Originally built in 1981, Park Place Tower is a 10-story residential tower located in the King’s Hill Historic District in Portland, Oregon. The original building was clad with an exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS), metal-clad wood windows, and a low-sloped roof with large areas of steep-sloped metal roof.

When the building was found to be leaking in 2006, the owners contacted our Portland team to perform a condition assessment to determine the cause. As the result of our assessment, we recommended a comprehensive building enclosure rehabilitation program that included new cladding, windows, and roofing. Over the next 5 years, we continued to work with the owners to manage the leaks and explore options and costs until all parties were satisfied. A complete rehabilitation program was approved in 2012.

Because the building is in a historic district, special steps needed to be taken before the rehabilitation could be moved forward. Our team led the owners through the process by preparing the schematic design and submitting documentation to the City of Portland for Historic Land Use Development Review. When the city issued its approvals in 2015, we proceeded to prepare drawings, details, and construction specifications for the project.

The building’s new assemblies include exterior mineral wool insulation, cement-board stucco, fiberglass windows, new SBS roofing, and new deck/balcony waterproofing. Since the work was completed in 2016, the owners have enjoyed a leak-free building.

Date:

May 2, 2019

Clients:

The Park Place Tower Home Owner’s Association

Our Role:

Building Enclosure Consultant

Key Services

Building Enclosure Condition Assessments and Investigations
Renewal and Rehabilitation

A building enclosure condition assessment (BECA) and investigation may be required when an enclosure is suspected of having a problem, such as a leak. A BECA report describes either the current condition of the overall enclosure or specific components, such as windows or a balcony, and aims to identify problems or potential problems. If we detect failures, we will recommend the next steps that may lead to repairs or a renewal.

Our team will review the original building drawings, carry out an owner survey, and then spend time onsite visually reviewing various components of the building enclosure. In addition, we will make exploratory openings to assess the condition of hidden components. Our team may use a range of testing and special analysis techniques, such as thermography. We provide a written report of our findings and recommendations and present them at meetings with the owner group.

Kathleen Smith | CT

Principal, Building Science Specialist
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Erik Lawrence | AIA, M.Arch.

Associate, Project Architect
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