New Facility

The Last 20 Years

Originally built in 1965, the facility in which Sunrise now resides was the home of the former Mt. Scott Water District since 1965.  In 2000, Sunrise was formed in a merger of the Mt. Scott and Damascus Water Districts, bringing both operations to this shared site.  Shortly thereafter, a vision was started to build a new facility on land purchased off SE 172nd Avenue, along SE Armstrong Court.

Twenty years later, Sunrise has become the 7th largest municipal water provider in the Portland metropolitan area, serving more than 53, 000 residents throughout the city of Happy Valley and surrounding unincorporated Clackamas County.   Yet, throughout this time, Sunrise has remained at its present location, maximizing its use of those existing assets.

Today

Mounting congestion and space limitations now restrict operations at our current location.  The city also intends to construct a traffic roundabout at the adjoining intersection that will further limit access.  Hence, plans are now underway to move to the property we purchased nearly 20 years ago.

In 2020, Sunrise hired FFA Architecture & Interiors, LLC. to prepare design plans for a new facility that includes a modern 14,300 square foot administrative building and 5,700 square foot shop, along with supporting facilities for parking, fueling, and material storage.  The buildings will be constructed around steel and mass timber elements designed to achieve a near Net-Zero energy profile.  The facility will include support for future electric vehicle operations, emergency back-up systems, and seismic resiliency.

Remarkably, the new facility will not require added costs to customers’ water rates. The project is financed through existing long-term cash savings and a low-interest loan from the State. This is a significant achievement for our customers, staff and the surrounding community.

Design and Construction

The project is led by the design team of FFA architects and KPFF engineers, with the construction being done by Kirby Nagelhout Construction. The project is scheduled for completion by the Fall of 2023.