Built in 1966, this small office building is situated on grade above a full-block, three-story parking structure. The building was designed in the International Style by Skidmore Owings & Merrill to provide retail space above parking for the adjacent 504-unit apartment towers. The Portland Center was the cornerstone of Portland’s first urban renewal project, the South Auditorium Urban Renewal District.
The building is located on the Portland Streetcar line and within two blocks of the Portland Transit Mall and Max Light Rail. It fronts on the Lovejoy Fountain, part of the internationally recognized Portland Open Space Sequence designed by Lawrence Halprin.
The property was acquired in March, 2009 and the first tenants moved into the completed building in November, 2009.
150 Harrison
Working with the architects and engineers, Naito Development performed an analysis to evaluate the costs and benefits of LEED certification. The existing building envelope had no roof insulation and the exterior walls were comprised almost entirely of floor-to-ceiling glass – most of which was single-pane. The existing mechanical units and roof had remaining lives of 10-15 years. The analysis demonstrated that the building could achieve an over 50% energy savings and that LEED Platinum certification was not only achievable, but made overall financial sense.
The 150 Harrison Building offers all of the sustainability benefits of a new LEED Platinum Class A office building at less than two-thirds the rental rate.
The LEED Platinum features included a sophisticated HVAC system with 100% outside-air-economizers, CO2 monitoring and heat recovery systems. The single-pane glazing was replaced with thermal-pane units. Rigid insulation was installed under a new roof membrane.
The leaking concrete courtyard deck was replaced with a new waterproof membrane and drainage system with a decomposed granite surface and Corten steel planters.
Building amenities include a shared conference room and coffee bar located in a pavilion off the courtyard.