Project name: Tanglewood Hills Condominiums

Location: Lake Oswego

Completion: May 2024

Size: 187,000 square feet

Cost: $11,661,278

Owner/Developer: Tanglewood Hills Condominiums Association

Architect: J2 Building Consultants

Engineer: J2 Building Consultants

General Contractor: I&E Construction

Submitting Company: I&E Construction

Other Key Participants: Energy Trust of Oregon, City of Lake Oswego, Tanglewood Hills Homeowners Association

Subcontractors: Dynamic Exteriors, M&X Construction, Railpro, Santiago Concrete

A 158-unit condominium complex has undergone a complete transformation, bringing decades-old buildings up to modern standards while preserving their original character.

The Tanglewood Hills Condominiums project involved the re-cladding of 36 buildings in a mature residential community, requiring extensive demolition down to bare studs followed by installation of modern materials. The buildings had been neglected for decades. With outdated 2×4 construction, there was no insulation or modern heating systems.

Workers encountered significant challenges including dry rot and structural damage. In one instance, crews replaced a 26-foot beam on one of the top floors by temporarily shoring up the roof and working with precision to stabilize the structure.

Nearly 80 percent of each building was inaccessible by traditional machinery. The construction team completed the work manually, relying on scaffolding, ladders and hand-pack methods to transport materials in and out of the buildings. Materials often were hoisted to upper levels with ropes or manually carried up flights of stairs.

The renovation addressed multiple code compliance issues, adding fire-rated sheeting, exterior insulation, and a rainscreen system. Workers also replaced outdated windows and massive 18-foot-wide sliding glass doors on each unit’s back deck. Since no sliding door manufacturer produced performance-grade doors of this size, the I&E Construction team replaced the doors with a configuration of a central sliding door flanked by picture windows on each side. This intricate demo, reframing and installation was completed in just a single eight-hour workday per building.

A partnership with the Energy Trust of Oregon secured significant rebates for window and door replacements, reducing costs for the homeowners association.

The project team collaborated with the city to protect 151 mature trees surrounding the complex, developing specialized protection measures for both trees and their roots.

Workers rebuilt multiple stairways within eight-hour shifts to minimize disruption for residents who continued to occupy the units throughout construction. Weekly HOA meetings kept residents informed and addressed concerns.

Beyond structural improvements, the renovation provided significant energy efficiency upgrades. Prior to renovation, units relied on inefficient Cadet heaters and fireplaces. The project team also arranged discounted rates on energy-efficient heat pumps for homeowners.

Project leaders estimate the improvements will substantially reduce utility costs for residents while increasing property values. The upgrades have extended the buildings’ lifespans, ensuring the community remains viable for future generations.

Despite unexpected challenges and adding unplanned scope, the team completed the project on schedule and on budget.

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Project name: Embassy Condominiums

Location: Portland

Completion: September 2024

Size: 12,000 square feet

Cost: $4.9 million

Owner/Developer: Embassy Condominium Owners Association

Engineer: Edward Crabaugh Engineering Consulting

General Contractor: I&E Construction

Submitting Company: I&E Construction

Subcontractors: D&F Plumbing, NW Scaffold, Oswego Drywall

A century-old structure on Northwest Flanders Street received a new lease on life as crews completed a delicate plumbing renovation at the Embassy Condominiums while preserving its historical character.

The comprehensive project replaced all above-grade plumbing supply and waste lines in the occupied building, requiring workers to navigate unique challenges including unusual wall construction and lead containment issues.

One of the most significant hurdles the project team faced was the issue of lead containment. Because of the building’s age, lead-based materials were present in areas like paint, plaster, and finishes. Crews implemented a mobile lead containment system featuring negative air pressure to prevent contamination. Workers wore protective coveralls and respirators while constructing modular containment areas that could be transported between units.

An unexpected challenge emerged when workers discovered the building’s walls were constructed with metal lath and plaster rather than traditional wood framing. This required installing new metal framing inside walls to properly secure drywall. This was highly unusual, even for a building of its age, and required a complete reassessment of the team’s approach.

Restoring a structure of this age required an exceptional level of precision. Preserving original elements like the century-old switchboards, terrazzo floors, and vintage bathroom and kitchen tiles presented unique challenges. For example, repairing terrazzo is a specialized skill, as only a few craftsmen can perform this intricate work. The project team took great care to protect these elements, ensuring that restoration was done without compromise.

With residents living in the building throughout the renovation, work was carefully planned to minimize disruption. Since each unit had only one bathroom, crews ensured new fixtures were installed and operational by day’s end.

The project also addressed long-standing issues with the building’s aging infrastructure. A modern hot water recirculation system was installed, delivering hot water faster throughout the building while improving energy efficiency.

During renovation, workers encountered sewer gas buildup in a confined space, prompting immediate safety measures including temporary exhaust systems to eliminate the hazardous buildup.

The restoration required exceptional customer service. The building had been awaiting restoration for more than six years, making communication with residents crucial. The team realized that restoring a century-old building can be a deeply emotional process for residents. From the beginning, contractors focused on fostering trust, keeping residents informed, and promptly addressing concerns.

“The Embassy Condominiums restoration project is a true testament to the power of innovative problem-solving and craftsmanship,” said Mitchell McBride, I&E Construction project manager/estimator, in the project nomination form. “By balancing the preservation of historic elements with modern upgrades, we’ve not only ensured the building’s long-term functionality but also revitalized a cherished piece of the community’s history.”

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Design commissioners on Thursday suggested significant changes to a developer’s proposal for a mass-timber multifamily project near Forest Park in Northwest Portland.

