What a perfect example of waste of money.
Where is the need?

This is just the liar's budget. You can bet it will cost at least 50% more by the time it's "too late to turn back". That's the way things get built in P-town when the taxpayer's are footing the bill.

I've got an idea: how about Mayor Adams find a sustainable way to open Wapato and fill it up with the miscreants and drug addicts it was intended to house?

Given this quote:

"We see this building as a major contribution to the building market. And it's a positive investment, rather than leaving something that doesn't work," says Armstrong. "It's an investment in economic development that takes the form of a real estate deal."

If this is a economic development investment? What is the expected return?

Will the rental expenses incurred by BPS as part of a move from its existing location to this new location be a net increase? Is the $32 million noted in the article the net increase in expenses, in which case the total public investment would include this expense as well.

And how "firm" is the $65 million price tag?

At present, there is no info on the sustainability center website that quantifies the costs and benefits. Sorry but I don't love the design and concept enough to support blindly opening the public's checkbook.

Please let me know if I am missing something here Sarah and if the specifics around the expected return on this "investment in economic development" are available.

"monuments to themselves" is correct.
"LOOK HOW SUSTAINABLE WE ARE!! PLEASE, LOOK LOOK LOOK!"

If you have ever wondered why it now takes two incomes to live when it used to take one, or you work all the time and never seem to get ahead, keep in mind that you are forced to pay for these projects. And when you watch those commercials with sweet little kids pointing at their crumbling schools, don't forget that the city can always seem to find money for projects like this "Sustainability Center," ($65 million) the "hobo Bellagio," (housing and art therapy for 100 homeless people -- $46 million), the aerial tram, and a new "Office of Equity," whatever that means. Money = Life Energy, and the city of Portland is draining it . . . from you. Say "no" to higher taxes until the city shows it can wisely allocate what it already takes from you.

According to FW Dodge construction, which tracks construction projects for the building trades, the average cost per square foot of an office/bank building in Oregon was $149. This building would cost $497. It is disproportionately expensive.

Agree, frankeib. "Look how sustainable we are! Please, Look Look Look!"

If you look five years after the thing is built we will look ridiculous. Green technologies need to evolve quickly and continuously. Dumb to fossilize them in this monument to "sustainability".