion in Portland?
February 9, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf Today, traffic on the I-5 Bridge will be congested for approximately five hours as thousands of motorists cross the Columbia River, said Columbia River Crossing Executive Director Richard Brown. But in 2030, if there...

Holst Architecture designed Ziba Design's new headquarters in Portland's Pearl District.
February 9, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett To accommodate a firm like Ziba Design, a building must have ample space for creativity. Ziba's new headquarters, at 1044 N.W. Ninth Ave., will include plenty of desk space but also a generous supply of space to...

Finalists announced in Portland Daily Journal of Commerce's Top Projects competition.
February 9, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report A slowing economy during the past year didn't deter general contractors, architecture and engineering firms, and developers from dusting off their best projects completed in 2008 for consideration in the Daily...

Improvements to Morrison Bridge in Oregon coming soon.
February 9, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report A $3.25 million project to improve cycling and pedestrian access to the Morrison Bridge is scheduled to break ground this spring. The project was first recommended in the Willamette River Bridges Accessibility...

Portland Boulevard Yellow Line MAX station renamed in honor of Rosa Parks.
February 9, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report The Portland Boulevard Yellow Line MAX station last week was named the Rosa Parks Station. TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen, City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Pastor B.E. Johnson of the Albina Ministerial...

Commentary: The president's puzzle: Can he solve it?
February 9, 2009... Byline: William Rutherford In August 2007 I was a guest on CNBC and was asked my views of the then-incipient financial crisis. I said that the Federal Reserve had to contain the crisis to the financial sector, and not let it seep into the...

Lease Crutcher Lewis' University of Oregon project moves ahead.
February 9, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Report An expansion of the University of Oregon's education building in Eugene is moving along. The university last week closed sidewalks on Alder Street, between 16th and 18th avenues, to allow work to continue on the...

Oregon Department of Transportation, AGC 'build bridges' with simulation.
February 10, 2009... Byline: Justin Carinci After a long week of assembling bid packages, contractors unwound Friday with a group simulation - assembling bid packages. The simulation came during Friday's annual ODOT-AGC industry annual meeting in Salem....

Pinnell/Busch consultant overseeing construction of rental home and duplex in Bend.
February 10, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett As a construction management consultant, Steve Pinnell knows well the risks of developing in Bend. A lot of contractors are hurting and the market is really tough now, said Pinnell of the Portland construction...

Deadline extended for sustainability center proposals in Portland.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff The deadline for proposals for a feasibility analysis of The Sustainability Center of Excellence in Portland has been extended to Feb. 18. The Portland Development Commission is looking for proposals from firms for...

Urban watershed event in Portland will include design charette.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Ecologists, students and architecture, engineering and construction professionals will gather in Portland on Friday to learn more about urban watersheds. The University of Oregon will hold Salmon in the City from 3:30...

ACE Academy set to hold second open house in Portland.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff High school students interested in careers in architecture, construction or engineering are invited to attend the ACE Academy's second open house, tonight from 6:30 to 8 at the ACE Academy. The open house will provide...

NASA astronaut slated to speak at engineering event at Oregon State University.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff NASA astronaut Donald Pettit will be the featured speaker at the 10th annual Engineers Week Banquet on Feb. 23 on Oregon State University's campus. Pettit earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from OSU...

Oregon City updates transportation system development charges.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff An update of the city of Oregon's City's transportation system development charges was recently completed by consultant FCS Group. The city, which last updated its TSDC in 1997, has been increasing the charges each...

Troutdale may forgo formal bid process for monument.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Awarding a contract to Bremik Construction to build the Troutdale Centennial Monument could be more cost-efficient to the city than going through a competitive bidding process for the project, according to a draft report....

Proposal made to rebuild self-storage facility in Beaverton.
February 10, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff TM Rippey Consulting Engineers has filed an application with the city of Beaverton to tear down and rebuild an existing self-storage and church office facility at 9430 S.W. 125th Avenue. The project would include...

Block x Block in Portland: 2/10/09.
February 10, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf The structure once known as the Failing Building, at 620 S.W. Fifth Ave., is anything but a failure, said its broker Jake Lancaster of Grubb & Ellis. Built after the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905,...

Commentary: Economic stimulus? It depends on your vantage point.
February 10, 2009... Byline: Tom Henderson Democrats in the Oregon Legislature boast that the $175 million stimulus package passed by the House and signed by the governor last week will create jobs in every county in Oregon. And it will. For three...

Commentary: Protecting U.S. intellectual property.
February 10, 2009... Byline: Michael Ratoza The federal Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 was enacted this past October to provide enhanced mechanisms to combat infringement of U.S. intellectual property. The act...

Portland Development Commission issues RFQ for Lents Little League site.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf For decades, the Lents Little League field at Southeast 92nd Avenue and Harold Street has seen its fair share of home runs. Now, on the same property, the Portland Development Commission looks to hit one of its own....

Portland's Historic Landmarks Commission approves Ankeny Square makeover.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Sam Bennett The city of Portland will tap into a rich repository of historic cast iron for a project in Ankeny Square that promises to revive the square for pedestrians and those interested in exploring the city's architectural...

HBA of Metropolitan Portland holds annual Excellent Awards banquet.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Nathalie Weinstein More than 200 home building professionals attended the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland's fifth annual Excellence Awards Banquet on Jan. 31. Held at the Riverfront Marriott's Oregon Ballroom...

Construction Industry Crime Prevention Program in Portland honors law enforcement individuals.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Dan Carter The 13th annual Construction Industry Crime Prevention Program Awards Luncheon at Portland's Multnomah Athletic Club on Wednesday honored law enforcement departments, officers, deputies and detectives, construction...

New grant helps energy-efficient home builders in Portland.
February 11, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff The Bureau of Development Services has begun accepting applications for a new grant to build energy-efficient homes. The purpose of the Portland Energy Efficient Home Pilot program is to encourage residential...

Open houses are scheduled for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project.
February 11, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff The first of three open houses for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project will be held on Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The open house will provide updates on the project and related elements, including the new...

Expert to speak at the University of Oregon on business and climate change.
February 11, 2009... Byline: DJC Staff Sustainable business expert Andy Hoffman will be at the University of Oregon on Tuesday to speak about the relationship between climate change and business. The lecture will analyze the roles that businesses and...

Portland Construction Briefs: February 11, 2009.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Dan Carter Tower cranes looming over large construction sites dot the skyline of Portland, but there are a multitude of renovation projects scattered throughout the area. The DJC has been focusing on some of these smaller and less...

Shiels Obletz Johnsen Inc. promotes three potential board members to shareholders.
February 11, 2009... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Shiels Obletz Johnsen Inc. has promoted Kay Dannen, Steven Cruzen and Brad Tong to principal shareholders. Dannen has been with SOJ since 1999 and has 25 years of experience in communication and...

Environmental group says Oregon agency hasn't fulfilled requirements of permit issued by DEQ.
February 12, 2009... Byline: Tyler Graf The Northwest Environmental Defense Center has put the Oregon Department of Transportation on notice. The Lewis and Clark Law School-based nonprofit organization late last month sent ODOT a letter of intent to sue,...