Washington High School (Portland, Oregon)
Encyclopedia
Washington High School was a high school in Portland
, Oregon
, United States
, described in 1950 as "Portland's finest high school." It was part of the Portland school district. Opened in September 1906, the school was originally named the East Side High School, but changed its name to Washington in 1909. The school is located at SE 14th and Stark. The original building was destroyed by fire on October 25, 1922 and rebuilt as a brick building, which opened by September 1924.
Due to the baby boom
and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, a new gymnasium was slated to be built.
In 1977, Monroe High School, once the all-girls polytechnic sister school to Benson Polytechnic High School
, merged with Washington High School. The school then became Washington-Monroe High School.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, PPS was faced with declining enrollment, and targeted Cleveland High School (originally Clinton Kelly High School of Commerce) for closure. The Cleveland High School property was divided in two parcels: The site of the school building and the site of the athletic field, originally the site of the Clinton Kelly mansion.
Clinton Kelly
, an early Portland settler and minister, specified that the property was to be used solely for a public school. If the property was used for any other purpose, or put up for sale, the property would revert to the Kelly estate, and to the living heirs of Clinton Kelly. PPS ultimately decided to close Washington H.S. ("Washington-Monroe" by then), and keep Cleveland H.S. open.
Washington-Monroe closed in May 1981, and the building was used for administrative purposes until several years ago. It remained vacant since then, although it was prepared to house Hurricane Katrina
evacuees in Fall 2005.
In the 2002-2003 school year, Portland Public Schools identified a number of properties that it considered "surplus" based on the recommendation of Innovation Partnerships and the Real Estate Investment Trust
.
In 2005, the City of Portland purchased 5.4 acres (21,853 m²) of the school property for $4.5 million. That parcel included the gym, a three-story addition, a one-story outbuilding and the track and field. The city intends to use the land for a community center and athletic fields when funding becomes available. The remaining 2.6 acres (10,521.8 m²) comprises two parcels in the northeast and southeast corners of the site, one largely vacant, and the other housing the multi-story brick high school building. Beam Development was planning on developing the space into condos and commercial buildings.
In 2009, Portland Parks & Recreation received funds as a result of the support of Senators Ron Wyden
and Gordon H. Smith. This money was received as a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
grant for $665,000. In April 2009, an advisory committee was appointed by Government of Portland, Oregon
Commissioner Nick Fish to develop the scope and program for the facility.
The Washington High School site was used Sept. 3 to Oct 23, 2009 by the Time-Based Art Festival
. Dubbed "The Works," the site displayed many of the visual arts pieces. The site also hosted the City Repair Project
's Earth Day
2011 event, Earth Day Incorporated.
Though it was opened and cleaned out, in part, due to the TBA Festival, the site is still slated to be turned into a community center. Preservation talks about the planned center are still under way. SERA Architects of Portland is working with Parks and the citizens committee on tentative plans.
Concurrently, PPS has commissioned an update of an appraisal on the building, which is supposed to be finished by mid-January 2010. The district also plans to issue a “request for information” to see if any other developers are interested in buying the long-vacant high school. Doug Capps, a PPS facilities manager, told an advisory committee on Dec. 1, 2009 that an offer on the building
could be submitted to the school board as soon as March or April 2010.
In April 2011, local volunteers began the process of creating the Buckman Historic District. If approved, Washington High School would be included.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, described in 1950 as "Portland's finest high school." It was part of the Portland school district. Opened in September 1906, the school was originally named the East Side High School, but changed its name to Washington in 1909. The school is located at SE 14th and Stark. The original building was destroyed by fire on October 25, 1922 and rebuilt as a brick building, which opened by September 1924.
Due to the baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, a new gymnasium was slated to be built.
In 1977, Monroe High School, once the all-girls polytechnic sister school to Benson Polytechnic High School
Benson Polytechnic High School
Benson Polytechnic High School is a technical public high school in the Portland Public Schools district. Its campus is located in the center of Portland's Eastside commercial area. Students are given a special emphasis in a technical area...
, merged with Washington High School. The school then became Washington-Monroe High School.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, PPS was faced with declining enrollment, and targeted Cleveland High School (originally Clinton Kelly High School of Commerce) for closure. The Cleveland High School property was divided in two parcels: The site of the school building and the site of the athletic field, originally the site of the Clinton Kelly mansion.
