Sub-bids were published this week for work on a $46 million arts center in downtown Beaverton, the latest sign the showcase civic project is moving forward.

Construction manager/general contractor Skanska USA Building will build the 43,235-square-foot Patricia Reser Center for the Arts. The regional arts venue will include a 550-seat theater, art gallery, and space for rehearsals, workshops and meetings. The project will be the first new performing arts center built in the Portland metro region in three decades, supporters say.

Project backers expect to break ground before the end of the year. If all goes well, the arts center would open in mid-2021.

The project would be built on a city-owned parcel adjacent to The Round, increasingly a hub of public life in Beaverton. The area is on the MAX Blue Line and near a bustling food-cart pod.

“This project is part of a larger project for downtown Beaverton to create a more vibrant downtown,” said Chris Ayzoukian, general manager of the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts.

Renderings show an expansive two-story building on Beaverton Creek with transparent glass facades framed by narrow white columns backing into a box-shaped performing arts venue and the taller parking garage.

A light-filled, transparent design was repeatedly mentioned by local residents in surveys as desirable, Ayzoukian said.

“The site is unique in that it’s right along Beaverton Creek, so there’s real opportunity to play with the natural landscape, and the urban, with The Round next door,” Ayzoukian said.

The project is funded by $21.9 million from the city of Beaverton via a lodging tax. The venue received a boost from the Oregon Legislature, which awarded $1.5 million in lottery funding during the 2019 session. Reser, who serves as chair of the Beaverton Arts Foundation board, donated $13 million.

Other private fundraising will provide the balance of the funding. The Arts Foundation is still looking to raise $3.5 million, said Executive Director Lani E. Faith.

The Beaverton City Council must give final approval to break ground. A Skanska executive declined to comment, referring questions to the city of Beaverton.

“There are a few more steps and hurdles to go before the project is green lighted,” said Cadence Petros, development division manager for the city of Beaverton. “City Council needs to make a determination that they’re far enough along in the fundraising to pull the trigger.”

The city would continue to own the building after completion. Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle also serves on the Arts Foundation’s board.

The Arts Center will include 2,400 square feet of office space for administrative purposes. The facility will not have enough space to lease out to other users, Ayzoukian said.

A neighboring parking garage will be built at the same time. The parking structure will have approximately 350 vehicle spaces and 7,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. “We’re looking to attract activation of the street along the lines of restaurants or retail,” Ayzoukian said.

During the design phase, the Arts Center theater was enlarged from 450 to 550 seats. The facility is meant to host both regional performing arts groups as well as touring acts. “The center has evolved quite a bit, as often these projects do,” Ayzoukian said.

Opsis Architecture is designing the project, and Gerding Edlen is serving as owner’s representative. The project team also includes landscape architect PLACE Studio, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Otak, and PAE Consulting Engineers.

A smaller, 1,800-square-foot room called The Lab will host more intimate performances and workshops.

“For a long time there’s been a shortage of performing arts in the region, especially on the West side,” Ayzoukian said. “This center fills a real need in terms of performance space.”

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In downtown Beaverton, at the corner of Southwest Millikan Way and Rose Biggi Avenue, a nearly half acre of land that formerly served as an informal parking area is becoming the home of a new food and entertainment attraction.

The BG Food Cartel, located near Beaverton City Hall and The Round, will feature 31 food carts, a covered outdoor dining area and an indoor beer and wine bar able to accommodate live music performances.

The idea for a public space anchored by food carts has long been floated by city officials. The Biggi family, which owns the property being developed, teamed with WALEN Construction (formerly LCD) and Scott | Edwards Architecture to develop a proposal for the food cartel concept, which won a city-sponsored contest.

“The idea for a food cart pod has been around for a while, but it really didn’t come together until Denny Doyle was elected mayor (of Beaverton),” Dominic Biggi said. “He came in with a new vision for a gathering spot downtown.”

The Biggi family is a staple in the Beaverton business community. The family’s primary company is Beaverton Foods, founded by Dominic’s grandmother Rose Biggi in 1929. The firm now makes and sells worldwide more than 70 kinds of condiments, including specialty mustards and horseradish.

Becoming involved in an effort to bring a food cart pod to Beaverton seemed like a perfect fit for the Biggi family, Dominic Biggi said. In addition to serving the community at large, the food cart pod will present one more option for employees at City Hall or residents at The Round.

“It’s designed to function throughout the day: breakfast, lunch and at night after work,” Biggi said. “There’s a large deck, indoor and outdoor bar, and really just a cool set-up. Once you cross inside you become part of the experience.”

The $2.4 million project got off the ground with a $25,000 grant from the city of Beaverton as a result of winning the contest. That money along with support from the city of Beaverton has made a tremendous difference in bringing the project from a dream to reality, according to Biggi.

“I really want to give credit to some of the people who were instrumental in making this happen,” he said. “Janiene Lambert with the city of Beaverton got us through the permitting process, the grants, fee structures and contacts. The (city) had to draft a new code for food carts. We had a lot of cooperation and help from Steve Regner at (the city).”

In addition to WALEN Construction and Scott | Edwards Architecture, the project team includes DOWL, whose involvement was led by Jeff Shoemaker as senior project manager. Eric Wenzel served as project lead for Scott | Edwards.

WALEN is in the process of wrapping up concrete work at the site, said Tyler Mildren, the company’s director of construction. The project is on track for a soft opening in February; a grand opening is slated for the spring.

While food and fun are the main focuses, the project also was designed and built with sustainability in mind. Benches are being constructed from recycled wood while the fencing will be locally sourced cedar. Indoor areas feature an abundance of glass to encourage natural lighting. An existing building on the site was renovated to house the indoor-outdoor bar.

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