8 • The Southwest Portland Post
NEWS
November 2011
OHSU breaks ground on new South Waterfront building; design review pending
By Lee Perlman
The Southwest Portland Post
Oregon Health and Sciences Uni-
versity is so eager to have its new
Collaborative Life Sciences Building
underway that last month they held
a ground-breaking ceremony – while
City-required design review is still
pending.
The 480,000 square foot building
will be located on Southwest Moody
Avenue at Porter Street, adjacent to a
future Portland to Milwaukie Light
Rail station.
It will be shared by OHSU, Portland
State University and Oregon State Uni-
versity, all of whom contributed to its
$295 million cost.
City planner Kara Fioravanti’s latest
staff report recommended against ap-
proval of the building’s design at this
time.
At a hearing last month, the Portland
Design Commission, which had already
held two informal Design Advisory
sessions with the development team,
concurred and asked for additional
adjustments. Another hearing was set
for 1:30 p.m. November 17 at 1900 SW
Fourth Ave.
OHSU is proceeding with work on
the structure’s foundation under a so-
called “hold harmless” agreement with
the City.
Under this procedure, a developer
can begin work on a project still under
City review at his own risk, with the
understanding that the developer may
be required to change work already
done if it is deemed necessary.
During a brief discussion, Design
An artist's rendition of the OHSU Life Sciences building. (Photo courtesy of
OHSU)
Officials take part in a groundbreaking event at the site of the new OHSU Life
Sciences building. (Post photo by Lee Perlman)
Commission members assured the de-
velopment team that they were safe in
beginning the foundation work.
The building is the first on a proposed
new 19-acre campus, on formerly in-
dustrial land donated by the Schnitzer
family. The building’s most prominent
feature will be a 12-story tower on its
north end, and this will be named for
Bonnie and Gene Skourtes in honor of
their $10 million gift.
Including the Schnitzer’s gift of the
land and a $40 million anonymous
contribution, the project received $83
million in philanthropic contributions.
Governor John Kitzhaber attended
the ground breaking, as did the presi-
dents of the three institutions. All three
said that the structure would represent
a collaborative approach not just in
development resources, but also in the
function of the completed edifice.
George Bernsteiner, chancellor of the
Oregon public university system, said
the building would “set a tone that all of
us shed the silo mentality that has char-
acterized our institutions for so long.”
Kitzhaber, after recalling his medical
school days, said, “I’m excited to be
on a future campus. Walls will be torn
down so scientists and educators can
share, and students can benefit. It will
be innovative in its approach to educa-
tion. Scientific research will depend on
a collaborative approach. It will be a
shared experience.”
Paying tribute to the donors, the gov-
ernor said, “It’s fair to say no institution
gets built without the generosity of its
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