Meier & Frank warehouse to be renovated for Vestas headquarters

Meier & Frank warehouse (photo by Brian Libby) 

As reported by the Portland Business Journal's Erik Siemers, wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems announced today that the company will lease the circa-1927 Meier & Frank Delivery Depot warehouse at 14th and Everett in the Pearl District and renovate it into a 172,000-square-foot headquarters.

Portland developer Gerding Edlen had bought the warehouse in October 2007 for $15 million and planned to start renovating the building in May 2008 with GBD Architects responsible for a LEED-rated design. But plans were scaled back when the economy crashed.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. That means the renovation's design will have to adhere to regulations regarding the maintenance of its historic character. But that's something Gerding Edlen already has experience with: the Portland Armory was renovated by the company with the help of GBD Architects into the nation's first National Register-listed, LEED Platinum-rated green building.

The $66 million project is expected to generate about 600 construction jobs. 

Vestas received both state and city incentives, including $1.25 million in state tax credits and another $1 million from the state’s strategic investment fund. The city will give the company a 15-year, interest-free loan for $8.105 million. The company is expected to repay the loan within five years. As part of the agreement, the company, which employs 400 locally, must add at least 100 jobs within the next five years. Once built out, the building will have room to house 600 workers.

Construction will begin in October. Vestas plans to move to the building in early 2012.

Two years ago, the Danish company announced it would build a $250 million, 600,000-square-foot new North American headquarters in the South Waterfront. That building, which was to have been designed by Portland firm Ankrom Moisan, could have eventually housed 850 employees. But Vestas mothballed the plan in April 2009 when the economy collapsed.

Since then, there were rumors that the company might relocate its North American headquarters to Denver, where it has its manufacturing operations and is planning a research and development. The company told the Business Journal it also looked at sites in Texas and around the Portland area before deciding on the Meier & Frank warehouse.

According to Gerding Edlen's announcement about the Vestas project, the building renovation team includes GBD Architects (as lead architect and architect of record), the firm Gerding planned for the 2008 renovation, but will also include Ankrom Moisan Architects and Peter Meijer Architect as well as engineering firms  Glumac and KPFF and builder Skanska.

Speaking briefly today with Gerding Edlen president Mark Edlen, I was told that the design will include a large central atrium that will fill the old warehouse with natural light - something that preliminary indications seem to show will be approved by those in charge of maintaining the integrity of historic landmarks protection.

The local economy, especially the building industry, is still floundering. But Vestas staying in Portland is a big financial boon, as well as a chance for the Pearl District's biggest remaining empty, unrenovated warehouse to be given new life.

What's more, the renovated M&F warehouse will give Portland's greenest developer and at least of its major green architecture firms an opportunity to demonstrate how the most sustainable way to build is to renovate an existing building.

Comments

[dennis]

I am completely okay with this, it actually sounds like a win-win for everyone.

[steve]

Awesome! SO glad to hear this good news! =)

[Scott Tice]

Excellent news. I've been eyeing that building for a long time, wondering when it would get renovated.

[Scott]

Totally good news all-around :-) I've been waiting for someone to show this building some love since I first moved to Portland...nice to see the ball rolling.

[Ms. Sherman]

I live right near by this site. I was hoping the Flanders Street Pedestrian bridge would help this site. Glad something is happening now even without the linkage.

[pylon]

Tillykke!

[Matt Oftedahl]

Having worked in this M&F warehouse when it was owned by the Oregon Historical Society, I know it is a great building. NOW that I am working for the Port of Vancouver, where we handle a great many of VESTAS windmills? It is a Win-win: Great company - Great building - GREAT NEWS!

[billb]

great news!
FYI the building has one cool elevator , built for the M/F trucks , it is huge and smooth as butter. I hope they keep it.

[Rob]

This truly is great news! That's a wonderful building and it's sat vacant for too long. It's sad to see it crumbling. I'll be glad to see it come to life. I hope they keep as much of the character of the original building as possible.