For immediate release
May 25, 2017
Media Contacts:
Gary Rubin, APR
CMD 503-488-4443
[email protected]
Portland, Ore. —Shovels hit dirt this morning at the corner of NE 50th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard as four leading Portland-area-based institutions came together to break ground on a visionary new health and wellness center to serve the Hollywood and Rose City communities.
Upon completion in summer 2018, the 32,000-square-foot facility, built by Venerable Development, will include modern medical facilities from The Portland Clinic, a new retail concept and nutrition center from the founder of Pacific Foods and educational resources from Concordia University Portland. The four Portland-area-based organizations are working closely together to integrate and increase access to resources that promote a holistic approach to healthy living.
Healthcare
When doors to the new building open in 2018, The Portland Clinic will cut the ribbon on a brand-new, 24,000-square foot office space within it. The Portland Clinic Northeast will house major medical services, including behavioral health, dermatology, diabetes services, ear, nose and throat, family medicine, foot and ankle/podiatry, gastroenterology, internal medicine, laboratory services, manual medicine, neurology, physical therapy, primary care and radiology.
“One of the pillars of our practice is that relationships matter. That includes the relationship between every practitioner and their patients, as well as our relationship as a business with the Portland community,” said Dick Clark, CEO, The Portland Clinic. “As a community, we are taking a new approach to our health. More and more we see our local neighbors focusing on treating the whole self. That includes working with their doctor to treat disease or illness but also learning from experts how nutrition and fitness can impact our well-being. This facility allows us to improve access and expand our presence for our patients on the Eastside while better serving the Portland population as a whole.”
Clark added that this facility is a key investment for the clinic as it prepares for some other significant updates in the metro area in the coming years.
“We have had the pleasure of serving the Portland community for almost a century, and in that time, our practice has evolved to meet the needs of the city’s population,” Clark shared. “We will continue to provide our patients with the best care possible, but as Portland’s population continues to grow, we need to constantly evaluate how we can better serve the community. This space is a great demonstration of that thinking in action, and we are so pleased to partner with some of Portland’s most well-respected brands to bring an even stronger form of healthcare to our neighbors.”
Nutrition
Good health starts with good, nourishing foods, but families don’t always have access or the basic cooking knowledge to help get dinner from pantry to plate. Chuck Eggert, founder of Tualatin-based Pacific Foods and natural foods industry veteran, is aiming to reduce those barriers for clinic patients and local residents with the launch of his new 7,000-square-foot retail concept, basics, set to be showcased on the first floor of the new building.
“It’s about getting back to the fundamentals of good nutrition,” says Chuck Eggert, founder of Pacific Foods and CEO of basics, a nutrition focused specialty retail store. “The inspiration for basics comes from Pacific’s work with Faubion School, where for the past several years we’ve helped provide nourishing foods to elementary students and their families to make sure kids have the nutrition they need to learn. We’ve seen first-hand the power of healthy food and want to expand that work to broader Northeast Portland. We’ve been long-time partners with Concordia at Faubion; being part of The Portland Clinic project just strengthens our ability to reach people in need.”
A first of its kind, basics will include space for community education classes on nutrition and meal preparation, serving all ages and catering to the wide variety of dietary challenges facing today’s population. In addition, the store will offer low-priced, high-quality foods including locally-sourced, sustainable meats, basic groceries and meal assembly kits for busy families.
Education
Concordia University Portland students are community partners with The Portland Clinic and Pacific Foods. Nursing students at Concordia — one of Oregon’s top-rated, nonprofit, private universities preparing leaders to transform society — have the opportunity to conduct hands-on training through The Portland Clinic facilities. They also provide nutritional counseling at Faubion School as part of 3 to PhD® in collaboration with Pacific Foods.
Concordia students will have the opportunity for experiential learning in The Portland Clinic’s new space and will serve as educators in the Pacific Foods classrooms.
“It’s these kind of partnerships that help Portland and Concordia University build strong, vibrant communities,” explained Kevin Matheny, chief development officer for the Concordia University Foundation. “Concordia students apply their classroom learning in the field alongside some of the region’s brightest minds at The Portland Clinic and Pacific Foods, while serving members of our community.”
Local Government Support
Attending the groundbreaking ceremony, Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman stated, “The initiative taken by The Portland Clinic, Pacific Foods and Concordia University, constructing a centrally-located facility to help our city develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle, is paramount to sustaining a livable, safe and enhanced Portland.” Saltzman continued, “I am proud to support our locally-based, health-conscious organizations in this project, which will certainly offer improved access to information, healthcare and education for Northeast residents, and all residing in Portland.”
Local Construction
“We are very excited about this project because we have an opportunity to serve a very clear need in a uniquely ‘Portland’ way,” said Craig Kelly, president of Venerable. “We are so pleased that we have been able to bring three of our city’s finest organizations together to provide high-quality health resources to this community.”
Venerable Properties has a history of supporting and revitalizing spaces that exemplify the culture of Portland, including recent renovations of Washington High School, the White Stag Block and the Telegram Building. Once complete, this new building will emphasize access — offering ample parking and immediate proximity to TriMet — while maintaining the look and feel of the historic Hollywood District.
Schommer and Sons, another Portland institution, is the construction contractor for the building which was designed by SERA Architects. Construction will begin immediately and is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2018.
About The Portland Clinic
Established in 1921, The Portland Clinic is Oregon’s oldest, private, multispecialty medical group. Today, with sophisticated medical technology, modern spacious facilities and dynamic medical specialists, a personal approach to each patient’s good health remains The Portland Clinic’s primary focus. The Portland Clinic’s six locations serve the greater Portland metropolitan area and care for more than 90,000 patients each year throughout the Northwest. Follow us on Twitter (@PortlandClinic) and Facebook (@ThePortlandClinic).
About basics
A new retail concept and nutrition center from the founder of Pacific Foods, basics’ mission is focused on increasing access to nutrition and culinary education, empowering people to make smarter choices about their health and wellness. At nearly 7,000 sq. ft., the store will include dedicated space for nutrition counseling and a full curriculum of cooking classes, as well as healthy meats and basic groceries.
About Concordia University
Concordia University Portland is a private, Lutheran, liberal arts university located in northeast Portland, Ore. with a mission of preparing leaders for the transformation of society. Founded in 1905, Concordia University serves approximately 5,000 students on its multiple campuses, and online, through its College of Education, College of Health & Human Services, College of Arts & Sciences, School of Management, and Concordia University School of Law in Boise, Idaho. It is pioneering a new national education model 3 to PhD® (www.3toPhD.org).
About Venerable Development
In business since 1991, Venerable has built a reputation on executing high-quality, community-revitalizing development projects. With a deep background in historic renovation and adaptive reuse, Venerable places that same emphasis on design and durability with their new construction projects. Providing 360-degree real estate services, Venerable also offers commercial and multifamily property management, historic preservation consulting, and brokerage services.
