ahouston, Author at R&H Construction

Q&A with Jacob Hartley & Jim Stewart, R&H’s Rising Central Oregon Leaders

ahouston — Fri, 09 May 2025 15:53:12 +0000

R&H is proud to share the promotions of two long-tenured team members in our Central Oregon office:

Jacob Hartley, Director of Operations, Central Oregon

Jim Stewart, Lead Preconstruction Manager, Central Oregon

Get to know Jim and Jacob below in a special Q&A below.

Jacob Hartley has been promoted to Director of Operations, Central Oregon. During his near decade with the company, Jacob has served as both a Project Manager and Senior Project Manager, leading the success of projects such as the 69 Newport development and Caldera Springs Forest House as well as the delivery of hundreds of much-needed housing units for Central Oregonians. Jacob has also played an integral role in operations management, forecasting and strategic planning for R&H over the last several years. We’re excited to see him step into this elevated leadership role and continue driving growth, collaboration and excellence across our Central Oregon projects.

Quick Facts:

Years in Construction Industry: 22

Alma Mater: University of North Florida

Pets: Stella, Australian Shepherd

Where did you spend your childhood years?

I was born in Kalispell, Montana and my childhood years are backdropped by a rural mountain lifestyle of snowmobiling, sled dogs, firewood chopping and inside a log cabin built by the hands of my mother and father. Our family of five moved to the complete opposite landscape of Gainesville, FL when I was seven years old for work opportunities. My dad grew up in Florida so we also had lots of family there ––with three boy cousins close in age–– it was warm, lots of beach time, fishing, sailing, but mostly saltwater fishing for redfish, trout, flounder, snook, tarpon, snapper and grouper. We loved the mountains but clearly, we really enjoyed saltwater fishing.

What was your first job?

My first job was working for Hartley Brothers Construction Inc. My twin brother and I were the construction clean-up crew, laid out and excavated foundations, hauled materials, did punch work, etc. We started out as kids working for the family business in the field and worked there until college when we migrated into the office, putting together permit packages with the city, reviewing and marking-up drawings and becoming familiar with site and floor plans quickly.

What do you love most about Central Oregon?

I love the outdoor lifestyle that’s drawn most of us here. The weather, mountains, skiing, mountain biking, rafting rivers, camping –– all that and the fact that part of my family is also here with me, and we can play hard together makes it all a great life. One of my favorite things about Bend, specifically, is that my parents met in Bend in the early ’70s and so when I decided to move to Bend I always wondered if I would meet my wife here. Luckily, I did. First, I found Stella Jane, our Australian Shepherd, and shortly after I met Jacqueline who grew up in Bend. We’ve been partnered up for eight years and today we are eight months pregnant with our first child.

The range of the state’s landscape is also such a great feature to living here. Being able to enjoy the dry high desert and within a couple hours being in what feels like a rainforest on the other side of Hood to then find yourself on a boat, ocean fishing all in one day is pretty cool to experience.

Tell us about your favorite places in and around Bend – restaurants, trails, watering holes or slopes.

Start off the powder day down and around the West Bowls on Mt. Bachelor, ride South Fork on mountain bikes, grab a burger from Americana at Podski and finish the night at The Tumalo Feed Co. bar where they know you and your drink by heart.

Happy Hour at Cascade West (go early to avoid the scene) and Wild Rose for dinner is a close second. I’m biased because Wild Rose is a client of R&H, but it was also Jacqueline and I’s first date spot. We love that the menu hasn’t changed since.

Third place is actually first place – cooking at home. We love to be at home, eat healthy and walk with Stella afterwards.

Most important lesson you have learned from your work during your tenure?

Communication is the most important thing that we do. Setting clear expectations for our project teams from day one is essential. When there’s clear communication, our client relationships thrive and tend to build on themselves, figuratively and literally. We’ve been lucky to have consistent projects in Central Oregon with a few great clients and having a trusted and tested foundation starts and ends with communication.

Communication is the most important thing that we do. Setting clear expectations for our project teams from day one is essential. When there’s clear communication, our client relationships thrive and tend to build on themselves, figuratively and literally.

Most rewarding R&H project you’ve been a part of and why?

Over the past decade with R&H in Central Oregon we’ve been fortunate to be so integrated into the community in both rewarding and engaging ways. Projects that stick out include Hayden Homes Amphitheater, the 42 Greenwood ReMax renovation and 69 Newport with it being centrally located downtown Bend. I also love the Caldera Springs Forest House as a community gathering space for families and the hundreds of affordable housing units that we’ve completed in partnership with our long-standing client, Housing Works.

Anything else you want to share?

My twin brother Kyle and his family also live here in Bend, Oregon. My wife, Jacqueline. and I are expecting our first child soon. Our daughter is slated to join us in June 2025.

Jim Stewart has been promoted to Lead Preconstruction Manager, Central Oregon. Jim began his career at R&H working as a Foreman and Superintendent building some of R&H’s largest and most complex Central Oregon projects before transitioning into a preconstruction and business development role in 2022. His expansive portfolio includes Deschutes Brewery expansions, the Janis Medical Office Building and Hayden Homes Amphitheater renovation. As Lead Preconstruction Manager, Jim leads business development, project procurement and preconstruction efforts. With over 30 years industry experience, his leadership is instrumental to the success of our projects and community engagement in Central Oregon.

Quick Facts:

Years in Construction Industry: 35

Years Living in Central Oregon: 19

Alma Mater: Portland Community College

Where did you spend your childhood years?

I grew up in a small town in the Bay Area – Saratoga, California. I lived with my younger sister and my mom in a house that my dad and my uncle built. It was a wooded area with a creek running through it. I spent most of my childhood exploring my surroundings. My best friend and neighbor had horses. Sometimes we would saddle up the horses, pack a lunch and explore the area. Often, I would leave the house in the morning on a journey and not return until dark.

What was your first job?

My first job was in construction. My uncle owned a framing business. I helped my uncle frame customs homes all over the Bay Area. I started as labor cleaning up the job site. Eventually I bought all my own tools and worked my way up to a carpenter helper. Finally, I reached carpenter status and before I knew it, I was building walls and stacking roofs.

What drew you to the construction industry?

Growing up I was always mechanically inclined. At a young age I would take things apart and put them back together. If something needed repair, I would fix it. By the time I could drive, I had built engines and modified several vehicles. I love working with my hands. There is nothing more rewarding than looking back at the end of the day and seeing physical accomplishments. Having started in framing, I was eager to learn other disciplines. This drive to learn began my journey in the construction industry.

What do you love most about Central Oregon?

I love the small-town atmosphere. I have built strong relationships with many people in the last 19 years. I appreciate these bonds and enjoy when I connect with trade partners or design professionals that I knew years ago outside of work.

Tell us about your favorite place in Central Oregon.

My favorite place is a lake in the Cascades. I try my best to spend a minimum of a couple of weekends a month at this lake during the summer months. Clear water sandy beaches and warm summer weather. A refreshing change after a long cold winter.

Most rewarding R&H project you’ve been a part of and why.

My most rewarding project I was part of is Legacy Landing, 3-over-1 affordable housing project where R&H self-performed all the wood framing. I had a crew of eight craftworkers. Two foreman and six carpenters. We created a plan and executed. The crew rose to the occasion and made it happen. We stayed in front of all the other trades and hit our framing milestones on each floor. This is the first time R&H took on a self-performed wood framing scope of this magnitude in Central Oregon.

Lesson you have learned from your work during your tenure.

The most important lesson I have learned in my tenure is how to work with people. Our industry is driven by relationships. It is the common denominator regardless of your job title. Whether you are a laborer on a project or the president of a company, how we communicate with our peers greatly affects everything we do in life.

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A Toast to Transformation: Expanding the Archery Summit Wine Tasting Experience

ahouston — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:44:42 +0000

Founded in 1993, Archery Summit has been a staple in the Oregon wine community since its beginning. When selecting the location in the heart of the Dundee Hills, Archery Summit founder Gary Andrus was inspired by the Burgundy region in France which is known for its pinot noirs and chardonnays. The founder drilled out ¼ mile of underground wine caves, constructed a production facility and Archery Summit was born. Since then, the winery has helped to build our regions’ reputation for world-class pinot noir wines, in a facility built to handle every aspect of production, from fruit to bottle, with aging taking place in the caves carved deep into the hillside.

