P age B 11
T he P ortland O bserver • A pril 20, 1994
bseruer
Jobs Move To Portland From California
Housewares Importer Comes To Town
W ith the help o f the Portland
Development Commission, Portland
w ill welcome to town a new company
and new jobs on March 10.
Richards Homewares, Inc. is a
55-year old manufacturer and im ­
porter o f housewares, w ith offices in
both the Los Angeles and New Y ork
C ity areas, Richards deals in closet
storage and home organization prod­
ucts, as w ell as protective covers for
outdoor furniture and barbecues im ­
ported from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The company employs 15 people
at its Long Beach, C alifornia office.
Annual sales are in the $4-5 m illio n
range.
Needing a much larger fa c ility
for his growing company and no longer
satisfied w ith the quality o f life in Los
Angeles, Robert Freelander, owner
and presidentof Richards Homewares,
Inc.,beganin 1991 to look fo r another
West Coast location.
Reports Freelander,“ It is im p or­
tant for an im port company to be near
the Pacific Rim . W e started to look at
our options.
Freelander contacted the Port­
land Development Commission to
learn more about Portland. As fo r any
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business, the skills o f the workforce
were im portant, and Richards was
especially interested in the quality o f
marine, truck and air transportation
in the region.
PDC worked closely w ith the
company over a lengthy period o f
tim e, answering questions and ad­
dressing concerns. PDC forwarded
inform ation o f the North/Northeast
Portland Enterprise Zone and on the
loan programs PDC and the Oregon
Economic Development Department
make available to businesses coming
to town.
But M r. Freelander was also in ­
terested in the q uality o f life in Port­
land. “ The more I learned about Port­
land, it seemed lik e a great place fo r
m y employees to settle down and
raise their fam ilies, “ Freelander raves.
“ M y whole staff talked it over and
over, and we decided Portland was
the place fo r out company.”
Richards Homewares needed two
things to m ove, and Freelander again
turned to PDC.
First, the company had to have a
home. PDC provided industrial prop­
erty inventories g ivin g Freelander a
fe e l fo r the P o rtla n d m a rk e t.
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heating oils
Best Cash Prices
104 N E Russell
Portland, OR 97212
282-5111
Speedy
Service
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Call for Quctel
J.L. Lawn Service
Phone (503) 288-4906
Pager 940-7721
Agreement With PDC Brings Pacific Gas
Transmission Company Headquarters
One Step Closer To Construction
Freelander worked w ith comm ercial
broker N orris Beggs & Simpson to
fin d a building, Richards purchased a
35,000 square-foot b uilding located
Pacific Gas Transmission com ­
at 3810 North Mississippi in the Low er
pany (PGT) and the Portland D evel­
A lb in a Industrial Area.
S e c o n d , R ic h a rd s n e e d e d opment C om m ission (P D C ) have
h ig h - s k ille d e m p lo y e e s . F iv e signed a fu ll D isposition and D evel­
m em bers o f h is c u rre n t s ta ff are opment Agrcement-an importantstep
jo in in g F re e la n d e r on the m ove toward the construction o fa new PGT
n o rth . So a lo n g w ith F re e la n d e r corporate headquarters at the south
and h is co m p an y com es jo b s fo r end o f RivcrPlace in the South W ater­
P o rtla n d e rs , fiv e o r s ix a t fir s t, front Urban Renewal Area.
The new building, valued at $21
w ith m ore soon to fo llo w .
To recruit top notch local people m illio n , w ill be the first m ajor head­
fo r his business, Freelander turned to quarters to locate in the Central C ity
P D C ’ s JobNet program. JobNet links in over a decade and w ill be a great
new and expanding companies to boost to theentire downtown business
qualified workers from the Portland community and RiverPlace develop­
area. Freelander reports that he is ment. F ull execution o f the agree­
very pleased w ith the skills and char­ ment remains contingent upon final
acter o f the people JobNet has sent his finance and construction documents
being negotiated w hich are expected
way.
by next month. Construction is ex­
pected to begin in June w ith occu­
pancy scheduled for summer 1995.
The eight-story, 170,000 sq. ft.
building w ill be developed and owned
One Stop
Shopping
For Energy
The Department o f Energy now
provides one-stop shopping forpeople
who need inform ation on energy e ffi-
ciency and renewable energy tech­
by Gerding Investment Company,
designed by the architectural firm o f
Mackenzic/Saito & Associates and
b u ilt by Hoffm an Construction C om ­
pany. A ll three are Portland firms.
P G T is c u rre n tly h ea dq ua r­
tered in San F ra n cisco . The c o m ­
pany ow n s and operates an in te r ­
state p ip e lin e in Id a h o , W a s h in g ­
ton and O regon th a t p rim a r ily
tra n s p o rts C anadian n a tu ra l gas
to the N o rth w e s t and C a lifo rn ia .
