PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland State University came out swinging Wednesday, previewing its proposal to build a brand new performing arts center in downtown Portland to replace the aging Keller Auditorium.
The city of Portland owns Keller and faces a dilemma in the coming years. The 3,000-seat venue, constructed back in 1917 and renovated in 1967, needs a great deal of work to continue hosting performances, including seismic upgrades.
As a result, the city has been exploring its options: either embarking on a massive renovation project or committing to a new venue that would take the Keller's place. Over the summer, the city awarded grant funding to the Halprin Landscape Conservancy to study the potential avenues it could take.
Even at the time, Portland said that it had reached out to several major property holders to explore the potential for new construction, including PSU, the Lloyd Center and OMSI.
In a statement released Wednesday, PSU expressed enthusiasm for the prospect of building a new, state-of-the-art performance venue on Southwest Lincoln Street to replace the Keller. According to the university, officials from the city of Portland and Metro plan to review the details of PSU's proposal in an interview session next week.
“Portland State University has been and will continue to be a powerful force in the revitalization of downtown Portland,” said PSU President Ann Cudd. “Our proposal looks toward building for the future of this great city, not renovating its past.”
PSU's proposal includes a new 3,000-seat auditorium, an outdoor plaza, an on-site boutique hotel, a conference center and educational facilities — all in downtown. According to the university, their proposal is the only one, aside from renovations at the Keller, that would keep the venue downtown.
Part of PSU's pitch is that the new construction would allow the Keller to keep hosting performances in the meantime, while also allowing for design input from communities throughout the region and climate-friendly construction. The size of the lot also boasts areas for large vehicle parking and backstage loading bays.
The proposed site is already owned by PSU, the university said, although they did not specify where in particular it would be sited on Southwest Lincoln. They would offer a long-term land lease to the city "on attractive terms."
PSU isn't new to the development game; they've renovated or built eight projects in the central city within the past 12 years, including the $111 million Vanport Building, which the city of Portland co-owns with three other entities. The university said the building now has a total value over $600 million.
The school's own student body "is a statewide talent pipeline for the arts and other industries" and would bring in new audiences to the venue, PSU said, while making use of the site every day of the year.
"This project will help unite and ignite the arts community for the benefit of all," said Leroy Bynum, dean of PSU’s College of the Arts. "Our proposal creates a venue for everyone, with strong educational and cultural connections and the space flexibility to ensure that the site better serves more of the local arts and theater community."
