Walker Macy – Daily Journal of Commerce /news/tag/walker-macy/ Building and Construction News in Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:30:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.6 /files/2023/08/favicon.webp Walker Macy – Daily Journal of Commerce /news/tag/walker-macy/ 32 32 Commission approves design for Portland school redevelopment /news/2026/06/22/portland-design-commission-approves-ida-b-wells-redevelopment/ Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:30:19 +0000 /?p=522264 Portland design commission approves plans for new 289,500-square-foot Ida B. Wells High School building on Vermont Street, designed by Bora Architecture.

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AT A GLANCE:

The Portland Design Commission has approved design review of plans to replace the existing Ida B. Wells High School with a new 289,500-square-foot building on the south edge of the 35-acre site. The school is located at 1151 SW Vermont St., Portland.

The design review was approved last week with a conditional of approval that requires four public access easements, two press box options (a one-story and two-story alternative) and two options of either a textured or smooth thin brick for the building’s exterior.

Bora Architecture & Interiors designed the project for . The project team also includes Access Architecture of Vancouver, Washington (associate architect, (landscape architect), (civil and structural engineering), PAE Engineers (MEP), and general contractor .

There were three design advice request hearings on the proposal since 2024, with the last held last February.

The new high school building is proposed to be three stories with a fourth level on the west side, as the building form steps down the sloping site, the staff report states.

The new building will be built on the south edge of the site along . It will be constructed while the existing building remains open for students. The project will be developed in phases and some of the features of the site, such as a practice field, baseball field and tennis courts, will be relocated. A new track and field will be developed in the same space as the existing field.

An existing community swimming pool, operated by Portland Parks & Recreation, will remain open on the site. Becca Cavell, associate principal at Bora Architecture & Interiors, said the project will provide a new pool support building because facilities, such as locker rooms and showers, are currently in the existing Ida B. Wells High School. Portland Public Schools plans to coordinate with Portland Parks & Recreation for athletes to use the facilities when the pool is not open.

The final design of the new high school includes a thin brick combined with glass fiber reinforced concrete with both textured and non-textured options. The design team is pursuing the textured brick and keeping the smooth brick as a backup option.

(Rendering courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors)

“I think I’ve been convinced about the rough textured brick,” Commissioner Brian McCarter said. “It looks really, really promising in the renderings.”

Chelsea McCann, Walker Macy’s managing principal, said there will be two main outdoor spaces: at the main entry and a student courtyard and terrace on the west side.

“I think the part of the building with the main entry connecting visually and physically to the student terrace beyond is really compelling,” Commissioner Sarah Vaz said.

Pedestrian connections across the site will be improved and will include three north/south connections, including a sidewalk on the east side of the west parking lot between Rieke Elementary and the high school, a mid-campus connection between the football field and the pool facility and a third connection at the far eastern side of the campus.

There will be two crosswalks south of the main entry on each side of the intersection.

On the Rieke side, the design has provided some community access for bicyclists and pedestrians, while keeping safety in mind. Vehicles will not be able to use the Rieke driveway as a cut-through during school hours. For bicycles, there is a bike route around Rieke Elementary School. Outside of school hours, cyclists can either continue to use that route or share the roadway.

“I really appreciate the attention to public realm,” Vice chair Joe Swank said. “And I think the design team’s done a really good job of solving for Rieke Road in particular.”

On the north campus entry, there will be a raised, widened pedestrian crosswalk. There will also be some improvements to the back of the stadium, such as adding seating and signage.

Cavell said the design does not include a cover to the grandstands, due to cost, but is planning for a possible future roof, which would be part of a future land use review process.

There was some concern from Commissioner Sarah Vaz regarding screening of mechanical equipment on the roof and that the equipment might be visible in faraway views. Commissioners Swank and Chair Chandra Robinson felt that the equipment would not be visible.

Up next for the project is a Type III conditional use hearing that is for July 22 by the city’s hearings officer, as the project requires both design review and conditional use review.

Construction is estimated to start in December, with the new building being complete in summer 2029 and the athletic fields in fall 2030, according to Portland Public Schools’ website.

