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When plans to build a new Beaverton Elks lodge came across Amber Wierck’s desk, she saw a grand opportunity to treat stormwater runoff.

The environmental review project manager with Clean Water Services recognized that the lodge location 鈥� on Southwest 104th Avenue 鈥� complemented the water resources management utility’s efforts to bring green stormwater treatment to more portions of the Tualatin River watershed.

鈥淚 knew this was something our capital group would be interested in 鈥� where we could put a regional water quality treatment site on the property,鈥� Wierck said.

The approximately $2 million project to replace a 1950s-era lodge building led to a cooperative effort with Clean Water Services for stormwater management and stream restoration on the site. Through an easement agreement with the Elks, Clean Water Services will construct bio-swales 鈥� adjacent to a parking lot for the new lodge 鈥� to treat runoff from the site and surrounding properties.

鈥淎 lot of times we kind of just have to wait until these sites are developed or redeveloped,鈥� Wierck said. 鈥淭he ultimate goal is there are areas that are not getting treated that (are) going to be (treated) on the Beaverton Elks lodge site.鈥�

The agency will also foot the bill for planting native plants and performing grading along a Beaverton Creek tributary that runs through the site’s northwest corner.

鈥淣ormally, they would have to plant the buffer,鈥� Wierck said. 鈥淣ow, because we’re proposing to have a regional water quality facility 鈥� we’re going to take care of the planting in the facility and the vegetated corridor.鈥�

Clean Water Services officials are working closely with the Elks and Beaverton-based Stewart Gordon Straus Architect to tweak the project design to incorporate regional stormwater management and provide a protective buffer for the creek. The agency’s offer to design the stormwater management portion saved the Elks about $200,000, Straus estimated.

鈥淭his turned out to be a fairly substantial involvement,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was encouraging. It gives me the feeling that finding a way to work out strategies early is a beneficial way to get through the project.鈥�

Instead of simply requiring that the project include stormwater management and a buffer for the stream, Wierck and other Clean Water Services staffers created an opportunity that benefits the agency and the Elks, Straus said.

鈥淚t’s a big deal,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was fortunate that we were in a situation where we could actually work together. I’ve been very surprised all the way through working with Washington County on this project. They seem to be taking a more cooperative approach.鈥�

The design of the new lodge and a deck will take advantage of the site’s natural assets, including views of the creek and a vegetated corridor, Straus said.

鈥淚t’s going to be a completely different building than they’re in now,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are no windows in their existing building. It’s very introverted, very sterile.鈥�

The existing 21,000-square-foot lodge is in poor condition and would be costly to repair, Straus said. Also, when the building was constructed about 50 years ago, the community organization had more than 3,000 members; currently, it has approximately 600.

To pay for construction of an 8,000-square-foot lodge near the old one, the Elks sold the existing building and a portion of the property it sits on, Straus said.

The new wood-frame lodge will have a much different look than the current concrete tilt-up building, he said.

鈥淚t’s going to be a lot more lodge-like,鈥� Straus said. 鈥淚t’s going to be a very comfortable, homey place compared to what they have now.鈥�

Wierck said the stormwater planters designed by Clean Water Services will enhance the overall goal of the project to embrace the nearby creek.

鈥淚 think it’s actually an amenity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t looks beautiful because it has a lot of plants in it. It’s going to change from an existing perspective of just being a parking lot and a building. It’s going to look really nice.鈥�

Crews from general contractor Portland-based Joseph Hughes Construction are scheduled to start construction on the new lodge in December and complete the project in September 2015. Work on the regional water quality facility will take place next summer and wrap up by the fall.

Beaverton Elks lodge

Location: 3500 S.W. 104th Ave., Beaverton

Cost: $2 million

Anticipated construction start date: December

Anticipated construction completion date: September 2015

Owner: Beaverton Elks

Architect: Stewart Gordon Straus Architect

General contractor: Joseph Hughes Construction