business images portland region, or 2009-10
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Business Images Portland Region, OR 2009-10TRANSCRIPT
Illuminating Solution
Solar power lights busy highway
Ports of Plenty Commerce continues
to flow right along
Cool Meets ComfortableHip new hotels enliven downtown district
BUSINESSTM
SPONSORED BY THE PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE | 2009
PORTLAND REGION, OREGON
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BUSINESS
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On the Cover PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS
Downtown Portland
OVERVIEW 7
BUSINESS ALMANAC 8
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Best-Laid Plans 10City, region and state collaborate to prepare methodically for future growth.
Clusters of Progress 11
Advocate for Growth 13
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Super Site for Startups 14Small business is big business here, thanks in part to helpful resources.
Keep It Symbiotic 15
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Sun, Wind Help Portland Shine 16The region has emerged as a national leader in alternative sources of power.
Illuminating Solution 17
Plug and Go 19
HEALTH
Healthy Bricks & Mortar 20Hospital construction projects are indicative of expansions in medical services.
Breakthrough for Research at OHSU 21
LIVABILITY
Cool Meets Comfortable 22New hotels bring hipness and luxury to the central business district.
Growing to the MAX 25
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20
16
22
contents
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 1
BUSINESS
This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE
EDUCATION
Sustainable Studies 27College and university programs specialize in environmentalism.
TRANSPORTATION
Ports of Plenty 28Commerce fl ows easily through Portland and Vancouver marine and air terminals.
Keeping City Moving Ahead 29
ARTS & CULTURE
Conspicuous by Its Presence 30Public art abounds in the region, aided by the Percent for Art fee.
A Culture of Creativity 31
FOOD
Green Gourmets 32Locally grown, organic foods are staples at restaurants and farmers markets.
Economic Profi le 35
30
32
27 28
contents
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 3
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BUSINESS
PORTLAND REGION2009 EDITION, VOLUME 3
C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A
MANAGING EDITOR MAURICE FLIESS
COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS
ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, JESSY YANCEY
ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW
STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE,
REBECCA DENTON, RENEE ELDER, SHARON H. FITZGERALD,
JOE MORRIS, GARY PERILLOUX
DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON
INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER ANDREA G. JOINER
SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT,
ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW
CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS
WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH
ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN
PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS
MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,
KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS
GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER,
JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND,
AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER
WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ
WEB DESIGN LEAD FRANCO SCARAMUZZA
WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ
WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES
COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN
AD TRAFFIC JESSICA CHILDS, MARCIA MILLAR,
PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY
CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN
SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER
SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN
SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER
V.P./SALES HERB HARPER
V.P./SALES TODD POTTER
V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER
V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART
V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS
MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN
MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM
MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM
MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO
CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY
ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN,
MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS
RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP
DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE
NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD
IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE
CUSTOM/TRAVEL SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY
SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN
OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM
RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP
Business Images Portland Region is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Portland Business Alliance. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Portland Business Alliance200 S.W. Market St., Suite 1770 • Portland, OR 97201Phone: (503) 224-8684 • Fax: (503) 323-9186www.portlandalliance.com
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P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 5
Camas
CLACKAMASAMMA
HMULTNOMAHHMU
INGTONNNIWASHINW S IIINIII
Oregon CityTualatin
Milwaukie
Troutdale
Columbia River
Tigard
Lake Oswego
GreshamBeavertonHillsboro
Portland
CLARKLBattle Ground
Vancouver26
18
211
14
213
500
503
140
219
47
99E
84
205
5
55 OREGON
NGTONWASHINN
1. STRATEGIC LOCATION. The Portland and Vancouver
metropolitan area is a West
Coast hub for commerce and
travel. The Port of Portland is
the nation’s eighth largest in
export tonnage, and together
with the Port of Vancouver the
docks make an ideal transfer point for cargo.
Interstates 5 and 84 intersect here, and Portland
International Airport offers nonstop service to 52
U.S. cities and to Germany, the Netherlands, Japan,
Canada and Mexico.
2. HUB FOR INNOVATION. World-class businesses
and industries flourish here. The region’s Silicon
Forest is home to international leaders in the design
and manufacture of semiconductors. The area also
is a manufacturing center for sports apparel and
footwear, heavy trucks and railcars, metals, wines
and microbrews, specialty foods, and animated films.
3. LIVING SUSTAINABLY. Progressive public policies
ranging from an emphasis on mass transit to the
construction of green buildings make environmental
friendliness a way of life here. Factor in some of the
nation’s leading universities on LEED design, urban
planning and renewable energy, and you can see
why the Portland region is a leader in sustainability.
4. ROBUST CENTRAL CITY. Downtown Portland is
one of the most vibrant central cities in
North America – a destination for
people day and night. Local stores
and national retailers make it a
magnet for shoppers. Cultural
venues abound, as do
restaurants, wine bars, movie
theaters and brewpubs.
5. QUALITY OF LIFE. The
Portland region is renowned as
a place where “the good life” is
more than a slogan. Incredible
opportunities for recreation –
everything from skiing on
11,249-foot Mount Hood to beachcombing on
the Pacific shore – are a short drive away.
6. INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL. Higher education
institutions continue to grow and attract talent
from around the country, ultimately feeding the
region’s workforce. Within a 110-mile radius,
175,000 students are enrolled in 25 colleges
and universities.
7. FLOURISHING ARTS SCENE. Portland has world-
class cultural amenities: symphony, opera, ballet,
theater, museums, art galleries and film festivals,
as well as a thriving music scene.
8. BUSINESS INCENTIVES. The state of Oregon
and local governments in the Portland region offer
incentives to attract businesses and industries.
9. ACCESSIBILITY. Adding light-rail, streetcars and
an aerial tram to the public transit mix has resulted
in a 65 percent increase in ridership over 10 years.
10. AFFORDABILITY. Compared with other states,
Oregon has lower water, power and workers’
compensation insurance costs. There is no sales tax;
state income and local property taxes are modest.
To learn more, contact:
Portland Business Alliance
200 S.W. Market St., Suite 1770
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: (503) 224-8684
Fax: (503) 323-9186
www.portlandalliance.com
Or our partner:
Greenlight Greater Portland
www.greenlightgreaterportland.com
TOP 10 REASONS TO DO BUSINESS IN THE PORTLAND REGION
Portland Region
SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Portland at imagesportland.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 7
overview
ONE FOR THE BOOKSHeard of Woodstock? Portland is home to Wordstock.