(Rendering courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors)

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Team presents updated plans for Portland school project /news/2026/02/20/portland-proposes-ida-b-wells-barnett-high-school-replacement/ Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:35:22 +0000 /?p=518283 The Portland Design Commission on Thursday advised the team preparing for the $349.1 million replacement of Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School.

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AT A GLANCE:
  • A third design iteration was created for the Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School replacement
  • A new 300,000-square-foot building is planned in Portland at 1151 S.W. Vermont St.
  • The $349.1 million project is being designed by Bora Architecture & Interiors
  • Parking, athletic fields, and pathways are to be redeveloped, swimming pool and track retained

The on Thursday got its third look at plans to replace Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School with a new 300,000-square-foot building.

The school is at 1151 S.W. Vermont St., in the .

The project is being designed by Bora Architecture & Interiors. The project team also includes (landscape architecture), (civil and structural engineering), (civil engineering), and (structural engineering).

Plans call for redeveloping parking areas, athletic fields, field support structures and pathways on the 35-acre site. The swimming pool, run by Portland Parks & Recreation, will remain in the center of the site. The track and field will remain in the same location due to budget constraints, according to a staff report.

The project is valued at approximately $349.1 million, according to Portland Permitting & Development.

Currently, the design includes a plaza east of the school, Bora Architecture & Interiors associate principal Becca Cavell said. On the west side, a student terrace would connect to the student commons.

“Our entrance to the building is on the east side,” Cavell said.

The proposed three-story building would have a partial lower level to the west, and an overlapping four-story element as it steps down the sloping site. The difference in elevation from the site’s east side to its west side is approximately 60 feet, according to the staff report.

The design calls for enclosing certain parts of the site, including the athletic fields and the pool, with fencing and gates. Commissioner Joe Swank said he hopes the gates around the pool will be sizable and open during the day. Sarah Norman, senior director of school modernization for Portland Public Schools, said the gates are intended to be oversize. However, she didn’t know if they would be open during the day.

Gates are also planned on the north-south driveway – also known as Rieke Road – through the center of the site between the high school and Rieke Elementary School. Use of vehicles, including bicycles, will be restricted in this location during school hours.

“These gates are going to take maintenance and a bunch of other things,” Swank said. “I would challenge the landscape team, the design team, and PPS to think a little more creatively about how to separate those things.”

Commissioner Zari Santner acknowledged the much-improved design of drop-off and pick-up circulation.

Since the previous Design Commission hearing, the north entry has been widened to a 20-foot-wide crossing, Walker Macy managing principal and landscape architect Chelsea McCann said. Also, a seating nook and a monumental entry sign are planned.

Other design elements include a plaza space outside the swimming pool and carved walkways outside the after-hours gym entrance.

In the previous design, glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) was the sole façade material, Bora Architecture & Interiors associate and project designer Amelie Reynaud said. The design team was inspired by different colors of bark and ultimately, darker colors were preferred.

The updated design includes use of thin brick and GFRC woven together. The team is looking at two options for brick: a lighter, smooth one or a darker, textured one. The student commons would have a mass-timber interior.

Commission Chair Chandra Robinson said she likes the new choices for different reasons and that the textured look is more visible, adding that the textured brick is hard to clean. Swank said he would like to hear PPS’ analysis on cleaning the exterior materials.

The project team intends to submit for land use review and conditional use approval on March 12.

(courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors)
(courtesy of Bora Architecture & Interiors)

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Astoria waterfront master plan in the making /news/2021/12/16/astoria-waterfront-master-plan-in-the-making/ Thu, 16 Dec 2021 18:15:59 +0000 /?p=262944 An effort is under way to redevelop a portion of Astoria’s waterfront into a destination. The framework includes mixed-use buildings, a new hotel and a market space.

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A portion of Astoria’s waterfront is being targeted for transformation. ()

An effort is under way to redevelop a portion of Astoria’s waterfront into a destination. The framework includes mixed-use buildings, a new hotel and a market space.

Walker Macy is designing the master plan for the site that stretches west from the Astoria-Megler Bridge to Pier 1. It includes the iconic Red Building, the West Mooring Basin, the strip of land behind the basin, and the pier.