Archery Summit’s vineyards and winery were established before the growth of the wine tourism in Oregon therefore their facility wasn’t designed with guest experience in mind, nor did it take advantage of Archery Summit’s stunning view of Oregon wine country. The Archery Summit team had dreamed of an experience-transforming expansion for over a decade, and as the winery neared its 30^th anniversary, the dream became a reality.

The winery identified three goals for their expansion. The first was to take advantage of their current facilities and improve the overall visual appeal of the existing structure. The second goal was to expand and enhance the client-facing spaces to create a luxury tasting experience that highlights the caves and allows Archery Summit to take advantage of their incredible views. Archery Summit’s final goal was to remain fully open and operational throughout construction. To achieve these goals, Archery Summit selected Heliotrope Architects and R&H Construction as their design and construction partners.

The Tasting House

Archery Summit’s new tasting room, called the Tasting House by the winery, was designed to carefully stitch into existing facilities. The jewelry-box like Tasting House sits atop an existing outdoor patio and garden space, which served as an entry point for the caves and the beginning of Archery’s tasting experience. The cave’s original entrance remains but now serves as a focal point inside the Tasting House. Three sides of the new Tasting House were existing – the winery on the west side of the building and retaining walls on the north and east side of the building. While this greatly reduced required envelope construction, the existing structure required foundation structure, waterproofing, cladding and other improvements to serve the needs of the new Tasting House. The new southern façade was constructed of a glass storefront system while a 100’ long colonnade stitches old and new together into a larger composition while providing much needed shade and outdoor seating. Deep overhangs eliminate direct solar heat gain in summer, while allowing direct winter sun to passively heat the space. The terrace offers panoramic views across the Dundee hills to the south, with large sliding glass panels providing a seamless indoor/outdoor connection.

Inside the structure is a beautiful yet inviting space that creates a lively atmosphere. The 2,600 s.f. room triples Archery Summit’s previous tasting space, giving them the ability to entertain more guests as well as create a luxury tasting experience through carefully-constructed details such as a fireplace and custom skylight. The continuous 42’ skylight, which is situated above the north side of the building opposite the colonnade, washes the wall with light, balancing light within the space, while trees planted inside below the skylight serve to connect inside with outside in a meaningful way. A tiled fireplace brings warmth and light into the space, creating year-round ambiance that is especially beneficial during Oregon’s long rainy season. On the east side of the Tasting House is a separate space, able to be closed-off from the remaining tasting room. This space allows Archery Summit to better entertain VIP guests, such as wine critics and club members, in a way that allows for privacy and more in-depth conversation. Beyond private space, the Tasting House has a variety of seating options for groups of all sizes. The tasting room is situated around the cave entrance, as intended. The existing wood doors were replaced with custom glass doors which welcome the ambiance of the caves into the tasting room, uniting these two unique experiences.

Additional Scope

In addition to the tasting room, R&H’s scope also included the design-build of a new fire suppression system that entailed the addition of a 60,000-gallon new tank supplying water to the riser and constructing a new pump house. The new tank and pump house was constructed 300’ up the hillside from Archery Summit’s existing facilities. The hillside up to the pumphouse was incredibly steep, over 25% grade slope, with limited access. To complete the construction of the pump house, R&H coordinated with the neighboring vineyard to use their access road to get materials up the hill. Each of the tank components were required to be delivered individually due to the size of the delivery truck which could maneuver the back road trail. The new fire suppression system also included the installation of over 700’ of fire suppression lines throughout the entire 20,000 s.f. existing facility, including production areas, the existing tasting space and the fermentation halls.

As a part of our work with Archery Summit, R&H also completed extensive sitework, made improvements to the existing upper enclosure area and completed the renovation of existing space to include a large commercial prep kitchen.

Each of these scopes was completed while Archery Summit remained open and operational. During construction, Archery Summit hosted daily tastings (including during in the peak of tasting season), hosted numerous events, racked and bottled hundreds of barrels of wine and completed the 2023 crush. Despite construction touching nearly every inch of Archery Summit’s existing facilities, R&H and crews completed the project without impact on winery operations.

There’s a term called terroir. It essentially talks about like the weather and the soil and all the little things that will change the way those clusters on that particular set of vines will behave like they taste different. But I also feel like ambiance and the place where you taste the wine is contributing to the whole feeling of terroir, because if you’re tasting in like a cardboard box it is not going to feel the same as tasting in a beautiful, well-designed space with an awesome view. I feel like the caliber of our wine will finally match the environment that we have people enjoy the wine in.

Ian Burch, Winemaker, Archery Summit

Cooperation and Collaboration

The Archery Summit project required ample communication, cooperation and collaboration with all members of the project team.

As noted above, one of Archery Summit’s primary project goals was to remain open and operational throughout construction. This included minimizing impact to the guest experience for daily tastings and events, as well as coordinating with Archery Summit’s production team to ensure we weren’t impacting the wine production or fermentation processes.

In order to accomplish this goal, R&H took the following steps to ensure Archery Summit’s production remained un-impacted and the guests’ luxury experience was maintained.

R&H planned fire suppression system installs around Archery Summit’s schedule and sequence of operations. This included working adjusted schedules to avoid spatial overlap with the winemaking team.
R&H hosted a wine operations/fire suppression install meeting where we collaborated on a floor plan and large calendar to keep teams informed of each other’s activities.
Communicated daily with Archery Summit’s team regarding ongoing activities and events, discussing ways to avoid and/or minimize disruption.

In the video below, hear from Archery Summit’s Winemaker, Ian Burch, and Estate Manager, Karina Gordon, to learn about the communication and collaboration required maintain operations during construction.

Communication throughout the process has been fantastic. I’ve never hesitated to reach out to the R&H team and ask any question, no matter the time of day. We find ways to meet up every single day just to make sure that everything is great, whether it be from the parking lot as guests enter and having to crisscross over all of the vendors and vehicles on site or even throughout the facility itself. Putting price suppression in through the middle of our tasting room and through our barrel caves in the middle of racking wine was a challenge but we all made it happen.

Karina Gordon, Estate Manager, Archery Summit

Communications that Cross State Lines

While Archery Summit’s team is located onsite, Archery Summit’s parent company, Crimson Wine Group, is located in Napa, California. In addition, the project architect for the Tasting House, Heliotrope, is based in Seattle, Washington. With these two companies directly involved with the project (R&H and Heliotrope were contracted directly by Crimson Wine Group), an enhanced level of communication was required to keep the project on track and ensure all parties are well informed.

R&H completed an extensive preconstruction process with the Napa- and Seattle-based teams. The preconstruction phase included a comprehensive value engineering effort that resulted in a 5% cost savings, which helped the project to move forward. The project team continued to find additional savings throughout the project, which allowed the client the option to reinvest the savings for special added features such as the glass cave doors.

Throughout construction, R&H held weekly virtual OAC meetings to keep out-of-state stakeholders and project partners in the loop. R&H also utilized a webcam so Crimson Wine Group’s team could see onsite progress from California. Our team also complete daily reports with key information, progress photos and more which were shared with our out-of-state project partners.

Innovation at Archery Summit

The Archery Summit Tasting House utilized two unique systems, the Blue Duct underground mechanical system and a custom wood ceiling, which helped to create a clean and cohesive guest experience while maintaining functionality.

The Blue Duct System

While the Blue Duct system isn’t new to our industry, the system is typically used in industrial buildings, making its use in a retail/hospitality system more unique. The systems allowed us to conceal the mechanical duct work below the flooring which allowed for a beautiful, yet functional ceiling system. The use of the Blue Duct system added a level of difficulty to the construction process. Instead of building the structure and completing the duct work after, this system required crews to core into the existing stem walls which allows duct work to pass through into the new tasting room underground. This system also allows for future expansion to the east.

Custom Wood Ceiling

Archery Summit’s custom wood ceiling is one of the tasting room’s most striking features. The wood flows seamlessly from the interior of the tasting room to the exterior patio, beautifully uniting the two spaces. The ceiling has a removeable clip system, allowing the Archery Summit facilities team or tradesworkers to easily access junction boxes, electrical and low voltage while also maintaining a clean visual for guests. Each of the roughly 273 wood boards was custom cut allowing for the one inch reveals between each board and alignment with all adjacent finishes creating symmetry throughout the space.

One of our main goals through this project was to be able to stay open for business through the project. Not having to close our doors down and continue to function but still to be able to provide that luxury experience for our guests. So what we were looking for in a construction partner was somebody we could really work well with and was going to have the same goals and vision as we did. Someone who was going to listen to us and be easy to talk to. We nailed it. Honestly, the partnership couldn’t have been any better than it turned out to be.