More than 200 national and regional authors from every genre travel
to Portland each November for the book and literary festival. The
Oregon Convention Center houses nine stages where readings occur,
and other events include a children’s festival and writing workshops.
Wordstock began in 2005 and soon emerged as the largest
celebration of literature and literacy in the Pacific Northwest.
Community of Writers, a nonprofit organization that promotes writing,
sponsors the event.
UP THE RIVERDragon boat racing?
In 1994, about 30 enthusiasts established Portland’s Dragon Boat Paddling Club, and there are now more than 2,000 members. The club owns six dragon boats, which are Hong Kong-style, canoe-like floatables that can be rented to rowing enthusiasts.
Portland’s annual Rose Festival each June includes a dragon boat race, and a fall regatta occurs in September.
The colorful boats often can be seen in late afternoons and evenings along the Willamette River.
PEAR DUMPLINGS?Some of the best pear desserts
and dumplings you will ever
taste are merely an hour away
from Portland.
The nation’s largest pear-growing
region is the Hood River Valley,
which offers the complete
experience of growing, producing,
and enjoying pear fruit and wine.
Autumn is an ideal time to drive
through the valley because that’s
the peak period for the pear
harvest, with fruit stands and
attractions along the way.
One September event is the
annual Pear Party at Rasmussen
Farms, where visitors can sample
18 varieties of the fruit.
8 I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M P O R T L A N D
business almanac
BE A SPORTThe sporting life is a vibrant one in
Portland on the professional level.
The Portland Trail Blazers of the
National Basketball Association
dominate the pro sports scene
locally, but they certainly are not
the only game in town. Other
teams are the Portland Beavers
of baseball’s Triple A Pacific
Coast League, the Portland
LumberJax of the National
Lacrosse League (pictured)
and the Portland Timbers of
the United Soccer League.
THIS FOREST IS BIGQuick trivia answer: Portland is home to the largest urban forest in
the United States.
It covers more than 5,100 acres and includes Forest Park. The park
allows bikers, hikers and runners to enjoy 70 miles of recreational trails
that provide views of the city, mountains and Willamette River.
One of the most popular trails, Wildwood, is recognized as a National
Recreational Trail; it begins in Hoyt Arboretum and traverses through
Forest Park to its terminus at Newberry Road.
ECO HIGH FASHIONPortland’s creativity and eco-consciousness can be found even
in its fashion.
Portland designers showcase their spring and summer
collections each October during Portland Fashion
Week. The event features more than 30 independent designers, many
of whom are also eco-designers.
The 2008 show took place at 14 Square, a green building in the Pearl District. Organic food and wine were served in the VIP suite. In addition, the runway was made of bamboo.
FESTIVAL OCCASIONIn Portland, art is more
than something to look
at – it is something to
experience. And there is
no better way than by
attending the Time-Based
Art Festival, which occurs
for 11 days each September.
Sponsored by the Portland
Institute for Contemporary
Art, the festival is gaining
national acclaim for
inventive, interactive
displays and for
performance art. Besides
theatrical works, the event
features dance, music, visual
arts, film and video.
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P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 9
City, region and state prepare for growth
Best-LaidPlans
10 I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M P O R T L A N D
business climate
To say that planning is one of Portland’s hallmarks is to state the obvious — and then some.
Leaders of the city’s various economic development organizations are big on strategic planning, and they come together to work on areas of importance to the city and region – all the way up to the mother of all plans, the Oregon Business Plan.
“Planning is a strength of our commu-nity,” says Scott Andrews, president of Melvin Mark Properties, chairman of the Portland Business Alliance’s Regional Business Plan Steering Committee and a Portland Development Commission commissioner. “For the business com-munity, this goes back to the mid-1970s downtown that was failing – and failing badly. A planning process began that defined development in terms of retail at the sidewalk level and the bigger pieces, like mass transit.”
That led to an influx of retail devel-opment as well as bus, light-rail and streetcar transportation options, with the end result being a downtown that is a true hub.
“The mass transit system goes out and back in every direction, so if your business or home is downtown, it’s very convenient,” Andrews says. “On a broader basis, the urban growth boundary is moving outward; we’ve ended up with a more logical devel-opment of the region, which allows for better planning from the transportation and infrastructure standpoints.”
That well-thought-out growth has positioned Portland to ride the current economic downturn fairly well.
“Our economy is amazingly strong, given what’s going on nationally, because we’ve become the kind of place where people want to live,” Andrews says. “The benefits of all that work are finally coming to fruition. A busi ness can be located about anywhere now because of the communication infrastructure, and more and more are choosing to be here because it’s a community that cares about sus tain ability, has a strong mass-
transit system and good infra structure. And that’s because of the planning resources we have.”
A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Planning also is serious business at the state level, where the Oregon Business Council oversees the evolution and updating of the Oregon Business Plan, which was begun in 2002 and acts as a framework for development.
The state is fortunate to have so many organizations pulling together for frequent strategy sessions, says Jeremy Rogers, the council’s project director.
“Having so many planners gives us a strong competitive advantage,” he says.
The state organization has become quite adept at drilling down to the local level, creating the Oregon Cluster Network to help identify and grow targeted industries in specific locations.
“Whether we’re talking about land-use planning, transportation or regional government, everybody comes at it from the same place. We work with the governor’s office, our U.S. senators, all the various business associations in the state and on down,” Rogers says. “A lot of good comes out of all this talking and planning.”
– Joe Morris
Downtown Portland plays to its strengths, including proximity to the Willamette River. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS
Clusters of ProgressPDC FOSTERS CIVIC IMPROVEMENT
With half a century of
successes to look back on, it
would be understandable if
the Portland Development
Commission took a breather.
Understandable, yes, but
highly unlikely.
Now more than ever, the
PDC is engaged in initiatives
that underscore its long-term
involvement in the city’s growth
– from multiple urban-renewal
programs to downtown
revitalization, transportation,
infrastructure and parks.
On the business front,
the PDC focuses on four
industrial clusters: advanced
manufacturing, clean technology,
design and creative services,
and high tech. To grow those,
it promotes and takes part in
initiatives on everything from
urban sustainability to harbor
reclamation, says Erin Flynn,
urban development director
for PDC.
“We’ve identified sustainability
as a cross-cutting strategic
goal for the agency, so we
incorporate sustainable practices
into all the work we do,” she
says. “We’ve also identified
green tech and clean tech as
priorities for the economic
development of the Portland
region. We’re very focused on
the recruitment and growth
of solar and wind companies
because we view them as the
next generation, the next
industrial revolution.”
