�ճ����Oregon Concrete & Aggregate Producers Association (OCAPA) and the Oregon chapter of the American Concrete Institute (OACI) celebrated the top projects in their industry during the 46th annual Excellence in Concrete Awards banquet on May 1 at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.

In addition, the organizations recognized Jim Lang of LaRusso Concrete with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lang has worked in the concrete industry for more than 40 years. Originally based in Denver, he moved to Seattle and then Portland, serving in various capacities with LaRusso from apprentice, cement mason and foreman, to superintendent, branch manager, president, owner and board chair.

In 1996, Lang opened LaRusso’s Portland branch, and in 2007 he purchased the company; he later sold it to his employees in 2018. He stayed on as president until retiring in 2023, and he remains the acting board chair.

Lang was a member of the Local 555 union his entire career. He was involved with OACI for several years in various roles, including as a board member, committee member and examiner. He is known for advocating for training and education of the next generation of leaders.

In addition, owners, architects, engineers, concrete suppliers, contractors and concrete finishers were recognized for their projects in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Projects were recognized for sustainability, innovation and design.

Eight category winners were selected:

Bridges

Project: US 97 & US 20 Bend North Corridor – Flyover Bridge, Bend

Owner/developer: state of Oregon

Engineer: Kiewit

General contractor: Kiewit

Concrete contractor: Marcum & Sons

Ready-mix supplier: Knife River

Decorative

Project: Inlow Hall Grand Staircase at Eastern Oregon University, LaGrande

Owner/developer: Eastern Oregon University

Engineer: AHBL

Architect: Peter Meijer Architect

General contractor: Garco Construction

Ready-mix supplier: RD Mac LaGrande Ready-Mix

Education

Project: Reed College Sports Center, Portland

Owner/developer: Reed College

Engineer: KPFF

Architect: ZGF Architects

General contractor: Fortis Construction

Concrete contractor: Pence/Kelly Concrete

Ready-mix supplier: Glacier Northwest/CalPortland

Concrete finishing: LaRusso Concrete

Additional contributor: R2M2 Rebar & Stressing

Infrastructure

Project: Palensky Highway 30 Wildlife Underpass, Portland

Owner/developer: Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce

Engineer: Murraysmith

Architect: Murraysmith

General contractor: Moore Excavation Inc.

Concrete contractor: Whitaker/Ellis Builders

Ready-mix supplier: CalPortland

Concrete finishing: Whitaker/Ellis Builders

Low-rise

Project: QTS HIL2 – DC2, DC3, DC5, Hillsboro

Owner/developer: QTS

Engineer: Peoples Associates Structural Engineers (PASE)

Architect: Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects

General contractor: HITT Contracting

Concrete contractor: Whitaker/Ellis Builders

Ready-mix supplier: CalPortland

Concrete finishing: Whitaker/Ellis Builders

Mid-rise

Project: Waterfront Block 7 Parking, Vancouver, Washington

Owner/developer: Gramor Development

Engineer: JWSE Structural Engineers

Architect: International Parking Design

General contractor: Robertson & Olson Construction

Concrete contractor: Marion Construction

Ready-mix supplier: CalPortland

Concrete finishing: Industrial Concrete

Paving & Flatwork

Project: Cottage Grove Main Street Revitalization, Cottage Grove

Owner/developer: city of Cottage Grove

Engineer: Branch Engineering

Architect: Dougherty Landscape Architects

General contractor: Wildish Construction

Concrete contractor: Wildish Construction

Ready-mix supplier: RiverBend Materials, a CRH Company

Concrete finishing: Wildish Construction

Repair & Restoration

Project: DAS Executive Building Renovation, Salem

Owner/developer: state of Oregon

Engineer: KPFF

Architect: SERA Architects

General contractor: Pence Contractors

Concrete contractor: Pence/Kelly Concrete

Ready-mix supplier: WCP

Concrete finishing: LaRusso Concrete

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1.

Winner (intent to award): Canby Excavating Inc. of Canby

Amount: $6,603,079

Project: 1911/1936 Sanitary Sewer I/I Abatement Phase 6 (Hillsboro)

Owner: City of Hillsboro

Cost estimate: $5,500,000 to $6,500,000

Project team: Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc.

2.

Winner (intent to award): Carter & Co. Inc. of Salem

Amount: $3,045,292

Project: I-5: Marquam Bridge – SW Terwilliger Blvd. (Multnomah County)

Owner: Oregon Department of Transportation

Cost estimate: not available

Project team: DKS Associates

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3.