Karina Gordon, Estate Manager, Archery Summit

Maintaining Occupation and Operation

As noted above, one of Archery Summit’s primary project goals was remaining open and operational during construction. The project location created several challenges toward this goal.

First, the new tasting room was being stitched into Archery Summit’s existing facilities, with connections between the new and old spaces in two spots – the existing cave entry which served as the primary entry for their tasting space, and the west side of the tasting room, which has a doorway that connects to Archery Summit’s back-of-house spaces. This project location required we close access to the main cave entry and re-route guests to a side entry that was less visible to guest approaching on foot from the parking lot. R&H and Archery Summit worked on a signage plan that routed guests to the right entry as well as provided renderings of the project to show guests what was coming and build excitement for the new tasting room.

The tasting room was also the first thing you see upon arrival to Archery Summit making the appearance of the site even more important than usual. From members and guests to event attendees, media representatives and social media influencers, it was important that the site was clean and organized, minimizing impact on the guest experience. The signage created was custom to Archery Summit, matching the branding of the winery and the project, to ensure a seamless guest experience.

Another challenge was maintaining Archery Summit staff and guest safety during construction. R&H and crews worked in every area of the facilities, including their existing tasting room, their production spaces and the caves used for barrel storage. R&H worked with Archery Summit staff to create a plan for construction activities that might put the public or their staff at risk, including overhead work in the existing tasting space and/or use of machinery in the construction of the tasting room. R&H also installed fences and wayfinding signs to ensure guests knew where they were going and prevent unauthorized or unintentional access to the project site. We also installed dust barriers and other precautions to ensure safety was maintained.

For this public-facing project, it was critical that we not only care for our clients but also consider the need of our client’s clients. R&H took this responsibility to heart and worked tirelessly to ensure Archery Summit was able to maintain the special guest experience they were known for.

In summary, the Archery Summit project transformed their guest experience. Since their grand opening in November 2023, Archery Summit has experienced record-breaking guest numbers and sales, even through the tourism off-season. The project met all three of Archery Summit’s project goals in a beautiful, yet functional space that centralizes Archery’s iconic caves while taking advantage of their amazing view. They were able to remain open during construction with minimal impact to their production, event and wine tasting operations. With this tasting room, Archery Summit will continue to be a must-see destination in the heart of Oregon’s wine country.

We are so pleased with the outcome of the project – it is gorgeous and well-built. Thank you for your expertise, your attention to safety and detail, your problem solving, and partnership in cost management. This was a smooth process because we worked with R&H Construction.

Alexa Fox, Vice President, Crimson Wine Group

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Precision in Podium Projects for Central Oregon

ahouston — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 18:08:41 +0000

Our team is highly experienced in constructing podium projects – in fact, R&H has built over 35 podium projects, including several in Central Oregon. We have built a strong reputation for our ability to build podium projects with the highest regard for quality, efficiency and safety. Our process begins with a well-thought-out, site-specific plan and a realistic construction schedule. The depth of our experience in podium projects helps us identify potential problems well before construction begins. We consult with design teams to make any needed corrections early in the design phase, which saves our owners money on rework later. This creates a more consistent construction flow, with minimal interruptions for each trade onsite.

R&H self-performed three floors of framing on the Legacy Landing project in Bend.

While constructing Legacy Landing, a three-over-one, mixed-use podium project in Bend, R&H self-performed the framing scope of the three floors of wood framing above the podium level. To speed the process, we utilized prefabricated panelized walls and floor sections throughout. This minimized the time our crews needed to work at heights and made a safer jobsite for all trades. We were able to perform more work with less crew members for the framing scope because we had a well-thought-out plan that was precisely executed.

R&H has constructed podiums during Central Oregon’s fall and winter seasons. Although the snow is fun to play in, it can be very difficult during construction on a jobsite. We plan ahead for weather challenges, make every effort to expedite critical milestones in the schedule in advance of weather and get creative with scheduling trades to keep our critical path moving forward. Often times, this comes down to people power. R&H has a strong crew of craftsworkers in Central Oregon that are able to self-perform and supplement trades as needed to get a project back on track after dealing with less than ideal weather on a jobsite.

While Central Oregon weather can throw some surprises at us, R&H plans ahead to ensure our crews and subcontractors can continue working towards the end goal – a quality project delivered on time and on budget… true precision in podium construction.

Legacy Landing was completed in Fall 2021.

Now complete, Legacy Landing provides 47 units of much-needed housing for low-income seniors within the Bend community, including thirty-nine one-bedroom homes and eight two-bedroom homes. On the ground floor, R&H completed a tenant improvement for Mosaic Medical, a local nonprofit medical organization, on the ground floor. The 14,000 s.f. clinic boasts 15 exam rooms, a pharmacy, conference rooms for group medical visits and team areas. Six apartments were set aside for qualifying patients of Mosaic Medical with chronic medical conditions that create barriers for independent living.

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Looking Ahead: Exciting Projects Underway in 2023

ahouston — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 21:54:13 +0000

With a new year, comes new projects! R&H has had a strong start to the new year and below are a sampling of the projects we’re excited to have underway this year. We look forward to see what comes in 2023.

Archery Summit Tasting Room

R&H is underway on the expansion of the Archery Summit Tasting Room. The 1,900 s.f. tasting room will have several striking design features including slat wood ceilings and feature walls, fireplace with a stone chimney and ample biophilic elements. The tasting room, which will be stitched into Archery Summit’s existing facilities, will have an operable storefront system and a 42′ skylight that will fill the space with natural light. All construction is being completed while Archery Summit remains open and operational, with construction slated for completion in late 2023. Architect: Heliotrope Architects

Forest House at Caldera Springs

R&H’s Central Oregon team has officially broken ground on the Forest House at Caldera Springs! As the centerpiece of Caldera Springs’ eastern expansion, the ground-up, 9,500 s.f. Forest House amenity space will include a collection of swimming pools, a double-racer water slide, state-of-the-art fitness center, poolside café and bar, pickleball courts and more. Architect: Zehren and Associates

The Gabriel

Located in SW Portland’s Gabriel Park neighborhood, R&H is currently constructing The Gabriel, a sustainably minded residential development. When complete, the community will feature 122 rental apartment units spread among five stories along with ground-floor amenities. The project is slated to achieve Earth Advantage Gold certification. Architect: QUAD

Shake Shack

In 2023, Shake Shack will open their second Oregon location in Downtown Portland. Located across Burnside Street from Powell’s Books, the 4,900 s.f. renovation will include a full kitchen buildout, a new roof, upgraded utilities and a hardscaped patio with an Ipe wood canopy, slat wall and bench seating. Architect: Aria Group

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Welcome 2022 Interns

ahouston — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 21:21:43 +0000

This year R&H is lucky to have 8 talented interns joining our team for the summer. They will work both onsite and in the office as project engineer, preconstruction and marketing interns. We look forward to integrating them into life at R&H. Meet our 2022 interns by reading their bios below.

MAX SCHROEDL

Project Engineer Intern

Max is working on the The Springs Living project in Happy Valley. He attends Montana State University and is majoring in Construction Engineering Technology.

GRIFFIN BELL

Project Engineer Intern

Griffin is working with the buildings department this summer on the Splash mixed-use development. Griffin attends Oregon State University where he is majoring in Construction Engineering Management.

GARRETT PATSY

Project Engineer Intern

Garrett will be working in the Buildings department this summer on the Tiller Terrace mixed-use affordable housing project. Garrett attends Oregon State University where he is majoring in Construction Engineering Management.

SNEHA SURESH

Preconstruction Intern

Sneha attends Oregon State University where she is majoring in Civil Engineering. She will be working in the office this summer with the Preconstruction team.

LUIS CONTRERAS

Project Engineer Intern

Luis just finished his second year at Oregon State University where he is pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering. He will be working in the Buildings department this summer on the Fuller Station affordable housing project.

MARISA ROBSON

Project Engineer Intern

Marisa will be working with R&H’s Special Projects Group on the Central Tissue Services medical office project. You will find her both at the jobsite and in the Portland office. She attends Central Washington University where she is majoring in Construction Management.

DEREK RODRIGUES

Project Engineer Intern

Derek will be working onsite with R&H’s Special Projects Group on the Zupan’s Markets headquarters office and Fremont Place renovation projects. He currently has his Associates from Mt. Hood Community College and will begin at Louisiana State University in the fall. Derek has also graduated from the Carpenter’s Institute and is a journey-level carpenter.

