With an abundance of changes going on at Portland State this year, including the expansion of the School of Business Administration, it’s clear that the university is in a season of renovation.
The $60 million expansion will be paid for with capitol funding and private fundraising, and will add 42,000 square feet to the building. The Graduate School of Education, which shares space with the School of Business, will also be moving locations, which will free up another 53,000 square feet.
According to Scott Gallagher, director of communications at PSU, one of the main reasons for the expansion is “bringing the School of Business under one roof.”
With an estimated completion of fall 2016 or early 2017, PSU has chosen local architecture firm SRG Partnership Inc.—the firm responsible for designing Shattuck Hall and the Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon—to expand the business administration building. The firm will also be working with German firm Behnisch Architekten in order to complete the design.
According to Scott Dawson, the dean for the School of Business Administration, SRG Partnership Inc. has already begun gathering input and recommendations from more than 180 people related to the project. They will take these into account before finalizing a design.
One main goal of the expansion is to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum certification.
Since the School of Business opened in 1987, it has more than doubled in size. This has forced PSU to lease spaces outside of the School of Business building.
“Space is at a premium,” Gallagher said.
Dawson also stated that there are no study rooms or common spaces for students in the current building, which are features that will be included in the expansion.
“It effects students learning and their affinity for the university,” Dawson said.
The expansion will also help PSU become more competitive when being compared to other business programs.
Dawson and Gallagher both stated that a university’s buildings have a major impact on the decision for a student who is choosing between schools.
Dawson commented that the expansion will not only impact the students focusing in business, but will affect the overall student body. He hopes that the new expansion will increase student enrollment, and with more students attending PSU, will help keep tuition down.