Flynn adds that the majority
of PDC funding for economic
development goes to small
businesses. “In our 50th year,
we’re focusing on not only
growing our large companies
but working with those small
companies.” – Joe Morris
ScorecardPORTLAND REGION,
BY THE NUMBERS:
39Fortune 500 companies
2ports
2.2 millionmetro population
22percentage of residents using
alternative transportation
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 11
ALLIANCE CHAIRMAN DISCUSSES DECADE OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS
A s a business leader and advo-cate for the city’s business community, Steven Holwerda
is able to see both the forest and the trees when it comes to Portland’s growth and development.
Holwerda, chief operating officer of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, is the 2008-09 chairman of the Portland Business Alliance. He recently talked about Alliance activities and the region’s potential for future growth.
Q During your time with the Portland Business Alliance
and its predecessor organization, how have you seen the focus evolve?
A I was on the Portland Chamber of Commerce board for a few years
before we merged with the Association of Portland Progress and became the Portland Business Alliance. The Alliance is a much larger organization that not only provides advocacy for the region’s businesses and wears the badge of the chamber of commerce, but we also over-see many downtown marketing and safety programs.
In addition, we have intensified our focus for advocacy. The Alliance is the voice that speaks out to city, county and state officials to inform them of policies that may jeopardize or com-promise the health of businesses, which would lead to fewer jobs, lower payroll and ultimately fewer tax dollars for government services.
Q In the last decade or so, what are some of the major
changes you’ve seen in Portland’s business economy in terms of growth sectors and new players?
A The last 10 years have created a few changes to the Portland econ-
Advocate for Growth
Steven Holwerda can monitor new downtown development from his office at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management, where he is chief operating officer.
JE
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omy, beginning with the technology boom in the late 1990s, the subsequent unwinding of that boom, and then the hyper-drive real estate boom that is now correcting in both housing and commercial development.
We are fortunate to have a very successful and meaningful technology base, with Intel at the core. Our economy felt the unwinding of the technology boom in the early part of this decade to a greater extent than most, but we had also benefited on the upside. Today, our technology base is very strong and significant, but other industries have emerged in the last 10 years.
In the last couple years, Portland has established itself on the national scale as a green city and a place where sustainable-energy companies want to locate. Vestas, the premier wind-energy company in the world, established its North American headquarters in Portland in 2007. Solarworld opened North America’s largest solar-cell man-ufacturing facility in Hillsboro in October 2008.
They provide a solid foundation for the future growth in the sustainable-energy industry.
Q Going forward, what do you think some of the
driving economic forces are going to be in the area, and how is the Alliance working to grow and evolve those areas?
A We see the driving economic forces to be shaped by the major indus-
tries that already define our region, such as technology, manufacturing, wood products and service industries.
The Alliance will continue to be an advocate for businesses large and small in all industries. We recognize that the impact of major employers goes beyond their payroll, and it has a multiplier effect to all the small businesses that exist to service them.
Our networking events are designed to mix small and big business to help generate relationships and eventually synergies between companies.
We support organizations such as Greenlight Greater Portland and the Portland Development Commission, which are recruiting new businesses to Portland. Together, we can connect new companies with our business community.
– Joe Morris
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 13
business climate
Small businesses flourish here for all the right reasons
An entrepreneur here, a three-person shop there – it all adds up. And in the Portland region,
it adds up to more than $2 billion a year in payroll and 275,000 jobs, making small business a big economic engine.
While the region certainly doesn’t lack for major corporations, it’s also home to about 50,000 small businesses. This fact isn’t lost on the city or the state, both of which pump significant resources into agencies and programs that help fledgling companies grow and thrive.
“There’s a lot of support in Portland for local businesses,” says Debbie Kitchin, owner of InterWorks LLC and chair of the Portland Business Alliance’s Small Business Council. “People want to do business with someone they know, and there are a lot of groups that work with the businesses to help them promote their products and services.”
BENEFITS OF COLLABORATION
Kitchin and her husband, Jim, opened InterWorks in 1994, and they have grown the residential-remodeling and commer cial-construction firm to 10 employees and an expanded roster of services.
Being part of a larger com munity of small businesses has helped, as have outside resources from the Alliance and other organizations, she says.
“There’s a lot of collaboration here in terms of helping businesses grow,” Kitchin says. “When these organizations work together, that helps leverage the resources available for all the small businesses.”
Of course, companies have to know how to tap into these resources and navigate the system, says Ryan Buchanan, president and CEO of eROI
Startups
ScorecardPORTLAND REGION SMALL BUSINESSES
50,000number of such companies
275,000 jobs there
$2 billionannual payroll
11,000small businesses launched in the last five years
Super Sitefor
14 I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M P O R T L A N D
entrepreneurship
Inc., a company he describes as a hybrid Web and e-mail marketing/design and develop ment agency and software company.
Now six years old and with 48 employ-ees, eROI has made Inc. magazine’s Top 500 list of the fastest-growing, privately held companies. But its success doesn’t mean a move to a larger base of operations.
“I’m a huge proponent of Portland and a member of several entrepreneurial and marketing organizations here and in the state,” Buchanan says. “Beyond that, Portland is just incredibly collab-orative. Competitors really help each other in the areas where we might come together. Portland has been the right kind of culture for what we’re doing, and it continues to be a real open-source community for companies that are start ing and growing here.”
SUSTAINABILITY ATTRACTS INNOVATORS
Many, many other business owners are equally high on Portland, says Jackie Babicky-Peterson, senior business adviser at the Oregon Small Business Development Center Network’s Portland Community College branch.
“We’ve seen 11,000 new small busi-nesses begin here in the last five years,” says Babicky-Peterson, who also owns and operates Babicky Performance Partners, a business consulting firm.
“Its culture has always made Portland a small-business favorite, but the move to sustainability is really attracting the innovators,” she adds. “Portland is really attracting the younger, creative class – people who have ideas and who are finding out that this is a great place to start a company.”
– Joe Morris
An educational workshop sponsored by the Small Business Development Center at Portland Community College spotlights Dolce Divas Bakery.
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Keep It SymbioticCOMPANIES OF ALL SIZES INTERACT FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT
The size and scope of
Portland’s business community
is impressive, even more so
when examining how
companies interact.
“Keep it local” is a
catchphrase from billion-dollar
boardrooms on down, with
small companies getting a
crack at large contracts while
the area’s bigger players can
discover key entrepreneurs.
“We deal with bigger
companies, but we also have a
number of smaller businesses
that we patronize in the
Portland area,” says Baruti
Artharee, president of Coast
Office Products, a subsidiary of
Coast Industries Inc., a janitorial
and security service firm.
