Project name: WSU Vancouver Life Sciences Building

Location: Vancouver, Washington

Completion: April 2024

Size: 62,000 square feet including greenhouse and mechanical rooms

Cost: $57,055 000

Owner/Developer: Washington State University Vancouver

Architect: SRG + Cannon Design

Interior Designer: SRG + Cannon Design

Engineers: Catena Consulting Engineers, Affiliated Engineers, Samata Consulting Engineers

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Subcontractors: ABC, AIG, Andersen Finish Carpentry, Arctic, ASI, B&B Tile and Masonry, BMS, Cache Valley Electric, Cherry City Electric, Concrete Collaborative, Dallas Glass, Delta AV, Drake’s Striping & Painting, Floor Solutions, General Sheet Metal, Harver, JCI, JH Kelly, JS Perrott, MacDonald-Miller, McKinstry, Milwaukie Floors, MottLab, Otis, Portland Coatings, Prestige Tile, Prospiant/Argus, Sign Wizards, Stonhard, Superior Interiors, Teufel, Weitman Excavation, WPI

Washington State University Vancouver has opened its first new academic building in 11 years, a state-of-the-art life sciences facility that promises to transform research and education opportunities for students in STEM disciplines.

The 55,000-square-foot building, which earned LEED Gold certification, houses cutting-edge laboratories for neuroscience, molecular biology and nursing research, alongside specialized greenhouses and a vivarium space.

Funded primarily through a $57.1 million allocation from the Washington State Legislature, the $63.8 million project was completed with additional support from private donors and a $1 million contribution from the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation.

Andersen Construction collaborated with SRG as a design-build team, employing innovative building methods to reduce environmental impact. Among these was the use of mass plywood panels for exterior walls, which accelerated construction and lowered the building’s carbon footprint.

The prefabrication of the mass plywood walls helped create a safe worksite. Not only did this method reduce the number of on-site manhours for the installation, it allowed workers to install weather resistant barriers inside a protected facility and on the ground – reducing the need for trades to work in harnessing above ground. All exterior panels were installed in just two weeks, completing several days faster than anticipated.

The facility features fully automated greenhouses with ridge vents, sun shades, evaporative cooling systems and grow lamps for plant and butterfly research. A dedicated vivarium space maintains strict environmental controls to ensure research animal safety.

Energy efficiency was prioritized through a heat recovery chiller connected to campus heating and chilled water loops, helping the building meet Washington’s strict energy code requirements.

The project team achieved a 61 percent diversion rate of construction waste from landfills while incorporating low-carbon concrete to reduce embodied carbon emissions.

Site planning took advantage of the natural hillside grade, creating a more inviting entrance while preserving views from nearby buildings. This strategic design change saved nearly $1 million during preconstruction.

Indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, including lounges, study areas and plazas, provide collaborative environments for students and faculty.

The building’s design incorporated input from the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, resulting in the integration of native and indigenous plants across the landscape.

The project did not have MWESB requirements, but the team was committed to getting at least 20 percent participation. Andersen exceeded that goal, achieving 25 percent participation with 14 firms across design and trade partners.

The post WSU Vancouver Life Sciences Building appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Project name: Western Oregon University Steam Line Tunnel Design

Location: Monmouth

Completion: October 2024

Size: 1,000 square feet of steam line

Cost: $11 million

Owner/Developer: Western Oregon University

Engineers: KPFF, Systems West Engineers

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Systems West Engineers

Other Key Participants: City of Monmouth

Subcontractors: Emery & Sons Construction Group, MPP Piping

Western Oregon University has completed a major infrastructure upgrade, replacing approximately 1,000 feet of steam distribution line across campus using innovative technology that promises decades of reliable service.

Originally planned as a tunnel project, budget constraints forced engineers to pivot to a direct-bury system using cutting-edge stainless steel piping technology. The approach makes WOU only the second campus in Oregon to implement this system, following Oregon State University.

The stainless-steel system is expected to provide 25-40 years of service, significantly reducing lifecycle costs compared to conventional systems that typically need replacement every 25-30 years.

The project faced numerous challenges, including deep trenching requirements of approximately 10 feet and navigating decades-old underground infrastructure while maintaining precise alignment for the steam system. Work had to be completed during a compressed summer timeframe to minimize campus disruption.

