PSU to work with city on performing arts center next steps

The Portland City Council passed a resolution Wednesday that directs city staff to convene meetings with Portland State University and the Halprin Landscape Conservancy on a collaborative and cohesive vision to support performing arts and cultural vitality of downtown Portland.

The meetings will consider revitalization and activation of the current Keller site, which the Halprin Landscape Conservancy is advocating be rebuilt to meet current seismic standards, the current site of PSU’s University Place Hotel, which the university is proposing to redevelop into the Portland Performing Arts + Culture Center, as well as the Halprin Open Space Sequence of parks and fountains that connect the two sites.

The three groups will report back to the City Council on October 9th.

“We look forward to collaborating with the Halprin Landscape Conservancy and the City over the next 45 days,” PSU President Ann Cudd told city commissioners during the meeting. “We’re excited about this process because it expands the conversation beyond a decision about a single auditorium and sets a table for us to collaborate toward a vision for the future of our city. Portland State will always take a seat at the table for collaborative work that moves our region forward.”

The resolution was led by the Interim City Administrator’s Office to develop a collaborative strategy for the future of downtown Portland’s performing arts landscape. According to a statement from the city, a successful strategy “minimizes disruptions to performances at Keller Auditorium, takes community values into consideration, supports the overall revitalization of Portland's Central City and ensures large-scale theatrical productions can continue to thrive long into the future.”

The passing of the city resolution comes after a year of advocacy, meetings with arts organizations and proposal development by Portland State. Along with the Halprin team and developers from the Lloyd District in Northeast Portland, PSU pitched its vision for an iconic arts and culture complex to city commissioners in May. At that time, the City Council was expected to vote on a final decision in August, a move that is now delayed until October.

“There continues to be genuine excitement about what’s possible when we look beyond our individual interests and seek to serve the common good together,” Sarah Schwarz, Portland State Foundation president told the council in her remarks this week. “PSU commits to bringing that collaborative spirit with us to the table you are setting.”