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Project name: Willamete Tower

Location: Portland

Completion: February 2024

Size: 493,550 square feet

Owner/Developer: Alamo Manhattan

Architect: WDG Architecture Dallas

Interior Designer: SGL Design Group

Engineers: KPFF, Linda Tycher & Associates, Brightworks Sustainability

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Other Key Participants: Prosper Portland, City of Portland Building Department, Portland Water Bureau, Portland Bureau Of Transportation

Subcontractors: ABC Roofing, ACME Scenic & Display, Advance Welding, All Trades General Contractor, Aluma Systems, ASI Structures, Astound, BASCO, Berg Electric Corporation, Brix Paving, CHI Cos., Columbia Cascade, D&R Masonry, Dallas Glass, DeaMor Associates, DE-EL, DERO, DeWitt Construction, Eastern Steel Erectors, Ernsdorf Design, Forensic Building, Fought, GB Manchester, H Corp., Hunt, Instafab, Interior Tech, Klinger Masonry, Lanz Cabinets – Eugene, Larusso Concrete, Loy Clark, Maintenance Man, Maxim Crane Works, Mid-Valley Glass & Millwork, Northwest Scaffold Service, Ocean Park Mechanical, Otis Elevator, Outside the Lines, Pacific Foundation, Pacific Post Tensioning, Pacific Stair, Patriot Fire, Paulson’s Floor Covering, Point Monitor, Precision Rail of Oregon, R&R Floors, R2M2, Rebar, Sardonyx, Sawtooth, SDS, Skyline Sheet Metal, Standard TV & Appliance, Starline Windows, Sustainable Floors, Teufel Landscape, Wessco, Westech Construction, Westlake Consultants, WPI

Rising 23 stories along the Willamette River, this mixed-use development delivers both high-end apartments and significant environmental improvements to a once-industrial riverfront.

The Willamette Tower offers 340 market-rate units, including 19 townhome-style apartments providing a unique two-story living experience. The includes 3,700 square feet of ground-floor retail and parking for 355 vehicles.

Developers faced substantial challenges working alongside the river. Groundwater levels required installation of a dewatering system while construction crews drove foundation piles more than 40 feet deep to reach stable ground.

The site’s industrial past presented additional obstacles. Construction teams removed more than 30 old piers using specialized equipment mounted on barges. Workers also discovered and safely removed abandoned oil barrels that had leaked into the surrounding soil, necessitating site-wide excavation and replacement of contaminated areas.

Among the project’s innovations is the creation of a 40,000-square-foot riparian habitat supporting fish in the Willamette River. This collaborative effort involved multiple agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Department of State Lands. The habitat features strategically placed boulders and tree trunks creating environments for fish and plant life.

The project connected the northern and southern portions of the Willamette greenway path.

The development earned LEED Homes Multifamily Mid-Rise Gold certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainability. Environmental features include stormwater planters that filter runoff before it reaches the river.

Residents enjoy numerous amenities including a gym, bike room, podium-level sundeck, and club room. The 22nd floor features a demonstration kitchen with camera and monitor capabilities alongside a dining room. The penthouse units feature a specialty HOMMA system. HOMMA is a smart home/interactive system for lighting, heating/cooling, blinds, and door locking. The system is controlled through a mobile app, in-home control pad, and motion activated sensors. This was the first larger scale installation for the company.

Working with Prosper Portland, the developer incorporated a public plaza with interactive fountain, creating a neighborhood gathering space. The agency also helped source local minority, women, and emerging small business vendors for various project elements.

Construction innovations included in-slab ductwork for unit exhaust systems and a combined drain/waste vent system that reduced plumbing lines and deck penetrations, allowing for more open interior spaces.

There were goals for the fountain that was funded by Prosper Portland, and Andersen Construction met the 20 percent DBE/SBE/WBE goal. In addition, Andersen had three DBE/SBE/WBE firms as part of the larger project: La Londe Electric, Scovill Construction and Western Rebar.