Members of the , the city and Walker Macy presented master plan updates – including the preferred development schematic – to the public on Tuesday night.

Unlike other waterfronts around Oregon, Astoria’s has limited space. The site’s back end has the Riverwalk trail and trolley tracks with a 50-foot right of way on both sides. That divides the land into “skinny zones” too small for large-scale development and industrial uses, Walker Macy project manager Calder Gillin said.

Plans call for turning the strip of land behind the basin into a boardwalk topped by a “fishing village” with small buildings for vendors selling food, drink and seasonal retail items.

Due to site constraints, the best spot for large-scale development, Gillin said, is at the end of Pier 1 because of its size and water access. The master plan framework suggests that portion of the property would be used for manufacturing, seafood processing, shipping, or another industrial use.

The other side of the pier would be dedicated to attracting cruise line visitors via tour buses, taxis, rideshare vehicles and rental bicycles. Plans also call for a viewpoint tower at the tip of Pier 1.

Only two existing buildings – the Chinook Building and Astoria Riverwalk Inn – would not remain as they are, according to the master plan, because of their conditions and repair cost estimates, Gillin said. Proposed reuse of those spaces would be as a hotel and a market hall.

After talking with hotel planners, Walker Macy principal and landscape architect Mike Zilis said the new hotel would likely have 60-90 rooms and a restaurant. However, in order to accommodate such a structure, the current zoning code would need to change.

The target, Gillin said, is for Walker Macy to complete its work – including updates that account for community input – by early February. Then the plan will go to the port and the city for adoption.

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Riverfront improvements advancing in Eugene /news/2021/12/10/riverfront-improvements-advancing-in-eugene/ Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:43:25 +0000 /?p=262832 The city and private developers are seeking to draw people via a multiuse pathway and projects that include housing and more.

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A 4.5-acre park, a multiuse path and new buildings are expected to revitalize a section of Eugene and help improve the connection between downtown and the Willamette River. (courtesy of )

The city of Eugene and private developers are working on a series of significant projects near the banks of the Willamette River in a bid to revitalize the long-neglected waterfront.

Walker Macy is designing a 4.5-acre riverfront park for the city of Eugene. The aim is to link downtown Eugene to the river with a newly constructed multiuse path.

“It’s a really exciting opportunity to connect the people of Eugene and visitors with the water,” said Chelsea McCann, managing principal of Walker Macy. “The Willamette is important to the city. It’s hard to get to, right? We’re trying to remedy that, at least to the extent that we can, and create easier transitions and pathways for people to get from the urban core to the water.”

Nearby, developer is planning for the first buildings on a former Eugene Water & Electric Board industrial site.

Atkins Dame is led by Jim Atkins and Dike Dame, two developers who have left their mark on Portland by revitalizing neighborhoods such as the Pearl District and the South Waterfront District. They also teamed up to build two condo towers and a hotel in Los Angeles’ South Park neighborhood.

Atkins Dame has closed on the land and acquired equity for the first two Eugene buildings, Dame said. is advising the developers on the new streetscape, and consulting with Walker Macy on the riverfront park.

“This is something that Eugene has been trying to make happen for a long, long time,” Dame said.

A new multiuse path constructed along the Willamette River in Eugene will serve both pedestrians and bicyclists. (courtesy of Walker Macy)

In the first phase, Atkins Dame will construct two multifamily buildings with approximately 228 units. The buildings will not include retail space, but that is planned as the neighborhood grows, Dame said.

“I don’t see office in the cards,” Dame said. “It will primarily be multifamily and neighborhood-serving retail, but the retail will also be attractive to people coming to the neighborhood for the new park.”

is designing the first two buildings, and Essex General of Eugene is on board as contractor. (SERA completed a master plan for Atkins Dame in 2018).

“We’ve acquired about 360,000 square feet of property, so over time there will be a number of other projects,” Dame said. “These are just the first two.”

