Vestas will move its North American sales and service headquarters into the historic Meier & Frank Depot Building in Portland’s Pearl District. Gerding Edlen Development, Inc., will transform the sturdy structure, vacant since Companies wishing to submit materials for inclusion in this section should contact Russ Willcutt at russ@windsystemsmag.com.
Releases accompanied by color images will be given first consideration. 2001, into one of Portland’s newest and most distinctive buildings. Construction is expected to begin in October 2010. Vestas plans to occupy the space in early 2012. The building will be designed with the intent to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. There are only 15 buildings in Portland designated as LEED Platinum, the highest rating given by the U.S. Green Building Council. Gerding Edlen, headquartered in Portland, is one of the nation’s largest developers of LEED-certified properties having developed more than 40 LEED projects since the inception of the U.S. Green Building Council. Built in 1928, the Meier & Frank Depot Building will undergo a complete historic renovation. When redeveloped the building will be 172,000 square feet that will include a 22,000 squarefoot addition on the fifth floor complete with an ecoroof terrace and gardens. Additionally, the building will have what is believed to be the largest roofmounted solar energy array in Portland’s central business district. The total project cost for the developer is estimated at $66 million. “We are making a long-term commitment to Portland,” says Martha Wyrsch, president of Vestas-American Wind Technology, Inc. “As a company devoted to wind power, it makes sense for us to be part of a community that so strongly supports clean energy.” “I am so pleased that Vestas is making a long-term commitment to grow their business here in Portland,” says Mayor Sam Adams. “This announcement shows the success of working strategically to grow quality jobs by building on our competitive advantage as a leader in clean technology and sustainable industries.
Moreover, our joint efforts mean that local architects, construction workers and engineers will get to work now converting a Portland landmark into one of the most energyefficient buildings in the United States.” Vestas’ Portland employees work in such fields as engineering, sales, project management, training, technology, accounting, human resources, legal services, and marketing, among others. Vestas, which employs about 2,400 people in the United States and Canada, also has 30 fulltime employees in central and eastern Oregon who maintain and service wind turbines. “This is a great day for Vestas, for the City of Portland, and for the state,” Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski says. “This building represents the very best in public and private partnerships. Our collective investments in this project will pay off now and in the future in the form of more green jobs in Portland. It also will establish a stronger renewable energy foundation for Oregon as a whole.”
Vestas, the world leader in producing high-tech wind power systems, has supplied more than 40,500 turbines globally since 1979. Vestas sold its first wind turbine in North America in 1981 and since has supplied more than 11,000 turbines to the United States and Canada. Learn more at www.vestas.com.
