Project Overview
Urban Forestry‘s mission is to manage and ensure Portland's urban forest infrastructure for current residents and future generations. Portland’s urban forest consists of 236,000 street trees, 1.2 million park trees, and innumerable private property trees. Urban Forestry is involved in managing or regulating all of these trees to differing degrees. Urban Forestry staff issue permits for planting, pruning, and removal of all public and some private trees and are on call 24/7 in order to respond to tree emergencies.
Prior to this project, the Urban Forestry program was operating out of a former dairy barn built in 1940 in Delta Park, located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and North Denver in north Portland.
An Urban Forestry Yard Site Analysis and Master Plan was developed in 2002. Since that time, Urban Forestry’s space needs and staff has increased. Together with the recently completed modular office project at the site, this project implements the initial phase of the Master Plan by providing a safe, secure, and code compliant work environment for the over 40 full time staff located here.
This project is made possible thanks to the 2014 Parks Replacement Bond. The project included the following elements:
- Demolition of the 13,500 SF barn structure that housed large vehicles, tools, and meeting space.
- Construction of a new 13,550 SF maintenance equipment storage facility, including secure equipment bays, restroom facilities, and small tool storage.
- Creation of a new parking area with lighting, bike parking, ADA parking spots, and an electric vehicle station.
- Improvement of site conditions by reorienting the loose materials storage bins and paving all traffic circulation areas.
- Provision of a new covered vehicle wash station and trash collection area.
The improvements:
- improve site circulation;
- build a code-compliant building, thereby increasing seismic stability and accessibility with stormwater improvements;
- create an energy-efficient building;
- provide covered and secured space for equipment storage; and
- increase overall site security.
View a presentation about the project's scope and impacts:
Project Schedule
- Fall 2015 - Spring 2016: Contracting for Design Services, Negotiations, and Contract Award
- Summer 2016 - Winter 2016/17: Design Development
- Winter 2016/17 - Winter 2018/19: Construction Documents
- Spring 2019 - Spring 2020: Permitting and Bidding
- Summer 2020 - Winter 2021/22: Construction