Hillsboro Civic Center

Plans for the {{convert|6|acre|m2|adj=on}} complex began as part of the city’s 2020 comprehensive plan. Development plans from six teams of developers and architects were submitted to the city in October 2001.Anderson. David R. "Big ideas for Hillsboro", The Oregonian, October 29, 2001. These plans included designs for public plazas, a library branch, residential units, retail space, and a new city hall. Formal design proposals were submitted in early 2002.Anderson, David R. "Imagining downtown", The Oregonian, March 7, 2002. The project was designed to consolidate city government and to anchor redevelopment of the downtown core that would reinvigorate downtown.Basalyga, Stephanie. Good as Gold. Daily Journal of Commerce Magazine, July 2005. This included the plan to turn the area into a zone with 18 hours of activity each day, instead of businesses closing at 5:00 pm when the city and county governments closed.Fields, K.J. "Center of Attention", Daily Journal of Commerce Magazine, November 2003. Additionally, conference space was planned to accommodate use by both city and county governments, and by private groups.

In April 2002, Specht Properties was selected as the developer of the projectAnderson, David R. "Specht gains contract for Hillsboro Civic Center", The Oregonian, April 3, 2002. after scoring higher with the council appointed committee formed to rate each of three developer's proposals, with Gerding Edlen Development and Trammell Crow Company losing out to Specht.Anderson, David R. "Council, contractor pose Civic Center questions", The Oregonian, March 21, 2002. Construction on the complex began in June 2003 when an old grain store at the site was demolished to make room for the center.[http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/06/02/daily37.html "Demolition to kick off work on Hillsboro Civic Center"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040126103049/http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/06/02/daily37.html |date=2004-01-26 }}, Portland Business Journal, June 5, 2003. A total of eight buildings were torn down to make room the complex as part of a redevelopment of a brownfield site.

Plans also called for retail space, housing units, and a library branch. Though the library section was built, a library branch did not open at the site.Bermudez, Esmeralda. "Coffee chain’s baristas will fire up espresso machine in Civic Center", The Oregonian, June 28, 2005. LRS Architects designed the complex with Skanska USA serving as the general contractor."Civic Center LEED Rated", Northwest Construction, January 1, 2006. The structural engineering was done by KPFF Consulting Engineers, services engineering was completed by Interface Engineering, and civil engineering for the project was handled by WRG Design.

The building was finished in January 2005 with city officials and employees moving into the buildings by the end of March.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Civic Center near finish line. The Oregonian, December 17, 2004. A public grand opening was held on July 16, 2005, to officially open the center.Boone, Jerry F. "Hillsboro's Civic Center is built for civic life", The Oregonian, July 13, 2005. Total cost of the public portion of the project was $34 million,"Specht Properties Wilsonville city officials have", The Oregonian, February 24, 2005. with construction totaling $23.5 million. Prior to completion the city leased space in several downtown buildings, including the county's Public Services Building where Hillsboro also held city council meetings. Later in 2005 a coffee shop was added as a tenant in part of the retail space, and in 2007 the restaurant space in the building was leased to NW Hayden Enterprises for a restaurant scheduled to open in 2008.Suh, Elizabeth. "Sewer overflows anger residents", The Oregonian, December 6, 2007. In April 2009, the plaza was renamed as the Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza in honor of Tom Hughes, who was mayor when the building was constructed.{{cite news|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/hillsboroargus/2009/04/tom_hughes_honored_as_plaza_ta.html|title=Tom Hughes honored as plaza takes his name|last=Gordanier|first=Susan|date=April 14, 2009|work=The Hillsboro Argus|access-date=2009-04-15|archive-date=2009-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090502154822/http://blog.oregonlive.com/hillsboroargus/2009/04/tom_hughes_honored_as_plaza_ta.html|url-status=live}}

