So I grabbed my boss for happy hour last week. The weather was nice by June-in-Portland standards, meaning we hit that 45-minute window between thunder storms, so we decided to check out ‘s back patio for a few beers. It turns out the patio is covered, which is helpful if one beer turns into a few and you end up staying there through the next downpour. What a great place! The food was good, the service prompt and most importantly, the beer was excellent. Turns out, they’ll even pair your beer with a variety of whiskies, if you’re up to it. Although, I must admit, it being a school night, we weren’t so adventurous.

Anyway, our conversation immediately took a tour down memory lane as my boss recounted wonderful memories of his early twenties at that very same establishment – sampling craft beers from around the globe before Portland had become the microbrew mecca it is today. However, he also mentioned the neighborhood’s less-than-attractive past. Apparently, the condition of the Central Eastside was so dilapidated and seedy that he and his high school buddies used to jokingly threaten that “if you don’t watch out, we’ll send you down to Third and Burn!”

This of course is not the case today. The neighborhood has evolved over the past decades to strike an intriguing balance between the more than palatable aesthetic of its public spaces and the grittiness of its industrial heart – it’s a good kind of gritty. The area is noticeably devoid of any significant residential development or public parks. This leaves the eateries, coffee shops, and watering holes to serve as the bridge between the longtime industrial strongholds and the burgeoning creative class that is rapidly filling the exceptional examples of adaptive reuse done right. These meeting places serve as common ground amongst the seemingly bifurcated inhabitants of the district, and consequently, patrons provide a unique ambiance for the establishments they frequent.

From the eastside street car loop and the adaptive reuse projects to the upcoming light-rail bridge to Milwaukie and proposed future development, the Central Eastside is a neighborhood in transition. Now, “Transition to what?”  you may wonder. Well, that depends greatly on whom you ask. To adequately describe the complexities of the winds that blow this neighborhood’s ship would take more space than I’m allowed. However, the Urban Land Institute is putting on an event titled “.” You can get more information and register .

Eddie La Berge works in business development at . Contact him at elaberge@tcco.com.

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Last week nine teams ventured into the bowels of Pioneer Place to wage war against hunger… as well as each other.

Stacking can upon can, these teams – comprised of mostly architectural, engineering and construction firms – battled one another by erecting magnificent structures that would both raise hunger awareness and combat its devastating effects. Over the past 15 years, the has collected over 200 tons of canned food and raised nearly $120,000 to augment the Oregon Food Bank’s efforts to end hunger in our state.

Additionally, just over a month from now, on the bricks of Pioneer Courthouse Square, a similar competition will ensue in which many A/E/C teams will battle once again. Only this time, instead of cans, the structures will be made of sand, and instead of fighting hunger, the competition will support . Whether a spectator or a participant, is a can’t miss event.

So what’s the point of highlighting these competitions? Clearly they are great programs that provide a tremendous benefit to our community, but the same can be said for numerous groups and causes around town. So then why, in a time of limited philanthropic funds, should the A/E/C community come out in force to support these efforts? Well, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of competing in either, then you already know.

Both competitions do a fantastic job in paralleling the process of our chosen professions in creating the built environment. Each event requires that you select a team, strategize an approach, produce multiple iterations of design documents, perform constructability reviews, establish a budget, create a schedule and oh yea, execute the plan! Canstruction and Sand in the City are excellent forums for practicing the collaboration necessary to excel in our day-to-day work. Furthermore, they provide a platform for younger members of our firms to display their leadership and teamwork skills in a low stakes, design-build process that is strikingly similar to that of our professional endeavors. Finally, they create an atmosphere that is ripe for generating and fostering new and improved relationships with our built environment partners.

It is true that these events are a sizable undertaking. They require weeks of planning and a fair amount of resources to pull off effectively – and yes, you run the risk of cans falling down half way though, or a teammate backing into a formed and carved element of the sand sculpture – but the benefit of the experience and the industry friendships created are well worth the resources expended by any A/E/C firm willing to take on the challenge… and hey, in the end, win or lose, they both benefit great causes!

If you’d like to learn more about either event and how you can get involved, please visit and .

Eddie La Berge works in business development at Turner Construction. Contact him at elaberge@tcco.com.

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