A separate development team, led by Mark Miksis of and Mark Frohnmayer of Arcimoto, is negotiating with the city of Eugene to redevelop the EWEB steam plant. The Miksis-Frohnmayer group has unveiled adaptive reuse plans that call for inclusion of office space.

Construction of the waterfront park is well under way. Crews are working to complete the project ahead of the World Athletics Championships, a 10-day track and field competition set to take place in Eugene in July 2022.

The multiuse path will connect to Fifth Avenue, a street in the heart of downtown Eugene that is home to the Fifth Street Public Market and other restaurants and shops. The trail will include amenities to serve pedestrians and bicyclists, McCann said.

The project is part of a nascent movement to create access to the river in Willamette Valley cities that once used it primarily for heavy industry. Albany is at work on its own project to connect downtown with the Willamette River, which currently is blocked by a street, parking lots and thick foliage. In Portland, some activists are lobbying for greater access to the river from the Eastbank Esplanade.

In Eugene, Walker Macy is restoring the riverbanks along the trail.

“We’re planting with native species, but throughout this area we’re also trying to be really cognizant of plant scale,” McCann said. “We want to keep the views open.”

Trail users will have ample opportunities to linger.

“There’s lot of spots to sit and enjoy the river,” she said.

McCann said people were discussing what to do with the EWEB property when she was studying landscape architecture at the University of Oregon in the late 1990s. For years, the trail has been a narrow path, fenced off from the river, with few amenities.

“We’re excited to have it finally open up and having people using it,” she said.

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Park improvement project proceeding /news/2021/04/06/park-improvement-project-proceeding/ Tue, 06 Apr 2021 21:40:26 +0000 /?p=256099 Completion of the overhaul of a popular downtown Beaverton fountain is highly anticipated by city officials and residents alike.

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Employees of general contractor Fulcrum Construction excavate new utility trenches as part of the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Fulcrum employees excavate new utility trenches as part of the City Park Fountain improvement project in . Work is expected to wrap up late this summer. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)

After more than 20 years of use, the popular City Park Fountain, in the heart of Beaverton, is finally getting an extensive and complex overhaul.

With annual required maintenance reaching critical mass, the city decided several years ago to replace the fountain’s exhausted mechanical equipment housed in an underground vault. New water filtration and circulation equipment will be housed in a new above-ground facility. In addition, aged playground equipment is being replaced at the park.

Construction at the site, near the Beaverton City Library, began in January and is scheduled to finish by late summer. General contractor of Beaverton is spearheading the work. , the primary consultant for the city, has overseen the project’s design.

While the Library Fountain Improvement Project may not be large in terms of scale and scope, the fountain has attained a symbolic value far greater than the $3 million cost of work. Historically, more than 55,000 people per year have visited the water feature – a figure that is expected to grow in the future.

“This is obviously an iconic piece of Beaverton and this is going to enhance that,” said Aaron Lee, a construction project manager for the city. “But we really are trying to, collectively as a city, … create a downtown experience.”

New, programmable fountain jets with LED lighting, and even sound, are being installed. Drainage around the plaza is being improved to help new chemical and UV filtration equipment perform more efficiently. The main fountain components came from Crystal Fountains, a Toronto firm considered one of the world’s top manufacturers of water features.

“I’m not sure exactly what that will look like, or how we’ll do events and things like that,” Lee said. “But there is a certain amount of automation and connectivity that will allow us to do a lot of really cool things that we obviously can’t do now.”

At the heart of the project is a complicated plan to remove a below-grade concrete vault housing the fountain’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Replacement systems will be placed inside a single-story pump house at the park’s southwest corner.

“One of the issues is that the vault is 15 or 16 feet deep, so it requires confined space entry,” Lee said. “You can’t just pop down there and get entry and do what you need to do. That will alleviate a lot of the maintenance issues.”

The pump house will feature brick masonry cladding to match the Beaverton City Library as part of an effort to tie together various city facilities in the downtown area. Future plans, Lee said, call for creation of a series of trails and walking paths to provide further connectivity between these elements.

Some existing materials are being reused and repurposed. An existing underground surge tank, which holds water from the fountain that is then filtered and recirculated, has been refurbished and recertified for use with the new water feature. Also, a good deal of the soil being excavated from the site during construction is being moved for off-site use elsewhere.

