Four Otak Projects Recognized at the 2025 DJC Oregon Awards
June, 2025
Celebrating their 24th year, the annual DJC Oregon Awards took place this June, recognizing 53 ‘Top Projects’ from across the Pacific Northwest. Among the honorees were four Otak projects whose improvements to their community ranged from water quality and public facilities to affordable housing.
This year’s recognized work showcased the breadth of our multidisciplinary expertise, with contributions from our architecture, structural, survey, and owner’s representative teams. Learn more about the new additions to our collection of award-winning work and their broad benefits to the region below.
Wecoma Place
For a community displaced by wildfires, Wecoma Place is an affordable housing project that adds 44 residential units to the community of Lincoln City, Oregon. Our architecture team designed the building to emulate the enduring nature of the area’s coastal landscape.
Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant Outfall
After nearly 55 years of service, an outfall to the Columbia River from the Salmon Creek Water Treatment Plant was decommissioned and replaced. The new outfall was designed to cross numerous obstacles including infrastructure, property, and natural barriers. The survey and mapping team utilized a comprehensive set of tools, from traditional ground surveying to UAV aerial photogrammetry and a bathymetric drone to make construction of this essential public asset possible.
Multnomah County Holgate Library
As part of a larger bond program, the Multnomah County Holgate Library triples the size of the original facility while also representing the most energy-efficient library ever built in the county. Supporting one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region, extensive public engagement led to a design that reflects those diverse communities through a variety of features including signage, color patterns, and art installations throughout. Our owner’s representative team has led overall program management for the entire $380M program.
Lieser Road Bridge Repair
The Leiser Road Overpass crossing State Route 14 in Vancouver had a history of vehicle impacts on the low chord of the bridge girders. After an oversized load hauling a wind turbine struck the overpass causing significant damage, Tapani partnered with Otak’s structural group in working with WSDOT to repair the bridge. That work included replacing one girder, repairing 5 others, and repouring the deck and guardrail over the replaced girder. Otak provided a shipping and lifting analysis for the precast concrete girder, as well as designing temporary shoring for the girder and deck forms.