Being able to forge such
relationships is a fundamental
lesson at the Small Business
Development Center at Portland
Community College.
“People have always paid
attention to local services for
things like restaurants and
beauty shops. But now they
are looking at other businesses
and beginning to network,” says
Jackie Babicky-Peterson, senior
business adviser at the center
and chair of the Portland City
Council’s Small Business
Advisory Council.
The ability to rely on local
networking also helps new
companies during economic
slowdowns – “to hang around
until times are better,” says Sam
Brooks, president of S. Brooks
and Associates and founder
of the Oregon Association of
Minority Entrepreneurs. “Then
they can grow.” – Joe Morris
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 15
Region emerges as a leader in alternative
sources of power
Portland is a renewable-energy powerhouse.
An influx of companies that make wind and solar power generation technology is strengthening the region’s reputation as a place where the poten-tial of alternative sources of energy is taken seriously.
Denmark-based Vestas Wind Systems A/S, a major international player in wind turbines, has its U.S. headquarters in downtown Portland.
Iberdrola Renewables Inc. (formerly PPM Energy Inc.), a huge wind-energy producer, and Sun Edison LLC, which acquired local company Renewable NRG in March 2008, sell wholesale renewable energy back to the grid.
In addition, Portland General Electric for three years running sold more renewable power to residential customers than any other utility in the country, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Nearly 70,000 PGE customers pay an average of $7 a month extra for power from renewable resources. That’s about 8.5 percent of the company’s customers, and the raw number is growing by 10 percent a year, says Joe Barra, PGE’s director of customer energy resources.
The area is well positioned to build on its success. The October 2008 federal financial bailout package extended tax credits for investment in renewable energy, and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski got a state business energy tax credit enacted in 2007.
Sun, Wind
Wind farms are springing up east of Portland. PHOTO BY TODD BENNETT
Help Portland SHINE
16 I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M P O R T L A N D
Illuminating SolutionSOLAR-GENERATED POWER HELPS LIGHT A BUSY HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE
An Oregon highway is in the fast lane.
The country’s first “solar highway” project,
dedicated in January 2009, is producing 28 percent
of the power needed to light the Interstate
205-Interstate 5 interchange south of Portland. The
Oregon Department of Transportation teamed up
with Portland General Electric and US Bank to install –
on a slice of right-of-way – an array of solar panels the
length of two football fields.
“Even in the middle of the night, with so few
motorists, [lighting] has to be on,” says James Whitty,
DOT’s manager of innovative partnerships. “The more
traffic you have, the more lighting there is. Urban
areas with a lot of traffic [require] a lot of lighting.”
Oregon officials want the state’s agencies to use
renewable resources like solar power to meet
electricity needs.
Proponents say this project aims to show that a
public-private partnership can work and serve as
a model for others along Oregon’s highways.
The idea is not so much about saving money –
Oregon will pay the same rate for power generated
by the 600 solar panels as it does for other electricity
– but more about reducing carbon dioxide emissions
and setting a standard for innovation.
Because the project involved a private equity
partner, US Bank, it was eligible for state and federal
tax incentives. PGE will manage the $1.3 million
project through a new corporation, Sun Way I LLC.
The panels will export power into the grid during
the day, and PGE will feed it back to the lights at
night, says Joe Barra, the utility’s director of customer
energy resources.
Oregon’s goal is to issue requests for proposals in
2009 and secure financing to build additional solar
arrays along some of the state’s 16,000 miles of
public rights-of-way, Whitty says.
The solar highway is getting national and
international attention. Whitty and PGE officials
began fielding calls from other states months before
the switch was flipped.
More details about the project are available at
www.oregonsolarhighway.com.
– Pamela Coyle
SUNNY FORECAST FOR SOLAR
As long as the wind blows and the sun shines, Portland will be well served.
“All over the world, demand for renew-able energy is growing dramatically,” says Jan Johnson, spokeswoman for Iberdrola Renewables.
The region’s robust solar industry is buoyed by a talent pool with its roots in the semiconductor boom of the 1990s.
“In order to grow fast, Portland was an ideal location,” says John Sedgwick, co-founder and vice president of Solaicx, which started in San Diego in 2003. “The international semiconductor concerns had set up shop and left and also left a large cadre of highly skilled people.”
With demand for solar products ris-ing, Solaicx expects to double or triple its workforce of 60 people by the end of 2009, Sedgwick says. The company specializes in growing monocrystals that are sliced into silicon wafers and sold to companies that manufacture photovoltaic devices.
SolarWorld Industries America takes a different approach. It starts with pure
silicon, grows ingots (or crystals), slices wafers and makes the solar cells.
“The business model was from cradle to grave,” says Anne Schneider, head of public relations for the U.S. operations of Germany’s SolarWorld AG.
In 2007, SolarWorld bought a semi-conductor facility that a Japanese company had built in Hillsboro but never used. Production started in October 2008 in what is now North America’s largest solar-cell manufacturing facility. By year-end, about 250 people were working there – a number that Schneider says could grow to 1,000 by 2011.
Meanwhile, PGE is building a $1 billion wind farm just east of the region that will power the equivalent of 100,000 homes. Locally, the utility installed 328,000 square feet of solar panels atop ProLogis distribution warehouses in northeast Portland, the largest such project in the Pacific Northwest.
“There is a strong ethic in Oregon about environmental issues,” says Bill Nicholson, PGE’s vice president of cus-tomers and economic development. “Always has been.” – Pamela Coyle
Bora Tan inspects a newly manufactured cell at SolarWorld.
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renewable energy
Portland General Electric rolls out vehicle charging stations
Brian Toye’s life with an electric car just got a whole lot more convenient.
Portland General Electric in September 2008 started installing six plug-in stations with plans to add more.
One is in Lake Oswego, where Toye and his family live. Another is in Oregon City, where the stay-at-home dad often shops. His 2007 ZENN, which has a dedicated circuit in the family’s garage, can go about 30 miles on a charge.
“We did sell a 5-series BMW, which was burning through $2,500 a year in fuel,” Toye says. “The ZENN will run us less than $70 a year, and it is doing the exact same job.”
Portland already leads the country with the highest per capita ownership of hybrid vehicles – 17 per 1,000, com-pared with two per 1,000 nationally, according to Bill Nicholson, vice president of customers and economic development for PGE.
Along with local and state govern-ments, the company wants to position Portland for the next wave of hybrid plug-in and all-electric vehicles, making the region hospitable to owners as well as manufacturers.