“It’s a pretty significant cost savings,” Lee said.

The involvement of local contractors is also noteworthy. Fulcrum Construction is a COBID-certified company based in Beaverton, and many of its employees happen to live just blocks away from the job site.

“It’s very important to us; it’s our city,” said Israel Rodriguez, the company owner. “It helps commuting a lot, and as soon as it showed up, we bid. We also bid for other work for the Beaverton School District – things that are nearby. It is important for us, as well as for logistics; it’s economics.”

For a small firm that works almost exclusively in the public sector, that’s a big deal.

“That’s all we do,” Rodriguez said. “It’s very important. We were blessed to get this job and the workforce is super happy with the work.”

Major subcontractors involved in the project include: Nuwave Concrete of Forest Grove; Cochran Inc., which is performing electrical work; and Outside the Lines, an Anaheim, California-based firm that specializes in water feature installations.

Beaverton Public Works Director Chad Lynn said the public is eager to see the fountain reopen after a closure already over a year. However, an exact date for that has not been determined, due to the ongoing pandemic.

“We can’t wait to get back into the fountain,” Lynn said. “It’s a centerpiece of the community with the adjacency to the library and downtown.”

A concrete vault containing plumbimg and mechanical equipment for the water feature (foreground) is awaiting removal. It will be replaced by an above-ground pump house that will house all-new mechanical and filtration equipment. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
A concrete vault containing plumbing and mechanical equipment for the water feature (foreground) is awaiting removal. It will be replaced by an above-ground pump house and new mechanical and filtration equipment. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Employees of general contractor Fulcrum Construction excavate new utility trenches as part of the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Employees of general contractor Fulcrum Construction excavate utility trenches. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Employees of general contractor Fulcrum Construction excavate new utility trenches as part of the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
(Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
An existing surge tank will be overhauled and re-used in the construction of a new water feature at Beaverton Fountain Park. It represents a significant cost savings on the project. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
An existing surge tank will be reused in construction of a new water feature at the park. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Fulcrum Construction is the general contractor for the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project and is self-performing the excavation scope of work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Fulcrum Construction, the project’s general contractor, is self-performing the excavation scope of work. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
An existing play structure will stay in place but receive a new rubberized surface for added safety. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
An existing play structure will stay in place but receive a new rubberized surface to improve safety. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Fulcrum Construction is the general contractor for the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project and is self-performing the excavation scope of work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
(Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Fulcrum Construction is the general contractor for the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project and is self-performing the excavation scope of work. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Beaverton-based Fulcrum Construction is self-performing excavation for the Library Fountain Improvement Project. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Employees of general contractor Fulcrum Construction excavate new utility trenches as part of the Beaverton Fountain Park Improvements project. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Fulcrum Construction workers excavate utility trenches as part of the project. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)
Nuwave Concrete of Forest Grove has started foundation work for a new pumphouse in the southwest corner of the site. (Josh Kulla/91Ƶ)
Nuwave Concrete of Forest Grove has started foundation work for a new pump house in the southwest corner of the site. (Josh Kulla/for the 91Ƶ)

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New concepts for Willamette Falls unveiled /news/2021/04/02/new-concepts-willamette-falls-unveiled/ Fri, 02 Apr 2021 20:51:26 +0000 /?p=256008 An architectural study of land near Willamette Falls found potential for mixed-use commercial development along with cultural gathering places and ecological restoration.

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A perspective sketch shows a restored channel of , reuse of the Woolen Mills overlook, and a public gathering space. (, )

An architectural study of land near Willamette Falls that was commissioned by the found potential for mixed-use commercial development along with cultural gathering places and ecological restoration.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have expressed interest in reconnecting tribal members with the falls and restoring natural habitat. Yet the 23-acre property that fronts downtown Oregon City has long been regarded as also holding commercial value.

Potential development could include office, hospitality, institutional or educational spaces, along with tribal spaces, public gathering spots, restaurants, retail and a long-imagined riverwalk, according to the tribal group.

