Portland Building update, April 2018

 The Portland Building Reconstruction project is underway and will “provide a resilient building that serves community and workplace needs for current and future City operations for years to come.” The mission is to “Reconstruct the Portland Building in a fiscally responsible way, creating a functional, accessible, sustainable, and seismically upgraded workplace.”

 RECENT PROGRESS

In the past two months, much of the work on the project has been on the inside of the building, including:

• Demolition of the building’s 1st through 5th floors, as well as the 14th and 15th floors. Demolition on the remaining floors is in various stages of completion.
• New underground utilities have been installed in the basement.
• Seismic upgrades are in progress, including the installation of new shear walls around the building core.
• See April’s construction photos here!

 On the building’s exterior, mast climbers - vertical structures that support work platforms - have been installed and are visible on the building’s north and west elevations. Crews are using these platforms to remove the building’s exterior tile and ribbon detail on the north elevation and conduct other exterior work.

 UPCOMING WORK

• Tile removal will continue on the exterior of the building.
• Mast climbers will be installed on the south and east elevations.
• Demolition will begin on the loggia, the outdoor space at street level, and on the existing curtain wall.
• Interior demolition work will continue.
• Shotcrete shear walls will be installed from the basement up.

 WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION

• Sidewalk Closures: Please expect sidewalk closures along the SW 4th Avenue and SW Madison Street sides of the building due to pedestrian safety concerns. A pedestrian tunnel has been installed on SW Main Street. The sidewalk along SW 5th Avenue will remain open and is covered for pedestrian safety. Please follow pedestrian detour signs for your own safety.
• Noise: Neighbors may notice occasional noise from construction during normal business hours.
• Parking: Street parking on the Portland Building sides of the blocks will not be available.
• Traffic Flow: Lanes will mostly remain open, with a few temporary closures on SW 4th Avenue only. Construction may cause minor delays.
• TriMet: Stops and routes will not be impacted, with the exception of a few days. Please check TriMet’s website for updates.

 We appreciate your cooperation during this project. Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.