NICOLE POSNER

Marketing Intern

Nicole will be working in the Portland office with our Marketing team. She attends Gonzaga University and is majoring in Marketing and Human Resource Management.

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Q&A with Kraig O’Connor, President of R&H Construction

ahouston — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 22:18:41 +0000

Where did you grow up and what did you love about it?

I grew up–the youngest of three boys–in Olympia, Washington. My parents were both career educators at the high school and elementary school level. As thus, many of my early memories involve tagging along with my parents to their various extracurricular school engagements. They worked tirelessly to support us kids and give their whole selves to educating youth. Olympia is located right on the Puget Sound, and in the summer, it is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Walking the NW beaches, canoeing in the bays and enjoying the delectable sea fare are some of my fondest memories.

What was your first job?

My first job was fitting to the place I grew up (near Oyster Bay) which was to plant and harvest oysters and other shellfish for a local shellfish farm. I was twelve years old, and I really wanted a boom box so I could play my first CD – Kriss Kross (which consequently will make you jump, jump) – in my room. My dad told me to get a job so I could join the economy and buy it myself. I believe I made it nearly three weeks that summer getting up with the tides (sometimes at 3:50am) and mucking out clam bags and mature oysters for a friend’s family shellfish farm. After those three weeks of working, the extra needs of the farm had waned, and I was able to purchase that boom box, so I decided to hang up my muck gear and retire from shellfish farming. The farm is still around, and when I am back in Olympia, my wife and I try to hit up their restaurant or pick up a bag of their oysters as a delicious treat.

What do you love the most about living in the Northwest?

I love the people of the Northwest. The pride we share in our natural resources, our beaches and mountains and rivers and water. I love how we root for our home teams and create such delicious food and beverage. On weekends, my happy place is to get a run in, or go for a bike ride, then, after burning a handful of calories, promptly balance out the caloric deficit with a few cold, fresh IPAs and some food from any of the amazing food options in the city.

Kraig and his wife, Jenny, wrap a Turkey Trot run in San Diego, CA

Away from work, what do you enjoy most?

Aside from the exercise, eating and drinking, spending time with my friends and family is top. We like to travel with loved ones, and we have a few standing trips that I look forward to every year: going to Mexico, camping and visiting the coast which are always highlights of the season. A good group of people, lively conversation and fun games is just about as good as life gets for me.

What is your favorite Portland restaurant or watering hole?

This is perhaps the hardest question to answer. I don’t really have a favorite, but many favorites in various genres depending on what we’re looking for at the given moment. I enjoy a dive bar equally as much as an elevated dining experience. I love Breakside Brewery, Khun Pic’s Bhan Thai which is this amazing (but somewhat hidden) Thai restaurant on the eastside, Bar Mingo, Piazza Italia, Wayfinder, and most of the Tasty restaurants. We were lucky to eat at the newer Farmhouse Thai spot in the Pearl recently, that was a trip. I had a spiced tequila drink with LED ice cubes–pretty fun– and an elevated spicy take on cup of noodles.

I met my future wife for the first time at The Spirit of 77, so that place is pretty special to me too, plus I love a good beer and a great game on the big screen. Also, fun tidbit, when the Spirit of 77 first opened, I held the record for the pop-a-shot game there for almost a year until one of the line cooks bested me in a competition. I realize that’s a bit of an overt brag, but I hold that accomplishment in fairly high regards. On occasion, I can still put up a decent pop-a-shot score. Challenge me sometime to a fun competition.

What has your career path been in the industry? What aspects have you enjoyed most?

While studying Construction Management in school, I was lucky to intern with two great companies. One large international firm that was working in Bellevue at the time, and one mid-size regional company in San Jose, CA. I learned a great deal from both, but perhaps most importantly I learned that my desire to foster lasting relationships with my coworkers meant that I desired to find a great mid-size regional firm to work with, which ultimately led me to R&H.

I started as a project engineer, and embraced being onsite, trying to soak up as much of the “nuts and bolts” as I could. There’s a common thread here in my career, that I was lucky in so many ways, and that proved true with the professional teams I was able to work with early in my career. I was partnered with so many of our talented team members who each imparted pearls of wisdom, trade knowledge, means and methods and best practices onto me. I have plenty of mentors in my past for which I owe a great debt of gratitude.

From there, I transitioned into the role of PM, and still preferred to be onsite, where the physical work is put in place, to maintain that connection and rhythm of the project site and project teams. After about 5 years of Project Management, I transitioned into the role of SPM, where I was now responsible for leading team relationships and developing new best practices, as well as responsible to help us secure new work and nurture client relationships. After a short turn there, timing was such that I had the opportunity to step into the Director of Operations role. I think I have said this many times, but being a part of a team of people, working in concert to accomplish a complicated and dynamic task is what I enjoy most – the great people who are intelligent, hard working and dedicated make this industry special. Then, if we’re lucky enough, at the end of the day we get to enjoy the spaces that our collective efforts helped create.

What project stands out as a highlight in your career?

Ziba Design in the Pearl was an early project highlight for me. At the time, Joe Weihmann (a now retired Senior Project Manager) told me everyone gets one project like Ziba in their career, a project where design, quality and craft perfectly marry. Ziba is a mixed-use project that’s primarily a completely custom, owner-occupied office space for a world class industrial design firm. They pushed the limits of sustainability at the time (achieving LEED Gold), and held themselves, our partners at Holst and R&H to the highest standards of quality and creative solutions. Their vision was to employ sustainable, natural and “simple” materials in a creative and technically challenging manner. The building had a theatre complete with auto-operating sliding wall partitions, a tricked out industrial shop, and many beautiful rooms and spaces for the clients and staff of Ziba to work and enjoy their time in the building. There are miles of reclaimed fir siding, flooring and ceiling slats in the building – all sustainably sourced in the NW from reclaimed timbers. It was very rewarding to see the finished product and have a happy client after we met that challenge.

What is a lesson you have learned through your work that has impacted your career?

One great lesson that I have learned in my career in construction is that nothing can compete with the mantra of “learn it as if you have to teach it.” That concept applies to nearly everything we encounter in our industry, from a journey-level carpenter being thoughtful with how they take ownership over training an apprentice, to an estimator knowing where every dollar is in the budget to help a client make sound decisions. When you prepare like teachers do, learning not just the “how” to do something but also the “why” and the best way to explain it to others, you can become a master at the task or craft you’re looking to learn.

Are there any specific lessons learned that came from the jobsite?

Preplanning is everything. Craftspeople put work in place like master chess players move their pieces. The great ones are thinking many steps into the future. Proper framing layout ensures more seamless and efficient erection and built-in safety. Planning your tile layout to minimize cuts and maximize aesthetics saves tile and avoids slivers. There are thousands of “moves” to put together a well-executed project, and the best at it are thinking months down the road and planning away problems before they manifest, just like the chess player knows the likely outcomes of their maneuvers.

Craftspeople put work in place like master chess players move their pieces. The great ones are thinking many steps into the future. There are thousands of “moves” to put together a well-executed project, and the best at it are thinking months down the road and planning away problems before they manifest.

Safe work practices are vital to successful projects. What do you do to keep your team safe?

In the last several years, I have learned many new lessons on how to support safe work from our field team members and our Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) department. I have learned that safety is a mindset, it’s a learned behavior and you need to believe in safe work practices whole heartedly to be safe in your work. There’s plenty of data out there to support that accidents happen when we let our guard down, at the start of a shift, or the end of the week before a holiday. Or when we take a work task or activity for granted, so we’ve been working to promote that awareness and to hopefully get in the minds of our trade partners and our craftspeople that safe work follows that safety mindset. We’ve been doing our best to share this data and promote the safety mindset through intentional safety planning, safety engineering and supporting safety education. We’re working on programs to encourage heightened safety planning with our trade partners as well, attempting to lift some of the burden of safe planning and readiness review from our field teams who have plenty to organize and manage already. Safety starts and thrives in the field, and we’re lucky to have excellent field leaders and team members who want to work safely and are helping lead with a safety mindset.

Groundbreaking at the Barbara Walker Crossing pedestrian bridge over West Burnside in Portland

The last couple years have been challenging for all and in particular the construction industry. How do you feel R&H has weathered these times?

