PORTLAND, Ore. - April 8, 2021 - Lorentz Bruun Construction, one of the Pacific Northwest's premier general contractors, is also one of the longest operating companies in Portland. This year officially marks the third-generation family-run company's 75th year in business and the company is celebrating the milestone with a look back at its history and the many quality projects it has delivered over the years.
Lorentz Bruun, a 39-year-old Norwegian immigrant, founded the firm that still carries his name in 1946 when Portland, like every other city in America, was recovering and rebuilding following WWII. When Lorentz passed away in 1973 his son, Kelly, took over the firm. Today, it's run by Lorentz's grandchildren: Mark, Kurt and Erik, to whom Kelly passed stewardship of the company upon his retirement.
Notable firsts
Along the way, Lorentz Bruun Construction has been involved in some notable firsts. In the 1950s, the company pioneered new construction techniques completing one of the first concrete tilt-up construction projects in Oregon. LBC also completed one of the first lift slab construction projects, on the campus of Oregon College of Education (now, Western Oregon University). In 2014, LBC was general contractor on the first energy efficient multi-family passive house project in North America, the GBD Architects-designed Kiln Apartments at 33 Beech Street.
Disaster relief
Through the last 75 years, the company has also been a major participant in regional disaster relief efforts, helping to rebuild parts of downtown Roseburg after a devastating truck explosion in 1959, pitching in to help Portland recover from a destructive wind storm caused by Typhoon Freda in October 1962, and speeding repairs of the tornado-damaged Peter S. Ogden School in Vancouver in 1972.
Infrastructure
The firm has handled its fair share of major infrastructure projects over the years. In 1985, Lorentz Bruun completed the Broadway Bridge renovation project in Portland and, in 1990, was called upon to work on a 70,000 s.f. lift gate maintenance facility at Bonneville Dam. In the 1960s, the firm was general contractor on several student housing projects for the Oregon State Board of Higher Education... Continued: https://www.lbruun.com/our-culture/lorentz-bruun-construc...
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