As Portland, Oregon, and other urban centers continue to renew neighborhoods, commercial demolition companies in Oregon are doing their part in creating new and beautiful spaces for its citizens. Portland is committed to renewing the city to make it one of America’s most livable cities by improving new parks, streetscapes, and community centers.
What is Urban Revitalization?
Urban revitalization is sometimes called urban renewal. Both refer to the same process “where an urban neighborhood or area is improved and rehabilitated.” This can include things like:
- Demolition of old, damaged, or run-down housing
- Constructing new housing
- Adding public amenities like theatres, stadiums or parks
The movement to improve the city of Portland has a long history, with the Portland Development Commission, known as Prosper Portland. Prosper Portland was founded in 1958 with the mission to transform the city through the realization of capital projects that “wouldn’t happen on their own.” The organization “leads the planning and implementation of comprehensive projects that fulfill Portland’s goal of creating healthy, vibrant neighborhoods throughout the city.”
Some projects that Prosper Portland has accomplished include the Airport Way Urban Renewal Area. Built in 1986, this renewal area has attracted investments in the hundreds of millions to create jobs. It is now the home of many of Portland’s “standout companies in the advanced manufacturing and athletic and outdoor clusters.” This area has a unique blend of proximity to major transportation infrastructure and the absence of a substantial housing element. Therefore, the creation of a major employment center became the primary goal of the urban renewal area.
These areas, and many others like it, are perfect places for demolition and construction contractors to create new commercial spaces. Often agencies like Prosper Portland will provide financial incentives, direct infrastructure investment, development, and economic development assistance in order to help fulfill their mission for a particular urban renewal area.
What role do commercial and industrial demolition contractors play?
Commercial properties are often built to last for long periods of time and are often built in close proximity to other buildings. This is where expert commercial demolition contractors, like Elder Demolition, come into the picture. We are experts in extracting buildings from tight spaces.
Whether it is an office building or a paper mill, our crews and our precision tools ensure that we are able to remove buildings with minimal impact on the surrounding area.
In the past, imprecise tools like wrecking balls and explosives were the only tools available to commercial demolition companies. However, Elder Demolition uses the latest technology in order to offer an exceptional level of precision for any demolition project.
These tools include a convertible high-reach excavator that allows us to remove tall targets without causing damage to surrounding buildings — even if they are connected! We also use precision tools like breakers and hammers to selectively break apart concrete, brick, asphalt, and other materials.
Because of this increase in precision and efficiency, we can separate materials for our clients that can be reused, recycled or sold to offset costs.
What happens to historic buildings?
The prospect of tearing down and rebuilding whole neighborhoods may cause concern for those who want to ensure that the Rose City keeps its unique historic character. As the population of Portland continues to grow, the city will inevitably need more housing, recreation spaces, commercial spaces, and the infrastructure to support these needs.
But should that come at the cost of the historic buildings in Portland?
Luckily demolition contractors can help contribute to a balanced approach to urban growth and renewal. Demolition contractors are in the business of tearing down unwanted buildings to make room for new ones, but certain steps can be taken to help preserve historic edifices.
Portland industrial demolition contractors can help preserve the physical character of a neighborhood by:
- Retrofitting or reusing historic buildings to preserve the historic outside while modernizing the inside.
- Alerting neighbors of all demolition work, even if not officially required by Portland. Beyond being just common courtesy, demolition contractors can show respect for the neighborhoods they work in by alerting them when any construction is occurring.
- Being skilled in deconstructing historic buildings piece by piece so that historic components can be reused and preserved.
Why is Elder Demolition the best commercial and industrial demolition contractor for the job?
Elder Demolition is the best commercial demolition contractor for the careful removal of buildings in urban renewal areas. Our precise demolition, dedication to minimizing our impact on the environment and our commitment to being a good neighbor are just a few reasons why.
We are experts at asset recovery, maximizing what gets reused and recycled to help divert unnecessary waste from the landfill. We also provide our workers with ongoing training about the best practices, equipment use, and safety.
Contact Elder Demolition today to tell us about your project.