Pendleton’s Let’er Buck Statue Unveiled

The City of Pendleton gathered last month to unveil the new Let'er Buck Statue designed by Austin Barton.  The statue is in the heart of the new Pendleton Centennial Plaza which GreenWorks designed.  GreenWorks worked with City Staff and the Pendleton Round-Up Association to design major improvements to the Plaza on a short time-frame to enable completed construction by the 2010 Pendleton Round-Up.  Let'er Buck commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the Pendleton Round-Up.  The City hosted a parade, unveiling ceremony, and activities at the Round-Up Grounds and nearby Roy Raley Park to celebrate the new statue.  GreenWorks' Principal Mike Faha was in Pendleton to catch the unveiling and share the celebration with the Pendleton community.

Kenton Streetscape Denver Avenue Art Benches

GreenWorks was thrilled to see the first two pieces of public art installed last week as part of the Kenton Neighborhood streetscape revitalization project. There will be seven total benches that incorporate art into their design located along the four block commercial district of Kenton in north Portland as part of these improvements. The art benches were designed in collaboration with local artist Mauricio Saldana and feature a granite pilaster on one end with sculptural reliefs depicting neighborhood icons past and present. The goal of this project is to revitalize this historic commercial district by making streetscape improvements to the sidewalks, street and the creation of a gateway into the district. GreenWork’s and SERA Architects were design partners on this project and developed the new schematic concept design of the street, which features widened sidewalks, new street trees, ornamental street lighting, stormwater planters, accent paving and bike lanes. This project will also implement a new paving technique called ultra thin white topping in the vehicular zones. The Portland Development Commission and the Portland Office of Transportation, along with a Citizen Advisory Committee, were the key partners leading this project.

We are excited to see the work completed soon!

Join Us for PARK(ing) Day 2009

Come see the 1 day park at NW 2nd and Couch... 9am to 5pm

  GreenWorks is proud to work with Metro as they participate in the annual, one-day global PARK(ing) Day event.  More from Metro:

"Artists, activists and communities will collaborate to transform metered parking spots in cities everywhere into temporary public parks or “park(ing)” spaces. Park(ing) Day is a powerful and creative way to re-imagine the potential of our public places by demonstrating the value of parks and natural areas, rethinking the way greenspace can happen, and helping to improve the quality of urban wildlife and human habitat. This year, Metro is tapping into the creative energy and celebrated momentum of this excellent event to educate our region’s residents about The Intertwine (the ever-growing regional network of integrated parks, trails and natural areas that will one day soon be the world’s greatest system of its kind!) and its web site launch.  Come check out our space at NW 2nd and Couch (or other Intertwine locations in Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Gresham and Vancouver, Washington) and learn more…"  

:: Visit the PARK(ing) Day Network - Portland  :: View PARK(ing) Day 2009 - Portland Metro Area regionwide map here.

 

Gresham CFTA Plaza Opens Tomorrow

Updated pics of the GCFTA Plaza with plantings... as the grand opening gets near.

Just a reminder about the Grand-opening festivities for the Gresham Center for the Arts Plaza, to be held tomorrow on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., followed by musical performances and family-fun activities from 1 to 8:30 p.m.

For more information on the project, visit http://www.gcfta.org/.

Plaza Celebration - Gresham Outlook

Arts enthusiasts ready for plaza celebration

By Mara Stine

The Gresham Outlook, Jun 3, 2009

"Local patrons of the arts will be kicking up their heels this weekend in celebration of the city’s new Center for the Arts Plaza.

A grand opening for the plaza, located between Northeast Second and Third streets and Hood and Kelly avenues, starts at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6. Free musical performances and family activities are scheduled throughout the day and into the evening.

For a complete line up and history of the plaza, see the special section dedicated to the project inserted in this issue of The Outlook.

Funded through a partnership between the Center for the Arts Foundation and Gresham, the $2.3 million plaza is designed to showcase local performers and provide East County residents a central gathering space.

“The plaza is a unique opportunity for our citizens and visitors to not only enjoy art and cultural events, but also have community gatherings and picnics while enjoying this beautiful outdoor ‘living room’ in the heart of Gresham,” said Gresham City Councilor Carol Nielsen-Hood.

