(Interior perspective showing some of the entryway and balcony | Rendering Courtesy of OSU-Cascades)
A groundbreaking celebration on August 7 marked the start of the first phase of the OSU-Cascades campus expansion. The event took place from 10-11am in the former pumice mine, one of the properties that will transform into buildable land during the first phase.
OSU-Cascades Vice President Becky Johnson led the celebration, which was attended by about 60 people, including members of the campus community and community leaders. Todd Taylor, president of Taylor Northwest and a longtime Bend resident, spoke as well.
This first expansion phase – phase 1A – is anticipated to be complete in the summer of 2021 and will include:
- Site remediation and reclamation to transform the mine and landfill into developable lands.
- Campus infrastructure including streets, sidewalks and parking as well as features including an amphitheater and an oval green.
- Off-campus infrastructure that will benefit the surrounding growing community
- A new roundabout at SW Colorado Avenue and Columbia Street
- A new pedestrian/bike path from the future campus entrance on SW Simpson Avenue to SW Century Drive
- A 50,000 square foot academic building devoted to STEAM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. It will include classrooms, labs, maker spaces and collaborative spaces.
The site reclamation and remediation work was designed by Maul Foster & Alongi and will be executed by general contractor FORTIS Construction. The academic building was designed by SRG Partnership and Swinerton is the general contractor. SRG will also design the on-and-off-site infrastructure.
