Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland articles from January 2006

Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland archives from January 2006

Foothills Park in Lake Oswego rises from industrial site ashes.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan It's been a long journey from wood chips to wide open spaces, but with the December completion of Foothills Park, Lake Oswego finally has a place that'll draw concertgoers, picnickers, runners and birdwatchers rather...

When competition is the boss.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Commercial landowner Fred Van Domelen is at his wit's end. Last May, flying nails and chunks of metal "easily big enough to kill somebody" poked holes in his Northwest Portland building's asphalt roof, he says. On...

New architectural firm is booming in Bend.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan When Mike Gorman and Jim Landin started GGL Architecture nearly two years ago, they didn't have desks, chairs, computers, a phone line or any of the other things associated with launching a business - including clients....

Portland-based Renaissance Homes expands business to Bend.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker After 20 years of building luxury homes in Portland, Renaissance Homes has expanded its business to Bend, now the fastest growing city in Oregon. The company has acquired 100 acres on Bend's west side and this week...

Interview with Susan Steward: Head of Portland chapter, Building Owners and Managers Assn.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Coming from the marketing world, Susan Steward had no real experience in commercial real estate when, three months ago, she was asked to sign on as the new head of the Portland chapter of the Building Owners and...

Businesses' plan calls for transportation funding in Portland - now.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker The Portland Business Alliance on Monday will unveil the metropolitan area's first regional business plan - a plan that marks the first large-scale effort to involve the region's entire business community in public...

Construction firms can lose to unforseen increases in building materials.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker The Portland Design Commission couldn't believe what it was hearing. When the commission approved final design for an eight-story condominium planned for the city's north waterfront in August, the budget came in...

Portland attorney elected to Oregon State Bar Tax Section.
January 9, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Garvey Schubert Barer attorney Larry J. Brant has been elected to the Executive Committee of the Oregon State Bar Tax Section for 2006. Brant is an owner in the firm's Portland office and is the chairman of the...

What developers foresee for RiverPlace neighborhood's Parcel 8 in Portland.
January 10, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith It stands empty at one of the most active development areas in Portland. It's adjacent to a new Portland Streetcar stop in one of the fastest-growing urban centers in the city. Its neighbors are the three-tower Strand...

OR-based Home Comfort Zones hires Marilyn Crowe as an account manager.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Home Comfort Zones has hired Marilyn Crowe as an account manager. Crowe has 20 years of outside sales experience, having held positions at Sonitrol, Honeywell and NuTone, where she worked closely...

Portland attorney Jane Paulson elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Portland attorney Jane Paulson of Paulson Law Firm, Trial Lawyers PC of Portland has been elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates. Paulson and her father, Chuck Paulson, are partners in...

Oregon's governor says sustainability is key to state's business plan.
January 11, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Speaking to Oregon's most influential business leaders, U.S. senators and state legislators Monday, Gov. Ted Kulongoski laid out a firm directive for developing Oregon's economy: fund education. "This is not...

Washington State Department of Revenue enacts new tax rules for service businesses.
January 11, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff The Washington State Department of Revenue has passed a new rule that provides formulas for calculating business and occupation tax liability when a company generates income from activities both inside and outside the...

Reinventing Portland's West Park.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Some are dubbing it the "West Park Cultural District," the enclave in Southwest Portland that's home to the Portland Art Museum, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, a seasonal farmers market, Portland State University...

Oregon's business plan a model for other states.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Oregon is the only state in the nation so far to have adopted a statewide business plan for economic development, but others, including Washington, aren't far behind. Oregonians' friendliness, however, gives Oregon a...

American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon honors 24 works.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan David Evans and Associates' rehabilitation of Portland's Broadway Bridge took Project of the Year honors during last night's American Council of Engineering Companies of Oregon's Engineering Excellence Awards 2006. ...

Downtown holiday foot traffic decreases from '04 to '05.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith An informal poll by the Portland Business Alliance showed that pedestrian traffic in the Business Improvement District was down 9 percent from December 2004 to December 2005, according to the Alliance's biannual...

Commentary: Ring in '06 with contributions to Roth 401(k).
January 12, 2006... Byline: Judith McGee Does government encourage the little guy to become financially independent? The answer may be a qualified "yes" if you take advantage of the new Roth 401(k). Now you can put money away under the new Roth rules and...

Commentary: Don't stop giving now that holidays are over.
January 12, 2006... Byline: Tammy Bachofner It's the new year, and I am excited about the things 2006 will bring. The formation of the new Northwest College of Construction is one of the most exciting things happening in our industry this year. Yes, I...

Lake Oswego-based Otak Inc. hires Robin Rogers as sustainability adviser at its Seattle office.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Lake Oswego-based Otak Inc., a planning, architecture, design and engineering firm, has hired Robin Rogers as a sustainability adviser at its Seattle office. Rogers previously ran the the Master...

