Across nearly 60 acres of land in Southern Oregon, a design guideline manual for its development was established to provide clear and consistent direction regarding architectural and site design elements. In setting these requirements for three commercial developments in the Hillcrest District, the Otak team placed an emphasis on ensuring that buildings developed contribute to high-quality public spaces and vibrant town center.
Historically-Inspired Design Guidelines to Develop a Vibrant Town Center
With historic properties featuring pear orchards that define the past of the Hillcrest Orchard area, those same elements provided inspiration on aesthetic guidelines aimed at a modern interpretation for its future. The Commercial Design Manual is outlined with the intention to create a pleasant and memorable experience that attracts people to the area while encouraging them to shop, dine, visit with friends and family, and ultimately return in the future. These standards and guidelines aim to enhance the district’s unique character and elevate the overall quality of design. By incorporating elements from both regional traditions and contemporary styles, specifically the Cascadian and Modern Farm styles, the goal is to establish a cohesive design image that reflects the aspirations and vision of the Hillcrest District while creating a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly commercial district. The design requirements of this manual take into consideration local architectural precedents, historic site uses and character, and local building preferences and materiality.
In improving the supply of affordable housing options found in Portland, Oregon, the BRIDGE Waterleaf Building adds 178 units for families in the River Place neighborhood. With a unique shared post-tension podium deck and common parking garage with an adjacent building, the Otak team guided this project to completion as owner’s representative.
Managing the Addition of Affordable Housing with Community-Focused Amenities
Consisting of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, the 155,649 square-foot Waterleaf Building is integrated into the heart of Portland’s urban community. Adjacent to public transit at a streetcar stop, the building also features a number of community-focused amenities from a ground floor gathering space and community kitchen to an adjoining exterior courtyard which includes a children’s playground. The community room aims to facilitate a number of uses including resident meetings and a variety of events while free Wi-Fi is found throughout the common areas. An adjoining Resident Services office creates accessibility to management by residents while two community laundry rooms, and trash/recycling rooms are found on each floor of the building.
In the West Bull Mountain area of Washington County, Oregon, planning for future land use aimed at expansion. The goal of would be creating a highly livable “community of distinction” within the designated Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), including a custom stormwater strategy.
Outcomes-Based Concept Plan for a 500-Acre Expansion
An outcomes-based concept plan was developed for the 500-acre expansion area as well as an adjacent 212-acre rural area to be potentially added to the UGB. Innovative solutions were integrated into the planning to also account for complex engineering and transportation management elements. Otak would lead overall project management, planning, urban design, stormwater, natural resources, GIS, and public involvement services.
In revitalizing the central business district of Carnation, Washington, the reconstruction of four blocks was designed to improve a variety of areas from stormwater and utilities to traffic signage and pedestrian wayfinding. As the prime consultant completing these extensive streetscape improvements, Otak led the design, community engagement, and development of a comprehensive construction sequencing plan to minimize disruption to existing downtown businesses.
A Revitalized Streetscape Emphasizing Pedestrian Connectivity and Low Impact Development
This federally funded project applies a community-character design theme that draws on the area’s history to deliver new streetscape amenities as well as a host of functional streetscape improvements. Unique metal cut-out panels used as banners on street light poles and incorporated into street furniture highlight this theme. The design for core blocks downtown focused on pedestrian connectivity and gathering spaces while underground stormwater quality treatment vaults placed beneath sidewalks function as root-storage, allowing for street trees to be placed within the dense business-district environment. Integrated adjacent to the planter areas are stormwater bioretention facilities creating natural balance with landscape plantings. Use of a depressed-curb intersection design at Bird Street opens the cross-street pedestrian corridor for future festivals and other street events.
A combination of important roadway safety improvements and stream habitat enhancements provided the basis for repairs to Manley Road. With steep grades, sharp turns, and short sightlines, the existing roadway crosses Daybreak Creek at multiple locations where undersized culverts blocked fish passage to important upstream habitat. Otak worked as an extension of Clark County Public Works staff by providing stream, structural, and environmental permitting to ultimately benefit both driver safety and fish habitat for species including Endangered Species Act (ESA) protected salmonids.
In replacing the four undersized culverts, a multidisciplinary design process was established that included analysis of hydraulics, geomorphology, and habitat. Environmental permit approvals were also obtained while working in a stream with ESA protected species. Along with the design of replacement crossings was the opportunity for 750 feet of stream enhancements, all of which overcame unique challenges including: low cover at the crossings, steep channel slopes, dynamic lateral channel movement, and a failing roadway embankment. These enhancements improved the habitat conditions through bottomless culverts, detailed cascade-pool channel design, and bioengineered bank stabilization techniques. More than 3,000 plants were also added as part of the planting design. For an area prone to traffic accidents, roadway safety improvements adjusted the horizontal and vertical alignment of Manley Road while also addressing required stormwater management facilities.
With high growth in the Orchards-Sifton neighborhood of Vancouver, WA, the City planned the addition of a Fire Station in the area to maintain their standards of quick call times and great service to the community.