“We wanted to get out there early and with the right signals,” says Joe Barra, PGE’s director of customer energy resources.
Porteon Electric Vehicles, a startup company, already is setting up shop in Portland, and PGE officials say they’ve
had “extensive discussions” with major auto manufacturers to ensure that future car lines will be compatible with PGE installations.
The charging stations are an all-local affair. Shorepower Technologies built them, and Smith Creative Group came up with the look: a sleek blue-and-silver unit with an attention-getting recycled tire on top. The host government or business, Nicholson says, pays about $2,500 for the charging station and connection, and PGE provides renewable
energy for the power.During the current test period,
hooking up is free.Additional charging stations in
Portland are at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the Two World Trade Center garage and PGE head-quarters on Salmon Street. Other locations being considered include the Nike complex in Beaverton, Shorenstein Realty Services, Columbia Sportswear and local government offices.
– Pamela Coyle
Plug and
Among the battery-electric cars driven in Portland is the Toyota RAV4-EV.
Go
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renewable energy
Hospital construction projects signify growth in medical services
The rat-a-tat-tat of jackhammers and the roar of construction vehicles are welcome noise in
the Portland region, where expansions of health-care facilities mean improved and more convenient medical services for area residents.
In February 2008, Providence Health & Services, a not-for-profit network spanning five Western states, opened its gleaming cancer center at Providence Portland Medical Center.
The cancer center is “designed from a patient perspective,” says David Underriner, chief executive officer of
Providence’s Portland Service Area. “We looked upon this as an opportunity to design a system of care to serve cancer patients in a different way. We offer a very strong continuum of care, tied in with research and community-based programs.”
The Providence Cancer Center covers 500,000 square feet on seven f loors, plus a garden level and space reserved for future growth. “It invites people to come in and interact,” says Underriner, describing the center’s main f loor that features prevention and support services, a learning center, and a spa.
Medical-service floors house inpatient rooms, surgery suites and areas for advanced treatments such as the Gamma Knife Perfexion, which precisely targets 201 beams of radiation on head and neck tumors.
Also setting the Providence Cancer Center apart is its research floor. “We’ve designed state-of-the-art research facilities that are attracting folks from around the country to come and practice, mainly in immunology,” Underriner says. “You’ve got scientists interacting with clinicians and patients, so they’re not just in a labor atory. It’s
Healthy Bricks
The 500,000-square-foot Providence Cancer Center offers patient care that is tied in with research programs.
&Mortar
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very motivating, and it really adds to the intellectual synergy.”
Including a parking structure and extensive utility work, the project cost about $230 million.
CONSTRUCTION STARTS FOR CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Approximately $250 million is the price tag for Legacy Health System’s plans to build a new Emanuel Children’s Hospital and renovate Emanuel Hospital & Health Center in Portland. Legacy is a not-for-profit, Oregon-based health system with six hospitals.
April Whitworth, Emanuel Hospital & Health Center’s chief administrative officer, says the Children’s Hospital is “a hospital within a hospital, and we wanted to give it its own identity.” Thus, Legacy broke ground in fall 2008 on a stand-alone children’s tower, adjacent and connected to the main hospital. “It will very much be a cornerstone and a landmark in this community,” Whitworth predicts.
Opening the new Emanuel Children’s Hospital in 2011 will free up space in the main hospital for an expanded emergency department and more acute-level and critical-care patient rooms.
Emanuel Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center, has experienced an 8 percent increase in patient volume for three years in a row, pushing occupancy to 90 percent of capacity.
The first phase of the project, a new parking garage, is scheduled for com-pletion in spring 2009. About the same time, renovation and expansion in the main hospital will begin in phases, including a revamped main entrance and lobby.
Legacy takes on this project just three years after it completed construction of Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital in Vancouver, Wash.
– Sharon H. Fitzgerald
The Oregon Health & Science University is worth a lot to Portland,
and now it’s worth $100 million more.
As a testament to OHSU’s pioneering cancer research, Nike founder
Philip H. Knight and his wife, Penny, pledged that amount to the
OHSU Cancer Institute in October 2008 – the largest gift in the
university’s history. The academic medical center consists of health-
care facilities and practices, professional schools, and research
programs, with about 4,100 research projects currently under way.
Dan Dorsa, vice president for research, calls the Knight gift
“transformational.” The first $2 million was put to immediate use to
complete the Center for Cancer Cell Signaling, a $10 million facility
where researchers are working to understand how cancer cells
communicate. The remaining $98 million is in a current-use fund,
available at the discretion of the center director, Dr. Brian Druker.
Dorsa says OHSU’s cancer research, recognized internationally,
focuses on identifying problems in cell components and devising
drugs and agents to treat those problems. “That has resulted not
only in scientific discovery and advancement, but has also led to
the creation of some startup companies here in Oregon,” he says.
One of those is Portland-based MolecularMD, founded by Druker
and colleagues to help identify the most effective cancer therapy.
OHSU stem-cell research is also notable. At the Oregon National
Primate Research Center, scientists were the first to create primate
embryonic stem cells from skin cells of rhesus macaque monkeys.
Time magazine recognized the discovery, along with a human
skin-cell advance, as the No. 1 scientific breakthrough of 2007.
Dorsa says OHSU balances its research between investigations with
shorter-term application and more deliberate basic research “We have
many scientists who are extremely important to us who conduct very
fundamental research for which the application is not immediately
obvious. But in five to 10 years, it may very well be.”
– Sharon H. Fitzgerald
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Oregon Health & Science University overlooks Portland from Marquam Hill.
Breakthrough for Research at OHSUNIKE FOUNDER FAMILY’S $100 MILLION GIFT SETS THE STAGE FOR MEDICAL DISCOVERY
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 21
CoolWhere
MeetsComfortable
22 I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M P O R T L A N D
New downtown hotels are luxurious and hip
The Meier & Frank Building in downtown Portland was once a store where Portland residents shopped when they needed to dress “to the nines.”
Today, the 101-year-old building is home to the Nines, a nine-story, 331-room hotel that sits atop a five-story Macy’s department store.
“This interesting building has been completely recreated to blend the legacy of its architectural heritage with a world-class hotel,” says Walter Isenberg, president and chief executive officer of Sage Hospitality, which manages the hotel. “The recent $115 million renovation represents a significant development milestone for downtown Portland.”
Trendy and hip hotels around downtown Portland are becoming the norm, featuring luxurious guest rooms along with an array of amenities. Such is the case at Hotel deLuxe, housed in a 1912 building and adorned with 400 black-and-white cinema photographs from the 1930s to the 1950s.