“Acquiring the property at Willamette Falls let us reclaim part of our history and allowed us to once again become stewards of the land and the falls,” Cheryle A. Kennedy, chairwoman of the Confederated Tribes, stated in a news release. “Now, we head into the future with a vision for this land that helps heal it and revitalize it while telling our story and sharing our history.”

The group purchased the former Blue Heron Paper Mill property from Washington developer George Heidgerken in August 2019. The defunct mill suffered major damage in a December 2020 fire.

The study, first reported by KGW, envisions both an “urban, city-like setting” set back from the water and a “more natural, restored environment” at the river’s edge. Improvements may include beneficial salmon habitat, restored off-channel alcoves and restored topography of the falls itself.

“In the northern portion of the site, closer to downtown Oregon City and above the flood zone, there is relatively modest benefit of landscape restoration,” architecture firms GBD Architects and Walker Macy stated in the visioning study. “This area appears to have good potential for mixed-use development that can visually and physically connect to restore landscape areas along the river.”

Tribal officials said any new development would reflect the story of the Confederated Tribes and its historical and cultural ties to Willamette Falls.

Since acquiring the property, the tribal group has worked with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to remediate environmental degradation at the site. The group expects to soon begin a master planning process.

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(GBD Architects, Walker Macy)
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(GBD Architects, Walker Macy)
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(GBD Architects, Walker Macy)

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Portland garden project receives national honor /news/2020/10/15/portland-garden-project-receives-national-honor/ Thu, 15 Oct 2020 14:49:57 +0000 /?p=250487 The national American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently honored the Portland Japanese Garden’s Cultural Crossing project with its Award of Excellence.

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The Portland Japanese Garden's Cultural Crossing expansion project was named Northwest region project of the year by Engineering News Record. (Sam Tenney/91Ƶ file)
The ‘s Cultural Crossing project recently gained another award. (91Ƶ file)

The national American Society of Landscape Architects () recently honored the Portland Japanese Garden‘s Cultural Crossing project with its Award of Excellence. It’s the annual awards program’s highest honor.

Garden Curator Sadafumi Uchiyama and the project’s landscape architecture firm, , were part of a team that included Kengo Kuma & Associates, Hacker, Consulting Engineers and . The Award of Excellence recognized: execution of details; use of a cohesive, place-based and landscape-led design approach; design excellence and technical problem-solving; and balance between Japanese and contemporary design and methodologies.

“The Portland Japanese Garden posed highly complex geological, environmental and site development challenges – and we were challenged to create a place that expands the definition of what a Japanese garden can be,” Walker Macy principal landscape architect Chelsea McCann stated in a press release. “The project’s success was made possible by our creative and collaborative architecture, engineering and construction partners. With a shared vision of new garden spaces that seamlessly integrated buildings and the site, our process melded science and art to create a place of meaningful, immersive experiences. This project was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Crews finished building the Cultural Crossing in April 2017. The project has garnered a number of awards, including a regional honor from and one from the American Institute of Architects‘ Portland chapter.

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Development on track for ex-farmland in Portland /news/2019/12/13/development-track-ex-farmland-portland/ Fri, 13 Dec 2019 22:35:33 +0000 /?p=197494 The Portland City Council gave the go-ahead for city bureaus to continue working with private landowners to develop one of the largest remaining unbuilt parcels in the city.

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A preliminary development plan for the 32-acre Rossi Farms property in Northeast Portland includes residential and commercial uses. (Walker Macy)
A preliminary development plan for the 32-acre Rossi Farms property in Northeast Portland calls for residential and commercial uses. ()

The on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for city bureaus to continue working with private landowners to develop one of the largest remaining unbuilt parcels in the city.

Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of adopting the , which calls for creation of a public-private partnership to develop the 32-acre Rossi Farms site – around the intersection of Northeast 122nd Avenue and Shaver Street, where the Parkrose and Argay neighborhoods meet. A series of public workshops were held over the past year to determine a preferred alternative that provides views of Mount Hood to the east. Plans call for nearly 750 new apartments, as many as 138 new townhomes, a handful of cottages, commercial space and a new grocery store along 122nd Avenue.

