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Construction of the $63.3 million Oregon Sustainability Center is projected to start early next year, and project officials are looking to corporate and foundation supporters to supply the last few millions of dollars needed to make the building a reality.

The center will be built near the Portland State University campus at Southwest Fourth Avenue and Montgomery Street. The Portland Development Commission, the Oregon University System, the city’s Bureau of Development Services and a number of green-focused nonprofits all will be tenants of the planned living building, which will feature solar panels, systems to filter and reuse waste water and systems to capture and use rain water.

Oregon Sustainability Center funding sources

Construction of the Oregon Sustainability Center will cost $59.3 million, which does not include a $4 million streetcar alignment and $1.9 million for research and educational exhibits. The list below enumerates the projected funding sources for the project.

$45.1 million	Oregon University System and city bonds
$4.9 million	City tax increment financing from South Park Blocks URA
$3 million	Oregon University System cash
$2.5 million	New Markets tax credits and Energy Trust of Oregon money
$2 million	In-kind and federal contributions
$1.8 million	City land contribution

The project is being pitched to potential donors as an opportunity to showcase technologies and products 鈥渁s expectations and demand for higher-performing buildings increases,鈥� according to fundraising documents.

At an event Tuesday night, Portland Mayor Sam Adams and Gov. John Kitzhaber officially launched the private fundraising campaign for the OSC at Umpqua Bank’s Innovation Lab in the South Waterfront District. Ray Davis, CEO of Umpqua Bank, announced that it had signed a lease commitment to be the building’s first private tenant, in a retail space on the first floor.

鈥淭his is an Oregon building. It will create a center that will bring the world to us,鈥� Davis said.

Adams recognized donations from Sanyo Solar of Oregon and local firm InSpec Group, which will manage the photovoltaic system’s design and installation.

Sanyo Solar of Oregon will donate part of the building’s projected 679 kilowatts of solar panels 鈥� a partnership that will help both parties, OSC Development Director Robert Frisbee said.

鈥淪anyo will use the center as (its) North American energy product demonstration facility,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e will have a variety of Sanyo products. They will use this as a place to demonstrate their leading products: solar panels, batteries, LED lights, and direct-charge circuits. And they will use that to promote North American sales; they can tour (potential customers) through and show them all the cool stuff.鈥�

Other businesses can become involved: An outdoor plaza, a ground-floor exhibit and action center, and the building’s streetcar stop could be named after businesses donating $100,000 or more, depending on the area.

Project officials are still seeking several tenants for retail spaces. Frisbee is looking to attract a purveyor of Oregon food 鈥� though energy limitations could make that tricky, he said.

Frisbee said he is well on the way to his $8 million fundraising goal; only about $2 million is left, though Sanyo and InSpec Group are the only private donors revealed publicly.

鈥淲e are looking to confirm a majority of the commitments by the end of June. We will continue fundraising with businesses and federal grants for another year,鈥� he said.

Though there is not enough money confirmed to be able to say the project will definitely happen, Frisbee said he feels close.

鈥淚 feel the tipping point has been reached,鈥� Frisbee said. 鈥淲ith just a few more of these important closes, we’ll be over the top.鈥