Wells Fargo & Co. hires Kevin Schrader as VP of business development for its Portland office.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Wells Fargo & Co. hires Kevin Schrader as a vice president of business development for its Portland office. Schrader is responsible for marketing asset-based financing to middle-market businesses...

A conversation with Homer Williams, the force behind Portland's S. Waterfront development.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Walking into the development office of Williams & Dame, on the edge of Portland's Pearl District, it's hard not to notice Homer Williams sitting calmly at his desk. He looks peaceful yet intimidating, like he's spent...

Portland Army Corps expects $206 million in 2006 federal funds.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker The Portland District of the Army Corps of Engineers expects to distribute about $206 million in federal funds for projects and maintenance in 2006. The funds, announced Tuesday, are part of the $5.4 billion set...

Portland's Metro Council drafting measure to acquire green areas.
January 13, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan The Metro Council is drafting a measure to acquire and preserve regionally significant natural areas, greenways and stream corridors from willing sellers. Seven public forums will be held between Jan. 17 and Feb. 4...

Commentary: Inserted early in the case, attorney fee clause is the gun in the first act.
January 13, 2006... Byline: George W. Mead and David P. Smith Anton Chekhov, the noted playwright, observed that if one introduces a gun in the first act, it must be used in the third. The author also stated, with characteristic certainty: "One must not put a...

OR Assn. of Minority Entrepreneurs ratchets up efforts to increase monthly attendance.
January 17, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan It's not a must-attend for Oregon's major architecture and engineering firms just yet, but the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs is ratcheting up efforts to make its monthly networking meetings thrive. ...

Port of Portland anticipates big construction, expansion in 2006.
January 17, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Port of Portland commission President Jay Waldren predicts a "good construction year" for port projects in 2006. Waldren's optimistic statement came during a presentation Jan. 11 to the port commission of the draft...

FDIC: Oregon banks' Q3 earnings up from 2004.
January 17, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Oregon's insured financial institutions ranked 10th in the nation for third quarter 2005 earnings, a significant jump from its spot at 28th a year ago. The latest Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. information shows...

Biodiesel heats up in Oregon.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Oregon's struggling home heating oil industry is warming up to biodiesel this winter, with the state's largest heating oil distributor announcing plans to offer the fuel to customers by the end of the month. First...

Report: Portland-area's office market was steady in 2005.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith The industrial real estate market saw more broad-based recovery in 2005 compared to office space, advancing significantly during the year to close at 7.4 percent vacancy, according to a report by the real estate firm...

$200M geothermal plant proposed in Medicine Lake.
January 18, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff Controversy is brewing over a plan to develop a $200 million geothermal energy project at Klamath Falls' Medicine Lake Highlands, a collapsed volcano. Since the 1980s, a series of developers have proposed drilling...

Seattle-based commercial real estate firm GVA Kidder Mathews revamps leadership.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith The Seattle-based commercial real estate firm GVA Kidder Mathews has changed its executive ranks. A firm founder and longtime chairman of the board, Jerry Mathews, has stepped down to become chairman emeritus. ...

Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield to market Harrison Square in Portland.
January 18, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield will be the exclusive leasing agency for Harrison Square in downtown Portland. Mark Carnese, Doug Deurwaarder and Tom Usher of the firm's Portland office will market...

Three-tower complex in downtown Portland set to become condominiums.
January 19, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Lately, it seems the word "condo" has been thrown around Portland just about as frequently as the words "sustainability," "the Pearl" or "microbrew." But there's a good reason for all this condo talk. Buildings...

Lewis & Clark College completes LEED journey, takes gold.
January 19, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff The first Oregon higher education institution to sign an international commitment to sustainability is also the first to land a LEED gold certification for one of its buildings. Portland's Lewis & Clark College signed...

GPS changing the construction landscape.
January 19, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker In the next decade, global positioning system technology "will be just like a laser is on a job site now," said Alan Park, owner of Vancouver's Division 2 Services, in a presentation to the National Utility...

An interview with recipients of Sustainable Northwest's first Cecil D. Andrus Award.
January 20, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan Sustainability's a never-ending journey. Shoot for the accomplishable goals first. Anyone can have a great idea about making a company more sustainable. All three statements are lessons pulled from the...

New position, but Portland designer isn't starting over.
January 20, 2006... Byline: Justin Stranzl It's not unusual for Portland architects to leave their firms for positions elsewhere. But a recent move by Group Mackenzie's newest designer, Terry Krause, wasn't the norm. After 20 years with the Portland...

Conference, workshops celebrate Portland's green Spaces.
January 20, 2006... Byline: Justin Stranzl Next week's weather forecast calls for still more gray skies, but Portland designers can expect to see a lot of green when the second Spaces conference hits town. The one-day conference, slated for Jan. 26 at...

