Reviving an old thread ... in anger
Oregon Live
Brad Schmidt
1/3/14
Portland Building: Four commissioners, four approaches for dealing with Portland's $95 million 'white elephant'
Quote:
The Portland Building, the city's administrative headquarters, needs $95 million
to fix structural and water problems, officials say.
The City Council, however, isn't unified about whether such an overhaul makes sense.
(The Oregonian)
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This is what you get when you hire an architect to design an "award-winning" public building.
It was home to two of my IT clients when it first opened.
Politicians were jubilant, but the minions who had to work there hated it.
No real windows so every floor seemed to be down in a basement
Now, none of the current Council members wants to set aside $
for maintenance on this building or any other city-owned structure.
WHY ?
Well, when you build a new public building, you get your name of a brass plaque in the lobby.
After all, that's what every politician wants.
ETA: The building cost $41million in 1983
Original design by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry.
It won an AIA award and also is on lists of "The Uguliest Buildings"
Local architects campaigned against it being built.
It costs 20% more to heat/operate than engineering analysis predicted.