Designed by Portland-based firm, LRS Architects, Hillsboro's Civic Center is a modern glass building with a stone base and brick highlights.Olsen, Dana E. Hillsboro Civic Center. The Oregonian, October 7, 2004. There are two main buildings, the Civic Center housing government offices and the Plaza Building housing retail space.[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/zNewsletters/Views/Feb2005EnglishCompiled.pdf City Views: The Hillsboro Civic Center. February 2005.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061003141737/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/zNewsletters/Views/Feb2005EnglishCompiled.pdf |date=2006-10-03 }} The City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on October 2, 2007. The plazas surrounding the structures contain an inlaid quartzite river, basalt planters, and Victorian style benches.Gragg, Randy. Sight lines: Hillsboro Civic Center. The Oregonian, April 17, 2005. Additionally, it was designed with large windows facing the north in order to reflect the giant sequoia trees located across the street at the Washington County Courthouse, with the trees dating back to the 1880s.

File:Hillsboro Civic Center government offices.JPG

At a total of six stories tall, the building is tied for the tallest building in Hillsboro with Tuality Community Hospital standing {{convert|78|ft|m}} tall.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Plan highlights. The Oregonian, November 16, 2006. Inside the building features high ceilings on the first floor and a large, open public space.Olsen, Dana E. Hillsboro Civic Center. The Oregonian, January 27, 2005. Daylight and exterior views are present in 90% of the offices in city hall.

Hillsboro Civic Center won the award for Best Public Project in the state of Oregon for 2005 from Northwest Construction magazine for the general contractor Skanska USA.[http://northwest.construction.com/projects/05_BestOf/OR_public_proj.asp Best Public Project-Oregon.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019181425/http://northwest.construction.com/projects/05_BestOf/OR_public_proj.asp |date=2006-10-19 }} Northwest Construction. Retrieved on October 1, 2007.

It is the first municipal headquarters in Oregon to meet all its energy needs with renewable sources.{{cite news | url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0OXD/is_2005_July_13/ai_n14813312/pg_1 | title = Local OR Civic Center to Acquire New Solar System | date = July 13, 2005 | access-date = 2008-02-18 | publisher = Renewable Energy Today}} {{Dead link|date=December 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}

During development, the project first aimed for attaining a Silver certification from the United States Green Building Council. Instead, the project was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification for environmental sustainability by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership. This was the second Gold rating given to a city hall in the U.S. after Seattle’s city hall earned the distinction, and the seventh building in Oregon to earn that level of certification.[http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-oregon/1004536-1.html Hillsboro Civic Center scores LEED gold rating.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217011347/http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/united-states-oregon/1004536-1.html |date=2012-02-17 }} Daily Journal of Commerce, December 1, 2005.

Contributing factors leading to this award included that during construction, 92% of construction waste was recycled, and non-wood wheat board was used in some of the walls. Additionally, 18 solar panels were installed on the building to generate power for use in the building, with the city purchasing all additional power through renewable power sources, funded in part by Portland General Electric and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation,[http://www.greentagsusa.org/news/releases/070805.shtm Hillsboro Civic Center First City Hall in Oregon to be 100 Percent Green Powered.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516054733/http://www.greentagsusa.org/news/releases/070805.shtm |date=2008-05-16 }} Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Retrieved on September 27, 2007. while the building is 42% more energy efficient than comparable buildings. Other environmental friendly amenities include occupancy sensors, ventilation that monitors carbon dioxide levels to determine when to activate, high performance exterior glass to reduce heat loss, infrared bathroom fixtures, and the use of recycled building materials among other items.Bermudez, Esmeralda. Earth-friendly Hillsboro Civic Center wins gold. The Oregonian, December 6, 2005.

