North Denver Avenue Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

A public celebration was held November 18^th in the downtown Kenton neighborhood of North Portland to mark the completion of streetscape improvements to Kenton’s four block long business district. Community members were joined by Portland Mayor Sam Adams and representatives from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Development Commission, Kenton Neighborhood Association, Kenton Business Association and Regional Arts & Culture Council and countless others who contributed in one way or another to this project. There was an unveiling of a public art sculpture of carved stone by artist Mauricio Saldana, which now sits prominently on the corner of N. Denver Ave and Kilpatrick St. Phase 2 improvements to the project were completed earlier this fall, which included grinding the existing asphalt pavement and repaving with concrete; a paving process called ultra thin white topping (UTW). Parking and intersections are delineated with dark gray concrete with the travel lanes a natural concrete color. Phase 1 construction work was completed earlier in the year. The complete reconstruction of the pedestrian zone included widened sidewalks, new street trees, stormwater planters that treat road and sidewalk rain runoff, ornamental lighting and carved stone benches. The purpose of this project is to support the continued revitalization of the historic Kenton business district and to make Kenton a safer place.

Final Phase of Construction on Denver Avenue Completed

The second phase of construction on Denver Avenue in the Historic commercial district of the Kenton Neighborhood of North Portland has been completed. This phase of construction included the installation of new street paving using a new concrete pavement technique called Ultra Thin White Topping (UTW). The top 2”-3” of existing asphalt roadway was ground down and removed, and the concrete topping mix was laid down on top of the remaining existing asphalt base. Once the concrete has set, score joints were saw cut at a tighter spacing interval than standard concrete. Integral pigment was added to the concrete used for the intersections and parking aisles to distinguish these zones from drive lanes and to provide additional visual interest and traffic calming. This phase of construction completes streetscape improvements for the historic Kenton commercial district, which features widened sidewalks, new street trees, ornamental street lighting, storm water planters, accent paving, custom benches incorporating public art and bike lanes. These improvements will serve as a catalyst for the revitalization of the Kenton Neighborhood.

A public dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the completion of this project will be held on Thursday November 18th at 2:00 pm. Please join Mayor Sam Adams, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Development Commission, Kenton Business Owners and neighborhood residents for the celebration.

GreenWorks Leads Streetscape Design Tour in Pendleton

GreenWorks' Mike Faha and Tim Strand led a tour of Pendleton's newly completed streetscape projects as part of the Fall 2010 APWA Conference. The group began the tour at the new US30 / Court / Dorion intersection, which was designed as a landscape gateway and features curvilinear basalt walls and groves of Jacquemonti Birch trees that create a grand sense of arrival to Pendleton's River Quarter District. They then toured the new Round-Up frontage improvements and Centennial Plaza, which features a new Pendleton landmark: a $150,000, 16-foot tall, bronze statue of the iconic Bucking Bronco. They concluded the tour at Pendleton's new Riverfront Park, which was designed to provide a visual and physical connection to the Umatilla River and Parkway trail system. The park also offers a flexible tree-lined plaza space that accommodates vendors during civic events.

City of Damascus Completes Construction of First Green Street

The construction of the first green street in the center of the City of Damascus on Anderson Road was completed in September. This accomplishment was celebrated recently with a ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by City staff and Councilors, construction contractors (S-2 Contractors, Ashland Brothers Landscapes), the design team (GreenWorks and CH2MHILL) and area residents. The Anderson Road project, 600 feet in length, serves as a pilot project for green public infrastructure development for the City of Damascus. The City hopes to learn from this project as it moves forward with its goal to implement sustainable low impact development practices. All stormwater that falls within the right-of-way is captured, infiltrated and treated on site in stormwater planters, a stormwater swale, pervious asphalt and permeable sidewalk pavers.

Oregon City Green Street Construction Nearing Completion

As part of the realignment of Warner-Milne Road at the Molalla Avenue intersection, the City of Oregon City hired a team with GreenWorks to design a rain garden in a vacated portion of the right-of-way that will treat stormwater runoff from the adjacent heavily-travelled roadways. A series of large serpentine Corten steel fins meander through the site, articulating the stormwater channel and creating a striking contrast to the lush rain garden plantings. The first of its kind in Oregon, this rain garden incorporates prominent sculptural elements that highlight the City's committment to sustainability.