The Center for the Arts Plaza is on a 2-acre parcel donated to the city by the Fourier-Larson family. It’s centrally located in historic downtown Gresham, just a few blocks east of Main Avenue.

A privately funded Center for the Arts also is planned for the site. The Center for the Arts Foundation is still raising money for the project.

Plaza events will be scheduled year round, and the space is available for private event rental such as weddings."

Gresham Center for the Arts Plaza

Construction is finishing up on the Gresham Center for the Arts Plaza, and the dedication ceremony has been scheduled for Saturday, June 6th... Here's the text from a recent DJC article, as well as some recent construction pics. Hope to see you there.

:: images copyright GreenWorks PC

Grand Opening Planned for Gresham's Living Room

From the DJC - June 2, 2009

Gresham’s “living room” is one step closer to completion: Konell Construction has completed work on the first phase of the city’s new Center for the Arts Plaza.

The plaza, built on a two-acre parcel of land at Second and Third streets between Northeast Hood and Kelly avenues, is intended to accommodate local performers and also serve as an ‘outdoor living room’ similar to Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square. Designed by GreenWorks PC, the plaza features four art pillars that symbolize fine arts, literature, performing arts and music.

Construction of the $2.3 million plaza began in August 2008. Future phases of the project will include construction of a two-story, 37,400-square-foot performance and events facility and a three-balcony proscenium theater, which will be built bordering the plaza.

Grand-opening festivities for the plaza will be held on Saturday at 12:30 p.m., followed by musical performances and family-fun activities from 1 to 8:30 p.m. For more information on the project, visit http://www.gcfta.org/.

Windscape Video

Construction was recently completed on the GreenWorks project 'Windscape', which  "...forms a dramatic landmark in the Gateway District of Northeast Portland; an art installation at an undevelopable site dominated by vehicle traffic.  A constructed topography built from the concrete rubble of a major streetscape redevelopment project recalls the rugged slopes and bluffs of the Columbia River Gorge. Bisecting the landform are rows of flexible windpoles, 20 feet tall and laid out in the cardinal directions. The north-south double row symbolizes adjacent 102nd Avenue as it cuts through the landform. The east-west row of poles represents East Burnside Street, as it was the baseline upon which the city of Portland was laid out." The recent installation of the wind poles gave the opportunity, with this past weekends high-velocity east winds, to see how the project was working in action. Landscape Architect Shawn Kummer, who was the GreenWorks designer for the project, shot the following video:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2eREj0lxxw]

"Motion is the key theme of the piece. The windpoles flex, dependent upon the amount and direction of the wind. As a person drives the loop, the view of the piece is in constant movement, as the rows of poles align and then diverge, and the overlapping topographic features rotate, also appearing to move. Stormwater from adjacent roadways will be captured and directed into an infiltration basin on the site which will filter out stormwater contaminants, while also functioning as an aesthetic element that the recycled concrete walls meander through. Douglas fir trees form a contextual backdrop to the piece, creating windows through which to view Windscape and the adjacent development."

Gresham plaza artist to talk about public art

From the Daily Journal of Commerce - 01.13.09 The artist chosen to create art elements for Gresham’s Center for the Arts Plaza will be at the 4th Street Brewing Company on Jan. 28 to discuss her work in public art. Claudia Fitch was awarded $175,000 to create art to mark the Third Street entrance to the GreenWorks PC designed-plaza, which will act as a “living room” for the city. Fitch has designed a variety of public art projects, including art for Qwest Field in Seattle. At the presentation, she will discuss her previous work and her strategy for approaching public art projects. Her artwork for the plaza is expected to be completed and unveiled in August.

Fitch’s commission was donated by Dwight Unti, Sue O’Halloran, Mike McKeel, Steve Thoren, John Kilian and the Gresham Art Advisory Committee in memory of Walter C. Calvert. The presentation will be held at 77 N.E. Fourth St., in Gresham, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The $1.5 million Center for the Arts Plaza will be a freestanding town square at the center of Gresham’s historic downtown. The project design includes decorative pavers, in-ground LED lighting and a public fountain, as well as a performance and events facility. Project construction began in fall 2008 by Konell Construction, which plans to finish the plaza early this year.