The com pany is m o v in g headquar­
ters n o rth to P o rtla n d to be c lo s e r
to its fa c ilitie s and serve its cu s ­
tom ers w ith m a xim um e ffic ie n c y .
As the c ity ’ s agency fo r urban
renewal, housing and economic de­
velopment, PDC led the c ity ’ s effort
to bring PGT to Portland and negoti­
ated the development agreement. “ We
are extremely pleased that plans for
PG T’ s new headquarters are m oving
in to the development phase,” said
P D C E x e c u tiv e D ir e c to r Jan
Burreson. “ PGT w ill make an excel­
lent new corporate citizen. The public
investment in new roads and in fra ­
structure at RiverPlace is paying o ff
now and w ill continue to do so as
additional development comes to the
South W aterfront.”
PGT has agreed to com ply w ith
the Com m ission’ s Emerging Sm all
Business (ESB), M in o rity Business
Enterprise (M B E ) and ‘ Women Busi­
ness Enterprise (W B E ) programs in
awarding its construction contracts.
PGT has also entered into a F irst
Source H iring Agreement w ith PD C ’ s
JobNet program assuring a percent­
age o f new jobs go to residents o f
North/Northeast Pordand. JobNet has
already begun to f ill some entry level
positions. It is anticipated that P G T ’ s
presence here w ill translate into some
170 jobs and a $9 m illio n annual
payroll.
City Helps Cut Energy Bills For 10,000 Families
C ity C o m m is s io n e r M ik e
Lindberg w ill jo in Portland General
Electric to celebrate their partnership
in weatherizing low -incom e apart­
ments. Ten thousand lower-income
apartment units are more co m fo rt­
able and affordable because o f the
C ity ’ s partnership w ith PGEand other
10,000th apartment unit to be com ­
pleted.
E n erg y b ills fo r the 10,000
a p a rtm e n t u n its have been re ­
duced by m ore than $ 5 0 0 ,0 0 0
a n n u a lly as a re s u lt o f w e a th e r­
iz a tio n im p ro v e m e n ts . “ T h o u ­
sands o f fa m ilie s have m o re
m oney in th e ir pockets because o f
th is w e a th e riz a tio n p ro g ra m . E n ­
ergy e ffic ie n t apartm ents cost less
to heat and the money saved on u tility
b ills can be spent on other needs,”
Commissioner Lindberg pointed out.
nologies.
The newly-named Energy E ffi­
ciency and Renewable Energy Clear­
inghouse (ERC) now handles in q u ir­
ies ranging from simple requests fo r
fact sheets, videos, and brochures, to utilities. A tree was presented to apart­
complex technical inquiries at one ment owner M artin Shore and planted
by Lindberg on Thursday, A p ril 7, at
toll-free number, 1-800-523-2929.
10:30 a.m., at the Place A vanti A part­
The clearinghouse resulted from
the consolidation o f the Conservation ments, 3602 SE 29th Place, Portland
and Renewable Energy In qu iry and — the com plex w hich m arks the
Referral service (C A R EIR S) and the
N ational Appropriate T echnology
Assistance Service (N A T A S ).
In addition to general inform a ­
-------- —------------------- ---------------------------------------------
tion inquires, the clearinghouse pro­
vides tailored responses to technical
inquiries and business assistance on
financing fo r energy-related busi­
The C ity o f Pordand Energy O f­
fice houses a one-stop-shop fo r apart­
ment owners to assist in upgrading
the energy efficiency o f their proper­
ties. The program helps owners re­
ceive cash rebates and tax credits that
pay up to h alf the cost for upgrades
like attic insulation and energy e ffi­
cient windows. Owners in the Port­
land area have spent $8.5 m illio n
im proving their properties through
the C ity ’ s program. The goal o f the
program is to weatherize 20,000 units
by the year 2000.
nesses.
Plans are in the w orks to add
service fo r the hearing impaired and
com m unication through internet, a
w orld-w ide computercommunication
network.
Target Partners With
Habitat For Humanity
To Build A House In Portland
Target Brings Its “ B uilding a
W onderful L ife ” Program to Portland
Target employee volunteers w ill
help b u ild a house for a local fam ily in
need this summer in Northeast Port­
land as part o f a national partnership
between Target Stores and Habitat for
H um anity.
This project was made possible
through Target Stores’ nationwide
“ B u ild ing a W onderful L ife ” pro­
gram, w hich provides funding and
people power to build homes in Tar­
get store comm unities throughout the
country. In 1994, Target has pledged
to b u ild a new home in metropolitan
areas where it w ill open new stores -
- w ith a total o f 38 Habitat homes in
17 states this year, including the home
in Northeast Pordand.
Construction o f the house located
at 1142 N E Dean Street w ill begin in
M ay and is scheduled to be completed
in July w ill team w ith employees from
surrounding Target stores to help saw
boards, hammer nails and raises walls
o f the new home. Target volunteers
w ill w ork side-by-side w ith Habitat
fo r H um anity and the partner fam ily
fo r this project.