One particularly difficult aspect involved a vault where steam at 245° F had been leaking for approximately 10 months, creating both safety issues and technical complications. When steam was shut off, the vault required nearly 10 days to cool down.

The collaboration between Systems West Engineers, KPFF Consulting Engineers, and Andersen Construction proved crucial in overcoming unforeseen obstacles. When facing sequencing challenges related to providing continuous service to the campus pool, a year-round facility, the team developed creative solutions that allowed the entire project to be completed in one phase.

The project also incorporated modern monitoring technology with sump pump alarms and monitoring systems in the vaults, enabling proactive maintenance. Safety improvements included replacing dangerous rebar ladders in existing vaults with proper aluminum ladders and covers.

The direct-bury approach proved remarkably cost-effective. The original tunnel concept would have cost approximately $8,000 per linear foot, allowing the university to address only about 40 percent of its steam distribution needs within the available budget. By switching to the stainless steel direct-bury system, the team completed the entire scope while staying within budget constraints.

The project remediated a failing pipe that had been leaking steam for approximately 10 months, eliminating wasteful energy loss and ensuring reliable heating for academic buildings and year-round operation of the campus pool.

The post Western Oregon University Steam Line Tunnel Design appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Project name: Legacy Silverton Emergency Department

Location: Silverton

Completion: March 2024

Size: 21,000 square feet

Owner: Legacy Health System

Architect: Clark/Kjos Architects

Interior Designer: Bainbridge

Engineers: KPFF, PCS Structural Solutions, PAE

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Subcontractors: Bell Hardware, Cash’s Drapery, Dallas Glass, DeaMor Associates, Empire Painting, Flynn, Green Mountain Excavation, McKinstry, Northside Electric, Paulson’s Flooring, Rexius, Salem Wood, Southland, SteelFab, WPI

Legacy Silverton Medical Center has completed the first phase of a major expansion project, fulfilling promises made when Legacy Health and Silverton Hospital joined forces in 2016.

The 20,000-square-foot addition to the hospital’s southwest corner includes a new entrance with a covered drop-off and pick-up area, expanded lobby and a modernized emergency department that increases capacity from 12 to 20 patient rooms.

The emergency department now features larger treatment bays and specialized rooms for trauma patients, cardiac care and women’s services. A new helicopter landing pad across the street enables faster transfers of critically ill patients to Portland facilities like Legacy Emanuel Medical Center and Randall Children’s Hospital.

Other improvements include a redesigned coffee shop, gift shop and volunteer greeter station in the lobby. The Family Birth Center received a new waiting room, and an All Faiths Chapel offers space for reflection and prayer. The project was made possible, in part, due to support from corporate and individual donors and the Silverton Health Foundation Board.

Andersen Construction led the project, which was completed in three phases to minimize disruption. Phase 1 involved site prep and demolition, and building a new parking lot so the existing lot could be used for construction staging. The new lot included the permanent helicopter pad. Phase 2 involved building the 20,000-square-foot addition. Phase 3 involved connecting the addition and making upgrades to the existing building.

The project employed innovative techniques including Pro-Press water pipe fittings instead of traditional copper soldering, enhancing safety by eliminating fire hazards. Building Information Modeling coordination optimized the integration of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

What sets this expansion apart is the hospital’s independent board structure, separate from Legacy Health, ensuring local voices remained central in decision-making.

The expansion has increased patient capacity by 10-15 percent, improving healthcare access while creating jobs and economic growth. Project leaders prioritized hiring local contractors, including Northside Electric, Dallas Glass and Bob Fencing.

As always, safety was a top priority on the site. Life safety consultants were used to engineer temporary partitions so that proper building separation could be maintained during construction of the new addition. The consultant verified that life safety was appropriate to keep construction noise, dust and hazards separate from the active side of the hospital. This required properly rated temporary walls and proper exiting to meet fire regulations.

The post Legacy Silverton Emergency Department appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Andersen Construction has won the contract to build a new hospital tower at Kaiser Permanente‘s Sunnyside Medical Center in Clackamas.

Construction of the seven-story, 615,000-square-foot facility will begin in early 2026. Site clearance is expected to begin late this year.