File:Hillsboro Civic Center west.JPG

The Civic Center was built over three city blocks in downtown.[http://www.skanskausa.com/templates/Page.asp?id=3867 City of Hillsboro Civic Center.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011154432/http://skanskausa.com/templates/Page.asp?id=3867 |date=2007-10-11 }} SkanskaUSA. Retrieved on September 27, 2007. The complex has a total of {{convert|168436|sqft|m2}}. The complex has two plazas, with the northern plaza designed to create an outdoor amphitheater with seating for 700.[http://www.greenerbuildings.com/case_studies_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=65862 Hillsboro Civic Center: LEED Gold Certification.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814040128/http://www.greenerbuildings.com/case_studies_detail.cfm?LinkAdvID=65862 |date=2007-08-14 }} GreenerBuildings. Retrieved on September 27, 2007. Dedicated as the Tom Hughes Civic Center Plaza, the buildings of the Civic Center serve as a backdrop to the amphitheater, and by using Main Street to increase the space, the amphitheater can accommodate crowds of 5,000 people. South Plaza connects the government portions of the complex to the 120-unit residential component of the development to the south. Both plazas have water features, including a fountain in the {{convert|24000|sqft|m2|sing=on}} North Plaza.

On the ground floor of the center's north wing (called the Plaza Building) is a Starbucks coffee shop in a {{convert|1600|sqft|m2|sing=on}} space, while the {{convert|20000|sqft|m2}} designed for the library branch remained open for future government use in 2005. Most of the second floor of the Plaza Building was occupied for five years by the Washington County Museum, which moved into the rented space in fall 2012{{cite news|last=Castillo|first=Andrea|title=Washington County Museum retrieves memory of Bracero farm laborers|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=November 16, 2012|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/11/washington_county_museum_retri.html|access-date=2017-10-19|archive-date=2017-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018191653/http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2012/11/washington_county_museum_retri.html|url-status=live}} but moved back to its previous location, at Portland Community College's Rock Creek campus, in fall 2017.{{cite news|last=Howard|first=John William|title=County museum will exit downtown Hillsboro|newspaper=Hillsboro Tribune|date=September 7, 2017|url=http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/371397-255025-county-museum-will-exit-downtown-hillsboro|access-date=2017-10-19|archive-date=2017-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018194249/http://portlandtribune.com/ht/117-hillsboro-tribune-news/371397-255025-county-museum-will-exit-downtown-hillsboro|url-status=dead}}

In the government areas there is a {{convert|3800|sqft|m2|sing=on}} conference center and the city council chambers. This includes a 250-seat auditorium. The Civic Center hosts the seasonal, weekly farmer’s market on Saturdays, and a marketplace on Tuesdays that features various vendors, both utilizing the center’s plaza area.What’s Up at the Farmer’s Markets. Hillsboro Argus, July 13, 2007. As of 2007, plans called for an upscale restaurant in a {{convert|3800|sqft|m2|sing=on}} space.Colby, Richard (June 28, 2007). "The Civic Center hungers for an upscale dining option". The Oregonian. City services at the site include the Administration Department,[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Administration/ Administration.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225075248/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Administration/ |date=2008-02-25 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008. city planning,[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Planning_Department/ Planning.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126154108/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Planning_Department/ |date=2008-01-26 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008. the office of the city recorder,[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/CityRecorder.aspx City REcorder.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225060224/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/CityRecorder.aspx |date=2008-02-25 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008. and the municipal court among others.[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/MunicipalCourt/Default.aspx Municipal Court.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229025858/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/MunicipalCourt/Default.aspx |date=2008-02-29 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008. The Civic Center also houses the office of the mayor[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/MayorCouncilors/MayorTomHughes.aspx Mayor Tom Hughes.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221051657/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/MayorCouncilors/MayorTomHughes.aspx |date=2008-12-21 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008. and is the site of the twice-monthly city council meetings.[http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/CouncilMeetings.aspx Hillsboro City Council Meeting Information.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411114340/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CityCouncil/CouncilMeetings.aspx |date=2008-04-11 }} City of Hillsboro. Retrieved on February 19, 2008.

{{Reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Hillsboro Civic Center}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071001160932/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/ City of Hillsboro]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071104234828/http://www.lillianpitt.com/publicart.html Lillian Pitt Public Art]
• [https://www.lrsarchitects.com/index.php?cID=164 LRS Architects: Hillsboro Civic Center, City Project and Housing]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080707020538/http://www.downtownhillsboro.org/civic.htm Downtown Hillsboro]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060925102701/http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/CapitalPlanning/CivicCenterProjectSummary1-6-03.pdf Civic Center Project]

{{Hillsboro Oregon}}

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