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The Portland Development Commission this week seeking an architecture and engineering team for a renovation of Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.

The renovation will include energy-efficiency upgrades that will bring the building to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold standards as well as upgrades to concessions, seating, lighting, signage, finishes and a long list of other improvements.

The renovation design will be consistent with a scope outlined in a consulting contract between PDC and Boora Architects.  PDC expects to award the first part of a two-phase contract in August or September. The awarding of the contract is contingent on Portland City Council approval of an amendment of the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area that would allow PDC to use tax-increment finance funds on the public building.

Construction could begin as soon as January 2012 and is expected to be completed in December of 2012, according to PDC spokeswoman Ann Mangan. The architecture and engineering contract will be funded by PDC, and construction will be funded through a number of sources: tax-increment financing; private capital, potentially from the Winterhawks hockey team; New Market Tax Credits; Historic Tax Credits; and Energy Trust of Oregon Incentives.

Proposals are due August 11, and PDC will be hosting a voluntary pre-proposal meeting at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum on July 27.