Emerick Completes Work At Estacada Schools

Portland - General contractor Emerick Construction Co. has completed the finishing touches at the new Clackamas River Elementary School in Estacada, Ore. Emerick has also completed extensive renovations at the adjacent Estacada Junior High School.

Clackamas River Elementary, with its wood structure and brick façade, has high, vaulted ceilings that feature exposed, wooden beams and allow for natural light to flood the entire building.

The original Estacada Grade School was demolished to make way for the new Clackamas River Elementary. Historical mementos from the original school have been incorporated into the new school, including blue and gold medallions that now adorn the brick walls inside and out and colorful tile mosaics made by grade school students last year that now decorate the hallways. The original "Estacada Grade School" sign is being restored and will be mounted inside the lobby.

While the Junior High School's exterior has retained its traditional appearance, a new two-story classroom addition has been constructed and extensive interior remodeling has occurred throughout the school. A comprehensive seismic upgrade of the entire facility has brought the building up to current structural standards.

The auditorium, located near the front of the school, retains its original classic look, but has received a modernization overhaul. Crews redesigned the configuration of the walls for better acoustics, the stage has been rebuilt and the original seats have been refurbished.

Work at the two schools, which are located on a shared site, also included the development of new ball fields and play areas.

Emerick teamed with the Estacada School District, Selig/Lee/Rueda, AIA, and Milstead & Associates on this $14 million project.

Walker Macy Planning New Waterfront Greenway

Portland - The Portland-based landscape architecture, urban design and planning firm of Walker Macy in collaboration with internationally renowned landscape architect Thomas Balsley of New York has been selected by Portland Parks and Recreation to provide master planning services for Portland's South Waterfront Greenway Development Plan project. The South Waterfront Greenway will be located within the heart of Portland's new South Waterfront District along the western bank of the Willamette River.

The South Waterfront Greenway is defined by the Marquam Bridge on the north and the site of the River Forum Building on the south. The area is an average 100 ft. wide and 6,500 ft. long and encompasses approximately 15 acres. The new Greenway is a key component of the major redevelopment project underway in Portland's South Waterfront District that will accommodate retail, office and housing uses.

The interdisciplinary consulting team is charged with synthesizing the complexities of the natural, cultural, social and economic environment to give the new greenway meaningful form.

Scheduled for completion early in 2004, the Greenway Development Plan will set design direction for implementation. Construction of the new South Waterfront Greenway will be funded through a variety of public/private partnerships and will be built over a number of years.

The consulting team, led by Walker Macy and Thomas Balsley Associates, includes KPFF Consulting Engineers, WaterCycle, Inc., Fishman Environmental Services, GRI Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants, PAE Consulting Engineers, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Robert Z. Melnick.

OR-OSHA Honors Firm With SHARP Status

Portland - S. D. Deacon Corp of Oregon was recently honored as only the fourth general contractor in Oregon to earn recognition for its safety record from the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR-OSHA).

OR-OSHA honored S. D. Deacon with the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) award, an Oregon program that establishes the highest benchmarks for safety in the industry. The earn SHARP status, Oregon employers must achieve a Lost Workday Case Incidence Rate below the state industry average and voluntarily establish an intensive employee safety program, among other activities. All of S. D. Deacon's supervisors and foremen complete a three-year, 33-class safety training course, and project managers and other staff are encouraged to participate as well.

In 2002, S. D. Deacon received a grant from OR-OSHA to oversee the design, testing and analysis of masonry bracing. Its safety recommendations were adopted by OR-OSHA and influenced a new state code that went into effect April 30, 2003.