PCC Opportunity Center

Location: Portland

Cost: $27.65 million

Completion: July 2023

Owner/Developer: Portland Community College

Architect: Bora Architecture & Interiors

Engineers: Equilibrium Engineers, Arris Consulting

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Subcontractors: Building Material Specialties, Cascadia Windows & Doors, Cherry City Electric, Coles + Betts Environmental, Colors NW, Culver Glass, Custom Source Woodworking, D&R Masonry, Delta Fire, Elevate Building Commissioning, Empire Painting, Floor Factors, Freres, Gibson Door, Interior Tech, Ironside Services, JS Perrott, Kalesnikoff, McDonald Excavating, Multivista, Northwest Control, Pacific Stair, Pioneer Waterproofing, Qualified Envelope Diagnostics, Ralph’s Concrete, Reece, Skyline Sheet Metal, Snyder, Southland Industries, SteelFab, Superior Interiors, The Harver Co., ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Tikka Masonry, Total Mechanical, Western Partitions, Westlake Consultants

The Portland Community College Metro Center in Northeast Portland is a two-story, 50,000-square-foot office building and training center that shows a commitment to sustainability from the ground up.

The building’s mass timber structural system, locally sourced, and an all-electric HVAC and plumbing system showcase a dedication to reducing environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency.

The project wasn’t just about constructing a building; it was about creating a space that served the community. The Opportunity Center is a hub for community members, employers and social service partners to connect with PCC. Offering programs in advanced manufacturing, health care and small business development, the center aims to transform lives through education and career opportunities. The new space includes classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, a career center, open office spaces, common areas, a community room and a leased partner space.

Recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion, the project team set ambitious goals for minority contractor participation, apprenticeship and female representation on the job site and exceeded them. Through early collaboration with trade partners and organizations like Women in the Workforce, it created a culture of teamwork and safety that embraced all workers.

The project included 24 percent participation by BIPOC journey workers, 50 percent for BIPOC apprentices, 52 percent for women apprentices and 17 percent for women journey workers. The minority contractor participation goal for total apprentice hours was 20 percent; the project hit 28 percent.

The commitment to sustainability extended beyond construction. By diverting construction waste and maximizing the use of recycled materials, the team achieved an impressive waste diversion rate of 82.7 percent. The incorporation of low-carbon concrete and the installation of a photovoltaic array further reduced the building’s carbon footprint, setting it on a path to Net-Zero energy consumption.

The building features an all-electric HVAC and plumbing system, including a roof-mounted air-to-water heat pump system that feeds thermal storage tanks in the building. From there, heating and chilled water are pumped to a combination of rooftop heat recovery ventilators, perimeter radiant in-slab heating and sensible cooling fan terminal units. The building is also LEED Gold certified.

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