“During peak construction, more than 600 local tradespeople will be working on the project,” Kaiser Permanente spokeswoman Debbie Karman said in an email. “We prioritize partnering with local companies whenever possible, and are proud that the general contractor for our hospital tower project is a local company founded here in Portland.”

The tower is expected to open in 2029. Once the new tower is open, the existing tower will be replaced with parking, walkways and outdoor spaces, according to Kaiser Permanente.

Details of the contract were not available. Andersen referred questions to Kaiser Permanente.

The medical group announced the expansion in late March. The new tower will have all private patient rooms, in-room telemedicine capabilities and greater emergency room capacity.

The post Andersen Construction wins Clackamas hospital job appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Each year, the 91��Ƶ editorial staff compiles a list of the contractors, engineers and architects that are shaping skylines and redefining the industry through their outstanding work. This year’s Power Lists features 20 companies that are leading the AEC industry into 2023 (in no particular order).

GBD Architects

GBD Architects is behind some of Portland’s most recent mega-projects. Highlights include Block 216, a 35-story giant rising out of the city’s downtown; the eight-acre RiverPlace master plan development near the South Waterfront District; and the 30-story RiverPlace tower. The firm’s most recent large-scale work is a proposed 22-story tower in the Pearl District.

Andersen Construction

Andersen Construction has served as the contractor for several of Portland’s recent tall multifamily developments. Projects include Alta Art Tower, a 21-story, 314-unit mixed-use tower; the Sutton (previously “Fremont Place”), a 17-story apartment building; and the Alamo Manhattan Blocks that include a 23-story mixed-use tower and a six-story mixed-use building.

LEVER Architecture

LEVER Architecture is one of Portland’s leading architecture firms in mass timber with projects such as Albina Yard and Redfox Commons. Now it is turning this early innovation into a maturing excellence. The firm hit a significant milestone in 2022 when Portland’s Design Commission approved Sandy Pine, a planned 12-story mass-timber tower. If built, Sandy Pine will be the city’s tallest timber development.

ZGF Architects

As the largest architecture firm in Portland, ZGF Architects has taken on some of the city’s most high-profile projects. Recent highlights include the ongoing $1.95 billion Portland International Airport Main Terminal Core project that features a nine-acre timber roof as well as the PAE Living Building – poised to be the world’s largest commercial living building.

Carleton Hart Architecture

Carleton Hart Architecture is one of Portland’s most prominent firms for designing affordable housing developments. It is a cornerstone of the firm’s mission-driven focus. Projects in recent years have included Nesika Illahee, Mamook Tokatee and Red Rock Creek Commons. One of the firm’s most recent endeavors consists of the complete renovation of the Joyce Hotel in downtown Portland into permanent supportive housing.

PAE Engineers

PAE Engineers is the “brain” behind the recently completed PAE Living Building, which is slated to be the world’s largest living commercial building. Sustainable systems designed by PAE allow the four-story building in Portland to be primarily independent of any city systems. PAE also provided mechanical, electrical, fire protection and technology system design and engineering for the University of Oregon’s modernized Hayward Field, which recently hosted the World Track and Field Championships.

KPFF

KPFF is the engineering firm behind some of Oregon’s largest commercial projects – and more. Work includes Block 216, Oregon State University’s Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building (91��Ƶ Project of the Year 2021), Portland International Airport’s (PDX) Concourse E extension, and the PAE Living Building.

Howard S. Wright

Howard S. Wright is the general contractor behind the largest building in Portland since the U.S. Bancorp Tower – Block 216. At 844,117 square feet, the project will likely become the largest Portland building of its era. It will house 158,000 square feet of office space, a five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel with 215 rooms, and 138 residences.

Walsh ��DzԲ��ٰ��ܳ��پ��Dz���

Walsh Construction is the general contractor for many sustainable and complex projects and myriad affordable housing developments. The contractor recently constructed the four-story PAE Living Building, which required that every item be thoroughly researched and approved against a list containing the “worst in class” materials, chemicals and elements concerning human health and the ecosystem. More than 2,700 materials were vetted for the project.

LMC Construction��

Affordable housing has become a cornerstone of the Portland-metro development market. Many general contractors tackle such projects, but LMC Construction is behind most. More than two-thirds of the contractors’ work is building affordable homes. Projects include Red Rock Creek Commons, Nesika Illahee and Cathedral Village Apartments.

