Project name: The Heist Bar & Food Carts

Location: Portland

Completion: November 2024

Size: 6,330 square feet

Owner/Developer: Michael Shall

Architect: Brett Schulz Architect

Interior Designer: Amato Design

Engineers: Froelich Engineers, DCI Engineers

General Contractor: Built Environments Northwest

Submitting Company: Brett Schulz Architect

Other Key Participants: Owen Gabbert (Phase 1 food cart pod general contractor)

Subcontractors: A Better Door, A-Line Concrete Cutting, Als Concrete, Bartel Contracting, Baxter & Flaming, Carlson Testing, Cojon, Contract Flooring Consultants, D&R Masonry, Evolution Plumbing, Express Fire, McDonald & Wetle, Prime Electrical, Rack Attack, Second Mile, VZ Excavation, Viking Heating & Sheetmetal, WH Cress

A 1950s bank building that once experienced a real-life heist has been transformed into one of Portland’s most distinctive dining destinations.

The Heist Bar & Food Carts, which completed its indoor space renovation in November 2024 following the May 2023 opening of its outdoor food cart pod, represents a creative approach to adaptive reuse that preserves the building’s mid-century character while creating an interactive community gathering space.

The project team wanted to take the typical food cart pod one step further and create an experience where community, food and art combined for a stellar experience. The Heist  features a large indoor seating area that is a higher end experience and shakes up the preconceived notions of what a food cart pod looks and feels like.

The renovation embraces the building’s banking history throughout its design. The original bank vault has been converted into an interactive art room, the ATM window now serves as an order window for a coffee shop, and safety deposit boxes have been repurposed for the bar and “The Heist” wall sign. The original check writing counter was used to create a seating element. Custom design elements further the banking theme, including penny flooring in the vestibule, railings featuring currency symbols from around the world, and deposit box signage on the walls.

The project faced significant structural challenges, requiring full seismic upgrades to the unreinforced masonry building that had a heavy timber roof structure. Designers implemented a solution using concrete shear walls with large footings and an endoskeleton of steel columns and ceiling rods.

Another challenge involved keeping the outdoor food cart pod operational during construction of the main building. This required comprehensive safety protocols including strategic barriers, controlled access points and scheduling high-risk tasks during off-hours.

The completed facility features space for 21 food carts outside, plus indoor amenities including a bar, coffee shop, arcade, and ample seating. Family-friendly elements include an interactive vault, game room and aquarium. The property is also notably pet-friendly, with water stations throughout.

Built Environments Northwest served as general contractor for the privately funded project, with Brett Schulz Architect handling design and Amato Designs managing interior elements. Owner Michael Shall developed the initial vision for the project.

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Project name: Columbia County – John Gumm Building Adaptive Reuse

Location: St. Helens

Completion: September 2024

Size: 28,400 square feet

Cost: $10,589,883

Owner/Developer: Columbia County

Architect: Emerick Architects

Engineers: Shutte Consulting Engineers, Lower Columbia Engineering, System Design Consultants

General Contractor: Bremik Construction

Submitting Company: Bremik Construction

Other Associates/Key Consultants: Ameresco, Mike DeRoia (building inspector), Meritus Consulting, Columbia Economic Team, Columbia-Pacific Economic Development District, Columbia County Small Business Development Center, Columbia County Historical Society and Museum

Subcontractors: A-Line Concrete Cutting, All In One Mobility, Authority Dock & Door, B & B Tile Masonry, Brandsen Hardwood Floors, Brightservice Cleaning, Building Material Specialties, Cedar Landscape, Chosen Wood Window Maintenance, COSCO Fire Protection, Culver Glass, Custom Source Woodworking, District Painting, Duke Construction and Excavation, Eagle Striping Services, Elite Steel Products, Floor Factors, Huntco Supply, Interior Technology, IRS Environmental of Portland, MB Structures, McDonald & Wetle, Northwest Masonry Restoration, OEG, Pioneer Sheetmetal, Portland Millwork, RC Building Specialties, Scaffold Erectors, Sign Wizards, Stewart Mechanical, T.F.T. Construction, Western Partitions, Zavala

After sitting vacant for more than two decades, the historic John Gumm Building has been transformed into a vibrant community hub through an ambitious 16-month restoration project.

Originally built in 1919 as St. Helens Elementary School, the nearly century-old structure required extensive work to address unique structural challenges. The building was discovered to be sitting directly on a bedrock shelf with no footing, a common condition for buildings of that era. However, it was constructed on two different shelf levels, creating a 2-foot elevation difference in the basement floor. One of the most unusual conditions was the retaining wall footing at the back of the building. When excavation hit a bedrock shelf, preventing the footing from reaching correct elevation, contractors had to epoxy 204 dowels into the bedrock to anchor the new footing – a rare and complex engineering solution that required significant planning and collaboration.

Fitting a new elevator into the existing structure also posed a major challenge. The historical layout did not accommodate ADA and headroom clearance requirements, necessitating precise adjustments while preserving structural stability.

The renovation team, led by Bremik Construction, focused on preserving key historical elements while implementing modern upgrades. Original wood casement windows were repaired, the front entry door and relights were reused, and the auditorium was restored to its original state by removing an added balcony and repositioning the stage.

Seismic retrofitting was a critical component, incorporating steel braces, shear walls and reinforced concrete foundations to ensure the building could withstand seismic activity without compromising its architectural character.

The project also faced challenges integrating modern systems into the historic framework. In one instance, the project team had to install a large HVAC unit in the basement through a concrete wall with only half-inch clearance on each side, then maneuver it over a 4-foot-deep pit and lower it into place using approved shoring and support systems.

The newly revitalized building now serves multiple community functions. The first floor features a 1,700-square-foot auditorium for public meetings, a catering kitchen, office space for economic organizations and a new 1,400-square-foot museum. The basement and upper floors house Columbia County departments.

By balancing preservation with modernization, the John Gumm Building has been successfully transformed into a functional, accessible space while preserving its historical essence for future generations, once again standing as a cornerstone of the St. Helens community.

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