Something’s brewing in Southeast Portland

By: Sam Tenney//January 17, 2019//

Something’s brewing in Southeast Portland

Sam Tenney//January 17, 2019//

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Phillip Ellsworth, a fabricator with Lorentz Bruun Construction, cuts a hole for an outlet on a piece of kickboard cladding at a new brewpub in Southeast Portland. (Sam Tenney/91视频)

An adaptive reuse project under way in Southeast Portland is transforming a former retail building on Southeast Foster Road into the home of Assembly Brewing 鈥� an upstart business from a pair of partners focused on the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood.

Owners Adam Dixon and George Johnson had kicked around the idea of starting their own brewery for years, and when they decided to pull the trigger on opening a brewpub, the Foster area was a natural choice.

鈥淚 felt like this area was a brewery desert for Portland,鈥� said Johnson, Assembly’s head brewer and an area resident. 鈥淢ight as well do it in my neighborhood.鈥�

The pair enlisted Steelhead Architecture and Lorentz Bruun Construction to transform a 7,000-square-foot former Korean grocery store into the home of their new brewing operation. The building was erected in 1948 and then expanded with additions over the years. Faulty methods used for construction of parts of the building necessitated the structure being essentially demolished down to the frame and rebuilt.

鈥淲e had to start from scratch,鈥� said Ryan Shoop, project superintendent with Lorentz Bruun Construction. 鈥淚t’s basically a ground-up build, for the most part.鈥�

The building underwent a full seismic upgrade, including installation of C-channel horizontal bracing throughout the structure’s cast-in-place unreinforced concrete walls. Old-growth timber beams, which were exposed during demolition and media-blasted with nickel slag and walnut shells, have been braced to the steel reinforcements.

The front of the building along Southeast Foster Road has been outfitted with new storefront systems and roll-up doors, and skylights were added to the dining area. The building has been outfitted with all-new plumbing, fire/life safety elements and electrical systems, including new three-phase power service. The $2.2 million project is slated for completion in early March, and the brewery is expected to open later that month.

The project team also includes WRK Engineers, Christianson Electric, Protemp Associates, V & K Construction, and Allco Drywall.

Action Paving, Inc. employee R.J. Swanson, left, uses a plate compactor to finish asphalt at Assembly Brewing's brewpub under construction in Southeast Portland. (Sam Tenney/91视频) — Action Paving, Inc. employee R.J. Swanson, left, uses a plate compactor to finish asphalt at Assembly Brewing’s brewpub under construction in Southeast Portland. (Sam Tenney/91视频)

The building features old-growth timber beams that were exposed during demolition and restored with mixed-media blasting. (Sam Tenney/91视频)

The building features new storefront glazing and entries and roll-up doors, as well as new glulam canopies and steel columns framing what will be an outdoor dining area. (Sam Tenney/91视频)

The brewery has a 15-barrel brewing system with capacity for about 30 kegs per batch. "It's always a big challenge just building a brewery," said Lorentz Bruun superintendent Ryan Shoop. "There's a lot of hurdles to jump through to get everybody to give blessings on the system." (Sam Tenney/91视频) — The brewery has a 15-barrel brewing system with capacity for about 30 kegs per batch. “It’s always a big challenge just building a brewery,” said Lorentz Bruun superintendent Ryan Shoop. “There’s a lot of hurdles to jump through to get everybody to give blessings on the system.” (Sam Tenney/91视频)

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