Cody Moves from Opus to Gerding-Edlen

PORTLAND-Tom Cody has left Opus Northwest for Gerding-Edlen Development, where he will focus initially on public-private projects Gerding is involved in, such as the $20-million redevelopment of two-and-a-half blocks in the City of Salem’s north Downtown area.

At Opus, Cody handled development and leasing at Opus 205 Distribution Center and Columbia Gorge Corporate Center, among other projects, and also did preliminary work related to the redevelopment of North Macadam, which is expected to result in development assignments from Oregon Health Sciences University. Opus Portland-area chief Bruce Wood did not return phone calls seeking comment, mostly likely because he’s too busy, having taken over Cody’s duties for the time being.

“Opus is an amazing company, but at Gerding-Edlen I will have the opportunity to develop for my own portfolio as well,” Cody tells GlobeSt.com. First, however, he’ll be helping Gerding fulfill assignments in the public-private sector. “Gerding has an established, respected platform, but the public-private sector is not something the company has ever singled out or pushed for,” says Cody. “I am going to help them build that up because my background lends itself to that kind of work.”

In Salem, initial plans are for a $20 million development encompassing about 50,000 sf or retail and upward of 104 housing units. The land is owned by the city’s development arm. The primary site, the biggest of three at 93,000 sf, was owned by the Eagles Lodge. The two other adjacent properties are each about 31,000 sf. The City acquired all three properties within the last year or so.

“We look at this project as a catalyst for future development in the area, as anchor for the area’s evolution into another main street,” Salem Senior Planner Dan Riordan told GlobeSt.com in May. “The Broadway-High corridor has components of a main street and we would like to build on that by promoting more Downtown housing to further support the retail core there.”