Who's going to build a $30 million Rockwood catalyst project?
Josh Furher, Exec Dir Rockwood Development Commission
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City councilors make a pick
By this time next year, construction crews could begin building a $30 million economic campus where city leaders hope Rockwood and Gresham residents will learn, shop and make money.
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Source: The Oregonian/OregonLive
November 17, 2015
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On Tuesday, Gresham City Council members approved the selection of the project's developer who will help pay for the project and bring in an architectural firm to design a 5.5-acre campus for technology, media, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Rockwood residents should also find restaurants, banking services and grocery items in an area that's seen major chains close their doors.
City leaders have so far found funding sources of about $11.5 million to $12.5 million of that cost to build at the project location, called by officials as the catalyst site. With a population of about 16,500, Rockwood is known for its high rates of poverty and crime but also its diversity and youth.
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"There are a lot of young smart people and a lot of great ideas that don't have an opportunity at this point," City Councilor Mario Palmero said. "I still think the American dreams lives in Gresham more than anywhere in the state of Oregon."
City Council members chose RKm Development, owned by Roy Kim, over two other candidates: Pate Retail and Hanlon Development. RKm built Bethany Village, a mixed-use development of residences, office and retail spaces just north of Beaverton. The developer will work with YBA Architects and Robert H. Foster Consultants on the project, according to their proposal.
Architects and designers would be influenced by Latin American, Northern European and Asian elements, such as "eclectic architecture, non-traditional plant materials, and a wide color palette," according to their proposal.
"To capture a multi-ethnic experience, the public spaces and circulation would take cues from Latin American urban plazas and Asian market streets while also acknowledging the nascent block structure of the immediate vicinity," the RKm proposal states.
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