Daily Journal of Commerce

Friends of Urban Renewal Ends Its Fight with Portland

Grassroots organization Friends of Urban Renewal has settled its beef with the city concerning how urban renewal area money should be used. As part of the settlement, the group has agreed to drop its appeal of a state Land Use Board of Appeals decision about how Portland Development Commission makes decisions about urban renewal areas. At the heart of the matter was the city's plan to create a satellite area that would cover the David Douglas School District and be used to pay for repairs at ...

Dowa Architects of Portland Take Sustainability to School

Valley View Middle School in Snohomish, Wash., could become one of the first public schools to meet the Living Building Challenge. The Snohomish School District wants to replace the existing middle school with one that can meet the stringent energy, water and building materials guidelines of the Living Building Challenge. But before the design process can move forward, the school district must prove to its board of directors that the plan makes sense economically as well as environmentally.

Timing Is Everything for Wal-Mart Project in Cornelius

Many in Cornelius thought it wouldn't happen, but this fall it will: Ground will be broken on a Wal-Mart Supercenter on 12 acres of land at the west end of the city. And for Cornelius City Manager David Waffle, the timing couldn't be better. That's because Waffle expects the project to generate enough money from development fees that the city's planning department should be able to ride out the recession. He said it's the best project at the best time for the small community between Hillsboro...

Eugene Offers Help for Leed and Earth Advantage Projects

A new green-building incentive program called Guide2Green will provide prioritized plan reviews and inspections, one-day permits and reduced system development charges for potential LEED and Earth Advantage commercial projects within the city of Eugene. Residential projects also will be eligible for permit fee rebates, which would be issued following certification.

Newberg Wind Turbine Company May Be Sold

Newberg wind turbine company Abundant Renewable Energy could soon be purchased by Helix Wind of San Diego. The two wind companies are currently negotiating a sale price and other issues, and could come to an agreement as soon as November. If the sale were to go through, ARE would maintain its plant in Newberg, according to Greg Price, manager of sales and marketing for ARE. "With the sale, we would definitely have greater market capital and resources," Price said. "We'd be able to spend more ...

Funding Sought for Salem Erosion Repair Project

The city of Salem is currently seeking $450,000 to repair an eroding bank at Wallace Marine Park. "The issue is there's a section of bank that has been eroding away for several years," said Allen Dannen, engineering program manager with the city of Salem's public works department. "The challenge has been to find a solution we can get a permit for."