New Library Opens In Milton Freewater

Milton Freewater - The Gladys Leibbrand Valley Public Library building celebrated its grand opening this spring, just one year after its groundbreaking.

Located adjacent to the Milton-Freewater City Hall, the new 12,400-sq.-ft. library building conveys an image respectful of the civic nature of the surroundings, while bringing a distinct Northwest flavor.

Designed by INTEGRUS Architecture of Spokane, Wash., the building's main features include laminated wood beams, wood ceilings and natural daylighting. The space includes meeting, work and staff break rooms along with a large community room. The library also features an espresso area and gift shop.

The building replaces an outdated library and is designed for future expansion.

In Line Honored For Safety Practices

Portland - General contractor In Line Commercial Construction Inc., based here, was recently recognized for its "dedication and consistent leadership to improving workplace safety" by workers' compensation insurance provider, SAIF Corporation. In Line received the "Partners in Excellence" award after participating in a SAIF sponsored initiative.

SAIF initiated a survey among strategically selected accounts to identify the "best practices" of companies with a long-term, proven safety record across various industries. In Line has been SAIF insured since 1993, maintains an outstanding safety record and has an experience modifier rate of 0.65.

The purpose of the survey was to look for evidence that exceptional safety records result from exceptional business practices. SAIF investigated the hiring practices of the businesses surveyed and found that companies with good hiring practices (written job applications, drug/alcohol screening, reference checks, etc.) had a lower accident rate.

J.E. Dunn Awarded U.S. Courthouse in Eugene

Eugene - The Portland office of J.E. Dunn Construction recently announced the award of the construction contract for the Wayne Lyman Morse United States Courthouse here. The Northwest/Arctic Region of the U.S. General Services Administration has awarded the firm a Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) services contract.

The new U.S. Courthouse will be 267,000 sq. ft. within a four-story steel and concrete structure. The estimated $70 million construction project will include six courtrooms and chambers along with space for the U.S. Marshals Service and court administrative offices. The building features an exterior surface of zinc panels and incorporates the latest security measures for federal courthouses. The three-story interior atrium will serve as a beacon for the building.

The design premise for the new U.S. Courthouse in Eugene is a desire to recall the formal simplicity of the historical one-room courthouse on the Town Square. The architectural team of DLR Group, with offices in Portland and Seattle; and Morphosis, located in Santa Monica, Calif., is currently finishing the design of this new federal courthouse.

J.E. Dunn Construction brings to the project past experience on two government projects in Eugene; the Lane County Juvenile Justice Center and Adult Corrections Facility Remodel. The general contractor will be providing preconstruction services to GSA and the DLR/Morphosis design team during the final stages of design completion.

Construction is expected to start in late Fall 2003 and is estimated to take 24 months to build. At its peak, the $70 million project will employ over 150 craft people.