Winner (intent to award): Pacific North Construction LLC of McMinnville

Amount: $1,769,120

Project: Emergency Water Transmission Intertie (Forest Grove)

Owner: City of Forest Grove

Cost estimate: $2,600,000 to $3,300,000

Project team: not available

4.

Winner (contract awarded): Midway Underground LLC of Toledo, Washington

Amount: $1,736,035

Project: Shorey Road MP 0.598 to MP 0.618 Long Term Bank Stabilization (Lewis County, Washington)

Owner: Lewis County

Cost estimate: $1,500,000 to $1,800,000

Project team: not available

5.

Winner (contract awarded): Miles Resources LLP of Puyallup, Washington

Amount: $1,040,564

Project: I-5, 54^th Ave to N of 20^th St E – HMA Replacement and Paving (Pierce County, Washington)

Owner: WSDOT Contract & Award Office

Cost estimate: $1,250,000 to $1,500,000

Project team: not available

Do you want to be the winner of an upcoming Top Bidders project? Then join the 91��Ƶ Project Center to find, track and bid on your next project. For a free tour, or more information on monthly and annual rates, contact Sharlene Richard at 503-802-7252 or srichard@djcOregon.com.

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A weekly compilation of the largest winning bids in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Daily Journal of Commerce Project Center.

1.

Winner (intent to award): Lawson Corp. of Carlton

Amount: $7,860,000

Project: Brookman Trunk Sewer Extension (Sherwood)

Owner: Clean Water Services

Cost estimate: $10,500,000

Project team: Shannon & Wilson Inc., AKS Engineering & Forestry

2.

Winner (intent to award): Hawk Mechanical of Monroe, Washington

Amount: $2,964,384

Project: Mechanical Construction Work Order 2024-2025 (King County, Washington)

Owner: King County

Cost estimate: $3,000,000

Project team: not available

3.

Winner (intent to award): Tapani Inc. of Battle Ground, Washington

Amount: $2,494,942

Project: Groundwater Development Project Package No. 9 (Gresham)

Owner: City of Gresham Department of Environmental Services

Cost estimate: $2,773,000

Project team: Water Systems Consulting Inc.

4.

Winner (intent to award): McClure & Sons Inc. of Wilsonville

Amount: $2,126,384

Project: Carkeet Wet Weather Treatment Station Dechlorination System (Seattle)

Owner: King County

Cost estimate: $1,949,200

Project team: not available

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5.

Winner (intent to award): Rocky Mountain Construction LLC of Klamath Falls

Amount: $872,620

Project: 2024 Shasta Way Sidewalk Improvements (Klamath County)

Owner: Klamath County

Cost estimate: $685,000 to $760,000

Project team: not available��

Do you want to be the winner of an upcoming Top Bidders project? Then join the 91��Ƶ Project Center to find, track and bid on your next project. For a free tour, or more information on monthly and annual rates, contact Sharlene Richard at 503-802-7252 or srichard@djcOregon.com.

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Otak Inc., a Portland-based multidisciplinary firm, has named Raul Aviles Jr. its new chief executive officer. The appointment took effect on Nov. 27, 2023.

Aviles is a professional engineer and executive leader. He has more than 30 years of experience in the general management of architecture, engineering, and construction infrastructure firms. He most recently served as president of BRPH, a 200-plus-person employee-owned firm. Prior to that, he was chief operating officer and a corporate vice president for Latin America operations at AECOM.

Aviles has served in multiple roles in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education organizations, encouraging women and minorities to consider careers in such fields. His experience includes serving as a Grand Jury member for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona, and as a professional interviewer for the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management admissions. He also sponsored Reinvented Magazine’s Space Gala – a celebration of women in STEM careers.

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Commissioner Dan Ryan, who oversees Portland Parks & Recreation, has allocated $59.8 million in additional system development charges to accelerate the construction timeline of the new North Portland Aquatic Center. Now, $91.5 million of the $102 million estimated project cost is secured.

The project, currently in the planning phase, will bring to a facility expected to be transformative for the neighborhood and North Portland: Approximately 70,000 people – including roughly 18,000 people of color and around 11,000 people earning low incomes – will have a place to learn to swim, participate in water aerobics, or swim laps.

The aquatic center is one of PP&R’s largest investments in the past 30 years. The funding allocation means that the center’s design process is moving forward, as are PP&R’s community engagement efforts. PP&R anticipates having a new design team on board in spring 2024. After the project team is secured, the schedule is expected to be updated.