Noel Johnson, an independent local developer, is proposing to build 13 structures containing 219 total multifamily units at Northwest 29th Avenue and Nicolai Street. Each building would have 16 to 19 units.

The development, known as Northbound 30 Collaborative, would be a companion to Johnson’s adjacent Wilson Forest Park Townhomes; construction of its final units is nearly complete. Both developments feature low-slung residences made from cross-laminated timber, but they have distinct investors and are separate legal entities.

Eight of the Northbound 30 (NB30) buildings were previously approved, with designs by Waechter Architecture and Jones Architecture. On Thursday, Johnson sought design advice for five additional buildings designed by Leeb Architects. The site gained room for more buildings after the Northwest Children’s Theater and School found a downtown location that better suited the organization’s needs, Johnson said.

The Design Commission awarded the previous design for NB30 a citation for design excellence. The newly proposed buildings still need some work, commissioners said Thursday.

“I don’t think the design of the new buildings fits in with the design of the previous buildings,” Commissioner Jessica Molinar said. “I think it’s just too many moves.”

Commissioner Don Vallaster agreed.

“This thing doesn’t work for me,” he said. “This thing has to be simplified. … It’s too dense, it’s confusing and it muddles the whole concept.”

The site has a base 3:1 floor-area ratio, and a height limit of 65 feet. Materials were chosen to echo Forest Park and the industrial sanctuary to the north, Johnson said.

Commissioners criticized a pedestrian walkway that they said leads to little except a leasing office and interacts too much with vehicle traffic. They also criticized a column holding up one of the building corners.

NB30 Collaborative would furnish 98 vehicle parking spaces, including 12 surface spots. Bicycle parking would total 345 spaces, including 219 in-unit spots.

There was some disagreement Thursday about whether the development met bike parking requirements when calculated separately with the five newest buildings, or overall. There are also limits to how many bike parking spaces can be provided in units, and even how far from the door they can be, Bureau of Development Services planner Grace Jeffreys said.

“We believe we fully meet code,” Johnson said.

Johnson told commissioners he and Leeb Architects would work to address their concerns.

“You’ve given us a lot of changes that we can incorporate to show respect for your opinions,” he said. “We will go back and attempt to do so.”

Most of the suggested changes were minor and could be accomplished, Johnson said.

“I thought this was a pretty purely design-driven discussion, and that’s something I respect,” he said.

The massing scheme of separate buildings means the project is not subject to inclusionary housing requirements, which apply only to buildings of 20 units or more. Johnson, who has criticized the affordable housing policy, said the site lent itself to the broken-up massing.

“It’s the right massing for the neighborhood to have multiple small buildings,” he said. “It’s just the right design response.

“Separate from that – I don’t think our inclusionary housing program is working.”

The NB30 Collaborative project team is scheduled to return before the Design Commission on June 2.

Johnson said he expects to use I&E Construction as general contractor. The Wilsonville firm built the Wilson Forest Park Townhomes.

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When I&E Construction wanted to use nail-laminated timber to showcase the interior of its new headquarters in Wilsonville, crews got busy.

The panels were fabricated in a shop in Woodburn. What that meant in practice was workers grading and then firing nail guns into two-by-fours. Again and again. It took three workers 10 days.

“We went through 18, 19 boxes of nails,” said Jim Cleghorn, an I&E Construction superintendent.

The company is nearing completion of the renovation and expansion of its new headquarters slightly east of Interstate 5 at Wilsonville. The structure is 23,000 square feet, including a 4,500-square-foot roof deck. It was recently given a temporary certificate of occupancy.

I&E used hemlock fir from Parr Lumber instead of enduring long lead times for cross-laminated timber or another building material. The timber panels represent a design highlight for the makeover of the former Pioneer Pacific College office building.

“We figured that NLT would be something that could be shop-fabricated or fabricated on site, on a tight timeline,” said Ryan McTague, a Woodblock Architecture senior designer who was involved in the project’s design. “We did some renderings, and it looked great.”

The new location, 27375 S.W. Parkway Ave. in Wilsonville, was purchased from the college. Cleghorn declined to reveal the project’s cost.

I&E, a general contractor that works on multifamily and commercial projects, outgrew its former headquarters in the Clackamas area, Cleghorn said. That property was sold to Papé Machinery.

I&E wanted an architectural highlight to bring a unique element to the building. The construction company settled on using nail-laminated timber in consultation with project designer Woodblock Architecture and DCI Engineers. After the wood beams were trucked in, they were installed to form the roof deck and ceiling.

Cleghorn, who recently joined I&E from a small remodeling company, said working with nail-laminated timber was a new experience.

“Once I wrapped my head around it, it came together pretty well,” he said.

The toughest part was figuring out how to integrate skylights into the nail-laminated timber, McTague said.

“We had to get on site and figure out where all the panel joints are,” he said.

One manufacturer, StructureCraft Builders in Abbotsford, British Columbia, has phased out nail-laminated timber in favor of dowel-laminated timber – an all-wood product. Nail-laminated timber can still be produced for specific projects, according to StructureCraft’s website.

Overall, McTague said the material worked as designed and he’d be happy to use it in another project.

“I’d love to use it again as a structural finish material,” he said. “It gives the material a lot more texture. It looks nice.”

The headquarters project has charged ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic. During a recent site visit, workers were busy. They appeared to be observing social distancing, but none was wearing a mask. Shared equipment was being wiped down regularly, Cleghorn said.

The construction team has encountered some snags, but work has continued without serious interruption. Acquisition of certain materials has proved challenging, Cleghorn said.

“The glass, in particular – the lead time is just killing me,” he said.

Woodblock Architecture sought permits for the project in October. Final completion is on track for mid-June, Cleghorn said.

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