Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

This content was published: October 24, 1996. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.

PCC Goes to Town: New Center Serves Central Portland

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  • Grand Opening — Central Portland Workforce Training Center
  • Thursday, Nov. 7, 4-6 p.m., 1626 S.E. Water Ave (near OMSI).
  • Speakers: PCC President Dan Moriarty, PCC Board Chair Dana Anderson, Oregon 12 General Manager Marty Brantley, OMSI Chief Operations Officer Nancy Stueber and Worth Caldwell of the Central Eastside Industrial Council.

10-24-96

Portland Community College now serves central eastside Portland with a training center just one block from OMSI at Southeast Water and Clay streets. The Central Portland Workforce Training Center opened its doors to the public Sept. 23 and will serve more than 2000 students fall term with 149 classes scheduled. The college expects 10,000 students by the end of the year at this convenient, close-in location. Classes are scheduled days, evenings and weekends.

The showcase facility marks the first time the college has built off campus — purchased land for a new location — in 20 years. It is one of the final projects of a building and renovation campaign that began in 1992 with the passage of a $61.4 million PCC bond measure.

A variety of short-term training classes are offered at the center, including certification and upgrade training for health care, insurance and real estate professionals, course work for managers and supervisors, computer training, customer service training, literacy, GED and English as a second language classes, and community activities, including the Senior Studies Institute and personal enrichment classes. There are also plans for joint projects with OMSI.

The three-story, $4.4 million building houses a 100-seat auditorium with multi-media presentation capabilities and 17 classrooms. The building will soon be outfitted with the newest instructional technologies in modem- and Internet-delivered instruction, interactive television and teleconferencing. It is also set up for groups to hold meetings and seminars, including a kitchen for catering. Designed by architects Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca Partnership, the brick facade features expansive windows on the southwest side which highlights an open, circular staircase.

There is a 158-space parking lot, city bus service is convenient, it is close to downtown and is also accessible by the college’s bus shuttle service. In addition, the OMSI/Zoo bus stops at the center. The center is close to the proposed Caruthers South-North light rail terminal, which would greatly enhance accessibility.