“Thank you, Mr. Rossi, to you and your associates for helping making this a really grand vision,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “This could have gone in a very different direction, but you really gave the template to the community to be able to shape this.”

The resolution approved by the City Council directs the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to now work with the Rossi, Garre and Giusto families as well as to “gauge interest in a future private-public partnership for development of the 32-acre site.”

Other city commissioners were equally enthusiastic.

“This site is so full of exciting potential,” Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said.

The 32 acres span both sides of 122nd Avenue and are near Parkrose High School, Parkrose Middle School and Shaver Elementary School.

The historic Rossi Farms red barn sits on the site and is likely to be repurposed as event space or something similar after public input showed strong support for the structure’s retention and reuse.

A total of six preliminary concept plans were devised by a work group featuring representatives of city agencies, the , the Parkrose School District, Scott | Edwards Architecture, Walker Macy, and others.

The yearlong process identified the View Corridor alternative as the most to the community. A new street would run diagonally through the east side of the site and toward Mount Hood to preserve and frame views of the mountain. Green spaces on either side of that main street would have even better views.

A pedestrian plaza with a view of Mount Hood is part of a preferred alternative for development of the 32-acre Rossi Farms property. (Walker Macy)
A pedestrian plaza with a view of Mount Hood is part of a preferred alternative for development of the 32-acre Rossi Farms property. (Walker Macy)

North-south streets envisioned to support mixed-use development would be oriented with views of Mount St. Helens in mind and be offset from connections to streets to the north to discourage cut-through vehicle traffic.

Barry Manning, a senior planner with the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, told commissioners that preliminary planning showed plenty of investment opportunity in the Parkrose/Argay area, albeit at perhaps a lower level of return than the central city.

Consultant “Johnson Economics felt that there was a pretty significant opportunity to develop rental apartments on this site,” Manning said. “This area hasn’t seen much new investment activity. The pricing of rents in the area doesn’t support concrete-podium but would support wood-frame construction.”

If the concept plan were to be implemented, the property owners would need to agree on a more formal mechanism to make decisions together. This could take a range of forms, such as a written agreement, or creation of a more formal legal entity.

A suitable developer with experience developing master plans on a large site will also need to be brought on board, along with the required variety of contractors involved in such an enterprise.

Joe Rossi spoke Wednesday on behalf of his family, which has owned the property in question for more than four generations. The family intends to work with the city to bring the concept plan to reality, he said.

“I can’t say enough how much this exceeded my expectations,” Rossi said. “We’re going to go all the way through on this. The first step was the zoning we got; we had really good public input in the zoning process. This was the second step, and the third step will be for us to come and stay involved.”

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Portland-based firm now a Women Business Enterprise /news/2019/07/11/portland-based-firm-now-women-business-enterprise/ Thu, 11 Jul 2019 23:54:57 +0000 /?p=191448 Landscape architecture and urban design firm Walker Macy has announced its new status as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) in Oregon.

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Landscape architecture and urban design firm has announced its new status as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) in Oregon and also in Seattle, where the company has a second office. Walker Macy, one of the largest landscape architecture businesses in Portland, is headed by Chelsea McCann, a managing principal and the majority owner.

The transition process, Marketing Director Paul Dickow said, began around 10 years ago. That was when founder Doug Macy and other leaders were looking toward retirement, and thinking about who would take over the company. Then-majority owner Mike Zillis was looking to scale down his involvement, and McCann was a natural choice to take over leadership.

“Becoming a WBE is all part of that transition,” she said. “It’s more of an acknowledgment of who Walker Macy is than anything else.”

A Women Business Enterprise certification is for a qualifying business seeking opportunities for state, county and city government and special jurisdiction (e.g., hospitals and universities) contracts, according to Business Oregon.

Walker Macy becoming a WBE makes a statement about where the firm and the industry are headed, McCann said, with people of different backgrounds increasingly entering the field and leadership roles. Since many Portland firms were started in the 1970s, many of those roles are changing hands these days, she said.

“We’re seeing much more diverse leadership, which is really exciting,” she said. “It was important to me as part of who we are and who we become.”

