City Hall is bracing for a facelift as Portland officials greenlight a construction overhaul of council chambers and office spaces. The starting pistol was fired on Feb. 21 when the city council approved agenda item 174, giving the City of Portland Facilities team the go-ahead to finalize contracts with Howard S. Wright, the chosen Construction Manager/General Contractor for the project. The move signals a fresh chapter for the downtown civic hub, with work set to commence imminently.
After hammering out the details, the Facilities team and Howard S. Wright landed on a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) agreement, locking in the ceiling cost for both the expanded chambers and the refurbished offices that house the city's political machinery. According to the City of Portland, Oregon, the GMP report presented on February 21 lays out the blueprint for financial expenditure, broken down into two primary segments: the council chambers, and the cluster of councilor, mayoral, and city administrator offices, along with major maintenance.
In a move that underscores the city's drive towards equity, the project is intertwined with the City’s Regional Workforce Equity Agreement (RWEA). This initiative is a concerted effort to cast a wider net in employing local talent – valuing the input of local vendors, suppliers, contractors, and subcontractors. The aim is to foster economic growth with an inclusive lens, propelling BIPOC and women-owned businesses along an upward trajectory in Portland's concrete landscape.
The RWEA doesn't just talk numbers and contracts, it walks the talk of creating equitable and respectful work environments. In alignment with Portland's foundational pillars of fairness and anti-racism, the initiative includes stipulations for an Equity Contracting Program. This program is steadfast in flowering economic opportunities and sets the stage for spaces where women and people of color can thrive without the stain of systemic barriers or racial inequity.
