World Trade Center (Portland, Oregon)

The World Trade Center is a three-building office complex in Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. The main building, One World Trade Center, is a 17-story office tower that is the fifth-largest office tower in Portland with 474,867 sq ft (44,116.6 m2).[1] Completed in 1977, One World Trade Center is 230 feet (70 m) tall and is topped by a heliport.[2] The complex is operated by the World Trade Center Properties and is the headquarters for Portland General Electric. There is also a 220-seat theater, known as the World Trade Center Auditorium.[3]

World Trade Center
One World Trade Center
Location within Portland, Oregon
Alternative namesWillamette Center
One WTC
1 WTC
General information
StatusComplete
TypeHigh-rise building
Location121 SW Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon, U.S
Coordinates45.51627°N 122.67484°W / 45.51627; -122.67484
Current tenantsCommercial offices
Completed1977
Height
Roof230 feet (70 m)
Technical details
Floor count17
Floor area474,867 sq ft (44,116.6 m2)
Design and construction
ArchitectZimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership

History

Portland General Electric (PGE) began construction in 1975 on a three-building, $32 million complex to be known as the Willamette Center.[4][5] Located between Front (now Naito Parkway) and Second avenues, and Taylor and Yamhill streets in Downtown Portland, the 873,000-square-foot (81,100 m2) complex was scheduled to open in January 1977.[4] Plans originally called for construction of an outdoor ice skating rink at the complex.[6] The five-story building in the complex was completed in 1976.[7][8] More of the $54 million complex was opened by March 1977.[9][10] In addition to being the headquarters of PGE, other initial tenants included the local offices of International Paper and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company.[10]

PGE was forced to sell the building in 1978 to American Property Investors and then lease back the space.[11] The Oregon Public Utility Commission determined PGE could not bill customers for the expense of building the complex.[11] In 1985, PGE launched a study to determine if a World Trade Center should be established in Portland, but a location had not been determined.[12] The Oregon Legislature passed a bill in 1987 to establish the Oregon Trade and Marketing Center, which was to be housed in the Willamette Center.[11] The Willamette Center was renamed as the World Trade Center in 1988 when the Oregon Trade and Marketing Center moved into the building,[13] and was also renovated.[6]

Following the attacks on New York's World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Portland's World Trade Center was evacuated.[14] A new roof was installed on the building in 2008,[15] and the next year sustainable landscaping was installed around the complex.[16] In June 2010, a fire in the basement caused the building to be evacuated.[17] Another fire damaged a stairwell in November 2011 when someone used a Molotov cocktail.[18]

Details

The three-building complex was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership (now ZGF Architects LLP), with the buildings connected by a glass-enclosed, elevated walkway.[19] The facade of the modernist-style buildings consists of gray-colored granite.[2] Primarily office space, the 798,000-square-foot (74,100 m2) complex also houses restaurants and retail space on the ground floor, and also includes a theater.[19] There are also 400 underground parking spaces[20] and 13 charging stations for electric vehicle.[21]

One World Trade Center is a 17-story, 230-foot (70 m) tower of a curtain wall design for the facade.[2] The roof of One World Trade Center houses the World Trade Center Heliport. One Main Place is south of One World Trade Center, while the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse is southwest of One World Trade Center.

The shortest of the buildings in the complex is Two World Trade Center (or World Trade Center 2), which is 55.9 feet (17.0 m) tall and has four stories.[22] The World Trade Center is located inside Two World Trade Center, along with meeting space and an 11,041-square-foot (1,025.7 m2) outdoor plaza.[23] Tom McCall Waterfront Park is adjacent to Two and Three World Trade Center on the east, across from Salmon Street Springs. Three World Trade Center (or World Trade Center 3) is a five-story low-rise topping out at 69.9 feet (21.3 m).[24]

References
  1. Jenkins, Tam (October 1, 2013). "List Leaders: Portland's largest office buildings". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  2. "World Trade Center". Portland. Emporis Gmbh. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  3. Muldoon, Katy (February 21, 2011). "It's a baby boy for Tonya Harding". The Oregonian. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  4. "PGE building to lease space". The Oregonian. November 6, 1975. p. B3.
  5. "Portland PGE building sold to Canadians for $900,000". The Oregonian. May 21, 1976. p. D12.
  6. "World Trade Center Complex". Emporis Gmbh. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. Sorenson, Donald J. (March 24, 1976). "Core transformation biggest renewal deal". The Oregonian. p. GN11.
  8. Jabs, Cynthia (November 14, 1976). "Downtown changes prod prostitutes into old haunts". p. B1.
  9. Noles, BJ (March 6, 1977). "PGE employes experience traumas of adjustment to new home". The Oregonian. p. C5.
  10. "New PGE center nearly full". The Oregonian. April 24, 1977. p. F8.
  11. Ellis, Barnes C. (October 14, 1987). "Moves cloud future of trade institute at PSU". The Oregonian. p. B1-2.
  12. Goranson, Eric (February 28, 1985). "PGE considers establishing World Trade Center in Portland". The Oregonian. p. D17.
  13. Rooks, Judy (November 4, 1988). "Occupants to move into state-funded trade center". The Oregonian. p. B7.
  14. Back, Brian J. (September 11, 2001). "PGE halts activity in Portland World Trade Center". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  15. Carter, Dan (October 9, 2008). "Trade center gets a new roof". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  16. Weinstein, Nathalie (June 18, 2009). "Green World Trade Center project is trendy". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  17. Terry, Lynne (June 2, 2010). "Fire breaks out in World Trade Center building in Portland". The Oregonian. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  18. Mather, Kate (November 8, 2011). "Molotov cocktail set off at World Trade Center building in downtown Portland, police suspect Occupy Portland protesters involved". The Oregonian. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  19. "Erector set or artistic creation?". The Oregonian. July 27, 1977. p. D4.
  20. "Advertisement: Space for lease". The Oregonian. July 8, 1976. p. A21.
  21. Giegerich, Andy (May 13, 2013). "PGE goes for, and gets, the gold for World Trade Center work". Sustainable Business Oregon. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  22. "World Trade Center 2". Emporis Gmbh. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  23. "Outdoor Plaza Area". Facilities. World Trade Center Portland. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  24. "World Trade Center 3". Emporis Gmbh. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
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