I think more important than how I feel, or how the executive team feels is, how does the entire R&H team feel we have collectively done to weather these times? I’ve seen feedback from team surveys that indicate that most our team members believe the company’s response to the pandemic was very positive. For me, a bright spot of the last two years has been our collective response, and our togetherness to endure and do some really great work during these unprecedented times. Our craftspeople, trade partners, foremen, superintendents, project engineers and many project managers never left their posts onsite, and we all did whatever we could to keep our teams safe and continuing to build during the pandemic. Our Human Resources and EHS departments helped create some industry leading controls and processes, we had thoughtful COVID guidance in place on our jobsites before the OHA and OR-OSHA created content to guide us. We kept on top of the ever-changing requirements, were steadfast in our diligence to mask, and test and record and distance and contact trace – a lot of effort – which hopefully resulted in fewer exposures. Looking back, between the last two years we were able to safety execute over $450 million in work for our clients and find innovative ways to show appreciation to our team. Most importantly, we maintained our value to our clients, and have opportunities in the coming years to continue growing those key relationships with our clients. We have weathered, and we are ready to have a strong 2022. Again, so much of the credit here goes to our HR team, EHS group and our field crews for their patience, diligence and discipline.

What is your outlook for 2022 and beyond for R&H Construction?

While we are not without challenges, 2022 and beyond look to have an excellent prognosis. We have record under-contract backlog for 2022 and continue to see solid future work pursuits across all markets and divisions. We are working on execution, doing what we know we can do well even better. We have brought on a few new team members, and we want to elevate our training and growth for all existing team members. Finally, we want to celebrate our ability to get back together as a team without fear of breaking rules or endangering people. Once the experts feel we can safely drop the mask mandate and get our teams together en masse, we plan to bring back so many of the things that made R&H such a special place: jobsites BBQs, field day, team lunch challenges, happy hours and more. Personally, I’d like to get a cornhole tournament on the books for this summer (or maybe pop-a-shot?).

What market sectors are you seeing the most strength in currently and do you anticipate any changes in this over the next two years?

Industrial, mixed-use multifamily and affordable housing are currently strong markets in Portland and Central Oregon and look to continue to be strong markets for the foreseeable future. Housing remains underbuilt in Oregon, especially affordable housing. Commercial office is rumored to be in a position to pivot, which means a lot of traditional office spaces may be modified to accommodate new working norms. Hospitality and retail are poised for a strong recovery post pandemic. We have a presence in all these markets, which means solid opportunity for us to connect our value to our clients in the marketplace.

Longevity in career is strong at R&H. Why do you feel team members choose to spend the greater portion of their careers with the company?

I can share what I have heard from many who have been with us for 10 years, 20 years and even longer. Generally, it boils down to that fact that we like what we do and who we do it with. That, coupled with our best intentions to staff projects appropriately and encourage our team members to work hard while they are on the clock then go have lives outside of work, keeps us fresh and energized to come back the next day, or week or year, or decade.

I can share what I have heard from many who have been with us for 10 years, 20 years and even longer. Generally, it boils down to that fact that we like what we do and who we do it with.

What goals do you have for the year ahead for the company and yourself as you transition to your new role as President?

For R&H, executing exceptional building is my primary goal. We want to do that by getting back to the “basics” of construction; safe and effective field execution, industry leading communication, disciplined thoughtful controls and management, and instilling confidence and fun into the construction process. Our initiatives this year revolve mostly around better executing our value proposition, aligning our strengths to our project pursuits, delivering exceptional preconstruction and construction services and celebrating our success. If the prior is goal 1a, goal 1b is to develop cross functional and cross departmental teams to go execute on these initiatives; building stronger interpersonal working relationships in our company will only help us deliver on our mission with greater enthusiasm.

Personally, I would like to continue to grow my connection with our team here, as I will be working with many people in a different capacity. Strengthening my professional and personal relationships with the shop teams, carpenters, foreman and supervisors, EHS, accounting and HR teams across our company will be a big focus of mine. We have so many great team members and talented individuals at R&H, I want to build those relationships and ultimately strengthen our culture and teamwork. We need each other to have the success we want to have, and it’s more fun working in a group, supporting one another than facing the challenges of our craft working alone.

Community is one of R&H’s core values. What does that mean to you?

Community is the people you choose to have in your life, meaning your immediate cohorts – friends, family, and co-workers that you regularly interact with and share your whole self with. There’s also community in the broader sense, meaning the place you choose to live, made up of people and places around your neighborhood and where you choose to work and play. We need both to thrive, but you absolutely need the prior. You get from your community what you put into it, and that’s true of all relationships. When you decide to participate actively in your community and take on the challenge of building it to be as great as you can muster, if you’re lucky, that’s when special things happen and you get a whole new level of contentment and satisfaction in return. What you give to your community, you also get back. As I mentioned earlier, that’s why I enjoy my career here at R&H, the community of people, including our clients, subcontractor partners and all stakeholders are solid people, good Oregonians and fun to be around.

The post Q&A with Kraig O’Connor,
President of R&H Construction appeared first on R&H Construction.

New Year, New Beginnings: Recent Project Starts

ahouston — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 19:23:17 +0000

Freewell

Located in Slabtown, this seven-story mixed-use building will offer 192 residential units in addition to commercial space and underground parking. A second-story pedestrian bridge connects the main building to a two-story pavilion offering resident amenities such as a fitness center, club room, outdoor terrace and maker’s lab.
Architect: SERA Design and Architecture

Deschutes River Amphitheater

R&H is underway on Phase II of the renovations of this iconic Bend venue, which aims to increase guest accessibility, improve utilities and upgrade guest entry points. The project follows the successful completion of Phase I, in which R&H constructed a new stage, created ADA pathways and added screens on stage.

Architect: Open Concept Architecture

Consolidated Community Credit Union

R&H is underway on a 4,000 s.f. remodel and 2,000 s.f. expansion of CCCU’s newest branch in Hood River. The project boasts numerous improvements to member and employee experience, including a new entry, enhanced teller and office spaces, increased natural light, and an outdoor terrace for employees.
Architect: Scott | Edwards Architecture

Tiller Terrace

Located in SW Portland, R&H recently broke ground on this 214-unit affordable housing development offering studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. The six-story, mixed-use building also houses retail space, a community room, an outdoor terrace and a classroom. The project will obtain a Green Globes® certification.
Architect: SERA Design and Architecture

Splash

This eight-story, mixed-use building is divided into two towers, and united by sky bridges and a shared underground parking garage. Splash will feature 219 living units including live/work space, townhouses, market-rate and affordable housing. The project includes new a community plaza and a remodel of the iconic Pepsi pavilion.
Architect: Mithun

The post New Year, New Beginnings: Recent Project Starts appeared first on R&H Construction.

Building for the Future: A New Playground for Every Child Central Oregon

ahouston — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:23:33 +0000

Earlier this year, R&H was called to partner with Every Child Central Oregon, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping youth in foster care, to develop a play structure on the Warm Springs Reservation. Before this project, foster children in Warm Springs were without a safe physical space to play outdoors. Our team in Bend volunteered their time to complete this bright and cheerful playground complete with slides, a swing set, a trampoline and plenty of space for games. This fall, we were honored to attend a blessing ceremony in Warm Springs to celebrate the completion of the project.

A big thank you to our friends at Every Child Central Oregon and the Warm Springs residents, along with incredible donations from Mike’s Fence Center/Mobile Mix Concrete, H&E Equipment Services, Western Heavy Haul/SMAF Construction/Environmental and Bend Construction Supply. We wish the new playground many years of laughter and play!

The post Building for the Future: A New Playground for Every Child Central Oregon appeared first on R&H Construction.

Pushing Portland Forward: The Canyons’ Approach to Accessibility & Sustainability

ahouston — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 19:36:09 +0000

AWARDS

Top Projects – 1st Place Mixed-Use, Daily Journal of Commerce
2021 Excellence in Engineering Award – $10-40M Category, Structural Engineers Association of Oregon (SEAO)

THE CANYONS AT A GLANCE

Completion: November 20, 2020
Size: 110,000 square feet
Units: 70 barrier-free units; studio, one- and two-bedroom options
Location: 3450 N Williams Ave, Portland, Oregon 90702
Owner: Hoosiers Corporation and Kaiser Group, Inc.
Architect: Path Architecture
Developer: Kaiser Group, Inc.
General Contractor: R&H Construction
Structural Engineer: Catena Consulting Engineers

Located in North Portland’s Williams District, The Canyons is a one-of-a-kind mixed-use development offering a vibrant urban lifestyle for residents of all ages and abilities. Designed with sustainability and accessibility in mind, The Canyons was constructed using cross-laminated timber and is home to barrier-free living units, ample building amenities, a unique central atrium, an underground parking structure and more.

