91视频

Walsh Construction is an old hand in the Portland building community still trying new things. The company was founded in Portland in 1961 by Robert Walsh and his brother Tom, and today has more than 300 employees working out of its headquarters in Portland and offices in Seattle and Tacoma, Wash. It was the 12th-largest contractor in Portland in 2013, with $81 million in local billings. Bob Walsh retired as president two years ago, and today heads the board of directors. Matt Leeding is now president.

Walsh tackles affordable housing projects as well as student housing and academic buildings, historic rehabilitations and resort work. It also is expanding its reach into the health care sector, according to spokeswoman Kristen LeBlanc.

The firm is respected for its quality assurance programs, LeBlanc said, with some employees regularly speaking about building science issues at seminars.

鈥� Walsh recently was named general contractor for the 鈥�Framework鈥� project in the Pearl District. The 12-story, 90,000-square foot structure is expected to be the tallest wood-framed building in the U.S. It will prominently employ CLT 鈥� an engineered wood product considered a green alternative to concrete and steel. The team was one of two to win a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant in the U.S. Tall Wood Building Prize Competition.

The building will be located at 430 N.W. 10th St., and feature one level of ground-floor retail space, five levels of office space, five levels of workforce housing and a 鈥渞ooftop amenity space.鈥� Project ^, LEVER Architecture, Beneficial Bank and affordable housing group Home Forward will join Walsh on the project team. Beneficial will have its offices there, and Albina Bank 鈥� which it owns 鈥� will occupy a ground-level space. Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2016, and last 12 months. Costs are not determined yet.

鈥� Walsh Construction’s work on the Coastal Discovery Center at Camp Gray, a year-round residential camp in Newport, should conclude in early 2016. The science-focused outdoor educational facility will house 156 beds and three classrooms on a 20-acre site. The $5.3 million project was designed by Dangermond Keane Architecture. It includes five single-story wood-framed buildings, as well as significant site improvements.

鈥� 85 Stories is an occupied renovation of four affordable housing towers for Home Forward. The $46 million project is intended to address outdated building systems and add exterior facade upgrades at Gallagher Plaza, Northwest Tower, Hollywood East and the Sellwood Center. Walsh is renovating 654 units occupied primarily by seniors and people with disabilities. The first phase of Home Forward’s 10-building initiative is scheduled to conclude in March 2016. The project team also includes Holst Architecture and KASA Architects.

鈥� Walsh is adding 58,000 square feet of student housing as part of an Oregon State University expansion at its Cascades campus in Bend. Two residential buildings connected by a covered breezeway will include 114 apartment- and suite-style units with 340 beds, student lounges, game rooms, a community kitchen, a fitness center, ski and bicycle storage and a leasing office. A 14,800-square-foot dining facility and approximately 12,400 square feet of academic and administrative space also are planned. The $30 million project is scheduled to conclude in December 2016.聽The project team, which includes聽American Campus Communities听补苍诲听SERA Architects, is aiming to achieve a聽Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design聽gold rating.

鈥� The Abigail Apartments is Walsh’s sixth affordable housing project in the Pearl District. Designed by Ankrom Moisan Architects, the $31 million development features two six-story buildings linked by a multistory sky bridge. The Abigail will include 28 market-rate units and 127 affordable units.聽The scheduled completion date is May 2016.

Builder’s Choice is a new 91视频 feature offering a look at the projects being tackled by local architecture, engineering and construction firms. To have your firm’s projects considered, contact 91视频 construction reporter Garrett Andrews at 503-802-7226 or [email protected].