Modern building with colorful murals, street view, people walking, dog, clear sky.

Evolve Collaborative

  • When Evolve Collaborative, a Portland-based design and innovation agency, desired a new office space that they could own and customize to fit all of their operational needs, they reached out to Owen Gabbert, LLC, for assistance in finding, evaluating, and securing a building to purchase. While it can be challenging to find a building that is zoned for commercial use at the smaller size they needed for their 25-person company, Owen Gabbert, LLC had recently toured and considered a building that fit all their criteria.

    Located at NE Prescott and 29th, the 1922 Prescott Fountain Building had seen many lives throughout the years, including an antiques store, soda fountain, barber shop, and more before its most recent iteration as a corner convenience store. The 7,000 square foot structure had been divided into three uses—the convenience store, an empty retail space, and a small residential unit—and required a sizable renovation to meet Evolve’s needs and vision. The team replaced the roof, added new insulation throughout the building, replaced the entire mechanical system, and conducted a partial seismic upgrade.

    In addition to finding the building, Owen Gabbert, LLC, provided their expertise throughout the acquisition process by assembling the pro forma and development budget, completing outreach to and coordinating with banks to identify a financing partner, and providing feedback about the overall feasibility of the project, including consideration of the permitting and constructability requirements. They also helped select the architect for the project, Beebe Skidmore, who had successfully completed similar work in Portland.

    The agency wanted an open floor plan concept with defined areas for their offices, a space to hold events, and a tool room and workshop for their product design work. To open up the existing space, the team entirely reconfigured the interiors and façade. They captured additional height by removing the existing ceiling to expose the original site-built wood trusses. To create visual appeal and bring light into the interior space, they installed three modern rooftop pop-outs with large windows, skylights, and double-hung windows at the street front. The team also installed large roll-up doors that open up the office and event spaces.

  • Architect: Beebe Skidmore Architects
    Developer: Owen Gabbert, LLC
    Structural Engineer: Grummel Engineering LLC
    Photographer: Josh Partee

Modern building facade with large glass window, artistic graffiti of a blue hand showing a peace sign on a white wall, and a tree with yellow leaves in the foreground.
Modern building exterior with a flat roof, large windows, and small trees in planters along the sidewalk. A mural with a blue peace sign hand is on the white wall. Clear blue sky is in the background, and a person walks on the sidewalk.
Modern living room with exposed wooden beams, a large sectional sofa with colorful pillows, a wooden coffee table, and large windows allowing natural light. The room features an industrial-style duct and includes a small accent chair and potted plant
Modern open-plan office with large windows, white tables, yellow chairs, a TV, exposed wooden beams, and ductwork ceiling.
Modern cafe interior with wooden beam ceiling, large window, white and yellow chairs around a long table, and a small counter area with shelves.
Open office space with a modern industrial design, featuring exposed wood beam ceiling, a large table with stools, people working on boards with images, and a gray sofa by large windows.
Modern open-plan office with wooden ceiling, exposed ducts, and various workstations. Features include a long communal table, stools, computer desks, and a pink support pole. Walls have posters and shelves with bags and office items. A glass partitio
Interior of a modern workspace with exposed wooden beams, displaying backpacks on a pegboard. People are gathered in a conversation area to the right. The space includes industrial-style furniture and a pink pole with stickers.
Modern office space with exposed wooden ceiling, large ventilation duct, and industrial lighting. Features a kitchenette on the left with a person standing nearby, surfboards stored upright against a wall, a wooden table with chairs, and decorative i
Modern building with black and white facade on a street corner, evening time, with trees and streetlights.
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