Renovations coming to Stott Center

With Portland State snagging close to one-sixth of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s 2007-09 capital construction budget, the university will use the money for development of the new recreation center, revamping the old recreation center, expanding parking and continuing work on deferred building maintenance.

The governor approved an $8.5 million expansion of the Peter Stott Center, an athletic facility that could soon be rendered obsolete when the $81 million recreation center is built where the Portland Center for Advanced Technology (PCAT) currently stands. The redesigned Stott Center would serve athletes and physical education classes.

“It’d be a renovation,” said Robyn Pierce, director of PSU facilities. The money, Pierce said, would go towards improving the locker room and classrooms and may go towards a bigger plan-building an arena.

Teri Mariani, Portland State athletics director, said the remodel is still in its planning stages. A conceptual design is being developed with an architect, and Mariani said she hopes that the Stott Center could be turned into a sports arena that she said might attract more athletes and spectators.

“The bottom line is something needs to be done up there,” Mariani said. She said she was not quite certain what the money would be used for if the state Legislature passes the governor’s budget. No construction can be done on the Stott Center until the new recreation center is completed in 2009. By then, construction on the Stott Center would be on the verge of the next biennium.

The Emergency Board approved $51 million in XI-F bonds for the development of the PCAT for the new recreation center. The money will go towards initial funding of the new center, which will also hold space for the PSU Graduate School of Social Work, retail space and parking.

This week there will be two open houses for the new recreation center and architects will be interviewed for its design. Alex Accetta, coordinator of student affairs, said he hopes that they will have a contract by mid-February.

“We’re ready to go with this rec center,” Accetta said. “We’re super-optimistic.”

The recreation center retail space will be used to generate money, and will be expanded upwards during the second phase of the building where there will be classrooms and offices.

The Oregon University System also suggested $10 million go to expanding parking. Gov. Kulongoski, in his suggested budget, raised the amount to $12 million, which would pay for additional floors on Parking Structure 1 on Southwest Broadway and Harrison.

Dan Zalkow, manager of transportation and parking, said that the expansion will replace the 150 parking spaces lost to changes in the bus mall and losing parking in the PCAT parking structure. The additions will add between 120 to 180 spots. Zalkow said that one of PSU’s goals still is to become more environmentally sound by encouraging alternative means of transportation.

“The amount of parking we have now is manageable,” he said. “We’re losing space and still developing.”

Pierce said that when there is good mass transit, after the new Green Line is developed, there would not be a need for additional parking.

All of the money for these three projects comes from XI-F bonds, government loans to auxiliary service projects that must be repaid to the government. The money to repay the bonds comes from revenue generated by operations at the university. For the parking structure, parking fees would pay off the $12 million, and a student fee will pay for the new recreation center, just before the center opens.

The budget is in the Legislature now, and Pierce hopes it will be heard by late February. The Legislature has the power to agree with the budget, raise it or lower it.

“It’s an aggressive capital program ahead,” Pierce said. “It’s an exciting time for us.”

Those interested in contributing to the ongoing recreation center plans, or those curious to see what will become of the PCAT space, can attend the open houses held this week in Smith Memorial Student Union- Wednesday, Jan. 17, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Room 229, and Friday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 333.