Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Project Update for Sylvania Campus – March 2011

Photos and story by Christine Egan

This winter, the Sylvania Campus Bond Team has been working with campus building groups to develop framework plans to move forward with renovations. The team will use these plans with building department staff when developing programming and pricing estimates to ensure renovations are aligned with the bond budget. Plans for the Automotive & Metals, Social Science, and Science & Technology buildings are nearly completed.

To improve campus circulation for bikes, pedestrians, drivers and shuttles; campus way-finding; campus identity; and on-site storm water management, the team has been  meeting with the Sylvania Campus Site Committee.  This ad hoc committee is comprised of faculty from biology and geology departments, bike commuters, and PCC department staff from Students with Disabilities, Public Safety and Facilities Management Services.

Due to the campus’ location at the headwaters of Fanno Creek, the College must also develop creative ways to treat storm water runoff on-site before letting it flow back into the creek. To develop a stormwater treatment plan, the team is meeting with the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services to discuss the City’s regional stormwater management planning efforts for Fanno Creek.

The team continues to work with a campus committee on programming and space analysis for the College Center building, which is the largest project on campus.  Student government is represented on this committee and students participated in early survey and visioning work sessions. The goal of the project is to create a campus center that provides space for both student services and student activities. Ideas being incorporated include moving student activities to the mall area, opening up the building to provide more natural light, and creating a variety of formal and informal study areas. The bond program provides the College an opportunity to create an updated and fresh campus student union.  The team will share the plan and concepts and gather feedback from campus stakeholders once they have a plan that meets identified program needs.