HBF Partners Build a Pavilion for Veterans
At the end of a multi-year project to add 13 sleeping pods to the Clackamas Veterans Village, Home Builders Foundation completed one final capstone project with a small, locally-owned design-build company. With donated time and physical labor from TaylorSmith Sustainable Construction, in addition to donated lumber and roofing materials from Builders FirstSource, HBF planned and built a hulking timber-framed pavilion at the Veterans Village transitional shelter in unincorporated Clackamas. The purpose of the shed-roof building is to serve as both a shade structure for the outdoor-centric village as well as a congregational space for villagers to have barbeques and village meetings. Over the course of the project, the idea for the pavilion became increasingly more necessary as the village expanded its population.
In the second-half of 2021, as HBF’s involvement at the Vets Village drew to a close, Project Manager Chris McDowell reached out to TaylorSmith about the potential structure. Without hesitation they agreed to help out. Lauren Shumaker, Director of Operations with the tight-knit, five-person firm worked with McDowell to put together a team to design, engineer and ultimately execute the construction in spring of 2022. Clackamas County Planning and Building Departments waived most of their fees and permitted the structure in early January. After a few weather and scheduling delays, crews swiftly erected the building.
TaylorSmith co-owner Kevin Smith came out in early March with the crew to pour footings and move the twenty-foot long laminated beams in the bed of his bright-yellow 1970’s era C-10 truck. Remarking on his company’s commitment to helping the veterans, Kevin explains “I feel great about doing this and it’s really awesome to give back. These guys have obviously served their time, they deserve the best.” In addition to TaylorSmith’s own design and construction effort, the crew brought on structural engineer Steve Entenmen with Harper Houf Peterson Righellis to complete all the required structural calculations. They also enlisted Millers Mini-Mix to supply the concrete and rebar free-of-charge. Builders FirstSource which donated a lumber and roofing package thanks to partners IWP, Boise Cascade and local roofing supplier, ASC Building Products. Overall the donation of materials and labor was around $15,000.
Now that the pavilion is complete, service provider Do Good Multnomah is planning a celebration after the annual Ruck March on Memorial Day weekend. HBF will be on hand with other partners to christen the pavilion, and to look back on all that was accomplished over the past few years.
When HBF started its project at the Veterans Village in November of 2019, there were only fifteen modest sleeping pods built by PSU architecture students and County officials. Today, there are 28 pods, with 25 currently occupied. Much of the Village has been filled out with amenities and services thanks to HBF’s persistence and contributions. For more information on how you can be involved with similar HBF projects contact Chris McDowell at chrism@hbapdx.org.