Emerick Awarded PCC Utilities Project

Portland - Portland general contractor Emerick Construction Co. has been awarded the CM/GC contract for Portland Community College's Sylvania Campus Bond Improvements and Utilities Upgrade Project, estimated to be in the range of $7.5 million.

The improvements cover a range of projects, including campus air conditioning; fire sprinkler system upgrades; a complete new electrical service installation; emergency power system additions and modifications; and building renovations. The multiple projects require particular skill and attention to day-to-day scheduling, coordinating and phasing of the work, while keeping the campus fully operational, minimizing disruption and maintaining safety for students, staff and employees.

Emerick will partner on the PCC Sylvania Bond project with Portland Community College, Opsis Architecture, CBG Consulting Engineers, James D. Graham & Associates and Group Mackenzie.

New Day Use Center Opens in Tillamook Forest

A new education and recreation facility in Oregon's Tillamook State Forest will provide forest visitors, highway travelers and school children with a place to explore the past, present and future of the area.

The recent completion of the 38-acre Smith Homestead Day Use Area, operated by the Oregon Department of Forestry, marks the first phase of construction for the broader Tillamook Forest Center project. Located on the Wilson River Highway (Oregon 6) in the Jones Creek area of the Tillamook State Forest, the Smith Homestead Day Use Area features river access, picnic tables interspersed in the surrounding forest, drinking fountains, interpretive trails, restrooms and a 2,000-sq.-ft. forest learning shelter.

The Smith site provides a venue for conducting forest education programs. A major focus of the site is the forest learning shelter, which overlooks the Wilson River and Kings Mountain and provides a protected setting for programs and meetings.

The shelter is designed to provide transparency through a series of overhead roll-up and sliding doors that open to the forest and meadow on three sides, creating a natural and airy setting. During the rainy months, the doors can be closed and the fireplace stoked, creating a sheltered forest education outpost.

The project was designed by Portland, Ore. landscape architects Walker Macy in collaboration with Seattle design firm The Miller Hull Partnership. JP Contractors Inc. was the general contractor.