Salem unveils $39M operations building built to withstand earthquakes, power outages
Salem city leaders unveiled a $39 million, 50,000-square-foot operations building Tuesday.
The two-story building at 1457 23rd St. SE in southeast Salem will be the home of Public Works Operations, Engineering and Parks and Recreation.
It was built to withstand a Cascadia earthquake and power city services and the nearby neighborhood during outages.
City officials said the project was funded largely through the Utility Fund. It began construction in the winter of 2022 and was "successfully completed on time and under budget" last month, city officials said.
The majority of the funds for the project came from a portion of the utility rates that everyone paid through their water and sewer bills over the past four years, a fund that is separate from the general fund. The project was budgeted through the Capital Improvement Plan starting in 2020 and approved through the budget committee process.
"Utility funds are designated to provide funding for personnel, equipment and capital projects that support the operation of the utility including the drinking water and wastewater systems throughout the community," city spokesman Trevor Smith said.
The building has been planned since the mid-2000s but was delayed by the Great Recession. The current Operations Building was nearing the end of its functional life and frequently needed costly repairs, city staff said.
Leaders highlighted key features of the project, including:
65% of contracted work went to local contractors in Marion, Polk, Linn and Benton counties, and 12% of subcontracted work was completed by certified minority or women-owned businesses.
The use of structural and exterior lumber supplied from Oregon including mass plywood panels from Freres Engineered Wood and reclaimed and sustainable juniper siding from eastern Oregon.
Distinctive blue metal siding designed to interact with changing daylight.
Artwork and design choices to celebrate the function and utility of the Public Works and Community Services departments.
Purpose-built collaborative workspaces.
Customer service and reception areas to meet the needs of Salem residents.
Reservable public space for community meetings or events.
A first-of-its-kind local microgrid to help provide solar power generation to the adjacent neighborhood. The microgrid can power homes and continue services during a power outage.
The building will replace the 1950s-era building currently in use and will consolidate four offices into one location.
“The city’s new operations building is a significant step forward for the city,” City Manager Keith Stahley said. “It will create improved operational efficiency, build a more durable and resilient employee culture, and allow us to better respond to emergencies."
Stahley said emergency preparedness and response are critical roles that Public Works plays in the community.
"This new building will greatly enhance our capacity to coordinate and respond to a wide variety of incidents, including wildfires, flooding, ice storms and other emergencies," he said.
Staff will be moving into the new building this month with the official public opening scheduled for November.
For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Salem operations building built to withstand earthquakes, power outages