Portland local and OR state organizations have instituted affirmative action programs.
January 23, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Ron White knows well the plight of minority workers. His family struggled to gain a foothold in the United States after his grandparents emigrated from Central America. Now, White, a former project manager at Hoffman...

Portland Development Commission extends proposal deadline for Parcel 8; addendum added.
January 23, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff The Portland Development Commission has extended the deadline for submitting proposals for a 48,645-square-foot site in the RiverPlace neighborhood dubbed Parcel 8. The new deadline is noon on Feb. 20. ...

Three architecture projects with Portland ties awarded high honors.
January 24, 2006... Byline: Alison Ryan Three out of 30 ain't bad - especially when the three are architecture projects with Portland ties, and the 30 are the chosen few that received the American Institute of Architects' highest honor. BOORA Architects'...

Masonry and Ceramic Tile Institute of Oregon presented 2005 Hammurabi awards.
January 24, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Opsis Architecture took top honors at the 2005 Hammurabi awards presentation for masonry design and craftsmanship last Thursday. The Excellence Award, presented by the Masonry and Ceramic Tile Institute of Oregon,...

Portland council may deny permit to business that recycles materials from building demolition.
January 25, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Three years after his company's property was annexed by the city of Portland, Dan Obrist reached the final step in making his demolition and recycling business a legal operation by obtaining a material recovery...

Multnomah Bar Association narrows Circuit Court search to five.
January 25, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith The Multnomah Bar Association has recommended five applicants for the Multnomah County Circuit Court judicial vacancy created by Judge Sidney Galton, who retired Oct. 31, 2005. The recommended applicants are C....

Moisture problems haven't dried up in multifamily market.
January 25, 2006... Byline: Brian Johnson (This article originally ran in Finance and Commerce, Minneapolis, MN, another Dolan Media publication.) With multifamily development hot in markets across the United States, home and office builders with little...

White Stag buildings probable site of new University of Oregon Portland Center.
January 26, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith The White Stag block, home to four dilapidated buildings and the landmark "Made in Oregon" sign that overlooks the Burnside Bridge, likely will be the new home of the University of Oregon's Portland Center. Three...

Pacific Northwest chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors celebrates '05 accomplishments.
January 26, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker The Pacific Northwest chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors honored a 13-year member's dedication to the free market and its own efforts to create a construction college Friday at its 2006 leadership banquet...

First project designed under green executive order takes gold rating.
January 26, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff The first state building to be designed and built under an executive order on sustainability signed in 2000 by former Gov. John Kitzhaber has earned gold certification through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED rating...

A conversation with Bob Schommer: president-elect of Associated General C.
January 27, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker Always quick on the draw with a joke or jibe, Bob Schommer was at first reluctant to discuss his new role as the 2006-2007 president-elect of the Oregon Columbia chapter of the Associated General Contractors. "All...

Spirit center's success keeps Seattle firm in monastery's good graces.
January 27, 2006... Byline: DJC Staff A Seattle firm's design of a $3.22 million "spirit center" for a northern Idaho monastery has earned the firm a return trip. Mahlum Architects, the Seattle-based outfit that designed the Monastery of St. Gertrude...

Portland planning Fiscal Year 2006-07city budget.
January 30, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Just as most Portlanders settle into their daily routines after the bustle of the holiday season, figuring out just how much money they spent on presents and travel, the city is embarking on a plan to figure out how...

Overland Park, Kan.-based Ash Grove cements deal to increase regional supply.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Libby Tucker The Pacific Northwest can expect a big boost to its cement supply this fall. Ash Grove Cement Co. last week announced that it has acquired a new import terminal facility from Goldendale Aluminum in Portland - a...

More funding, new name for Pearl's Armory Theater in NW Portland.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Kennedy Smith Portland Center Stage last week announced it has received $6.75 million in new funding to complete its renovation of the historic Armory Theater in Northwest Portland. PCS said Thursday that it secured $6.75...

Eden Prairie-based Supervalu Inc. CEO unsure of merger's impact on Northwest.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff How many Albertsons executives will remain in the Northwest after Supervalu completes its purchase of the grocery store chain later this year? Supervalu CEO Jeff Noddle says he doesn't know yet....

Dietrich Wieland earns professional architect in Oregon license.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Dietrich Wieland of the Portland firm Group Mackenzie, a regional architecture and engineering firm, has earned his license as a professional architect in Oregon. Wieland's projects include...

Bend-based Bank of the Cascades names vice president of Portland branch.
January 31, 2006... Byline: Daily Journal of Commerce Staff Bend-based Bank of the Cascades has named Clifford Rone vice president and commercial real estate loan officer for its Portland branch. Rone has a master's degree in finance from the University...