PORTLAND, Oregon — The Matthew Prophet Education Center is 360,000 square feet of office, maintenance and warehouse space — the guts of Portland Public Schools. But years ago, the land it sits on was the heart of Portland's Black community, and it's now one step closer to becoming that again.
A new resolution approved by the district's board of education Tuesday directs PPS to create a timeline and plan with the Albina Vision Trust (AVT). The district would eventually like to sell its headquarters to the nonprofit.
However, board members, including Julia Brim-Edwards, emphasize that the resolution is not a sale or any kind of done deal.
“I want to be clear,” said Brim-Edwards. “What the resolution is, is setting a direction from school board to staff to move ahead with working with Albina Vision Trust to potentially sell them our building and to find a new home for the Matt Prophet Education Center.”
The Albina Vision Trust is trying to restore the 94 acres of Lower Albina, much of it acquired by eminent domain from predominately Black community members. AVT Chair Mike Alexander was encouraged by support of the idea, which the nonprofit proposed to the school board last month.
“I wanted to acknowledge that this is a transformative and pivotal opportunity for this city, for its children and for its families,” said Alexander.
On Wednesday, The AVT shared a longer statement on the district’s resolution:
“We are heartened by the PPS Board's earnest and continued effort to stand alongside the Albina Vision Trust in this generational effort to rebuild Albina. While this resolution does not represent a transaction agreement, it does bring us one step closer to building over 1,000 units of housing for working-class and under-represented families in the heart of our central city. And, most importantly, it positions all involved parties to officially transact on this catalytic 10.5-acre parcel by year’s end.
“Long-term, the restorative redevelopment plan spearheaded by the Albina Vision Trust will bring over 3,000 families back to this historic area; create a large-scale waterfront park on the Eastside for all Portlanders; and produce community gardens, mixed-use commercial space and an interconnected series of accessible hubs geared towards meeting the existential needs of the Lower Albina's residents. Yesterday's landmark decision represents a notable leap forward in the long-standing and multi-generational effort to ensure that working-class and historically disenfranchised communities have a home in the heart of Portland.”
Before the district can sell its current headquarters, they'll need to find a new one — or possibly two — with AVT’s help. It's unclear where maintenance crews might land, which concerns many district employees, including electrician Adam Maurer.
“No thought or study has been completed to consider the need for a centralized maintenance location, allowing expedient access to all the buildings in the district requiring maintenance response,” said Maurer.
Brim-Edwards said the district will tackle those and other concerns as they set criteria for their relocation and sale. It's one of many milestones along a 12-month timeline, which they hope will lead to a more official decision to vote on.
“It's a great vision,” said Brim-Edwards, “and this is a key piece of it.”