After beginning renovations in January 2018, the new Fariborz Maseeh Hall—formerly known as Neuberger Hall—will conduct its grand opening at 9 a.m. on Oct. 2.
Until then, the first floor is currently available for students to access Portland State’s new epicenter of student services, including the Financial Wellness center, the Office of the Registrar, the Veteran Certification center and the Office of Information Technology help desk. The Student Advising Center, located on the third floor, is also available to students.
FMH will also include a variety of departments and classrooms, including Art and Design, World Languages, English and the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art—which will open on Nov. 7, and will be located on the first floor—will showcase artwork from PSU faculty, students and artists from the Pacific Northwest, as well as national and international exhibits.
Both the facilities and the building itself have undergone extensive renovations. The new common area features a massive skylight allowing natural light.
“[FMH] provides everybody a nice, new building to collaborate in,” said Cameron Patterson, project manager of Capital Projects and Construction, who oversaw the renovations within FMH. “A lot of open areas and common space for students and faculty alike to enjoy.,”
“One of the main goals of the university should be to foster and promote learning,” Patterson said. “With the new classrooms, better lighting and amenities, it should make it that much more conducive to having a nice space to be in rather than some dark and dingy classroom.”
The renovations began in January 2018 and cost nearly $70 million, which was raised thanks to $60 million in public bond funds and $10 million in philanthropic contributions, according to a press release.
“It’s a part of my department’s job—we go through reviewing each building on campus to determine what buildings need the most attention,” Patterson said. “[FMH] was flagged as one of them, as it was a 50-year-old building with a lot of the mechanical and electrical systems failing, which is why this project was identified as the next major renovation on campus.”
“This remarkable new facility that now stands at the heart of our student success mission would not have been possible without the generosity of these two incredible philanthropists and a big commitment from the state,” stated PSU President Stephen Percy in a press release. “This building will help transform the student experience and serve as an important new connection point between PSU and the city we serve.”