Hoffman Skanska JV

Hoffman-Skanska is the joint venture contractor formed to partly undertake the $2 billion modernization of Portland International Airport. At the heart of this endeavor is the $1.95 billion main terminal project that involves a new nine-acre, mostly cross-laminated-timber roof structure. The entire roof will weigh about 18 million pounds. A self-propelled modular transporter capable of carrying a submarine is being used to move each section into position. Officials anticipate the roof being fully installed soon and the entire terminal updated in 2025.

Kiewit

Kiewit Corp. is known for tackling projects that would be described as large, massive, and complex. All three terms represent the general contractor’s current undertaking with the Abernethy Bridge project that spans the Willamette River. The venture involves drilling more than 200 feet into the earth below the water to place new bridge foundations capable of withstanding a significant seismic event. It is the first major interstate freeway construction project in Oregon in nearly 45 years.

TVA Architects

TVA Architects is one of Oregon’s most high-profile firms, and few others have placed as large a stamp on the state. Projects include Park Avenue West, Fox Tower, and the University of Oregon’s basketball palace – Matthew Knight Arena. Most recently, the firm designed the Sutton (previously called “Fremont Tower”) – a 17-story residential tower under construction on the banks of the Willamette River.

R&H Construction

R&H Construction is building some of Portland’s largest multifamily developments. Projects include Freewell, Saltwood South and Tiller Terrace – a six-story, a 214-unit development in the Goose Hollow neighborhood. Recently, R&H broke ground on Splash Apartments – the first phase of the five-acre Pop Blocks development.

David Evans Enterprises

Oregon’s largest engineering firm, David Evans and Associates, has worked on a wide range of notable projects in the state. Recent highlights include the Newberg-Dundee Bypass, in which the firm designed two new bridges and seven support structures. DEA’s work on the Oneonta Tunnel rehabilitation project also earned . The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire severely damaged the tunnel and rendered it unusable until DEA’s work allowed it to reopen in spring 2021.

Harper Houf Peterson Righellis

Regarding transportation infrastructure improvements in Oregon, Harper Houf Peterson Righellis is one of the key players. The firm is behind the Clackamas Regional Center improvements, which involved widening a bridge that spans Interstate 205 at Sunnyside Road, as well as the Willamette Falls Drive streetscape improvements project that topped the transportation category for the 2022 ACEC Oregon Engineering Excellence Awards.

��Mortenson��

Mortenson is a general contractor with a long reputation in Oregon for building challenging and unique projects. Recently, the contractor has undertaken a significant renovation of the Multnomah County Behavioral Health Resource Center – a 116-year-old building in downtown Portland.

SERA Architects

SERA Architects has worked on some of Portland’s largest multifamily developments in recent years. Projects include Freewell, the Saltwoods, Tiller Terrace and more. Most recently, SERA drew up Slabtown Savier, a two-building multifamily project under construction in Northwest Portland.

BORA Architects

BORA Architects is behind several notable projects in Oregon, including the Cosmopolitan – a 28-story residential tower in Portland’s Pearl District and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact on the University of Oregon’s Eugene campus. One of the firm’s most recent undertakings is the modernization of Lincoln High School in Portland; It is one of the first high-rise schools west of the Mississippi River.

Swinerton��

Swinerton is a leading general contractor for mass-timber innovation in Oregon. Recent projects include the Wingspan Event and Conference Center in Hillsboro, Steeplejack Brewing in Portland, and Oregon State University-Cascades’ Edward J. Ray Hall in Bend.

Clarification: An earlier version of this story implied an incorrect association for Swinerton to the Beaverton Public Safety Center project. Swinerton was the mass-timber subcontractor for the project.

The post 91��Ƶ Power List 2023 appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

A worker found a noose at a Benson High School construction site on Saturday. It is the second one discovered on an Andersen Construction jobsite in the past 26 months.

The noose was discovered at around 9:45 a.m. by a trade partner of Andersen’s, said Brian Knudson, Andersen Construction’s regional vice president.

“It is with a heavy heart, extreme disappointment and hurt that we are reporting the discovery of a noose on our Benson High School jobsite Saturday, Aug. 13,” the company said in a statement. “The tradepartner immediately notified Andersen Construction. The scene was secured, Portland Police Bureau was notified and responded at 11:15 am. The FBI has been notified also.”