Nestled between NE Ivy and NE Fremont on N Williams Avenue, the 110,000 s.f. development is essentially two buildings, united by a six-story open-air atrium featuring zig-zagging CLT corridors, hence its name: The Canyons. In addition to residential units and ground-ﬂoor retail space, The Canyons also features The Alley, an 11-unit commercial marketplace designed to unite building residents, community members and local small businesses in one central location.

Designed with Residents in Mind

Unique in design, The Canyons elegantly combines eco-friendly construction with accessible design, aimed at meeting the unique needs of both active adults and those with limited mobility. Ben Kaiser, owner and principal at Kaiser + Path, was motivated by his father to create a fully accessible building that exists within Portland’s urban core.

As a result, The Canyons is neither a standard apartment building nor an independent living facility but instead is a hybrid living environment aimed at creating a community-focused urban living experience for people of all abilities. The six-story building is entirely barrier-free, including all of the building’s 70 living units. The apartments range in size from studio to two bedrooms and all have adjustable kitchen counters, are pre-wired for automatic door openers, have wider ADA-friendly doors and feature curbless showers. Each light-ﬁlled unit also offers Energy Star appliances, nine-foot high ceilings and wood-centric design proven to lower stress, increase productivity and improve feelings of well-being. In addition to atrium-facing entries, each unit has expansive windows and its own individual heating and cooling unit, ensuring fresh, clean air for all residents. Finally, some units offer Juliet balconies as an additional perk for building residents.

The Canyons’ amenities include a Wellness Room, a Fitness Center, a community room/lounge, secured bike storage and a 24-hour package locker – all meeting or exceeding ADA standards. The building also has a secure underground parking with 32 parking spaces, including accessible parking spots.

In addition to barrier-free units and amenities, The Canyons has a full-time onsite concierge available to assist residents, provide white glove services and emergency assistance if necessary. The Wellness Room intends to host onsite services in a post-COVID environment including physical therapy, ﬂu shots, nail care and more. North Williams Avenue offers nearby restaurants, shops and service providers but The Canyons is also located less than a half mile from Legacy Emanuel, one of Portland’s two level-one trauma centers, and is across the street from a New Seasons Market – a grocery store able to deliver hot, prepared food right to residents’ doors. The combination of in-building amenities, accessibility and nearby conveniences makes The Canyons a perfect home for those with limited mobility or those looking to age in an active, urban community.

The Alley, tucked behind the mixed-use building, is an open-air marketplace consisting of 11 micro commercial spaces intended for retail use. Modeled after Japan’s narrow, bustling Yokocho alleys, which are packed with eateries and small shops, The Canyons Alley also features a row of small spaces, designed for makers, eateries and other community businesses, that open to The Canyons’ ground-ﬂoor retail spaces and café. The result is an intimate, engaging passageway where residents can eat, shop and stroll while supporting local small businesses as well as connecting with neighbors from the building and outside community members.

I was inspired by my own aging father’s changing needs to envision The Canyons – an affordable, intentional community for active adults ready to unburden themselves of home ownership while staying connected to city arts and culture.

Ben Kaiser, Kaiser + Path

Cross-laminated Timber at The Canyons

The Canyons includes numerous innovative construction features, the greatest of which is the incorporation
of cross-laminated timber (CLT) in unexpected and pioneering ways. In addition to using CLT on the building’s structure, The Canyons features iconic zig-zagging CLT bridge in the building’s open-air corridors.

Utilizing CLT offers a variety of beneﬁts to both the community, residents and the project team.

It’s sustainable: The carbon emissions that typical construction practices and materials can create was a high priority for the development team to combat. Constructing with CLT helps to offset the carbon footprint because panels can be made from young trees, 10” or less in diameter, that have already consumed a large amount of carbon in their lifecycle. Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, pulling it out of the atmosphere and storing it within the wood ﬁber. When trees are processed into timber and used in construction, the carbon remains trapped in the wood, locked away for the life of the building. We estimate that the CLT in The Canyons stores about 423 tons of carbon.

Additionally, wood from damaged or diseased trees that often add fuel to forest wildﬁres can be sandwiched in the middle layers of the panels. Thinning these trees from dense forests gives wildﬁres less fuel to burn. Appearance-grade lumber is used on the outside of the CLT panels for its beauty. Finally, CLT takes far less energy to produce, transport and assemble than concrete or steel.

It’s durable: CLT is produced by gluing together solid-sawn lumber in perpendicular layers to create sturdy, stable panels up to a foot thick. CLT is also one of the most seismically resilient building materials available which is an important factor for buildings in the Paciﬁc Northwest. The joints between CLT boards allow buildings to dissipate energy efficiently, minimizing structural damage during an earthquake. Because of the thickness associated with large structural wood elements, mass timber is naturally ﬁre resistant. When burned, the charred layer on the outside creates a protective seal, preventing the inner layers of wood from burning.

It’s faster: In addition to the positive sustainability and durability elements, building with this product is also beneﬁcial in terms of schedule and budget. In comparison to concrete, building with CLT at The Canyons saved over a week per ﬂoor during vertical construction. This faster, more efficient CLT installation process can be seen in the timelapse below. The reduction in schedule also led to cost savings and increased efficiency for subcontracting trades that followed framing.

It’s beautiful: Together with the advantages to the environment and to the project, using CLT provides several beneﬁts to residents at The Canyons. The CLT can be seen throughout the building including within each unit. All units feature a beautiful exposed wood ceiling that brings warmth and a natural element into each apartment. Wood is known to have a relaxing effect on people, providing a sense of calm in apartments which is especially beneﬁcial in a COVID-era environment where residents are working from their homes. In The Canyons, the wood invites the beauty of the Paciﬁc Northwest indoors and into each residents’ living spaces.

Building Technology Brings CLT to Life

Our project team utilized extensive Building Information Modeling (BIM) and REVIT modeling during both preconstruction and construction for The Canyons.

Modeling The Canyons offered the beneﬁt of quality control, veriﬁcation when integrating subcontractors’ systems, and was a more helpful platform to utilize when laying out the building footprint. Our 3D model was designed to coordinate with our CLT fabricator, Structurlam. This fabricator brought a strong working history with Kaiser + Path to the table and was a seamless ﬁt with our project team.

Structurlam, based in Canada, utilized a computer numerical control (CNC) machine to cut the CLT panels. This machine had the ability to pre-drill all mechanical, electrical, plumbing and ﬁre (MEPF) penetrations, which saved our on-site team a signiﬁcant amount of time.

Because CLT panels were prefabricated off site, our model was used to ensure that the MEP systems would align with the structure when it arrived on site. R&H worked with subcontractors to layout nearly 1,200 penetrations on the 3D model that coordinated with Structurlam’s CNC machine. Utilizing the CNC machine and R&H’s 3D model ensured that assembling the panels was seamless.

Overcoming Obstacles

Neighborhood and Jobsite Constraints
The Canyons is strategically located in the heart of the North Williams District, within a quick walk of restaurants, shops and other neighborhood amenities. While the location provides a noteworthy benefit to building residents, construction on a tight site in a busy neighborhood does not come without significant challenges. The Canyons’ constrained urban site has both residential and commercial neighbors on all sides and the building is on a block with other developments including the Carbon 12 mixed-use building next door. Additionally, both N Williams Avenue and NE Fremont Street are arterial roads with active pedestrian, vehicular and public transit traffic. Each of these items comes with unique hurdles our team had to overcome both in preconstruction and during construction.

To mitigate these challenges, R&H paid careful attention to parking, staging and site logistics including material delivery. R&H procured access to a neighboring site to use for the field office, parking, deliveries and material staging. In order to be able to avoid street closure or interruptions to pedestrian or vehicle traffic, R&H utilized a tower crane with a longer boom so that the team was able to pick many building materials from the neighboring site, with the exception of some of the heavier materials such as the CLT panels. R&H’s final tower crane boom was 50 feet longer than what would have typically been needed for a project of this size.

Constructing an Open-Air Atrium
Another challenge that arose with The Canyons was the construction of the open-air atrium. In a typical apartment building, designers would route the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection system through the building’s main corridor with a pathway for entry into each unit. However, The Canyons was designed with an open-air atrium with exposed zigzagging CLT panels that didn’t allow for the MEPF systems to be placed in their traditional locations.

