Portland, Ore.

Key Players

Owner/Developer Gerding Edlen

Lead Design Firm Holst Architecture

General Contractor O’Neill/Walsh Community Builders

Structural Engineering ABHT Structural Engineers

Mechanical and Plumbing Engineering PAE Engineers

The Center for Hope and Recovery and Beech Street Apartments are adjacent facilities for Lifeworks NW, which provides treatment for people experiencing mental health issues and addiction.

The 62,840-sq-ft treatment center provides 36 beds, while the adjacent, 32-unit Beech Street Apartments provides drug- and alcohol-free, post- treatment housing. Together, the project included construction of four childhood development classrooms, a library, courtyard, administration spaces, playground, medical office and several community and therapy rooms.

Leading the design and construction of the $11-million facility was O’Neill/Walsh Community Builders, a partnership between O’Neill Inc., an M/WBE firm, and Walsh Construction Co., a Portland-based general contractor.

To make the center a reality, developers used a single team to design and build two facilities into a single complex. This not only ensured design compatibility, but also helped leverage public and private resources in the most costefficient manner.

Because the project had multiple owners, it required extensive teamwork. Another challenge was the abstract architectural design, which resulted in unusual building layouts as well as complexities related to building elevation.

To ensure durability, developers chose upgraded materials for the facilities’ living spaces, such as for the wall coverings and countertops.

The center’s scale, proportion and color were designed to fit in with the northeast Portland location. Using a lighter brick for the exterior top floors resulted in a less imposing feel, while darker brick on the first floor creates a connection to the earth. The center’s warm and subdued colors integrate the building with the historic neighborhood’s midcentury bungalows.