“The architecture here has influences from the French and American art deco movement, art moderne movement and the 1940s, giving the hotel an elegant and timeless feel,” says Howard Jacobs, president and chief operating officer of Provenance Hotels, owner of Hotel deLuxe. Yet each room also has modern guest services such as 24-hour room service, iPod docking stations and high-definition f lat-screen televisions, Jacobs says. “In fact, we are the first hotel in Portland to offer full HDTV capabilities.”
ATTRACTING HIPSTERS AND CHRISTIAN GROUPS
Elsewhere downtown, a massive renovation in 2007 and 2008 turned a one-time Days Inn into Hotel Modera – a first-class destination for business travelers during the week and for leisure visitors on the weekend.
Ace Hotel, another downtown destination that opened in 2008, has a boutique look that emphasizes natural materials. In 2008, The New York Times billed the Ace as the most
Top right: The Nines hotel occupies a historic building. Bottom right: Hotel deLuxe decor spotlights Hollywood. Left: Olive Or Twist Martini Bar is a Pearl District magnet. P
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livability
original hotel in the country. Among its offerings are on-site eateries including Clyde Common, Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen and Stumptown Coffee.
“Creative professionals stay overnight with us as well as traditional business travelers, tourists, hipsters, Christian youth groups, lots of families and touring bands,” says Shoshanna Cohen, media relations representative with Ace Hotel. “Downtown Portland has a lot going on in terms of music, art, graphic design and so forth, and using interesting vintage elements and reclaimed building materials was key when we developed this hotel.”
Hotel Fifty (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) received a $7 million renovation in 2008 to its 140 guestrooms – 36 of which are river view suites.
“Hotel Fifty is at the gateway to Portland, directly across the street from Tom McCall Waterfront Park,” says Christy Luther of Richmond Public Relations, which represents the hotel. “Hotel Fifty caters primarily to business travelers looking for a comfortable yet sophisticated retreat in the city. But we are also an ideal location for girlfriends’ getaways, shopping trips, and couples looking to enjoy a weekend in beautiful downtown Portland.”
– Kevin Litwin
Hotel deLuxe exudes “cool,” but if guests want to sweat, Tom McCall Waterfront Park is just a few blocks away. P
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New light-rail line will extend from downtown to Clackamas County
Get ready for a new north-south train to downtown Portland.
Known as the Green Line, the MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) light-rail service is scheduled to begin in September 2009, traveling along 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University – and from there southward to Clackamas Town Center in Clackamas County.
“TriMet’s fifth MAX line not only will serve the busiest transit destination in the region – Portland State University – it also will help revitalize downtown Portland,” says Mary Fetsch, commu-nications director for the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, commonly known as TriMet.
TriMet is a public agency that operates the mass-transit system in Portland, including the region’s primary bus system and the MAX light-rail system. The agency projects the new line will have nearly 50,000 daily boardings by 2025.
“The budget for this project is $575.7 million, with construction being com-pleted in three- to four-block sections in order to minimize impacts to businesses,” Fetsch says. “This new line will also feature several other downtown improvements, including new brick intersections and sidewalks, better street lighting and eye-catching public art.”
Other possible MAX extensions are being studied.
– Kevin Litwin
Growing to the MAX
MAX provides convenient light-rail service from outlying areas to the heart of downtown Portland.
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 25
Higher-education programs specialize in earth-friendly technology
Alarm about the planet’s depleting resources has spurred governments, businesses and individuals to look for cleaner, more sustainable ways to live and work.
Long considered a frontrunner in the sustainability movement, Portland has a lot to teach others. And much of that learning takes place in the classrooms of the region’s higher education campuses.
“Global climate change is the topic on a lot of people’s minds, especially for those in their early 20s,” says Robert Bass of the Oregon Institute of Technology. “Another big factor is the geopolitical situation. … We’re conducting wars for resources, and our young people recognize that. They know if they can get into the renewable-energy engineering field, they can make an impact.”
Bass says about 80 students in Portland and another 30 at OIT’s Klamath Falls campus are enrolled in the renewable-energy engineering program that opened in fall 2008. Bass directs that program, the first of its kind in the United States.
Not only will these students have a chance to affect the world’s environmental future, they also can anticipate a wealth of job opportunities. A large segment of the country’s engineering workforce is approaching retirement age just as many new jobs in the field are being created, especially in Oregon, where the legislature passed measures in 2007 to encourage sustainable businesses to open or relocate in the state.
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOLAR COMPANYAt Portland Community College, students are preparing
for a surge of jobs in solar technology. The photovoltaic program, part of the college’s microelectronics department, was started in late 2007 to train workers for SolarWorld’s new Hillsboro plant. Opened in October 2008, it is North America’s largest solar-cell manufacturing facility. (See story, page 16.) PCC offers an associate’s degree in photovoltaic technology.
“In Oregon, this technology is definitely experiencing an impressive growth,” says Dorina Cornea-Hasegan, chairwoman of the college’s Microelectronics Technology Department. Cornea-Hasegan cites projections that solar-energy generation will be 20 times the current level by 2020.
Power generation isn’t the only way to promote sustain-ability. Urban planning and civic involvement are other means of doing so, says Wim Wiewel, president of Portland State University. A $25 million grant from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation will help to broaden the university’s position in sustainability research and education, Weiwel says. It requires an equal amount of matching funds.
“We had already selected sustainability as a focal area before we had an inkling of getting this grant,” he adds. “It’s an area we have strength in. It matches what the region is known for, and it’s something that society needs.”
– Renee Elder
Sustainable Studies
The Rock Creek campus of Portland Community College is an emblem of environmental friendliness. PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 27
education education
Ports Ple of
Portland, Vancouver harbor growing commerce
Three years running, Portland International Airport has topped Condé Nast Traveler’s ranking of the best U.S. airports and achieved the nation’s highest marks
for security, comfort and design.It doesn’t hurt that PDX, the airport code by which locals
know it, carries an industry-leading track record for on-time flights and went green long before the environment became top of mind. PDX electricity hums from solar panels; its low-flush toilets save about 80,000 gallons of water daily; and its food operations turn waste into compost.
Guidance of the airport falls to the Port of Portland, which also administers operations at three general-aviation airports: Hillsboro, west of Portland; Troutdale, east of Portland; and Mulino, south of the city.
A record 14.6 million passengers used PDX in 2007, and Port of Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt is equally proud of the volume of cargo handled by the four port-owned terminals (not to mention the business generated at the port’s six industrial parks).