During preconstruction, R&H, Kaiser + Path and our design-build MEPF subcontractors – Jacobs Heating & Air Conditioning, Prairie Electric, Tapani Plumbing and Blackstone Fire Protection – collaborated on an innovative solution that allowed the building atrium to be constructed without the having the main lines in the corridor. The creative solution was to install the systems in a loop around the building corridor rather than a central line through the corridor itself. This was executed by installing a sheet rock dropped ceiling within the entry of each unit that contains the MEPF systems.

Atrium CLT Panels
Another challenge that was unique to The Canyons and required mitigation is the design of the zig-zagging CLT panels in the building atrium. The seven-layer CLT panels that span from one side of the atrium to the other do so at a skewed angle, and also support the walkways that span between them. The angle, plus the added asymmetric loading, creates a structural force within the panel called “torsional shear.” To visualize this force, imagine a dynamic twisting motion, like wringing out a towel. At the time of the project, there were no standard values to use to calculate this force in the panels, though Kaiser + Path and Catena Consulting Engineers had done modeling investigations and determined the panels met the strength needed to resist it.

To permit the project, however, real, project specific testing was required. Kaiser + Path designed the test, confirmed the procedure would meet the city’s requirements, and ordered two full size, typical panel specimens from Structurlam. The panels were cut to exactly the shape they would be installed at The Canyons. They were shipped to the Tall Wood Institute at Oregon State University and subjected to tests that mimicked the forces that would be inflicted in the real project, as well as 2x, 2.5x and 3x the forces. Teams measured the deflection under these loads, and the panels’ recovery 24 hours after the load was removed. The recovery needed to pass the test was 75% of the total measured max deflection. Both panels recovered to around 90% and allowed for use of the panels in The Canyons. The result is a striking but durable design that allows residents to open their doors to fresh air and see their neighbors above and below them in a corridor that will stand the test of time.

COVID-19 and 2020 Wildfires
Like all other construction projects, The Canyons was impacted by COVID-19. At the beginning of the pandemic in Oregon, R&H pivoted quickly to change to our adapting environment. We were industry leaders who developed a Plan, Prepare, Respond strategy to safely operate our project well ahead of local AGC or OR-OSHA guidance. Our response to COVID-19 has included forming a COVID-19 Task Force, creating a COVID-19 Response Plan, enhancing both internal and external communications and launching a COVID-19 resource page where team members, clients and subcontractors can find our plan, documents and signage needed to ensure safety on all projects. Despite building during the early months of the pandemic, a time filled with ever-changing rules and guidelines, there was minimal impact on the project due to COVID-19.

While the entire Pacific Northwest was impacted by the 2020 wildfires, The Canyons had unique circumstances that made the project more susceptible to damage and setbacks from the fires. The Canyons was in the final stages of construction when the wildfires broke out and brought the Pacific Northwest to
a halt as we were enshrouded in a blanket of heavy smoke. While the design of The Canyons would typically provide for increased air flow and access to fresh air, the nature of the open-air atrium and outdoor marketplace created a significant challenge for R&H and our subcontracting partners. Unlike many other apartments with enclosed corridors, the open-air atrium meant that tradesworkers needed to go outside in order to move between living units, therefore putting crew members and the building at risk to smoke exposure.

The Alley marketplace was also in its ﬁnal stages of construction at the time of the wildﬁres. Similar to the residential portion of The Canyons, the design of The Alley meant that tradesworkers needed to go outside in order to move between the commercial units. Due to these circumstances, crews were forced to stop work until the air quality returned to a safe level. While the wildﬁres were beyond our control, crews worked hard to make up for lost time once we were able to return to the site.

This is our largest project to date, with outside investors, and pushing innovation at every possible sector. With all that is at stake, it is great to completely trust the hands that are putting it together.

Ben Kaiser, Kaiser + Path

Meeting Budget & Schedule Goals

Value Engineering
The Canyons was designed and constructed with a premium structural system of cross-laminated timber. The resulting cost meant that our team was tasked with identifying other ways to decrease project budget without sacriﬁcing design aesthetics, quality or the goals of the Kaiser + Path team. In collaboration with Kaiser + Path and our subcontracting partners, R&H led a value engineering process that resulted in a savings of over $3,000,000. Some of this most signiﬁcant value engineering (VE) efforts are detailed on the following page.

CLT panel thickness: To bring down the cost of the CLT, the R&H preconstruction team worked with Catena’s structural engineers to develop an alternative bearing wall configuration that turned non-load bearing walls into load bearing walls. This new configuration allowed us to reduce CLT panel thickness in some areas from 175mm to 139mm, therefore creating cost savings due to reduced fiber.

Alternate unit ventilation strategy:
In a typical apartment building, there are a variety of exhaust strategies. One strategy is a vertical ventilation system that sends exhaust from each unit
up through the building and out through the roof. This system, although more expensive due to increased materials, allows for a more aesthetically pleasing building exterior. Another option utilizes sidewall ventilation within each unit which saves project dollars due to decreased building material and a shorter distance for air, but also is typically less aesthetically pleasing because it requires large exhaust panels on the building exterior.

The aesthetics of The Canyons were very important to the Kaiser + Path team which meant they initially wanted to pursue a vertical exhaust system even though it was a more expensive option. During the value engineering process, R&H worked with our design-build mechanical subcontractor, Jacobs Heating & Air Conditioning, to design a sidewall exhaust system that conceals the ventilation grills within the architecture. The final design is a more aesthetically pleasing exhaust vent that lives in the bump outs of the pilasters, which ultimately met the needs of both the architect and the project budget.

Exterior cladding:
The original design of The Canyons called for a true three-coat stucco system over the majority of the building skin. In an effort to save project dollars, we adopted a value engineering solution that involved a hybrid approach where less visible elevations and locations that were more broken up utilized a less expensive cement board and skim coat stucco solution while maintaining the more expensive three-coat system at the larger expanses.

Elevations and configuration of the basement:
Another way the project team looked to save money during the value engineering stage was through the reduction of elevation within the building’s basement and parking garage. Working with the MEPF design-build team, we developed alternate MEPF routing strategies that allowed for the garage depth to be reduced by one foot while maintaining required ADA height clearances. This shallower garage solution had a cascading effect of cost savings through reduced excavation, shoring and structural concrete. The team also reconfigured the parking scheme to move one of the basement walls in 6’ to allow a shift to layback excavation on one side of the dig. These changes to the basement design resulted in a cost savings of over $200,000.

Lighting package review:
One specific area with a large allocation of budget dollars was The Canyons’ lighting package. During the value engineering stage, our design-build electrical subcontractor, Prairie Electric, reviewed the lighting package to identify fixtures that met performance and aesthetic intent but were more cost-effective solutions. This review resulted in a savings of $156,000.

Schedule
While COVID and wildfires provided unforeseen challenges for our team, we were consistently looking for ways to increase efficiency onsite to speed schedule and reduce costs while ensuring the safety and health of all our employees and trade partners. Despite delays that affected schedule and budget, the overall project was delivered in line with the entire team’s expectations for a quality, longstanding development.

Commitment to Quality

CLT Protection Plan
One of the main aspects of building with CLT is creating a plan to protect the panels from excess moisture as well as staining or damage from dirty or contaminated water. Prior to installing the CLT, the R&H project team created a Moisture and Finish Management Plan that covered five major areas: sealers at timber elements, staining prevention measures, moisture control, dry-out steps and protection of exposed surfaces. Steps within the plan to protect the CLT panels included: sealing the panel ends in the factory, not allowing raw steel elements in the building prior to dry in, requiring that all nails and fasteners were galvanized, sealing pipes prior to install and more. In addition, crews put in extra effort to keep excess water from pooling on the deck and used a 3M moisture barrier at the seams of the panels. Once the structure was complete, crews used heat to support the building during the three-week dry-out process. The final panels are free of staining and damage, ensuring their beauty for decades to come.

QA/QC
At R&H, we believe that quality is as much a result of culture as it is a product of process and controls. Our project teams take quality personally, and we foster an environment in which all team members are encouraged and inspired to do their best work. We do this by engaging trade professionals, designers and craftspeople to extensively pre-plan their work and offer insight, as collaborative professionals, into the specific details to create a high-quality product. We find that this level of cooperation and shared ownership promotes pride in work and leads to more successful projects.

