Scobel Wiggins | Gazette-Times Deanna Carr, owner of the Elements building, talks about the surprises of attaining a LEED certification while behind her diners take their picture in front of the waterfall in the restaurant Strega.

For three years, Deanna Carr has overseen construction on the Elements Building, her dream at the south end of Second Street in downtown.

The result is sustainable, ambitious and eye-catching.

It hasn’t been an easy path for Carr, but with the doors open on the 7 Stones holistic spa downstairs and Strega restaurant and bar at the top, she couldn’t be happier.

“We were creating something that would be here for a long time, but also to add to Corvallis rather than take it away,” she said. “I am having a wonderful time with this. That’s the best part.”

Elements is set to receive silver-level LEED certification for using sustainable materials and local labor to construct the building.

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council started to encourage and verify building practices.

Inside the 27,500-square-foot building are walls of recycled glass tile, reclaimed wood wall and ceiling treatments, a rooftop garden and water features on every floor.

Work on the Elements Building began in 2005, with construction expected to be completed in the fall of that year. But when Carr opted to seek special environmental certification for her building, both the construction timetable and the construction budget expanded considerably.

Originally, Carr said the new building would cost $4 million. Later, she said the construction budget grew to $10 million. By the time it opened in April, Carr said the cost had risen to $20 million.

It didn’t help that the price of steel doubled after construction began. That made her most basic building block twice the cost of the original budget.

That caused a ripple effect for all building materials including concrete and interior finishes.

But the LEED certification process meant she couldn’t offset costs by using cheaper fiberboard or other less expensive materials.

“Anyone that is approaching LEED certification needs to do a lot of homework and be committed to the end result,” Carr said. “It’s been a long time.”

The building houses two businesses, both operated by Carr: 7 Stones Spa and Strega.

The spa features the hair and nail salons found in most other beauty establishments. It’s upstairs that 7 Stones sets itself apart.

Away from the bustle of busy stylists and the reception desk, Carr has created a multi-room “holistic healing center” complete with acupuncture, a wall of herbal elements and adjustable LED lighting to set the mood for treatments.

On the penthouse level, Strega features local ingredients served with a view different from any Corvallis restaurant. From seven stories up, diners can take in the city from above. In good weather, the doors open onto two west-facing patios.

“It’s great to get to open the doors and share it with everybody,” Carr said. “And, I’ve got the fastest elevator in town.”

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net

GT Reader Comments

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wrote on May 5, 2008 7:37 AM: " The building story is fascinating. I await the rest of the story. Anyone who spends 500% over budget and is still standing and operating in business requires some sort of a medal. Who is this marvelous risk adverse goal oriented woman? A little biographical data is more interesting than the building itself. " Fixit wrote on May 5, 2008 2:32 PM: " The Elements Bldg is quite a story and what Deanna Carr has accomplished is historic and news worthy. Praise though should be given to Erica Filker the lady behind the scenes for an extraordinate amount of time spent overseeing and insuring that the exquisite design and features of the 7 Stones Spa came to fruition. Without her energy and drive the 7 Stones Spa would not be open today. Her's is another story, her name should be engraved on the walls, her heart will be there forever. " Jules wrote on May 5, 2008 3:43 PM: " How many decades after the building is gone will the exhorbintant costs finally be recouped? How much money does a green building have to save in energy every year to pay off a $16 million overrun? " John Petillo wrote on May 6, 2008 10:26 AM: " this riverfront disgrace has nothing to do with green... it has everything to do with black.... "

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