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Portland Art Museum pavilion project OK’d /news/2019/03/12/portland-art-museum-pavilion-project-okd/ Tue, 12 Mar 2019 20:54:37 +0000 /?p=186454 The Historic Landmarks Commission on Monday approved the Rothko Pavilion design, which is marked by a glass passageway between existing buildings.

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The Rothko Pavilion planned at the Portland Art Museum is designed to allow pedestrians to view art inside. (Hennebery Eddy Architects, courtesy of Portland Art Museum)
The planned at the is designed to allow pedestrians to view art inside. (/Vinci|Hamp Architects, courtesy of Portland Art Museum)

The has approved a design for the Rothko Pavilion – an ambitious, $70 million to $75 million renovation and expansion of the Portland Art Museum.

The museum’s staff and supporters are raising money for the project, which is meant to enhance the institution’s ability to attract world-class artwork, improve accessibility and show off the museum’s art – even to passing pedestrians.

“Our goal is to be part of the fabric of the city, interwoven, and reflective of the community,” said Brian Ferriso, director of the Portland Art Museum.

Approval of the design by Chicago’s Vinci | Hamp Architects and Portland’s Hennebery Eddy Architects came via a 4-0 vote on Monday. The design centers on a four-story glass box bridging the museum’s Belluschi and Mark buildings.

The Historic Landmarks Commission spent much of Monday’s meeting discussing plans for the museum’s exterior, including a plaza with planters and textured walkways. Commissioners questioned the placement of bollards – structural barriers that will prevent vehicles access – but eventually acceded to them for security reasons.

“If it’s a safety feature, then it’s fine to keep them where they are,” Commissioner Maya Foty said.

Perhaps the Rothko Pavilion’s most remarkable feature will be a glass passageway between the two buildings. Pedestrians will be able to peer into curated spaces in both buildings. The passageway will have a clear height of 11 feet, with widths of 16 feet on the west side and 15 feet on the east side.

Historically, an easement has ensured public access between the two buildings. City staff assured commissioners that a deal previously approved by the City Council will continue to guarantee access.

The design sought to solve a decades-old problem for the museum: how to link the Belluschi building, completed in 1932, with the Mark building (a former Masonic temple), erected in 1927. Museum officials have said visitors are often confused about how to navigate the buildings.

The Rothko Pavilion will connect the Portland Art Museum's Belluschi and Mark buildings. (Hennebery Eddy Architects, courtesy of Portland Art Museum)
The Rothko Pavilion will connect the Portland Art Museum’s Belluschi and Mark buildings. (Hennebery Eddy Architects/Vinci|Hamp Architects, courtesy of Portland Art Museum)

Anthony Belluschi, a son of the original architect, Pietro Belluschi, who died in 1994, weighed in on the project.

“I am quite sure that my father would approve of this new plan,” said Anthony Belluschi, who is also an architect.

The design includes a revolving door on the east side’s ground floor, replacing two smaller revolving doors in earlier versions.

The project involves removing a small amount of brick masonry where the glass box bridges the buildings. The material dates to a 2005 remodel.

“We’re not removing virgin material,” said Philip Hamp, president of Vinci | Hamp Architects.

Public comment focused on potential traffic impacts. The city of Portland’s Central City in Motion plan calls for turning Jefferson Street into a one-lane street. Commissioners said that city initiative is not within the purview of their Rothko Pavilion review, but downtown residents still took the opportunity to question the move.

Disability advocates praised the design.

“They have been very receptive to our feedback,” said Philip Wolfe, a member of the Portland Commission on Disability.

The project, first announced in 2016, was the subject of three design advice hearings before it proceeded to . Opponents have 14 days to appeal the Historic Landmarks Commission’s approval, but no serious organized opposition was evident at Monday’s meeting.

“It’s a good process,” Ferriso said after the vote. “We’re very pleased.”

Ferriso declined to specify when would begin, saying it depends on fundraising. The Rothko Pavilion fundraising drive began with an $8 million anonymous donation and a $5 million donation from the Schnitzer family.

The project team also includes , , and

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