To ensure the highest quality of building at The Canyons, R&H had dedicated staff committed to ensuring quality. Our team utilized PlanGrid for quality control and to execute our punchlisting program. With PlanGrid, crews were able to take multiple photos through all stages of construction and store them in the program based on location in the building. We’re able to share access with subcontractors, ownership teams and the architect to ensure all project team members are on the same page and have the same expectations for quality.

For each project, R&H develops specific protocols for multiple elements of construction like building envelope, wood framing and window install. We hold preconstruction meetings with subcontracting partners, the design team and project consultants to make sure it’s a true team effort and everyone understands the expectations.

We also developed two-story mockups at The Canyons to test building materials and installation techniques to ensure the highest quality building for our clients.

The Canyons has brought a new sense of vibrancy to North Williams Avenue. This one-of-a-kind development goes beyond what’s required to create a lively, sustainable and accessible living option for Portlanders of all ages and levels of mobility. Pushing innovation on every level, the resulting development is an asset to the Portland community.

The post Pushing Portland Forward: The Canyons’ Approach to Accessibility & Sustainability appeared first on R&H Construction.

High Desert Housing Relief: Red Canyon Brings Affordable Apartments to Madras & Redmond

ahouston — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:53:30 +0000

With dramatically rising home prices and massive housing shortages, Central Oregon is in an extreme housing crisis. Through the help of federal funding, 90 affordable homes have been added to Central Oregon’s housing stock by way of the Red Canyon Affordable Housing Developments. The unique portfolio included two projects (Rolling Sage and Canyon Edge) in two cities spread across three sites, with construction finishing during a global pandemic and tragic wildfires.

Teamwork made this project a true success. Quick decision-making by the client allowed the team to fast-track the design schedule and submitted for permitting before an increased permit fee rate in Redmond, saving $130,000. The collaborative design process between the Housing Works, Pinnacle Architecture, and R&H Construction met the client’s goals by maximizing the units on each side, creating community space, and designing welcoming, low-maintenance homes. The pandemic hit during construction which could have derailed the projects, but instead, R&H quickly responded with COVID-19 safety protocol leading to zero incidents. Part of those protocols included moving all team site visits to virtual and using video technology to problem solve onsite and deliver the projects with limited delays.

Rolling Sage Apartments, Madras

Located just 45 minutes north of Bend, Madras provides outdoor recreation opportunities sought by travelers and local community members such as fishing, golfing, hiking, and water sports. Madras’s workforce includes a mix of industry, agriculture, and recreation. With a steady increase of tourists and families looking for new opportunities, the demand for affordable housing has heightened. A barrier to housing development in Madras is a shortage of land designated specifically for multifamily development. The city’s support of affordable housing allowed for quick permitting, and the donation of an acre of land adjacent to the project for a community park.

Rolling Sage Apartments is situated just north of the commercial district and adjacent to Canyon East, an affordable housing community built in 2010 for low-income farmworkers, also designed by Pinnacle and owned by Housing Works. The design maximizes the 1.27-acre lot and two three-story buildings designed with an alternating color pattern typically seen in townhouses, intended to provide a more residential and homelike feel to the properties. Community amenities include a shared community space that opens to an outdoor pergola-covered patio, bike racks, ample parking, and private entries.

Rolling Sage provides 23 quality two-bedroom homes, all with a full suite of high-efficiency appliances, upgraded flooring, a private patio, and spacious bathrooms with in-unit washers and dryers. Many homes include stunning views of the Cascade Mountain Range and provide spectacular sunsets Central Oregon is known for throughout the year.

Canyon Edge Apartments, Redmond

Centrally located within Oregon’s high desert communities and home to the fourth-largest commercial service airport in Oregon, Redmond has long been known as the “hub” of Central Oregon. Being close to Bend, Redmond’s population and business community have thrived. With vacancy rates well below the U.S. average, the Canyon Edge Apartments was a welcome addition. The mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes provides 67 spacious affordable homes to the Redmond community.

The location of the new housing development was chosen purposefully within an established multifamily neighborhood with easy access to schools, grocery stores, parks, transportation, and other essential family resources. Built on a combined three acres of land, Canyon Edge includes a North and South location, separated by Reindeer Avenue, the main thruway for neighborhood traffic flow to Redmond’s nearby amenities.

The North property includes a single 27,450 s.f., three-story building providing 29 two- and three-bedroom homes ranging from 884 s.f. to 1,039 s.f. in size. The building includes an onsite management office, private outdoor patios with storage, a community playground, and large windows to bring in ample amounts of daylight. Well-lit walking paths connect residents to their homes from the parking lot. The exterior design drew inspiration from townhomes with vertical and horizontal siding patterns to break down the scale of the building and colors inspired by Central Oregon’s natural elements.

Canyon Edge’s South development includes two three-story buildings providing 33,931 s.f. of affordable housing as a mix of 38 spacious one-, two-, and three-bedroom open floorplan homes ranging from 658 s.f. to 1,039 s.f. They are equipped with long-lasting amenities consistent with both the North property and Rolling Sage in Madras. The exterior design mimics the North property, tying the two developments together in the neighborhood. The south space includes a courtyard with landscaping and outdoor seating for resident gatherings.

During construction, the team at Red Canyon in Redmond had a chance to give a tour and speak about construction to the members currently attending Heart of Oregon Corps’ YouthBuild program. Youthbuild provides low-income young people opportunities for completing educational milestones, earning on-the-job skills, and helping serve the community.

The group had an opportunity to walk through the project, spanning two sites across Reindeer Ave. Youthbuild members were able to observe multiple trades working together through communication and scheduling to complete project objectives.

COVID-19 hit the construction industry hard, but R&H responded swiftly. During the initial phases of the pandemic, R&H quickly pivoted to address rapidly changing safety concerns. With the development of our “Plan, Prepare, Respond” plan, we continued to operate throughout the pandemic safely. Our response to COVID-19 has included forming a COVID-19 Task Force, creating a COVID-19 Response plan, enhancing internal and external communications. R&H launched a COVID-19 resource page where team members, clients, and subcontractors can find the plan, documents, and signage needed to ensure safety on all projects. Our initiative to create this plan quickly resulted in minimal impact on the project due to COVID-19. Our team was able to adapt specifically on Canyon Edge and Rolling Sage to address COVID through the utilization of LEAN planning to ensure that only one trade was working within any designated area at one time.

I think the R&H team worked well together and went to extraordinary lengths to get the project done during many difficult situations, such as COVID-19.

Melanie Whedon, Project Architect, Pinnacle Architecture

Housing in High Demand

Although repeatedly regarded as one of the top places to live in the U.S., finding available, affordable housing in Central Oregon is an escalating challenge. With vacancy rates distressingly low for Madras and Redmond, well below the U.S. average, many renters are burdened by housing costs and availability. Renters make up a little over 50% of the Madras population and 42% of the community of Redmond, a rising suburb of Bend.

By using materials that provide the most value to the project, fast-tracking the preconstruction schedule, and partnering with community members, this project successfully provided additional housing integrated within both communities.

As affordable housing properties, the Madras and Redmond communities will provide rental pricing well below the market rate relevant to both areas. They will be income-restricted to households at or below 60% of area median income, some units at 30% of area median income.

Both projects were designed and constructed simultaneously and kicked off in October of 2019. While the requirements to continue construction throughout the COVID pandemic and devastating wildfires produced unforeseen challenges, the team successfully completed both projects through close collaboration with Housing Works, Pinnacle, and R&H.

The team navigated through rapidly changing safety conditions and increased subcontractor availability challenges successfully while ensuring the safety and health of our employees and trade partners. Despite small delays in Redmond, the overall project was delivered in-line with the entire team’s expectations for a quality, longstanding development.

The Red Canyon portfolio was financed primarily with 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits and a Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) loan, awarded the year before breaking ground. Both sources of financing come from a housing finance agency, Oregon Housing and Community Services.

In addition to approved funding, the City of Madras provided support during the planning and permitting phase. They donated an acre of land adjacent to the project designated for a community park. The community space will connect Rolling Sage to the nearby Canyon East Apartments.

R&H Construction, Pinnacle Architecture, and Housing Works have partnered on over 200 units of award-winning housing projects in Central Oregon. Housing Works is the local housing authority for Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties and the largest affordable housing developer in Central Oregon. Housing Works’ mission is “fostering dignity through housing.” R&H, Pinnacle, and Housing Works share a commitment to providing exceptional service and creating quality housing for our community.

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