Capital Project Support to Quickly Complete a First Responder Facility
The City’s Capital Projects team was already stretched thin delivering a separate, robust construction program as construction of Fire Station 11 approached, leading to a need for construction support. Otak recommended effective ways to not only augment their capacity but amplify their impact. The construction management team built a plan focused on using the right information to add the right skills in the right place at the right time. Operating as an extension of the City’s team, Otak’s construction manager and inspector integrated their approach with established processes, tools, and culture. In completing construction on-time and within budget, Fire Station 11 was able to begin serving the community on schedule.
To complete a gap in the more than 50-mile Lake Washington Loop Trail system, this segment also provides improved connections to downtown Renton and Boeing. Beginning with a preliminary design study, the Otak design ultimately adds 2,500 feet of an 11-foot-wide cycle track for bicyclists while updating existing sidewalks for pedestrian access.
Connecting a Bike Trail System and Multimodal Access to a Community Business Hub
After a preliminary design study recommended walkway and bicycle facility concepts for 7,000 feet of regional trail near the Renton airport and Boeing plant, this project moved forward in phases beginning with this 2,500-foot segment. In the resulting design, a cycle track and sidewalk were installed along the north side of Airport Way, and over the Cedar River. Due to limitations in right-of-way along Airport Way, traffic lanes were reconfigured to allow for the new cycle track. The project also included utility improvements, bridge handrail modifications, landscape and urban design, improved pedestrian connections, pedestrian lighting, signal updates, and signage. Otak provided surveying, preliminary engineering, final design, right-of-way plans, and construction engineering support.
An initial evaluation of the City of Monmouth’s City Hall – originally constructed in the 1920’s – led to the conclusion that a replacement was needed. After design and construction documents were completed, the estimates on cost exceeded budget by over 60%. Otak was brought on as owner’s representative to set a path forward for resolving the cost issues and to drive towards efficient completion.
Adding Efficiency to a Highly-Collaborative Value Engineering and Redesign Process
For nearly a century, the City of Monmouth had utilized a City Hall which was previously the city fire station. In its lifetime, the building developed issues including a leaking roof, fragile clay tile exterior construction, and staff squeezed into every possible space. The entire second floor and restrooms were only accessible by stairs while file storage in the basement would flood with a power loss. The new building was designed to address these issues while adding a number of features focused on sustainability, safety, and operational efficiency. Those ranged from solar power augmentation and electric vehicle charging stations to access security systems, seismic stability, and an elevator among other ADA-compliant elements. In an effort to add sustainable elements to the redesign process, locally-sourced materials are utilized in cross laminated timber (CLT) found throughout the structure. Through a highly-collaborative value engineering and redesign process, the site would also maintain its historic significance from old growth trees and parts incorporated from the Veteran’s Hall. Although the size of the building ultimately required adjustment, and the budget required supplementation, the final project delivered all the original scope in a slightly restructured format.
The demolition and replacement of existing bridge decking and railings were critical safety improvements needed for the Dalles Bridge, an important transportation connection for the Pacific Northwest. While utilizing accelerated bridge construction techniques, a unique hybrid management system embedded the Otak construction management and structural engineering teams into the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) offices to efficiently complete these updates.
Accelerated Bridge Construction to Update an Important Regional Transportation Connection
Originally constructed in 1953, the deck of the steel-truss-cantilever Dalles Bridge on U.S. 197 had degraded to the point of needing to be replaced. As an important connection between Washington and Oregon over the Colombia River, it’s an extremely visible and important project to keep goods and services moving in the region. To maintain traffic as much as possible during construction, an accelerated bridge construction approach avoided long-term closure of the busy bridge. Decking was pre-cast in an adjacent staging area, then moved to the bridge and installed per section as the old decking was cut, raised, and hauled away. Significant technological material improvements made use of ultra-high performance concrete and premixed polymer concrete overlay to complete the project. The final configuration also increased sidewalk widths to adhere with ADA compliance along the approach structure. In managing the project to completion the team performed RFI and submittal review while running weekly meetings. Inspections at two sites (in the casting yard and on the bridge) were completed while reviewing labor compliance, and performing detailed review of the project master schedule.
The Sound Transit East Link Extension travels from Seattle’s International District to Judkins Park, providing an east-west connection between the city and the Eastside’s largest population and employment centers. In leading project controls, Otak managed program elements from start to finish, including design-build procurement, schedule analysis, and risk management to deliver this vital transportation asset.
Streamlining Project Programs for a Vital Community Connection
Crossing I-90 to Mercer Island and into downtown Bellevue, the East Link Extension passes through the Bel-Red area, en route to the Redmond Technology Station, and ultimately downtown Redmond. The rail provides improved connectivity between the area’s largest population and employment centers. It includes 12 stations, four parking garages, tunnels in downtown Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Seattle, and long-span bridges crossing over I-405 and I-90. The project controls group has led every contract package in the East Link alignment. This included developing a fast-start team and supporting its growth, systems, and planning, taking the consultant team from three to 150.
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