“Due largely to the cargo moving through the Port of Portland, Oregon exports [in 2007] totaled $16.5 billion,”
Wyatt says. Marine freight reached a record 15 million tons, with 4.6 million tons of grain exceeding any total from the past decade.
A major entry point for Toyota Motor Sales USA, the port moves 450,000 vehicles a year.
With a 10,000-acre portfolio, the Port of Portland created the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park from a former 700-acre Reynolds Metals Inc. site. FedEx Corp., its first tenant, plans to build a $130 million ground-freight facility and hire 950 people.
The port itself will undertake $500 million of infrastructure work in the next three years to keep air and port operations cutting-edge – money that Wyatt says is well spent. “The port generates nearly $8 in tax revenue for every $1 it collects in property taxes,” he says.
RAIL ENHANCES VANCOUVER PORTAcross the Columbia River in Washington, the Port of
Vancouver USA represents another vital economic link for the region. Vancouver joins Portland, Seattle and Tacoma, Wash., as one of the top four Pacific Northwest ports, says
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Portland State University President Wim Wiewel sees transportation as one key element of urban planning.
Cargo ships move in and out of the Port of Portland, which handled a record 15 million tons of freight in 2007.
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Keeping City Moving AheadCOLLABORATION BY PRIVATE, PUBLIC SECTORS SEEN AS KEY
A history of business and government leaders
uniting behind common goals has helped Portland
gain a reputation as a transportation pacesetter
and one of the world’s best places to live.
That’s according to Wim Wiewel, president of
Portland State University and a national expert in
urban planning.
“I think a real key to success is collaboration
between the public and private sectors,” he says.
“Portland shows that to best advantage.”
Born in the Netherlands, Wiewel held academic
posts at the University of Baltimore and the
University of Illinois at Chicago before moving to
Portland in mid-2008 to take the helm of Oregon’s
largest and only urban university. On his first day,
he commuted by bicycle to PSU’s downtown
campus, as do an estimated 2,000 other people
who work or study there.
Wiewel says he is proud of his new hometown,
especially its position at the forefront of smart
growth, urban planning and mass transit. “Urban
form – how we work, live and transport ourselves
between work and home – influences how much
energy we consume and how we are able to
maintain our social relations,” he says.
A crucial challenge is to develop economic,
environmental and social structures that will serve
subsequent generations well while satisfying
current needs, Wiewel says. “To do that, we will
need to come up with specific solutions regarding
water management, transportation and housing
development.” – Renee Elder
spokesman Nelson Holmberg. The port has embarked on a $137 million rail project that will lengthen internal trackage from 16 miles to 44 miles.
“We’re talking about more jobs and more cargo once that’s finished,” with the first leg opening in 2009, Holmberg says. The port’s bulk-cargo niche led it to attract 5.8 million tons of freight in 2007, including 265,000 tons of copper concentrate, 132,000 tons of bentonite clay, 308 wind turbines and more than 41,000 Subaru vehicles.
The Vancouver port, which is now developing a 218-acre marine industrial park, recently purchased its second $4 million mobile harbor crane. In 2008, the first crane heaved five 90-ton reels of steel cable onto flat railcars for installation of a gondola at a British Columbia ski resort.
“The cranes have allowed us to do things like handle that (type of) special cargo, which means more business for us,” Holmberg says. – Gary Perilloux
nty
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 29
Thanks to creative financing, public art abounds in the Portland region
Art can be seen just about every-where in the Portland region. From the University District
and downtown area to the Pearl District, Lloyd District and Old Town/Chinatown, artistic expressions abound – from stunning sculptures, fountains, mosaics and murals to ornately adorned stair-ways and solar-powered illuminations.
This veritable wonderland of art is no accident but rather a statewide commit-ment to creating an enduring, uplifting, publicly owned legacy that’s accessible to everyone.
Legislation called Percent for Art designates that at least 1 percent of capital construction budgets in all counties is used for the acquisition and care of public artwork. Portland
and Multnomah County have raised their designations to 2 percent.
The collected money goes into a Public Art Trust Fund, which is admin-istered for Portland and Multnomah County by the nonprofit Regional Arts and Culture Council.
As a publicly funded arts advocacy and service organization, RACC also provides grants to artists, arts organiza-tions and schools, along with offering affordable training.
In addition, RACC collaborates with a wide range of agencies and organiza-tions, including the Northwest Business for Culture & the Arts. This business membership organization advocates for the arts and recognizes top business donors to the arts.
“The business community is starting to pay attention to the importance of the arts to the health of the community, and it’s becoming actively engaged in arts activities,” says Eloise Damrosch, executive director of RACC.
SPECTRUM OF TASTESAccording to Damrosch, the lion’s
share of RACC’s $7 million annual budget comes from public partners led by the city of Portland and followed by three counties and Metro Regional Government. Most of this money goes out the door as grants to arts organ-izations and artists.
This lively culture of collaboration, fundraising and promotion has resulted in a region brimming with creativity
PresenceConspicuous
by Its
A colorful mural by artist Robin Corbo decorates the Community Cycling Center at 1700 Northeast Alberta St. Above right: The Burnside Rocket Building at 1111 E. Burnside St. displays the creative expressions of various artists.
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A Culture of CreativityARTISTS FLOCK TO THE PORTLAND REGION, LURED BY ITS WELCOMING VIBE
A couple of years ago, Richard Wolfson was looking to open a
fine art gallery in a diverse, cosmopolitan city. Portland seemed the
obvious choice.
“Portland offers a thriving arts scene in a way that is more relaxed
and inviting for an art lover than perhaps other cities,” says Wolfson,
who moved to the area with his family from Carmel, Calif.
He opened Portland Classic Gallery in the upscale Bridgeport
Village shopping center in 2008.
Portland Classic joins an array of galleries displaying regional artists’
work as well as the creations of national and international artists in the
Pearl District, Alberta Street and Bridgeport Village.
“We’re getting more and more artists all the time,” says Eloise
Damrosch, executive director of the nonprofit Regional Arts and
Culture Council. “Many young people are moving here because it’s a
progressive city. It’s a very livable and accepting place. You don’t have
to swim upstream to be a creative person in this community.”
Wolfson already had customers in the Lake Oswego area, which
helped draw him to Portland. His gallery focuses on representational
and impressionistic fine art, and he fosters a warm atmosphere that
caters to both experienced connoisseurs and beginning collectors.
“Feedback has been tremendous and very complimentary,”
Wolfson says of his gallery. “As we have a very relaxed atmosphere,
we are able to take the time to talk to people about our artists and
their techniques.”
