A 347,000-square-foot building designed to modernize the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission‘s (OLCC) distilled spirits distribution system is being constructed in Canby.

Crews officially broke ground on “Project Meadowlark” at 165 S. Walnut St. on April 16. They’re expected to complete work in summer 2026. The guaranteed maximum price for the project is $87.6 million.

LRS Architects designed the project and JE Dunn Construction is the general contractor. The team also includes civil and structural engineer VLMK Engineering + Design and landscape architect Otten & Associates.

The new warehouse will replace the OLCC’s current one in Milwaukie, which has been in operation since the 1950s. The new facility, not far from Oregon Route 99E, will allow the agency to expand capacity, streamline operations and improve efficiency for businesses and consumers across the state, a press release states.

Prior to the official start date, JE Dunn Construction initiated site mobilization, including clearing and leveling land as well as installing construction fencing in preparation for full-scale work.

“Breaking ground on OLCC’s new liquor warehouse and distribution facility is a tremendous milestone not only for our project team, but also the community,” JE Dunn project executive Jeff Fisher stated in a press release. “OLCC provides many benefits to the state of Oregon beyond its core operations. This facility will only strengthen that impact.”

The modern materials handling system will include conveyors, pick modules and pallet racks, along with necessary hardware and software. The facility is designed with modular capabilities, allowing for future expansion and potentially doubling the existing capacity over the next two decades, according to OLCC.

“It was very important to us to bring a human focus to our design for the interiors of the warehouse and office space,” LRS Architects principal and senior interior designer Amalia Mohr stated in a press release. “We studied how employees would experience and move around the space to perform their work, considering how to help people in demanding jobs be productive and happy at work.”

The facility is designed as a warehouse with attached supporting offices. In addition to office space, the warehouse will feature a staff lounge, maintenance shop space, and an advanced material handling system. There will also be a large break room with an outdoor space so that staff can relax and access fresh air and daylight.

A tilt-up concrete design was chosen for cost-effectiveness and longevity. The office building will have a generous number of windows for office spaces as well as a combination of textured metal panels and fiber-cement panels to provide a varied and colorful exterior, Mohr and Paul Boundy, LRS Architects’ managing principal, shared in an email.

Construction of the warehouse is expected to finish before July 2026, allowing for full operations to take place by the end of August 2026.

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