City Officials Close Two Large Buildings That House City Employees Over COVID-19 Concerns

Remaining workers were ordered out of the Portland Building this morning and all offices at 1900 SW 4th Ave. also closed.

Portlandia and the Portland Building, in reflection. (Loren Kerns / Flickr)

The city of Portland this morning ordered nearly all employees at its largest office space, the newly reopened Portland Building, to leave immediately.

The order was delivered via a group text message shortly before 9 am.

"Effective immediately, the Portland Building is closed to access for all except the Security Operations Center," the text message read.

"If you are in the building, please leave immediately. Do not enter the Portland Building until further notice. Thank you for your cooperation. We will send more information via email by the end of the day."

The 15-story building, which has space for about 1,400 workers, recently reopened after a $214 million renovation.

Dylan Rivera, a spokesman for the city of Portland's Joint Information Center, confirmed the evacuation.

Rivera noted there were relatively few employees in the building as non-essential city employees began telecommuting on Tuesday.

"This week, the city had reports of several employees who reported having symptoms consistent with COVID-19," Rivera said in an email. "None of the employees have been tested, but the city has taken action to ensure the safety of employees and continuity of city services for the public."

Rivera explained the reason for the Portland Building evacuation.

"Facilities received a report on Thursday night that an employee who works in the Portland Building was presenting symptoms. So the city announced a closure of two floors, including the 15th floor, out of an abundance of caution because it's a common area," he said.

"On Friday morning, facilities received a report of a second employee who was presenting symptoms who works on a different floor. To keep city staff safe, we adjusted the Tuesday closure to close it to everybody except for building security personnel."

Rivera also confirmed that another city of Portland office building, at 1900 SW 4th Ave., had been closed.

Here is his explanation for that closure:

"On Wednesday, facilities received a notice that a city employee who works in the 1900 Building had presented symptoms consistent with COVID-19. On Wednesday night, employees were notified not to come to the building if they work on two floors where the employee might have been, because they would be closed for cleaning," Rivera said.

"The Bureau of Development Services told its staff to not come in at all on Thursday, regardless of the floor they work on. BDS occupies five floors of the building.

"On Thursday night, facilities received a notice that a different employee who works in the 1900 Building had presented symptoms.

"On Thursday night, facilities announced that it would close the last remaining occupied floor of the building."

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