Home Green Design Revitalization of Existing Buildings at Heart of McMenamins’ Sustainability Approach

Revitalization of Existing Buildings at Heart of McMenamins’ Sustainability Approach

1916
0
SHARE

PORTLAND, ORE.—McMenamins has built a reputation in Oregon and Washington for revitalizing aging structures by converting them into useable spaces. It began its journey back in 1983 and now has 70 pubs and restaurants, 25 breweries, two distilleries, a winery, and 10 hotels. The hotels once had other uses. For example, McMenamins Anderson School in Bothell, Wash. was once Bothell Junior High. The historic Edgefield in Troutdale, Ore. was built in 1911 as the county poor farm. The Hotel Oregon in McMinnville, Ore., built in 1905, was once home to a restaurant and lounge, banquet hall, Greyhound bus depot, Western Union, soda fountain and beauty parlor.

Next on McMenamins’ list for renovation is the old Elks Lodge in Tacoma, Wash. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was purchased by McMenamins along with the adjacent annex building in July 2012. Shannon McMenamin, General Manager of Lodging, Gift Shop and Spa Operations, says McMenamins is still in the “trying to recruit investors” stage. “The building is spectacular,” she says. “It has great views and great detail. The ballrooms have super, ornate detail. We are aiming for completion in 2017 but [the completion date] is a moving target.”

Built in Second Renaissance Revival Style 

The Elks Lodge was built in 1915-16 when fraternal organizations were an important part of the community and had the money to build such buildings. It was designed by É. Frère Champney, a graduate of the École des Beaux-Arts, in the second Renaissance Revival style. Adjacent to the building is a stairway called the “Spanish Steps” that winds up the hillside adjacent to the building. These steps, modeled after the Scalinata di Spagna in Rome, were rehabilitated in 2011 by a grant from Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Transportation Enhancements program.

Once renovated, the property will include approximately 45 guestrooms with private baths; space for live music, events, weddings and meetings; a ballroom that will feature a tiny indoor city with “cabins,” skylights, gardens, terraces and more; three restaurants; a McMenamins brewery; and a rooftop garden (vegetables, herbs and flowers) that will provide the restaurants with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Shannon McMenamin says the Elks Lodge sits in a “wonderful community” but “in an area in need of revitalization.” What will make the project most sustainable, she says, is that an old building is being revitalized instead of a new one being built. Fixtures and wood from other buildings will be incorporated into the hotel and LED bulbs will be used wherever possible. There will be “a lot of reclaiming and repurposing,” McMenamin says.

Two Environmental Coordinators on Staff

Once up and running, McMenamins businesses are run as efficient as possible. The company employs two environmental coordinators who oversee reducing, reusing and recycling the company’s waste. One of them has been in this position for more than 15 years. McMenamins recycles a myriad of materials: paper, newspaper, magazines, cardboard, milk cartons, plastic bottles, plastic buckets, plastic bags, shrink wrap, tin, aluminum, aerosol cans, glass jars, bottles, block Styrofoam packaging, computer equipment, fryer oil, as well as grains left over from the brewing process that go to local hog farmers.

McMenamins hotels offer a linen/towel reuse program to guests. When sheets and towels are worn out, they are donated to homeless and pet shelters. Used wood chips donated by local arborists are used on the company’s walking trails. All to-go containers are compostable. Thanks to programs started by cities in the Portland Metro Area and Seattle Metro Area, McMenamins is able to compost kitchen trimmings, plate scrapings, meat, bones, fish, dairy products and baked goods.

McMenamins uses as many earth-friendly products as possible, from window cleaners to golf course turf products. It utilizes non-phosphate degreasers and biodegradable cleaning products. In addition, four of the company’s vehicles—including two beer delivery trucks—run primarily on biodiesel.

In its food and beverage operations, McMenamins aims to use natural, local ingredients as often as possible. The company roasts its own coffee and makes its own cider. On its website, McMenamins includes a long list of local vendors for supplies ranging from mushrooms to ground beef.

Go to McMenamins.

LEAVE A REPLY