Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Another bond project completed at Rock Creek campus!

Photos and story by Karen Kane

 July 2, 2014 

What a difference a few weeks can make! During the first few days of June, the Facilities Management Services (FMS) and  Public Safety staff at Rock Creek were packing boxes, pulling shelves and piling pallets, preparing to move into the newly-renovated Building 1. On June 18, they celebrated with a barbeque lunch and of course, cake, at a noon meal.

Thanks to the 2008 bond, the two departments are working out of much-improved space, with more room for their staff and the supplies they need to serve the campus. The building was remodeled in early 2014 as part of the $63 million investment PCC is making at Rock Creek.

Karen Maxwell, FMS custodial manager at Rock Creek, said she and her staff are very appreciative of the dedicated space. “Though we made the best of the space we had in Building 5, it wasn’t ideal,” she said. “Now we’re centrally located, and can serve the campus so much better with the loading dock, the rolling receiving doors, the shop area and the storage space.”

Building 5 being located at the front of campus didn’t make sense for them, Maxwell said. Not only did it take more effort to make deliveries, people walked into the storage areas not knowing where they were. “We also had to retrofit two double people-sized doors to get our forklift through them, we worked off carpeting, and the storage space just wasn’t intended for facilities and the items the campus needs.”

Maxwell said she and her staff are happy that the college invested in the department. “Honestly, the college’s dedication to FMS – taking the time and money to invest in the department and its employees – it’s so appreciated. We are used to serving, and not getting in return. This makes us want to serve even better,” she said.

Rick Rivera, acting sergeant for Rock Creek’s Public Safety, echoed those sentiments. He said the remodel is definitely “for the better” for his team. “It’s a great facility,” he said.  “We’re not as cramped, as most officers have individual cubicles to work from.”

Rivera said another advantage is a larger area for Lost and Found, which helps to make it a better service for those who have misplaced important items.

“We also have more convenient parking spaces for our vehicles – they’re right up front – which helps for better response, and we have storage for our snow tires and other items. In Building 5, our items were piled in different areas,” he said.

Building 1 formerly housed the college’s Central Distribution / mail service, which was moved to a more convenient Beaverton location. The remodeling work was performed by Faison Construction in partnership with Fortis Construction, the prime construction manager/general contractor for the voter-approved bond projects at Rock Creek. Faison’s partnership with Fortis is a direct result of the PCC’s goal to reinvest bond dollars into the local economy, mentor smaller construction companies and spread work and opportunity to minority and women-owned businesses and local vendors.

Renovations costs were about $1.5 million.

PCC’S 2008 voter-approved $374 million bond program is increasing opportunities for residents to access quality, affordable higher education close to where they live and work. Additional classrooms, updated equipment and technology, and advanced workforce training programs are helping to pave the way for future employment options. For more information, visit the bond website