It is at least the second noose to be found on an Andersen Construction job since May 2020. The first was discovered at the Vanport Building (previously 4^th and Montgomery) site in downtown Portland. When the noose was found it was not until 20 days later that Andersen executives became aware of the incident — a Facebook post by an employee of another subcontractor notified them of it.

The incident launched the Safe from Hate initiative, a campaign to fight hate crimes and racial bias in the construction industry. Many of Portland’s industry executives, firms and groups have signed on to it – including Andersen Construction, which helped organize the effort.

Monday morning, Andersen Construction held a “stand down” at the Benson jobsite. Knudson said they gathered everyone on the site to make all aware of the situation and what options are available for support. A leaflet was distributed with a QR code and a hotline number where people can provide information anonymously.

Andersen is also offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the identification of the person or people who committed the act.

“We want to show that this is very important to us so we can stop this,” Knudson said.

Benson Tech is one of the most diverse high schools in Portland and largest with “equal numbers of white, Latino, African-American, and Asian American students,” Portland Public Schools says on its website.

The 100-year-old school is receiving a seismic retrofit and modernization. Crews broke ground in August 2021 and completion is expected in fall 2024.

The post Noose found on Benson High School construction site appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Portland State University and its partners have named a new building in memory of a tragic chapter in the region’s history.

The seven-story structure in south downtown previously known as Fourth and Montgomery has been renamed the Vanport Building. The name recognizes Vanport (now north Portland), a largely Black city that flooded on May 30, 1948, resulting in many residents’ deaths.

The 175,000-square-foot Vanport Building is a cooperative project of PSU, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland Community College and the city of Portland.

Vanport was a haven for Black Portlanders who were kept out of other local neighborhoods during World War II. But after the war ended and the flood devastated the neighborhood, Vanport fell into disrepair.

“Vanport represents an important part of Oregon history that we must acknowledge and learn from,” OHSU President Danny Jacobs stated in a news release. “The Vanport Building offers us an opportunity to honor those who were harmed, while reaffirming our commitment to creating an anti-racist future for Portland.”

A noose was found at the construction site in May 2020. The discovery of the racist symbol led general contractor Andersen Construction to file a police report and conduct an internal investigation, but the perpetrator has not been identified.

The building, designed by SRG Partnership, opened in January. It is home to PSU’s College of Education, the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Portland Community College’s dental hygiene and dental assisting programs and the city of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

A mural by Portland artist Alex Chiu and an exhibit by Bryan Potter Design, titled “The Spirit of Vanport,” occupy space near the building’s entrance.

“There’s a collective, deep sense of loss for what this city could have been had the flood not happened or, more importantly, if city leaders had rightly valued the community,” stated city Commissioner Carmen Rubio, who oversees the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. “We take a small step in honoring Vanport’s value, and in reminding ourselves to value all our communities every day, by choosing this name.”

The post Cooperative development named Vanport Building appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Transformation of an industry’s culture is a herculean task.

But Andersen Construction CEO Joel Andersen believes the construction industry can become one that rejects racism and discrimination, even if it takes a generation to do so fully. In Portland, that laborious process began with the launch of “Safe from Hate” – a contractor-led initiative developed in response to an incident on an Andersen Construction jobsite in which a rope noose was found hanging conspicuously.

Almost three weeks passed before Andersen Construction executives even became aware of the incident after it was reported. But then Andersen and others were spurred to seriously tackle the racism on jobsites that has been all too prevalent for far too long.

“We realize we have to do something to help try and transform our industry,” Andersen said. “If we keep doing what we’re doing, not only is nothing going to change – there is a good chance it gets worse.”

After the Metropolitan Alliance for Workforce Equity (MAWE), Oregon Tradeswomen, the National Association of Minority Contractors’ Oregon chapter (NAMC), the Urban League of Portland and other groups called for the contractor to explain what happened, Andersen realized there was an opportunity to do more than that.

“Everyone was hurt and frustrated, and rightfully so,” Andersen said. “But they were like, ‘Yes, we are absolutely willing to do something to make it better.”

