Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Arts and Humanities building one-third complete

Photos and story by James Hill

CASCADE CAMPUS – Construction has reached the 35 percent mark at Portland Community College’s $7.5 million Daniel F. Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building. The 42,200-square-foot project is located at the Cascade Campus (705 N. Killingsworth St.) and progress is well underway toward the scheduled grand opening in the fall of 2005. The building will house the professional music, multimedia, distance education and arts programs. "This brings together several related disciplines," said Algie Gatewood, Cascade Campus president. "Formerly, the programs were spread across the campus with no opportunity for a synergy to develop." The new Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building, designed by Yost Grube Hall Architecture, incorporates sustainable design features to reduce energy usage and promote a healthy indoor environment. Walsh Construction Co. is the general contractor. The facility includes naturally ventilated corridors through the use of exterior motorized louvers; high performance windows to minimize heat gain and maximize light; exterior sunscreens; classrooms with operable windows for fresh air; light-colored roofing to reduce cooling costs; and the use of low-maintenance, durable materials for the building’s exterior. Contractors recently erected the building’s structural steel while the metal framing installation continues. The first-floor mechanical, plumbing and electrical rough-in is also in progress. The project is part of $57 million earmarked for PCC’s urban Cascade Campus expansion, part of a voter-approved $144 million bond measure for PCC in November of 2000. With completion of this facility, the campus will have four new buildings, a new science building wing and a remodel of an existing building. The new Cascade Campus will be more than one-third larger than its current size, adding 3.57 acres of land and 120,000 square feet of space. Portland Community College is a multi-campus system covering a 1,500-square-mile college district in northwest Oregon. It offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning. The college serves approximately 85,000 full- and part-time students each year. Yost Grube Hall Architecture, founded in 1964, specializes in urban planning, architecture and interior design services for commercial, educational and government clients in the Northwest and overseas.Project Details:Project: Daniel F. Moriarty Arts and Humanities BuildingPortland Community College, Cascade CampusBudget: $7.5 million Size: 42,200 sf, two-story Construction Start: October 2004Target Occupancy: September 2005Client Contact: Steve Sivage, PCC Physical Plant DirectorStan Straub, PCC Cascade Bond Construction ManagerProject Team: Architect: Yost Grube Hall ArchitectureNels Hall, project designerJohn Blumthal, architectural job captainGeneral Contractor: Walsh Construction Co.Mechanical Engineer: Glumac InternationalStructural Engineer: KPFF Consulting EngineersCivil Engineer: WRG Design, Inc.Electrical Engineer: Graham Associates