Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

PCC Board Authorizes Expansion for Cascade Campus

Photos and story by James Hill

PORTLAND, Ore. – By a unanimous vote at its Thursday, June 21 board meeting the Portland Community College Board of Directors authorized the college to acquire properties for the expansion of the Cascade Campus, PCC’s urban campus in North Portland. With its vote, the board authorized the college to use its right of eminent domain to acquire properties in the event voluntary agreements are not reached. In November of 2000, district voters approved a $144 million bond measure to construct new facilities and renovate existing buildings on all three of its main campuses, and at the Southeast Center. Approximately $57 million is earmarked for Cascade Campus, which is located at 705 North Killingsworth Street. Cascade has grown to 15,000 students, a 55 percent increase in enrollment in the past five years. The campus can not meet the current and future needs of students without expansion. The proposal calls for as many as five new buildings at the Cascade Campus to accommodate the growth in student enrollment. The expansion is planned for west and south of the campus. For more than a year, PCC staff have been working with the community surrounding the campus in preparation of the bond measure to extend the campus’ footprint. Mildred Ollee, executive dean of the Cascade Campus, held four public meetings to discuss expansion plans and has met with the neighborhood associations in the area. In addition, Ollee and other staff from PCC have had discussions with local property owners about property acquisition. "It is time for us to move ahead and proceed so we can meet the needs of students and the community in the future,"said PCC Board Chair Karen McKinney. "With passage of the PCC bond in November by more than 64 percent, the board received a strong message for new facilities at Cascade. We want to be able to provide the very best in educational and training resources in this community."Vice chair Mike Hereford added that every month the board delays actions, construction costs and energy costs increase. "We have been talking about this for a really long time. We have got to get moving in the interest of larger numbers of people we need to serve,"he said. The college will continue to work with property owners to acquire the needed real estate, said PCC Vice President of Administrative Services Randy McEwen, who is directing the district-wide bond program construction and renovation projects. In a letter he sent to property owners last week, he stated that the college is committed to providing all eligible benefits to qualified property owners and renters. The properties affected represent approximately two and one-half city blocks and include eight commercial and 12 residential properties. They are:*an enclosed parking lot on the northeast side of the campus next to Jackson Hall*the building currently housing the Albina Christian Life Center, at 5522 N. Albina Ave.*the block south of the Cascade Campus bounded by North Killingsworth Street, North Borthwick and North Kerby avenues and North Killingsworth Court, west of the Jefferson High School athletic field. There are seven properties earmarked for acquisition. *the block located west of the Cascade Campus, bounded by North Albina Avenue, North Jessup Street, North Mississippi Avenue, and North Killingsworth Street, containing 11 properties for acquisition. McEwen said that the college would begin immediately to work with property owners and renters regarding the board’s action. To ensure a smooth process and to help individuals apply for and receive relocation benefits, the college has retained the services of Ray Leary of ERL Development and DeAnn Franklin of Right-of-Way Associates, Inc.