Minority & Small Business Week
September 26, 2007
Page B9
B uilding M inority Business and H ousing
Diversity
team at work
K risten L e B lanc
When the Housing Authority
of Portland sent out its requests
for general contractors on the
Humboldt Gardens HOPE VI
project, encouraging partner­
ships with minority businesses,
Walsh Construction knew ex­
actly which minority firm they
wanted as their partner.
CJ Jackson Construction was
part of the Walsh team on the
su c ce ssfu l New C o lum bia
HOPE VI project, and their
work was of such high quality
that Bob Walsh, the company’s
chief executive officer, asked
them right away to join them on
the contract submittal to the
housing authority.
“C alvin Jackson and his
people completed over $2 mil­
lion worth of work on New
Columbia,” said Walsh, “and we
knew the company was ready
to take this next step with us.”
The pairing proved a winning
combination, as HAP selected
the Walsh/Jackson team to bui Id
the $35 million, 130-apartment
community in north Portland.
Humboldt Gardens will replace
the 60-year-old Iris Court pub­
lic-housing development and will
also include a neighborhood
community building with a Head
Start center, community-polic­
ing contact office, and Internet
access for residents.
Of the 130 apartments, 100
will be offered as low-income
public housing and the remain­
der will be moderate-income
affordable housing. Work on
Humboldt Gardens began this
summer, with completion set for
December 2008.
At the 82-acre New Colum-
by
James Faison o f Faison Construction (from left), Bob Walsh o f Walsh Construction and Calvin Jackson o f CJ Jackson Construction, during
ceremonies marking the construction o f Humboldt Gardens, a new housing community that replaces Iris Court in north Portland
bia com m unity, CJ Jackson
Construction built four’wo-story
wood-frame buildings with a
total of 20 apartment units and
20,941 square feet. On the
Jackson and his crew win man-
age the construction of 43 on-
grade apartment units, with re-
sponsibilities including estimat­
ing and scheduling, budget main­
tenance, subcontracting coordi­
nation and on-sitfr supervision.
“This partnership with Walsh
was a great opportunity for CJ
Jackson Construction,” said
n o rity -p a rtic ip a tio n goals,
awarding $24 million or 24
percent of the contract for
m inority-ow ned firms. The
W alsh/Jackson team is deter­
mined to have the same suc­
cess at Humboldt Gardens.
“The bricks and mortar por­
s^ e
tion of the project is obviously
J
- Calvin Jackson of CJ Jackson Construction
important,” explained Walsh,
“but our true success will be
Calvin Jackson. “At Humboldt side of Portland. At the same ultimately measured in jobs,
Gardens, w e’re able to imple­ time, we’re creating more work contracts and neighborhood in­
clusion in the process. Given
ment our mission and take part in the community.”
the nature of the project and
At
New
Colum
bia.
Walsh
in an historical event that will
create great housing for the north exceeded the 20 percent mi­ the location, people of color
At Humboldt Gardens, we're able
to implement our mission and take
part in an historical event that will
create great housing fo r the north
Portland.
need to play an important role
in the development and con­
struction.”
The team ’s determination
is already garnering results.
Faison Construction, a small
minority firm, will build two
duplexes at Humboldt G ar­
dens.
With the addition of Faison,
Calvin Jackson can now con­
tinue the processo!'mentoring
small firms by passing on the
knowledge he gained through
working with Walsh at New
Columbia.
[ B ank of the W est }
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being of our community.
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