The gallery’s laid-back feel reflects Portland’s general welcoming
vibe, which continues to attract the creative set.
“We are blessed with a new generation of very creative people
who need to be supported, employed and celebrated so they will
stay,” Damrosch says. “Artists seem to be drawn here for the vibrant
arts environment, the natural surroundings, relative affordability and
liberal attitudes.”
– Rebecca Denton
SEE MORE ONLINEHear Eloise Damrosch talk
more about Portland’s arts
community and check out
some of the city’s murals at
www.imagesportland.com.A visitor to the Rake Art Gallery in Portland’s Pearl District views paintings by artist Marcus Gannuscio from his “People Watching” series.
and vitality that’s visible in its wealth of public art.
“I think it’s essential for us to have original artistic expression around us all the time, whether it’s at the swim-ming pool or city hall,” says Kristin Calhoun, public art manager for RACC. “A public art collection should represent a broad range of styles, media and voices, so it represents the work and thinking of many different artists as well as the spectrum of personal tastes of the citizens.”
One new piece of public art in the works is a 50,000-square-foot, wildlife-themed mural on the Portland Memorial Mausoleum in the city’s southeast quad-rant. When completed, it will be the largest hand-painted outdoor mural in the country. “It will be a destination,” Damrosch says.
Public art has a way of drawing a community together and promoting a sense of pride, she adds. “It says to the community, ‘We want you to think about interesting ideas and encounter beautiful things.’ … It adds to the sophistication and the aesthetic well being of a community.”
– Rebecca Denton
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arts & culture
Many eateries use locally grown, organic food
Greg Higgins has been an active organic gardener for decades, and he runs his Portland restau-
rant pretty much the same way he runs his kitchen at home.
“Whatever is freshest and best out of my garden is what is going onto the plates at my restaurant,” says Higgins, chef and owner of Higgins Restaurant and Bar. “I’ve been in business for 15 years, and my focus has always been to source directly and locally, using as many organic and sustainable products as possible.”
Higgins says his food is driven by the outstanding quality of local agriculture.
“You can’t find healthier, fresher ingre-dients than on my menu, and I feature seasonal offerings,” he says. “For example, in the fall I will offer dishes such as forest mushrooms, halibut and duck. I always include one-third vegetarian, one-third seafood and one-third meat dishes.”
Higgins adds that his background is French cuisine – not the butter-and-cream French cooking but French country cooking that is found in farmhouses and bistros.
Gourmets
Steamed clams are a popular choice at Bluehour restaurant (lower right). Top right: Fresh purple peppersP
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“My customers appreciate nature and respect the lifestyle here in Portland,” he says. “They dine here frequently because of the freshness of the food.”
Fresh and organic also can describe the offerings at other Portland restaurants such as Beast, Bluehour and clarklewis.
Appetizer menu items at Beast include chestnut soup with garden-grown onions, and salads containing organic baby greens and local grapes.
At Bluehour and clarklewis restaurants, owner Bruce Carey believes that any fine restaurant worth its lamb chops will design the menu offerings to reflect the best products available.
“I use local, organic products for sev-eral reasons,” says Carey, who also owns the 23Hoyt and saucebox restaurants in Portland. “Local organics tend to be superior, and I have built relationships with the people we buy from. I also want to avoid shipping, because that hampers freshness.”
As for specific dishes, he encourages diners to try the handmade pasta offer-ings created by Chef Dolan Lane at
clarklewis. “The pasta at clarklewis is sublime and peerless, and Chef Dolan simply adds accompaniment and love,” Carey says. “The entire healthy Portland food scene continues to evolve exactly at the right clip, and it always keeps me interested. I am never bored in this city – and always challenged.”
FARMERS MARKETS GALORE
As for cooking at home, residents can purchase fresh ingredients at more than 25 farmers markets in the metropolitan area, with perhaps the most visited being the Portland Farmers Market. It convenes three days a week in four different locations in the city.
The market stocks the usual fruits and vegetables, but also has items such as Swiss chard, kale, cured garlic, pars-nips and shiitake mushrooms.
Also on site are meats such as beef, buffalo, lamb and pork, and seafood such as abalone, smoked salmon, rock cod and oysters.
– Kevin Litwin
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 33
ECONOMIC PROFILE
THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY
BUSINESS CLIMATELocated on the Pacific Rim and bridging the states of Oregon and
Washington, the Portland region is a strategic center of trade and
commerce on the West Coast. Well served by interstate highways, rail
lines, airport and navigable waterways, the region is an efficient and
economical manufacturing and distribution point.
DISTANCE TO MAJOR CITIES
Los Angeles, 960 miles
New York, 2,897 miles
San Francisco, 632 miles
Seattle, 173 miles
WORKFORCE INDICATORS
December 2008
Portland region MSA
(Oregon only)
Total Employment:
(ages 14 to 99), 1,000,000
Job Growth Projections:
76,200 from 2009-2013,
7.4%
POPULATION 2008
Clackamas County, 376,660
Clark County, Wash., 424,200
Columbia County, 48,095
Multnomah County, 717,880
Washington County, 575,930
Yamhill County, 94,325
Total, 2,237,090
TRANSPORTATION
AIRPORTPortland International Airport
(503) 460-4040
(877) 739-4636
www.flypdx.com
PORTSPort of Portland
(503) 944-7000
(800) 547-8411
www.portofportland.com
Port of Vancouver
(360) 693-3611
www.portvanusa.com
LOCAL TAXES
TAX RATEProperty tax, Portland area
2008: Rates across counties
in the Oregon portion
of the MSA range from
$9.29 to $26.85 per $1,000
assessed valuation.
Property tax, Clark County,
Wash., 2008: $10.51 per
$1,000 assessed valuation
Transit district payroll tax:
.006618% of payroll
MANUFACTURING SECTORS
Computer and electronic
product manufacturing
Other: apparel, textiles,
plastics, chemicals
and furniture
Primary and
fabricated metals
Machinery products
Transportation equipment
Food products
Wood products
Paper products
Source: Oregon Employment Department, 2007
25%
5% 4%
30%
15%
7%
7%
7%
P O R T L A N D I M A G E S P O R T L A N D . C O M 35
Ad Index 36 ASHFORTH PACIFIC
12 BROOKS STAFFING
18 CROWNE PLAZA
2 HILTON GARDEN INN
C3 LIBERTY NORTHWEST
25 NORTHWEST PLACE
C2 NW NATURAL
34 PACIFICCORP
C4 PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER FOR BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
6 PROVIDENCE HEALTH & SERVICES
5 REALTY SOLUTIONS
26 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