After the Northgate Park site was selected this past summer, PP&R updated the cost estimates for the aquatic center and refined its size to the site parameters. In addition to the SDC funds recently announced, $16.6 million in SDCs and $15 million from a state grant were previously allocated to the project.

Park SDCs are one-time fees assessed on new development, not tax dollars from the general fund. Current state law restricts allocation of SDC resources to only improvements that will expand the capacity of the parks and recreation system and not maintenance or repairs of current assets.

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By Ryan C. Hall, Miller Nash LLP

More than two years removed from the first reported case of Covid-19 in the United States, the construction industry continues to cope with the pandemic’s lasting effect on the costs of new construction projects. These impacts include soaring construction material costs, a diminishing supply of construction labor, and lingering disruptions to supply chain channels. Together, these forces resulted in skyrocketing construction costs across both the commercial and residential construction landscape.

As a consequence, project owners and construction contractors have exercised a new degree of vigilance, closely monitoring and documenting claims for increased project costs. This new landscape has often fostered an adversarial dynamic on projects, with both owners and contractors facing unprecedented pressures to track construction spending and cut costs where possible. More than ever, cost concerns have become an issue of contention before, during, and after project completion.

This dynamic between owner and contractor will face new challenges ahead as costs become less predictable, potentially returning to near pre-pandemic levels. Recent trends concerning construction material costs demonstrate extraordinary volatility, with the cost of lumber dropping from $1,400 per 1,000 board feet in March 2022 to $640 per 1,000 board feet in May 2022. This decrease comes on the heels of lumber prices reaching an all-time high, topping $1,500 per 1,000 board feet in May 2021.

Although unpredictable material costs have the potential to create animosity between an owner and contractor, they can also be an opportunity for the parties to pursue mutually beneficial cost savings on projects where the contractor is paid for the cost of the work plus the contractor’s fee. This can be accomplished through the addition of a shared savings clause to the parties’ contract.

A shared savings clause is an agreement between the owner and contractor providing that the contractor will be paid a percentage of the difference between the actual construction costs incurred, plus the contractor’s fee, and the guaranteed maximum price. These clauses can be either simple or detailed, depending on the parties’ needs. While the language of a shared savings clause should be specifically tailored to the needs of both the parties and the project, an example of a basic clause is as follows:

* Upon final completion of the Work, if the total Contract Sum is less than the final Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP), then the difference between the GMP and Contract Sum (the “Savings”) will be divided among Owner and Contractor as follows: (a) 50% of the Savings will be retained by Owner, and (b) 50% of the Savings will be paid to Contractor.

Shared savings clauses have many benefits. First, they incentivize the contractor to monitor and control construction costs, as the contractor has the opportunity to recognize a direct financial benefit from any cost savings realized on the project. The greater the percentage of the cost savings that the contractor will receive, the more likely that the contractor will be motivated to pursue cost savings. This demonstrates another key benefit of a shared savings clause: it provides flexibility by allowing the parties to negotiate the percentage of the cost savings that will flow to the contractor. During contract negotiations, a contractor may be willing to concede its position on other contested contractual provisions in exchange for an increase in its share of the cost savings, and the same is true for the owner.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, a shared savings clause ensures that both the owner and contractor are working toward the same goal: the delivery of a completed project that is within, if not below, budget. This not only increases the likelihood of cost savings on the project, but it also can help reduce claims between the owner and the contractor and ensure that they maintain a cooperative, amicable working relationship. Given the constantly evolving pressures in today’s construction industry, this is an invaluable benefit.

That is not to say that a shared savings clause is without its drawbacks. While a shared savings clause may help foster a collaborative working relationship between the owner and general contractor, it may also motivate the general contractor to take a more forceful approach with its subcontractors, given that a subcontractor’s failure to complete its scope of work on time and on budget may negatively impact the general contractor’s ability to share in any cost savings. Likewise, disagreements may arise as to the calculation and timing of payments under a shared savings clause, prompting the need for careful drafting and clear expectations between the parties.

Project owners and construction contractors should therefore have legal counsel review their construction contracts and evaluate whether a shared savings clause would be appropriate under the circumstances. While such a clause may not be necessary on every project, it can be highly beneficial if utilized and drafted correctly.

Ryan C. Hall is a construction and insurance recovery attorney with Miller Nash LLP. He focuses his practice on commercial construction litigation and insurance recovery disputes, and he also has experience with both transactional and general business matters. Ryan can be reached by phone at 503-205-2394 or by email at ryan.hall@millernash.com.