A rapid response

The Safe from Hate campaign quickly attracted a wide variety of groups, including those involved in advocacy, the public sector, trade unions, designers and of course contractors and subcontractors. These groups have continued to meet for several months and reached agreement on four central pillars: 1, zero tolerance for discrimination; 2, education; 3, recruitment; and 4, advancement.

“They documented their commitment as owners, and all of this has really built momentum,” said Kelly Haines, a senior project manager with Worksystems and a MAWE representative. “We met every few weeks from that incident and we coauthored the pledge. From there, we know that’s just words on paper. So, to hold people true to that commitment, that’s what the alliance is meant to be – the implementation and the accountability.”

Then participants realized that such a large group needed to become smaller ones in order to foster more efficient communication. A steering committee was formed to oversee subcommittees comprised of apprentices, public owners, a labor caucus, subcontractors, trade associations, contractors, pre-apprenticeship training programs, public agencies and community-based organizations. The steering committee held its first meeting Feb. 4 and will continue on a monthly basis.

In addition, an executive council comprised of labor representatives will oversee the steering committee. This will also help guide future training and anti-discrimination efforts on the labor side.

“Everyone felt that those most impacted by jobsite culture needed to be leaders in that work,” Haines said. “So, everyone is essentially reporting back to that council. That’s the goal – to be a friendly competition, where everyone comes together and shares what they’re doing and coordinating.”

The Associated General Contractors‘ Oregon-Columbia chapter is serving alongside NAMC Oregon as a shepherd of sorts, providing guidance to help advance the entire process.

“The generals (contractors) … want to do the work individually to their companies, but they are looking at how you pull together as a structure, and that’s why they’re looking to us,” AGC Executive Director Mike Salsgiver said.

But there are no illusions that the work will be easy.

“I think even when you start to really think about what got us here, it was the noose,” said Nate McCoy, executive director of NAMC Oregon. “But what’s a bigger issue is the bias on the jobsites and who should be here and who shouldn’t.”

Building momentum

Jobsite racism affects Latinos as much as any other minority group. Further, they now represent around 30 percent of the construction workforce – a proportion that is growing.

“It’s always there,” said Leanna Petrone, executive director of trade association LatinoBuilt. “Discrimination and hateful acts against our community have been a huge barrier for Latinos.”

Incidents such as the noose are just the tip of the iceberg, Petrone said.

“There’s been a lot through the years, and it’s been this way as long as I can remember,” she said. “My father worked in trades, and he worked in a field, and it’s always been a segregated work environment. The white males tend to stick with their own kind. The women tend to stick with their own. The Latinos, generally men, stick with their own kind. They’re not really included.”

Safe from Hate is by no means the first attempt to address racism in the industry, McCoy said. The difference now is that participation is widespread.

“There have been many decades of conversation around this subject,” he said. “It’s just now the larger GCs are diving into it, which is totally what we want; we want to operate together.”

Haines, Oregon Tradeswomen Executive Director Kelly Kupcak and other industry figures have been working for some time to also implement Rise Up, Green Dot and other programs that aim to eliminate harassment and discrimination on jobsites. Safe from Hate simply builds upon those efforts, said Afton Walsh, community outreach director for Walsh Construction.

“This was in the works even before Safe from Hate,” she said. “So, to say this all started in June is wrong. There has been a lot of groundwork and a lot of work that the community has been doing for a long time.”

This process informed how Safe from Hate took shape, Walsh added.

“We spent months working on the language to make sure it was broad,” she said. “Each company has ways to implement these broader principles. We wanted everyone to join in the journey wherever they are, so it works for nonunion, union, large or small contractors. Everyone can use these as guiding principles to find where they fit in.”

Essentially safety

Kupcak said she and others have been in communication with the Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries about harassment on jobsites for some time. She hopes to eventually see enactment of regulations that treat discrimination as a formal health and safety issue enforceable by Oregon Occupational Safety and Health.

“We have shifted the way we approach it as an intervention,” she said. “OSHA convened a task force a couple of years ago about harassment, and we are part of that conversation. Not only do we lose really good people – they love their jobs; they just don’t want to deal with it day after day – but people have died.”

A quarter of a century ago, safety began to become an everyday focus for contractors and clients, Andersen said. It was a slow process, but one aided by acknowledgment that it benefited the entire industry. The effort to eradicate racism and discrimination is no different, he said.

