Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC, partners celebrate new era on Killingsworth

Photos and story by James Hill

PORTLAND, Ore. – On Thursday, Aug. 18, Portland Community College, Portland Development Commission, Portland Office of Transportation, Humboldt Neighborhood Association and local residents and businesses kicked off the $5 million construction improvement project on North Killingsworth Street. The three-block project stretches from Michigan to Borthwick avenues. The ceremony celebrated the construction that began Aug. 1 on the first phase of public improvements.The Killingsworth Street Improvements project includes wider sidewalks, pedestrian scaled streetlights and new trees. It is part of the urban renewal efforts in the north Portland neighborhood for a three-block area of Killingsworth between Michigan and Borthwick avenues.Speakers included City of Portland Mayor Tom Potter, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams, Portland Development Commission Executive Director Bruce Warner, Preston Pulliams (PCC District President) and Algie Gatewood (Cascade Campus President) and Jaime Lim, PCC board member and local business owner. Other speakers included Humboldt neighborhood resident Herb Jenkins (a former PCC Cascade Campus student), and Walter Valenta and Lenny Anderson, who were members of the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Advisory Committee. "This area is developing," said Adams. "Especially with PCC’s development here at Cascade Campus and the new light rail. There are a lot of things that foretell of a bright future for this area. It will bring so many new businesses and students that it will realize its potential and be a role model for the rest of the city."Speaker after speaker made remarks in celebration of the developing, mixed-use Killingsworth Main Street. "This project is an opportunity for a better future," said Jenkins, who trained at the PCC-Cascade Campus Skill Center. "This community is fortunate to have the administration it has."Potter shared his connections with Portland Community College, telling the audience he got his college start and PCC. Potter earned an associate’s degree at PCC in the ’60s before heading to the University of Portland."This partnership is important to the quality of life in this community," said Pulliams. "This is what PCC is all about, quality and accessible education to this area. I’m looking forward to the future because I can tell you all – you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!"