A Celebration of Life For Bob Gerding Held at The Gerding Theater at The Armory 9/14

By: Yosi Merves Aug. 27, 2009

On behalf of the Gerding family, Portland Center Stage announces a celebration of life for Bob Gerding on Monday, September 14, at 4:00 pm. The celebration will take place on the Main Stage of The Gerding Theater at the Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave, with a reception to follow. The event is open to the public.

Gerding, a Portland native who transformed the city's downtown core with Earth-friendly high-rise buildings and energized its leading theater company, died on August 18 after a long fight with cancer. He was 71. Gerding was best known for co-founding Gerding Edlen Development Co., the firm that redeveloped the former Blitz-Weinhard brewery into an urban cluster of offices and shops that are studied worldwide for their approach to mixed-use development and water and energy conservation. With his wife, Diana, Gerding dedicated much of his time and resources into Portland Center Stage, helping to lead the campaign for the landmark theater amid the Brewery Blocks that now bears his name. He was also an advocate for, and valued advisor to, numerous other arts non-profits in the city.

Gerding is survived by his wife, Diana; sister, Janet Conklin; his daughter, ShawnMarie Rehfeld; his son, Erik Gerding, and three grandchildren. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, any commemorative gifts to honor Bob be made to Portland Center Stage, Caldera, PICA, Literary Arts, or your favorite non-profit arts organization.

The Gerding Theater at The Armory houses a 599-seat Main Stage and a 200-seat black box Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006. The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues. Visit Portland Center Stage online at www.pcs.org.

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