“ Habitat for Humanity is based
on the concept o f people helping
people in need,” said Ben Schonbcrgcr
o f Portland Habitat fo r Humanity.
“ Through this partnership. Target
employees w ill show what can be
achieved when people work together
to help each other. Habitat fo r H u­
m anity is very excited to be w orking
w ith Target on the ‘ B uilding A W on­
derful L ife ’ program.”
The partner fa m ily w ill be se­
lected by the Portland Habitat fo r
H um anity. F am ilies are q u a lifie d
based on need, income, character,
their a b ility to repay a loan and their
willingness to invest hundreds o f hours
o f labor to help build the house.
“ Target has made a long-term
com m itm ent to w ork w ith Habitat for
H um anity, a program thathelps fa m i­
lies who are in need o f decent, afford­
able housing,” said Gail D orn, direc­
tor tradition o f volunteerism and we
support programs that strengthen the
fa m ily environment. We especially
like this program because it gives
hard-w orking fam ilies w ho are at a
financial disadvantage a new start in
Pastor Max
Garza: From
Gangs To God
by Promise King
He had strolled the street o f Los
Angeles w ith gangsters and w ith guns.
He was involved in street crimes and
crack. He relied on his m artial arts to
perpetuates his whim s. He burgled
and destroy properties. And now he
pastor the Portland V icto ry Outreach-
overseeingdrug-recovering programs
all in northeast Portland.He is hispanic
American. He is M ax Garza. He has
a m ission- to bring hope to those w ho
have been ravaged by illic it drugs. To
encourage the gang members to adopt
a better positive lifestyle. “ The alter­
native we offer is a better lifestyle. We
o ffe r this because we are fo r the
L ord ” ,said Garza w ith slight hispanic
accent.
Garza, him self got into a recov­
ering process twelve years ago and
today he says.” I wanted to get out, I
d id n ’ t know how to get out u ntil I was
threatened to death” , Garzaconfessed.
life .”
“ I saw m yself w ithout purpose, w ith ­
T he “ B u ild in g A W o n d e rfu l
out destiny then I stopped and say I
L if e ” p ro gram was in s p ire d by
need to get out o f these mess, “ he
the key messages o f p h ila n th ro p y
explained.
and c o m m u n ity g iv in g fo u n d in
The pastor church is sponsoring
the cla ssic h o lid a y m o v ie , I t ’ s a
a drug and gang prevention drama
W o n d e rfu l L ife . The program was
called “ A in ’ t No Sunshine In The
lau nch ed by T a rg e t la s t h o lid a y
H ood” . I t ’s a stage drama that w ill
season.
portray the life styles o f young men
M in n e a p o lis - b a s e d T a rg e t
and women caught in the web o f drug
Stores is a q u a lity re ta ile r w ith
addiction, gang violence, and crim e
567 stores in 32 states coast to
throughout inner-cities o f Am erica.
coast. I t is the large st d iv is io n o f
“ The purpose o f this drug and
D a yto n H udson C o rp o ra tio n , one
gang prevention drama” , pastor Garza
o f the n a tio n ’ s le a d in g re ta ile rs .
explain “ is to bring awareness to par­
ents and youth o f the terrible effects o f
All-Star Group Off Musicians Gather To
Celebrate Earth Day
gangs and drugs.”
“ We hope and pray that through
this drama many young men and
A diverse group o f national and day event, representing stylcrs from women w ill have a complete turn
around in their life ” , Garza prayed.
regional musicians arc set to lend fo lk to rock, country to w orld beat,
The drama is schedule to hold at
their voices in support o f Earth Day
F rid a y n ig h t’ s program w ill
’94. Over a dozen performers w ill showcase The Philo 20th songwriters Benson High School from 8:30pm in
the evening on Friday the A p ril 29th.
grace the main stage during the tw o ¡n the country.
INTEREST
Home Improvement Loans
I f you have questions,
C i t y o f Portland home
or w ould like to find out
if you qualify for a loan,
call PDC'sEastside Neigh­
improvement loans are
available at 0% , and 3%
interest, depending on
your income. If you are a
hom eow ner, you may
qualify to borrow money
from the Portland Devel­
o p m e n t C o m m issio n
(PDC)to make your home
and neighborhood an
even better place to live. At these rates,
you can't afford not to call and find out
about your eligibility.
l o u r chances of qualifying for one of
these loans are very good if you ow n
your home, need city-approved repairs
or improvements, and meet our income
guidelines.
T
borhood Housing Pres­
ervation Office at 823-
3400, Monday through
Friday, 8 a m. to 5 p.m.
City funds are limited for
this program, so call to ­
day to begin enjoying the
benefits of your home repairs.
« the City's agency for urban renewal,
;mg and economic development The home
ir loan program is funded through a federal
im u n ity Development
k Grant administered by
Bureau o f
imumty
J
PORTLAND
DEVELOPMENT