“That was a vernacular that was easily understood; it’s part of the everyday DNA of every jobsite,” he said. “The idea to build upon that with the campaign of Safe from Hate was to say let’s just include that in the definition of safety.”

There is no question that discrimination in construction is fundamentally a matter of health and safety, according to parties involved in the Safe from Hate effort.

“It is absolutely a safety issue,” said Michael Burch, the community relations and outreach representative for the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents over 28,000 union carpenters in Oregon, Washington and four other states. “But it goes deeper than that.”

Beneath the surface

A crackdown on graffiti and casual use of racist language is just a start, Burch said. A broader effort must be made to recruit and retain people of color and women in the trades, he added.

“Instead of hiring folks and letting them languish out there, (firms’ leaders) need to be intentional about the leadership paths they put them on,” he said. “There’s a problem with porta potties and lunchrooms, but that’s low-hanging fruit, and we can do that. It’s a problem when you walk onto a construction site and there are 100 workers and they are all white males.”

Changing that is not only the right thing to do, Burch added, but also good for business. The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters implemented positive jobsite culture training some time ago, and Safe from Hate fits neatly within those parameters. The goal is to strengthen the workforce and increase the flow of skilled labor to contractors and jobsites.

“We talked to the apprentices about whether or not they would go back to work tomorrow and asked if they would enjoy it, and most said no, they go for the paycheck,” Burch said. “We spent 18 months developing this curriculum. It’s in the safety class, which all apprentices take, and it’s a training that goes to jobsites.”

The carpenters’ union has even made this training mandatory at its jobsites. Some members have participated multiple times.

“It works for a while, but it’s a marathon, because our work is transient,” Burch said. “They are on the site when the training happens; (then) their work ends and they are off to other areas, and it’s right back to business as usual. So, you have to continue to water those seeds that you planted.”

History shows organized labor is strongest, Burch added, when everyone – “Black, brown, BIPOC folks” – comes together.

“It keeps being pointed out that the industry is weaker because of the divisions, and we’ve done quite a bit of work in that area,” he said.

Optimism for change

In the end, this is only a start to what promises to be a long and potentially frustrating process. But in Portland, at least, a tipping point may have finally been reached.

“We are just beginning, but, man, does it feel exciting to be where we are,” Andersen said. “I say that with this mixture of ‘Here I am, a white guy pumped about what we’re doing.’ But the part that sickens me is, for so many of our peers in the industry and those who have found themselves not welcome, this has been their life’s existence. And we haven’t done enough.”

Open acknowledgment of the problem is encouraging, McCoy said.

“It’s a marathon and not a sprint, and some may not be as equipped or have the systems in place to wrestle with this reality that there is racism and discrimination, big time,” he said. “This is not the first attempt at this, but typically we don’t have the top dogs using their time in the room and saying, ‘It starts with us.’ Now we’ve got that commitment, and it’s a beautiful thing.”

Already, there are signs of progress. Haines noted that several months after the noose was discovered at the Andersen Construction jobsite, a similar incident occurred at a Hoffman Construction jobsite. This time, there was a much more serious response. It was treated like a crime scene, she said, and the person found responsible was removed from the project immediately and disciplined.

“Part of the work is we don’t want to sweep it under the rug, and we found that Hoffman reacted night and day differently than Andersen,” she said. “They shut the site down, called the police, and we have tried to share that example. It was a painter, and the union wrote a letter right away and said they won’t defend members who engaged in this behavior. It was a coordinated effort and transparent.”

That’s why Petrone and others are optimistic.

“I’m not sure it will take 30 years to really shift the way we think of our current jobsite culture here,” she said. “I think it can be done. It might take a Coca-Cola ad, but we’ve already seen awareness and change come in this short period of time.”

After all, it’s about working for a better industry.

“It can’t just take people that look like us,” said Twauna Hennessee, who will soon take over Burch’s position at the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters. “We need everyone not being afraid to speak truth and putting action behind what we hear.”

The post From an ugly incident to ‘a beautiful thing’ appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

Andersen Construction and Hermanson Company are inviting small and disadvantaged contractors to a virtual meet and greet at 1:30 p.m. on March 18.

