Washington High Community Center

PROJECT UPDATE

In 2002/03 Portland Public Schools identified a number of properties the it considered "surplus" based on the recommendation of Innovation Partnerships and the Real Estate Trust. The inner southeast community was very concerned about the potential of the Washington High School site passing out of public ownership, and the process PPS used to identify properties as "surplus." After very successful organizing, the community convinced the City of Portland to acquire 4.5 acres of the 7-acre site. This acquisition cost the City $2,000,000 and was paid for with both General Fund and Tax Increment Financing. The Central Eastside Urban Renewal District extended the boundaries of the URA to include this site and make it an eligible expenditure for the URAC. In 2003 an Advisory Committee was formed to create a preliminary design for use of the portion of the site owned by the City of Portland.

In 2009, Portland Parks & Recreation received funds as a result of the support of Senators Wyden and Smith. This money was received as a Housing and urban Development Grant for $665,000. In April 2009 an Advisory Committee was appointed by Commissioner Fish to develop the scope and program for the facility. Initially, the committee's task was to build upon the recommendations of the 2003 Advisory Committee's work. Shortly after the committee began meeting, PP&R was approached by Portland Public Schools and invited to consider the exisiting high school as part of the design process. There was some reluctance in including the facility because the property was not owned by PP&R. After some discussion, PP&R and the Advisory Committee determined that it would be incomplete to design the site without consideration of the old building.

Based on community priorities and committee criteria, SERA architects created three design options for the committee to consider.

• Option A was a stand-alone facility located at the NW corner of the site at SE 12 & Stark. The entire facility and fields would be developed on space currently owned by PP&R.
• Option B was a connected facility with portions of the community center in a new development and portions located within the high school building.
• Option C was a center located entirely within the shell of the high school. PP&R would have to purchase the building from PPS.

After much discussion, the Advisory Committee eliminated Option B from consideration for the following reasons:

1. PP&R would have to acquire the property from PPS. That cost was unknown.
2. PP&R did not need the entire amount of space in the old building and would need to identify a permanant tenant, a risky and uncertain venture.
3. PP&R would have to take on the entire cost of redeveloping the old building AND creating a new facility, OR PP&R would have to identify a developer willing to put up capital and partner with us.

Each of these carried a large amount of uncertainty and risk for PP&R and it did not seem reasonable to pursue the option further.

After a community open house on October 15, it became apparent that there was significant community interest in preservation of the entire high school building and not just the external facade. A prospective developer came forward expressing interest in redeveloping the property and inviting PP&R to lease the ground floor for community center functions. This appeared to be an excellent resolution to some of the project challenges. The Advisory Committee dubbed this Option D and at the last meeting on November 2 agreed unanimously to support recommending Option D to Director Zantner and Commissioner Fish. If the private venture fails to transpire, the committee recommended that PP&R move forward with developing Option A Fallback.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong, 503-823-5113.