The project also consists of various streetscape improvements including new street trees, decorative tree and trench grating, and permeable concrete sidewalks.

Anderson Road Construction Begins

Construction on Anderson Road has begun, which features the first green street to be built in Damascus, Oregon. This one block, 600 linear foot project, will serve as a demonstration project for future sustainable infrastructure projects planned for the future. This project incorporates stormwater planter boxes, stormwater swale, pervious asphalt and permeable pavers into its design.

GreenWorks = Green Streets

From our recent emailer:  "Green streets provide many benefits such as creating a more pedestrian friendly street, addressing stormwater in a more environmental and economical way, and improving water quality.

GreenWorks has designed over 30 green street projects in Oregon, Washington and California.

Beavercreek Green Street recently received an American Public Works Association 2009 National Project of the Year Award."

Russellville Gets More Ink

A short blurb from the DJC on Sept. 3rd on the Russellville Phase III project. See here for more on the project grand opening.

"Phase III of the Russellville Commons residential and assisted-living project in Southeast Portland is completed. The Russellville Park West assisted-living and Alzheimer’s facility has 140 units in the four-story building at the corner of East Burnside and 103rd Avenue. One of the building’s prominent features is the interior courtyard with its tree-covered dining space, sculptural walls and small private meeting spaces for families and friends. The central element of the courtyard is a circular vegetated swale that handles rainwater runoff. The project was built by general contractor Yorke & Curtis Inc. from a design by MCM Architects. The courtyard and streetscape improvements were designed by GreenWorks PC and constructed by Landscape Management."

Historic Kenton Main Street to Get Makeover

On Tuesday, August 25th a crowd braved a spot of summer rain to attend a  news conference to kick off Kenton business district streetscape project.  Portland Mayor Sam Adams and representatives of the Portland Development Commission, Multnomah County Libraries, N. Denver Avenue businesses, and the Kenton Neighborhood Association were all in attendance.  Some info from the PDC media advisory:

"Lots of new changes are coming to a historic part of town as a full range of streetscape improvements begin construction on N. Denver Avenue, the main street in the Kenton neighborhood. Construction is expected to begin in early September to renovate the 4.5-block stretch of N. Denver Avenue (Interstate Avenue south to Watts Street).  Improvements include wider sidewalks, new street trees, stormwater planters, pedestrian lighting, concrete street resurfacing, a granite public art sculpture and seven carved stone benches. The $2.85 million N. Denver Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project is funded by PDC in coordination with the Portland Bureau of Transportation. The city has been working with local businesses, community representatives, and technical experts since 2006 to plan the right mix of attractive, functional improvements.

The N. Denver Avenue project exemplifies the vision of 20-minute neighborhoods called out as a key element of the city’s new economic development strategy. Related revitalization projects include Multnomah County’s remodeling of 8226 N. Denver for a new North Portland library branch;  renovation of the iconic Paul Bunyan statue at the intersection of N. Denver and Interstate Avenue; and the opening of new businesses in the district. "

Images © GreenWorks PC.  For more information about this project check out our website.  Also see these recent articles in the Portland Business Journal and the Portland Tribune.

Russellville Commons Grand Opening

The grand opening celebration occurred last week for Phase III of the Russellville Commons. The project is a three- to four-story assisted living facility with group care units for Alzheimer patients, built atop an underground parking garage. It is one of the first multi-family developments of Portland’s Gateway District as part of the 1996 Outer Southeast Community Plan’s densification initiative, and is located adjacent to the TriMet MAX stop at E Burnside and SE 102nd Avenue. Speakers at the event included Metro President David Bragdon and Metro District 6 Councilor Robert Liberty

Working with MCM Architects, GreenWorks was responsible for designing streetscape improvements for Phase III, as well as an interior courtyard space that includes a memory care courtyard and a fountain feature. Significant streetscape elements include flow through planters that manage the building’s roof runoff along E Burnside and SE Ankeny Streets, and an entry plaza with special paving along and across SE 103rd Avenue extending to Phase II. The interior courtyard space includes sculptural walls that provide a variety of spaces for individuals and for group interaction, as well as a tree-covered outdoor dining area. A circular vegetated swale handles courtyard runoff and provides a central landscape feature that echoes notions of healing and tranquility.

See below for some additional images of the central courtyard stormwater feature, and the remaining portions of the courtyard, including the Alzheimer's area, wine bar, and the exterior green streets.