PORTLAND, Ore. — After three years of construction, the historic Benson Polytechnic High School building in Northeast Portland is back open. Bonds from 2017 and 2020 helped fund the renovations to bring the century-old building up to not just modern but cutting-edge standards.
"To be in a facility that's 100 years old and to see the way that it's renovated speaks to our investment in community and building and designing something that will continue to be utilized for generations to come," said Portland Public Schools Superintendent Kimberlee Armstrong.
Armstrong joined PPS earlier this summer and toured the school on Tuesday, the first day of classes for freshman. Staff quickly pointed out all the historic features of the building that were salvaged, like some of the chairs in the 1,000-seat auditorium. The lobby, built in 1919, still boasts ornate wood molding.
But the renovations also brought new wings for career technical education classes, filled with the technology for students to earn certificates in dentistry, health care, computer science and other fields.
“Just seeing freshman so excited to be here, educators touring them through the building, it was amazing," said Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, who also joined the tour.
The cafeteria and common space are now wide-open, filled with natural light and leading out to an internal courtyard. Along one wall is a set of stairs large enough to hold a lecture. Laid along the top of each step is a piece cut out of the old gym floor, bearing the logo of Benson Tech. It was just another way to bring together the old and the new, staff said.
“It’s really humbling to see the ways in which our community has come together the ways in which our voters leaned in to make Benson a reality two times," said Armstrong.
While it's an exciting time for Benson students and families, Armstrong acknowledged that about half of PPS schools still need maintenance and upgrades, and the district will need to find additional funding to cover everything.
“Keep tax rates the same, but [we plan to] pursue other bonds so that we can bring other facilities into a state that’s safe, that’s clean and that’s well equipped," said Armstrong.
It's money that Bonilla said she hopes will also come from the Oregon legislature.
Benson Polytechnic High School will be open to the public on September 14th. PPS is hosting a grand opening at 10 a.m.
