With so few employees reporting to the Portland Building, 1900 Building, and City Hall, Facilities is altering building operations to save energy, reduce operational costs, and redeploy staff to other critical facilities. Portions of each building will remain operational. Short-term access and use in other areas of the buildings will still be allowed.

Beginning Thursday, April 2, 2020, the following changes will take effect in downtown Portland office building operations:

Portland Building: Floors 2, 3, and 5 will continue to operate at routine levels. Floors 4 and 6-15 will transition to “unoccupied mode”.

1900 Building: Floors 1-3 and 5 will continue to operate at routine levels. Floors 4, 6-7 will transition to “unoccupied mode”.

City Hall: 1^st floor Auditor’s office and Mayor’s office will remain at routine levels. Floors 2 and 4 and other suites will transition to “unoccupied mode”.

Unoccupied mode is similar to how you may find the building if you were to come in during off-hours:

1. The HVAC system will remain in “unoccupied mode” allowing for a wider range of temperatures. Be prepared to feel a little cold or a little warm, depending on the season, if you visit unoccupied floors.
2. Lighting will remain off with the exception of egress lighting. Offices and open office areas have override switches if you need to turn them on for a short period of time. Power will continue to be provided to computer workstations, specialty printers, and plotters.
3. Janitorial service will be discontinued on unoccupied floors to reduce cost, and redirect resources to high priority facilities including the 911 Center, Emergency Coordination Center, and Police Precincts.

This means:

1. Bathrooms will be closed on unoccupied floors and you may only use restrooms on occupied floors.
2. You will not be able to dispose of food or any non-paper waste if you visit unoccupied floors. Refrigerators will also need to be emptied. Any food remaining in the refrigerators, including containers, will be disposed on April 7.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Can I still go to my floor to pick up items or briefly take care of work?

Answer: Yes, but only if you have been granted access to the building. Additional security protocols will be put in place which now require all employees to sign in/out so we know who is in the building at all times in case of emergency. Please remember not to dispose of any food or other waste or use restrooms on unoccupied floors.

Question: I have a project or specialized function I need to perform for an extended period of time on an unoccupied floor. Can I still do that?

Answer: Yes, but please let Facilities know in advance if you will be there for a prolonged period so that we can open a restroom for you for that day/time period. Facilities will also coordinate cleaning on a case by case basis if needed. However, you will still need to pack out any food or garbage from an unoccupied floor. Call Facilities Dispatch: (503) 823-5252 for any special arrangements.