Water seepage? Here? Well, Hoffman Construction must not be familiar with the 'hood. Feh.

I guess we're outside the warranty period for Hoffman Construction concrete pours?

Wasn't this the second most expensive building in the state per sq ft (behind only some tiny building in Salem)? I mean you talk about wasted space...Hitler would have loved it. I would expect the concrete to last more than 15 years.

Don't be surprised if the current agenda is to spend more money to "fix" buildings as the public is weary of and onto the new pet projects agenda. I have also noted these are public buildings, so the idea I suppose is how can the public object to the money spent on that now! Who is determining the real need?

And I, a retired-bur-still-required-to-work judge has no ckerk tomorrow because the state court system is under staffed. What is wrong with this system, that we spend whatever it takes on the federal system and only millions on our state system--which handles multiple the number of cases?

'Don't be surprised if the current agenda is to spend more money to "fix" buildings...'

Funny thing, just the other week I noticed at the Beaverton main post office they had torn out the approach steps, handicap access ramp and associated steel railings and some nearby concrete walks. Now that the repair is completed, new steps ramp and railings, exact reproductions of the the original work, have been installed. I reckon this dance is being repeated endlessly at public expense for your convenience at a location near you.

Meanwhile, these still stand.

This could have changed, but it used to be that the Feds didn't have to get local building permits.

"And I, a retired-but-still-required-to-work judge has no clerk tomorrow because the state court system is understaffed. What is wrong with this system, that we spend whatever it takes on the federal system and only millions on our state system--which handles multiple the number of cases?"

Nevermind that the old Multnomah County Courthouse would likely crumble in a moderate earthquake, potentially killing hundreds of people.

As I recall, the GSA or whoever said the court house cost so much because it is built to last 100 years. Time flies?

The whole justification for digging that stupid parking garage under the historic courthouse was to provide a "secure" parking spot for a single federal appelate judge. If the big shot federal judge needs that much security I'm sure that the legion of federal marshals standing around the place could handle the task of walking him/her over to a secure offsite parking area at the beginning and end of the day. If they're not up to the job they could contract it out to the Mult. County Sheriff's who' ve managed to deal with a hundred times more people coming into their facility on a daily basis with 50 or so more judges to protect.

With the cost of federal projects at such horrific costs and state projects mimicing them, perhaps it is time to revisit the Davis-Bacon Act?

Is 'prevailing' wage just a code for highest possible union scale, or is there actually a survey of 'prevailing?'

The federal appeals judges are over in the Pioneer Courthouse, aren't they? And yes, they did get their own underground garage, too, at stunning expense, courtesy of David Wu. Too worried about walking on the street.

I'm sure the same concerns also contributed to the armed fortress atmosphere at the Hatfield Courthouse. Now the federal district judges, who actually sentence criminals face to face, will have to park elsewhere and walk to work on the street. I'm sure they're not happy with that prospect.

My bad...I mixed up my courthouses. I have a very distinct memory of them digging under the Pioneer Courthouse to build out a parking spot for a single judge to the tune of millions of dollars. It was stupid then and it's stupid now. This is the other "new" courthouse named after 'ol honest Mark Hatfield. How fitting that graft and corruption are roosting up in the very foundation of the place.

Kevin, your memory of a "single appellate judge" may be distinct, but it's wrong.

Portland is the macro version of San Jose Winchester House... it's too bad so few people realize that builders and developers run this city.

Now is the perfect time to turn the whole thing into a bike-only garage - "Cars? We don't need no stinking cars."

Better yet, how about converting it to a torture chamber for any citizen concerned about out of control public spending?