1981 : Going Down

With the recession looming, the early eighties presented a challenge to all Portland contractors: the I-84 corridor was to be widened and a parallel light rail line installed alongside. This meant relocating many of the existing infrastructures.

Bidding was tight, but the City of Portland selected Parsons to upsize and reroute some of the existing lines in its water and sewer system. The bid was for 1000 feet of 48-inch diameter by 48-foot long water line, laid in a 400-foot tunnel some 22 feet under the Union Pacific Rail Road and the Banfield (I-84).

1985 : The Back 40

The mid eighties called for more electronic manufacturing plants to be constructed. Hillsboro had the land -- flat wide-open spaces -- and the Japanese had the money. Parsons provided the equipment and manpower.

Meanwhile, the big computer chip giant needed more building space at their Aloha, Oregon, plant. Again Parsons was selected to perform.

1988 : Going Up

In the latter half of the eighties, the office market was the hot place to be. So a Tall Texan wanted to build a Tall building -- the tallest in Washington County -- thirteen stories to be exact, along with a large underground parking structure. And, of course, my favorite feature: a rooftop helicopter pad. All right next to Washington Square.