(Photo above: students at Camp Tamarack | courtesy of BBCO)
The Central Oregon Association of REALTORS (COAR) presented the Building a Better Central Oregon (BBCO) Awards on October 20 at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes. BBCO’s main purpose is to recognize worthy residents who have enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated residential, commercial or industrial buildings. Projects are judged on economic impact, neighborhood improvement, unique design or use of materials.
This year COAR and BBCO honored Terry Blackwell of Blackwell Realty for his work to found the BBCO awards 40 years ago. BBCO was founded as a way for COAR to give back to the community and to acknowledge the great vision of local entrepreneurs and home owners. The 2016 Awardees are:
Community Lifestyle Recreation Facility
The Pavillion, Bend
Bend Parks and Recreation
The Pavilion is Central Oregon’s first and only NHL-size ice sheet with full height dasher boards, players’ boxes and a refrigeration system with 13 miles of tubing to control ice conditions. Ice enthusiasts have come out to play hockey, curling and ice skate in the first year. In non-ice season the Pavilion is active with a popular summer day camp for kids 8-14 enjoying a 26-foot rock wall and various skate/scooter features. There’s a lot for adults activities in the evening — volleyball, basketball, corn hole, futsal, badminton and more.
Best Renovation of a Bend Landmark
Box Factory, Bend
Killian Pacific
The Box Factory is a story of struggle, near-demise and in the end, historic preservation. In 2013, after years of challenges meeting compliance and safety standards, previous owners struggled to keep the 90,000 square-foot main building open and demolishment was eminent. In July 2013, Killian Pacific acquired the building and began taking steps toward a new vision for the property. The goal was to restore an architecture and history that reflects the very heart of the Mill Quarter and save Bend’s last standing box factory, an important remnant of Bend’s logging history. It now houses a thriving collection of more than 30 locally owned businesses including Atlas Cider Company, Immersion Brewing, Picky Bars, Atelier 6, Webcyclery and The Gear Fix.
Outstanding Relocation of an Oregon Icon
Erickson Aircraft Collection, Madras
The Erickson Aircraft Collection began looking for a location for their air tanker operation and a new, drier location for their museum in 2011. By 2012 they took over Butler Aircraft’s 44,000 square foot city hangar in Madras. In March 2013, the City approved the lease of additional acres to Aero Air, and the company set about getting approval for, and constructing a larger hangar for the support of the next generation firefighting air tanker and also a new home for Erickson Aircraft Collection WWII aircraft.
Accessibility Plus: New Redmond Playground
Hope Playground at Sam Johnson Park in Dry Canyon Regional Park, Redmond
City of Redmond / Harper, Houf, Peterson, Righellis
The Sam Jonson Stakeholder Committee’s vision was to develop a “regional play facility for all levels of development and needs” that evokes a sense of community and complements the surrounding Smith Rocks recreational and scenic value. Harper, Houf, Peterson, Righellis Inc. worked with the committee and the City of Redmond to develop a master plan and design of a state-of-the-art accessible playground, active play courts and ADA improvements. The master plan was adopted by the City of Redmond and the plans were brought to fruition as the park was opened to a crowd of enthusiastic kids in September 2015.
Best Circle of Life Care Facility
Country Side Living Memory Care, Redmond
Kristen Berkey and Eric Berkey
Opened in the Spring of 2016, Country Side Living Memory Care (CSL) offers support, respite, resources, education and compassion for the person with Alzheimer’s disease as well as their families, friends and care givers. CSL offers a positive and beautiful setting focused on socialization, memory enhancement and activities. The residents benefit from a caring support staff that know them as individuals, and are able to understand and communicate positively with each person.
Summer Camp Revival
Camp Tamarack Outdoor School, Sisters
Camp Tamarack
The goal of Camp Tamarack is to provide every 5th/6th grade student from Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook Counties with the opportunity to have a multi-day Outdoor School experience. These experiences will allow all students to take something memorable back to their communities, provide them with inspiration to meet the challenges of daily life, as well as empower them with the opportunity to make their own positive and sustainable impact upon this world. An estimated 2,200 5th/6th grade students or 98 percent of 5th/6th grade students from Deschutes and Jefferson County will attend Outdoor School at Camp Tamarack in the 2016-17 school year.
Bend’s Greenest Home
Desert Rain House, Bend
Thomas E. Elliott and Barbara A. Scott
Desert Rain is the first residential property to qualify for certification under the international Living Building Challenge (LBC) – a program that defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today – with stringent requirements in seven performance areas. Desert Rain is in the final audit period required for full LBC certification. Desert Rain is certified as a LEED Platinum home. This project models a new level of energy efficiency and sustainability that the owners hope will serve as a learning tool for others, in a design that is warm and welcoming for all.
Best New Facility Contribution to the Central Oregon Healthcare Community
St. Charles Prineville
St. Charles Health System
The new 62,000 square foot St. Charles Prineville campus offers a wide range of patient, family and visitor services including primary care and specialty care clinics, emergency department, lab, radiology and rehab. St. Charles Prineville is leading the way as St. Charles Health System transitions from a medical model to a team-based, integrated patient-centered care model.
Best Contribution to Central Oregon Pediatric Health Care
Pediatric Center of Excellence, Bend
Wade Miller, MBA, CEO Central Oregon Pediatric Associates
After purchasing the 16,000 square foot Steele Associates building on the corner of Mt. Washington and NW Crossing Drives, Central Oregon Pediatrics Associates (COPA) completely renovated the building and is excited to bring a state-of-the-art Pediatric Center of Excellence to NorthWest Crossing. The facility represents the pinnacle of children’s care and wellbeing with a focus on best practices in pediatric medicine, research and training. Patients will have local access to leading-edge technology and clinical expertise from board-certified physicians with advanced training and certification in infectious disease, neonatal intensive care, pediatric oncology, nutrition, behavioral health, emergency care, sports medicine and much more.
Best New Public Facility
Silver Rail Elementary, Bend
Bend LaPine School District
Silver Rail Elementary is the stunning new prototype elementary school for the Bend-La Pine School District. The team spent a tremendous amount of time analyzing and exploring numerous design options to insure that future generations of students and teachers will have the most creative and flexible learning environment possible. To provide for future site selection flexibility and save funds on property acquisitions the school is a very efficient two story design. The new commons, media center and bridge create a welcome community focused entrance into the school, which already won the 2015 High Desert Design Award for best new public facility.
Vision and Redesign of an Existing Industrial Facility
Murray Road Industrial Center, Bend
Next Development Group, LLC
The Murray Road Industrial Center served as the home of the Fuqua manufacturing facility up until 2013. After the plant closed its doors, Fratzke Commercial worked with Plains Capital Bank to sell the property to Brad and Melissa Kent. It was the vision of Fratzke Commercial and the Kents to convert the aged and antiquated facility into a modern industrial complex. The Kents are proud to announce that all but three suites are leased to industrial users. Each user has hired employees, invested in manufacturing and distribution equipment that is environmentally clean. One of the parcels of excess land was sold to Bend Research in 2015 allowing Bend Research to expand its operations and add new employees and production staff.
