Mass Timber for the People

Moderated by LEVER Architecture Founder and early mass timber innovator, Thomas Robinson, this keynote panel will dive into the inspiring journey of visionary leaders driving district scale developments on Portland, Oregon’s waterfront.

Beginning with the origin story of Portland’s experiments with mass timber in 2015 and how the goals of those early projects were instrumental in the current timber boom, this interactive session will discuss: What does it take for these developments to use mass timber to advance workforce equity and sustainability while revitalizing Portland’s east side through community building? How can this work be a blueprint for district scale mass timber development?

Hear about the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s 24 acre/3 million square foot district development plan from Erin Graham, President and CEO of OMSI.

See the remedy for the last 50 years of displacement and disinvestment in the Albina neighborhood through the eyes of Winta Yohannes, the Executive Director of the Albina Vision Trust.

Learn how both of their projects are being realized from Alex Colas, Vice President of Colas Construction, the largest Black-owned construction firm on the West Coast. Alex and his teams are building the first projects on each of these important sites.

Erin Graham

President and CEO
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

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Alex Colas

VP, Preconstruction
Colas Construction, Inc.

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Winta Yohannes

Executive Director
Albina Vision Trust

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Session CEUs: Course Description & Learning Objectives

Course Description

This keynote panel will look at the transformative potential of mass timber in shaping expansive urban developments. Centered on district-scale projects in Portland, Oregon, the discussion will showcase how mass timber catalyzes community-driven growth, sustainability, and workforce opportunities. Panelists will explore strategies for integrating economic development with social and environmental priorities, drawing insights from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) district and the Albina neighborhood redevelopment. Attendees will gain an understanding of how mass timber contributes to equitable and resilient urban growth, offering a blueprint for future city-wide and multi-block developments.

Learning Objectives

1. Explore how mass timber developments can support community-driven growth, workforce opportunities, and sustainability initiatives.
2. Understand how projects can address historical displacement and disinvestment through inclusive design and construction practices.
3. Learn how large-scale developments can integrate mass timber to achieve sustainability and social impact goals.
4. Gain insights into how construction firms are fostering diversity in the trades and ensuring mass timber projects benefit historically underrepresented communities.