The two large companies have noticed that more private projects have DMWESB (disadvantaged, minority-owned, woman-owned and emerging small business) requirements, said Melissa Tatro, relationship and business equity manager for Hermanson Company. As such, they’re eager to expand their lists of firms they can call upon for future projects.

Andersen Construction and Hermanson Company have worked together for 15 years. Most recently, they completed the $10 million Research Way laboratory building renovation for Oregon State University.

The event will open with a panel discussion about upcoming projects. Featured speakers will include Andersen Construction Executive Vice President Joel Rohrs and Business Relationship Manager Canaan Chatman as well as Hermanson Company Business Development Manager Dan Guglielmo and Tatro.

Trade partner CADD Connection LLC, an Albany-based company, will discuss its working relationship with Hermanson Company involving projects at Portland International Airport and Astoria schools.

MBE-certified firm PSA LLC of Kent, Washington, will discuss its six-year working relationship with Andersen Construction, including multiple large multifamily projects for the Seattle Housing Authority.

After the panel discussion, attendees will be able to ask each company about the scope of work and bidding opportunities for upcoming projects. To learn more, send an email to events@andersen-const.com.

The post Contractors seeking potential DMWESB connections appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.

A 175-foot-tall multifamily building project, years after surviving challenges from Pearl District neighbors, is advancing between Northwest Naito Parkway and the Willamette River.

Designed by TVA Architects for Lincoln Property Company, Fremont Place will ascend as high as 17 stories and hold 236 apartments above ground-floor retail space and amenity space.

General contractor Andersen Construction and subcontractors are getting ready to tackle the foundation. Pacific Foundation crews are installing over 100 steel pipe piles to support the building, while Andersen Structures Inc. workers prepare the necessary formwork.

DCI Engineers performed the structural engineering, which was complicated due to the riverfront location (1650 N.W. Naito Parkway).

“They are now working on the structural excavation, but we have fully excavated out to the elevation that’s needed to install all the steel pipe piles,” Andersen Construction project manager Katie Hoyt said. “We have an initial foundation permit, which is approved and signed off, and then we’re very close to getting the remainder of the building permits from the city.”

The Portland Design Commission approved the design for Fremont Place in 2018, but that decision was appealed to the City Council by the Pearl District Neighborhood Association. That appeal was at first upheld, but then reversed by the City Council, allowing the project to finally move forward.

The new building will have one level of below-grade parking featuring car stackers. The ground floor will have bike storage, two artist studios and a commercial space with an outdoor patio connected to an adjacent greenway. Meanwhile, the upper levels will have a mix of studios, one-bedroom units and two-bedroom units, with lounges and roof terraces on the second and seventh levels.

The massing, designed to minimize view obstructions for neighboring buildings to the west, steps down as the structure approaches the river. The full 17-story height is reached in the northwest corner, with eight stories on the northeast podium and six stories on the southwest podium.

Exterior materials will include brick pillars, curtain wall and storefront window systems on the ground floor, a window wall system on upper floors, fiber cement panels and metal panels.

The riverfront soil led to a unique foundation design, Hoyt said.

“From the middle of the building out to the river it’s been very sandy,” she said. “And then it starts to be a mix of sand and your typical soils we encounter right around the railroad tracks.”

Along the building’s east face, closest to the river, deep soil mixing was used to construct the below-grade retention wall. On the south and the west there is standard shoring and lagging walls; on the north there is a laid-back wall. Shotcrete will be the main material for the vertical walls below grade.

“And we have over 100 steel pipe pile, which per design are supposed to go down 106 linear feet,” Hoyt said, noting that the piles arrived on site via a barge equipped with a crane. “But it’s going 25 or 30 feet beyond that so that it hits bedrock.”

Initial excavation started in October 2020. Crews are expected to require 25 months to reach substantial completion. Westech Construction did the excavation work. Subcontractors currently on site include Ocean Park Mechanical, Bergelectric and Patriot Fire Protection. All are performing below-grade work at present in preparation for the first of three large foundation concrete pours.

“They’re putting sewers in, getting conduit ready for electrical – that kind of stuff,” Hoyt said. “And our (project engineers) are working on submittals for all the exteriors.”

The post Project team leaves controversy in the dust appeared first on Daily Journal of Commerce.