Work

Lloyd Center Remodel

Portland’s Lloyd Center: Transforming a city icon

The Lloyd Center, located in downtown Portland, is the city’s oldest shopping mall. Upon opening in 1960, it was also the largest in the country. The Lloyd Center recently underwent a $50 million transformation that included reshaping and moving the iconic ground-floor ice skate rink and opening the above two levels by removing the pedestrian bridges that crossed the central concourse area.

Design included centrally-suspended stairs at the grand entrance that span three floors, along with renovations to the elevator, pedestrian bridge and Lloyd Center Creative Office.

Location Pin Icon
Location:
Portland, Oregon
Cube Measurments Icon
Square Feet:
1,200,000
Building Icon
Stories:
3
Geometric Shapes Icon
Service:
Structural
Pie Chart Icon
Industries:
Commercial, Recreation & Entertainment
Material Shapes Icon
Primary Material:
Concrete, Steel

Renovating Portland's "Rockefeller Center"


The Lloyd Center was developed in 1960 as the largest shopping center in the country. Since then, it has served as an anchor for the surrounding Portland community – offering ice skating, retail, dining and cinema amenities for social gatherings and business alike. Today, it is still the largest shopping center in Oregon.


Major renovations to the roughly 1.4 million-sf space included mall entrances, interior concourse, and an ice rink. There were numerous remodels of the Lloyd Center performed throughout its nearly 70 years.


The remodel expanded deep into the mall and included reshaping—from square to oval—and relocating the ground floor ice rink to the center of the central corridor, as well as reconfiguring the second and third floors, allowing the rink to be visible from each level.

Project Highlights

  • Spiral staircase includes treads cantilevered away from tension rods
  • Floor plan changes to the pedestrian bridge soffit, which included removal of the arch, required adjusting seismic joint locations
Lloyd Center_Waterleaf20 20 Lloyd20 Center 3 small

The structural team made numerous site visits, sometimes twice weekly, to oversee adequate design connections. The overall entryway upgrades now allow for more natural light and improved pedestrian visibility. The new south entry transformed the 1959 blank walls and parking structure into an inviting entry plaza, while exposed historic terrazzo columns and a new grand spiral staircase pay homage to the building’s original mid-century modern design.

Lloyd Center_Waterleaf20 20 Lloyd20 Center 5 small

Read more about this project in the Daily Journal of Commerce.

Learn more

Award

2018 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, Structural Engineering Association of Oregon

People

Fritz Photo DCI 2019 04 5 web itoksm UPM1 GT
people

Kyle Kraxberger

Younie 920 itokow Moj Z El
people

Wade Younie

Related work

See all
Spokane Steam Plant TI_Bar1
project

Steam Plant Square