Clinton Kelly
Clinton Kelly (minister)
Reverend Clinton Kelly was an early pioneer of what became the U.S. state of Oregon.Kelly was born on June 15, 1808, in Pulaski County, Kentucky, the son of Samuel and Nancy Kelly....
, an early Portland settler and minister, specified that the property was to be used solely for a public school. If the property was used for any other purpose, or put up for sale, the property would revert to the Kelly estate, and to the living heirs of Clinton Kelly. PPS ultimately decided to close Washington H.S. ("Washington-Monroe" by then), and keep Cleveland H.S. open.
Washington-Monroe closed in May 1981, and the building was used for administrative purposes until several years ago. It remained vacant since then, although it was prepared to house Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
evacuees in Fall 2005.
In the 2002-2003 school year, Portland Public Schools identified a number of properties that it considered "surplus" based on the recommendation of Innovation Partnerships and the Real Estate Investment Trust
Real estate investment trust
A real estate investment trust or REIT is a tax designation for a corporate entity investing in real estate. The purpose of this designation is to reduce or eliminate corporate tax. In return, REITs are required to distribute 90% of their taxable income into the hands of investors...
.
In 2005, the City of Portland purchased 5.4 acres (21,853 m²) of the school property for $4.5 million. That parcel included the gym, a three-story addition, a one-story outbuilding and the track and field. The city intends to use the land for a community center and athletic fields when funding becomes available. The remaining 2.6 acres (10,521.8 m²) comprises two parcels in the northeast and southeast corners of the site, one largely vacant, and the other housing the multi-story brick high school building. Beam Development was planning on developing the space into condos and commercial buildings.
In 2009, Portland Parks & Recreation received funds as a result of the support of Senators Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
and Gordon H. Smith. This money was received as a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, is a Cabinet department in the Executive branch of the United States federal government...
grant for $665,000. In April 2009, an advisory committee was appointed by Government of Portland, Oregon
Government of Portland, Oregon
The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that...
Commissioner Nick Fish to develop the scope and program for the facility.
The Washington High School site was used Sept. 3 to Oct 23, 2009 by the Time-Based Art Festival
Time-Based Art Festival
The Time-Based Art Festival is an annual interdisciplinary art and performance festival presented by the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art . It occurs over a ten-day period in September in Portland, Oregon in the United States...
. Dubbed "The Works," the site displayed many of the visual arts pieces. The site also hosted the City Repair Project
City Repair Project
The City Repair Project is a 501 non profit organization based in Portland, Oregon. Its focus is education and activism for community building...
's Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
2011 event, Earth Day Incorporated.
Though it was opened and cleaned out, in part, due to the TBA Festival, the site is still slated to be turned into a community center. Preservation talks about the planned center are still under way. SERA Architects of Portland is working with Parks and the citizens committee on tentative plans.
Concurrently, PPS has commissioned an update of an appraisal on the building, which is supposed to be finished by mid-January 2010. The district also plans to issue a “request for information” to see if any other developers are interested in buying the long-vacant high school. Doug Capps, a PPS facilities manager, told an advisory committee on Dec. 1, 2009 that an offer on the building
could be submitted to the school board as soon as March or April 2010.
In April 2011, local volunteers began the process of creating the Buckman Historic District. If approved, Washington High School would be included.
Notable alumni
- Steven G. BradburySteven G. BradburySteven G. Bradbury is an attorney at the Washington, D.C office of Dechert LLP.Bradbury was head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the United States Department of Justice during the George W. Bush administration. Appointed the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for OLC in April 2004, he...
, 1976, attorney, United States Department of JusticeUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated... - Bill NaitoBill NaitoWilliam Sumio Naito , better known as Bill Naito, was a noted businessman, civic leader and philanthropist in Portland, Oregon, U.S...
, longtime Portland businessman and civic leader - Jack PateraJack PateraJohn Arlen "Jack" Patera is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. He played for the Baltimore Colts, Chicago Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. Patera was the first head...
, former Head Coach of the Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... - Linus PaulingLinus PaulingLinus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He was one of the most influential chemists in history and ranks among the most important scientists of the 20th century...
, two-time Nobel PrizeNobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner, awarded his diploma in 1962 45 years after leaving Washington because he was not allowed to take a required course a year early in order to attend Oregon State UniversityOregon State UniversityOregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
.
External links
- www.wahicols.com alumni site
- Washington High School entry on Portland Architecture