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Designers of the four-story Seven Corners Community Collaborative building, now under construction at 1949 S.E. Division St., have overcome a host of obstacles.

First, accessibility became a high priority. The $7.5 million building will hold the headquarters of Community Vision Inc., but also offices for FACT Oregon and Community Pathways. All three organizations specialize in helping people with a wide range of physical and intellectual disabilities.

鈥淲e are using universal design principles to allow universal access,鈥� said Bill Bailey, managing partner at Waterleaf Architecture, Interiors & Planning. 鈥淲e really want to add dignity to access. Everybody approaches and uses the building in the same way.鈥�

As such, elevators were designed with buttons accessible to both abled and disabled people in the same manner. Also, bathrooms had to be designed to exceed Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

A second hurdle for the design team was figuring out how to fit a 25,000-square-foot building on a small, triangular lot.

鈥淭here is a challenge of working on a triangular site,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淗ow (do) you get efficient office layout? The geometry of the site and the space planning for the site is challenging.鈥�

In addition, the building will be located in the Ladd’s Historic District, so the design is subject to more restrictions and reviews.

Another complication is that the building will sit on land where a former gas station caused soil contamination. Multnomah County donated the land to Community Vision Inc. after taking it in a tax foreclosure nearly 15 years earlier. A system is being constructed under the building to vent any residual contaminants away from it.

鈥淓very infill project has its own series of issues,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭his project had more overlapping issues than most.鈥�

The facility will include an assistive technology center, training and education rooms, event space and a state-of-the-art kitchen. The expansive green roof includes a deck as well as a solar panel array.

Nossa Familia Coffee has signed on to occupy part of the ground-floor retail space. The company has a history of reaching out to help individuals with disabilities.

鈥淭he project is designed for (Community Vision Inc.) and three other sister nonprofits that will occupy the building,鈥� Bailey said. 鈥淭he building was designed to accommodate their needs.鈥�

Grand & Benedicts Construction began work this past fall, and then the progress slowed because of winter weather.

鈥淲e are so excited to finally be on the ground in construction,鈥� Bailey said.

On the Boards is a 91视频 feature offering a look at the projects in Oregon being tackled by local architecture firms. To have your firm’s projects considered, contact 91视频 architecture and engineering reporter Kent Hohlfeld at 503-802-7224 or [email protected].