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Tom Kelly is preparing to retire as president of design-build remodel and home improvement company Neil Kelly after 43 years with the firm.

Under Kelly’s leadership, Neil Kelly has become the largest design-build remodeling firm in the United States, with sales totaling $55 million in 2021. The firm has more than 200 employees that work out of offices in Portland, Eugene, Bend and Seattle.

Dan Watson, currently Neil Kelly’s chief financial officer, will take on the role of president and assume day-to-day leadership responsibilities in the middle of this year, when the company will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Kelly will become chairman of Neil Kelly’s board of directors.

“I am handing the company to a great leadership team and the best employees anywhere,” Kelly stated in a news release.

Kelly’s father, Neil Kelly, started the remodeling company in 1947 in the basement of his Portland home with a $100 investment and a commitment to quality, value and client satisfaction. Tom Kelly grew up working in the family business. His son, Garret, followed suit and now serves as the company’s vice president of production.

“Tom is in a class of his own,” Kathy Long Holland, Neil Kelly’s board director, stated in the news release. “He is innovative, curious and supportive of new ideas. During the challenges of these past two years driven by COVID, Tom has been a stalwart, supporting his employees and customers. He has put a plan in place for his succession to ensure a bright future for the company.”

Board member Julia Spence added in the news release, “Tom’s courage to be innovative, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his ability to listen to smart people helped the company become one of the first certified B Corporations in Oregon, becoming a leader in solar installations, and incorporating many other steps toward environmental sustainability.”

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Angelo Planning Group (APG) has joined MIG Inc., deepening and expanding MIG’s planning services in the Pacific Northwest. The combined firm, MIG | APG, will provide a full range of services, from planning and design to zoning and development codes, for both public and private sector clients.

“Our firms share a belief that the spaces we inhabit shape us in profound ways,” Daniel Iacofano, president and chief executive officer of MIG, said in a news release. “With our shared set of values and great client service, we’re proud to combine MIG and APG’s efforts in creating equitable, strong and thriving communities.”

MIG has offices in Portland, Seattle, and several other cities across the West. It is known for inclusive and participatory planning, design, community engagement, and communications services that bring diverse communities and perspectives together. The firm focuses on equitable outcomes that promote shared prosperity and well-being in communities of all sizes throughout the region and across the country.

Portland-based APG is a leader in urban and community planning, widely recognized for its strong technical planning expertise and experience working with complex land use and transportation issues in the Pacific Northwest.

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Periodic closures of the Yaquina Bay (Newport) and Astoria-Megler (Astoria) bridges will begin March 2 as part of an effort to relocate cormorants. The bridges will be under construction for protection work and painting this summer. Birds are being encouraged to find other nesting spots.

On March 2, traffic will be held for no more than 20 minutes on the Astoria-Megler Bridge for the first test of the cormorant relocation techniques, according to an Oregon Department of Transportation news release. Daytime closures may continue intermittently through mid-June on the Yaquina Bay Bridge and until September on the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

Staff from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will use a mixture of light and sound to discourage birds from nesting on the bridges. Techniques include sound cannons that make a loud bang noise and small projectiles that make different noises combined with flashes of light.

Bridge travelers will not be able to see crews at work but may hear the sounds. People nearby may see people on the bridge underdeck using the equipment and see birds scattering. The exact timing, frequency and techniques involved will be adjusted as the work proceeds and as staff learn more about how the cormorants respond. Crews may be seen on the bridges at night. The work will not interfere with river navigation.

The more than 8,000-bird cormorant population on the Astoria-Megler Bridge has doubled during the past decade, coating bridge sections with excrement and tightly spaced nests. This leaves bridge surfaces slippery and makes the biennial inspections more difficult. In addition, the excrement is corrosive and harmful to the protective paint. Painting the 4.1-mile bridge takes 12 years. Final phase work — recoating the deck trusses outside of the main span — began in September. The entire project began in 2016 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024.

Several hundred cormorants currently nest in the center span of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. The current protection and repair project will involve working in the center of the bridge this summer. As the birds leave the bridge, containment structures will be built.

Similar efforts were done on the Interstate Bridge in Portland to deter starlings damaging the structure with their droppings. Sound cannons and projectiles were set off on an irregular schedule so the birds would not become accustomed to the noise. The effort was successful and the cannons have not been needed recently, according to ODOT.

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