The connected tissue since the founding of Bremik over twenty years ago is a commitment to being the best and contributing to our community in ways that advance its well-being. “We want to be a foundational part of the community. Our founders started Bremik wanting to preserve the past and build the future. Our work in developing community projects is a natural extension to our founding principles, said Bremik, Preconstruction Manager and Partner Tygh Colton.
The Bremik brand was first established with high-profile historic renovation projects in Portland, which established its reputation of being world-class builders with an eye towards knowing that a building is more than just a structure. “The places we build have meaning; they serve people and advance understanding, and we must think beyond the looks and structural elements of a building and understand its users who walk through the door,” says Colton.
“Being aware of the public use of a space is very important. Knowing there is a wide range of uses and needs in a structure can take years of planning to ensure all stakeholders have a voice in the design and construction of a building, says Grant Eldridge, Project Manager at Bremik. “A community of uses means there will be various backgrounds, understanding, and capabilities. We take particular care to recognize and honor that diversity to make sure the public spaces serve everyone. And with public spaces, the funding can come from multiple sources, all of whom have a seat at the table to define what the space can be,” says Eldridge.
Bremik Construction has long been a trusted partner in Oregon’s community-minded sector, working closely with government agencies at all levels, non-profits, and other stakeholders statewide to enhance learning, health and wellness, and community environments for students, educators, visitors, and local communities. With comprehensive planning, trusted relationships, and high-quality execution, Bremik continues to support these projects through renovations, expansions, and new construction – elevating their safety, accessibility, and functionality. “We reach out to the community for all our public projects. That may mean flyers, ads in the newspaper, and attending community events – all to bring the community into the project. The Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy in Wheeler, OR, is a great example. This is a community on the Oregon Coast with a population of about 400. “We’ve built lasting relationships by connecting with the Wheeler community. The people have embraced the Health Center, which will serve the region for generations,” says Kevin McMurry, Bremik Superintendent.
A Different ROI
Every project has an ROI. With community projects that calculation can be a bit different, and because the bottom line is not a number at the end of a P&L, but how it impacts its mission, community projects can connect a community in an emotional way that private-party projects just do not have. It also takes a GC who understands the difference between the two. This kind of work requires a team with experience in delivering public-serving, donor-supported facilities. It must also be done with careful planning, transparent budget management, and strong stakeholder engagement.
Expanding Impact Beyond Portland
It’s common to have examples of community projects in the Portland Metro area. What makes Bremik’s portfolio of impact unique is its demonstrated track record of successful projects outside of Portland. “Our focus is to help the community where we live, work, and play. It’s part of our relational business model. We want to contribute to parts of the region that are meaningful to our employees. That means we are on the coast, in the Cascade Range, and other places where our team lives and plays. We want to be committed to those areas that are important to our team,” says Colton. Some recent notable examples of this include:
Virgina Garcia Cornelius Wellness Center (Cornelius, OR) – Designed to support community health and education, this facility includes spaces that foster research-based nutrition programs and public outreach, ensuring accessibility to essential resources.
Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy (Wheeler, OR) – Designed as a community-focused wellness and education hub, this facility features a community room equipped with a teaching kitchen, fostering hands-on learning in nutrition, sustainability, and public health.
D River State Recreation Visitor Info Center (Lincoln City, OR) – This project will replace the existing restroom facility with a 3600-sf. center to create a true welcoming center experience. The center will support educational outreach, environmental awareness, and visitor services aligning with the Tillamook Estuaries Science Center’s mission.
City of Happy Valley – Library Expansion (Happy Valley, OR) – A dynamic learning space that promotes interactive storytelling and community-driven education, demonstrating our ability to create environments that foster curiosity and knowledge-sharing.
City of Cannon Beach – Welcome Center (Cannon Beach, OR) – A historic adaptive reuse project that transformed a school into a community and educational hub, featuring interpretive programming, environmental education, and visitor engagement.
It Starts with People
Like any GC, the quality of the work that is done is largely dependent upon the expertise, passion, and teamwork of the core team and the sub’s they engage to complete the project. Part of the culture at Bremik is to build a team that excels in their areas of expertise, but most importantly cares deeply about doing great work. “The team at Bremik is passionate about what we do. We hire like-minded people who care about the quality of what we build. We are not a group that watches the clock and works from 9 am to 5 pm. We give our all to a project, making sure it built right, on time, and on budget. The only way we know how to do that is with a great team of people, and that is what we have at Bremik,” says McMurry.
For more information about Bremik Construction and its work in the community sector, visit www.bremik.com.