A McMinnville school shoots for a LEED rating.

Walsh Finishes Rehab Center in North Portland

Portland – Walsh Construction Co., Portland, recently completed a $7.5 million expansion for Portland Rehabilitation Center (PHC) at their headquarters in Northeast Portland. PHC is a Qualified Rehabilitation Facility that delivers contracted services in custodial, landscaping, light industry and administrative services. Its mission is to assist individuals with disabilities by providing the training they need to develop their skills so that they may obtain and maintain meaningful work.

The expansion included construction of a 97,00 -sq -ft steel-frame warehouse with a 15,000-sq- ft mezzanine. The building, unlike most warehouses, has a very distinct sloped roof system with skylights and clerestory glazing, which maximizes the amount of natural light and ventilation. Designed by Ernie Munch of Ernest R. Munch Architects, the project will include a photovoltaic solar system, currently in the design phase, which will be installed on the roof. It is currently scheduled to be the largest photovoltaic system in Oregon. The facility will be used for document storage and manufacturing.

Otak to Study Columbia Heritage for Possible Park

Portland – Destination: The Pacific, a non-profit organization seeking to build national awareness of the cultural and historical significance of the Columbia River gateway, has selected Otak Inc. to perform a heritage area study as the first step toward congressional designation of the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area. If this designation is secured, the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area would be the first such area on the West Coast.

The study for Destination: The Pacific (DTP) is expected to take up to two years to conduct and will include an extensive public input process. Otak previously worked in the area to deliver a feasibility study that resulted in congressional approval of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in 2004. Otak is one of only a handful of firms authorized to provide services to the National Park Service on a nationwide basis.

Otak’s team for the study will be supported by Portland-based Wannamaker Consulting.

School Project Granted LEED Money for Design

McMinnville - Skanska USA Building Inc. construction crews broke ground at Sue Buel Elementary School, the new K-5 school that will replace Cook Elementary School, which was built in 1929. McMinnville School District received a $50,000 state grant for energy-efficient design and will seek LEED Silver certification.

When completed, the Sue Buel Elementary School will be a two-story, 81,000-sq-ft building that will accommodate 600 students with 28 classrooms, a music room, gymnasium and outdoor covered play area. Construction of the building will focus on multiple “green” elements in order to preserve energy and other natural resources.

Once completed, the school will apply for LEED Silver certification. Some of the environmentally friendly highlights will be seen in the basic design and layout of the new building in addition to specialty systems that will be integrated into each classroom. The orientation of the school will be east-facing in order to utilize natural sunlight instead of using power all the time for classroom lighting.

The new school is scheduled to open in September, 2008 and has been named for the longtime local education advocate, Sue Buel.

Heart Center Design Creates Peaceful Setting

Bend - Hospitals can be scary places, but the Callison-designed Heart Center at Cascade Healthcare Community’s St. Charles campus in Bend, Ore. removes the stressors often associated with hospital visits and provides patients and families with a healing environment set in a relaxing atmosphere. Complete with wellness gardens, ample artwork and warm interiors, the new Heart Center is the latest addition to the St. Charles campus.

The three-story 60,000 sq-ft facility integrates natural elements from the surrounding Central Oregon desert into its design, such as stone, water and the use of glass to bring in natural light. Callison provided the architectural design, site planning and medical planning for the Heart Center, as well as the interior design for the building’s public spaces.