The prospect of a new building or complex for the School of Fine and Performing Arts is unfolding at Portland State, guided by the vision of Dean Robert Sylvester.
Sylvester’s perspective enlarges into a broad concept. He sees the university constructing a facility that will not only enhance Portland State, but also provide substantial support for and cooperation with the city and its larger arts community.
The School of Fine and Performing Arts currently maintains its office in ancient Lincoln Hall, and while the school consists of art, architecture, music and theater, it is currently scattered among five buildings. Art recently moved into the former Art Institute building, but Sylvester said the university does not intend that as a permanent home for the department.
Sylvester has been thinking about this project since he came to PSU as dean six years ago. He sees it as a project that would probably not be promoted to the construction stage until the new engineering complex is completed.
Currently, the whole vision is undergoing its preliminary phases. Facilities is undertaking a study, to be completed by October of this year. The study is termed a collaborative effort of local art organizations; campus community members, including students; and the university to determine potential needs.
Bruce Sternberg is project manager and supervising architect for the current fact-finding phase. Sylvester would like to think when it gets to the design phase, his professors of architecture will be working closely with the PSU architectural wing.
In Sylvester’s current vision, he sees certain needs and limitations.
“In some cases, a fit with the larger arts community may not be there,” he said. “I don’t believe we could be necessarily consistent with the largest needs of ballet or the symphony.” These, he believes, need a seating capacity of 2,000, whereas he is looking at the largest audience seating capacity of about 1,700. Lincoln hall currently is limited to 500 seats.
He sees the new facility as potentially offering more than additional performing spaces. Sylvester would like to see a library of the fine and performing arts, a resource not currently available at PSU. The library could also have an audience area of about 200 seats, suitable for artistic performances better adapted to smaller spaces.
Sylvester also expressed interest in an idea embodied in a model facility in New York City’s Lincoln Center, which consists of a library and office where artists and organizations can apply for funds.
“It would be wonderful for the university and the city to have something like that,” he said. “It would be important for any city like Portland that has great recognition for the arts.” He sees a potential arts foundation, organized to reach out to the community in many different ways.
“Such a foundation would be able to blend ideas with many constituencies and organizations.” he said. PSU already has a strong relationship with the Portland Art Museum, and that could be further enhanced by a new facility.
The question of space on campus always confronts any new building project, but Sylvester pointed out that PSU continues to acquire more space where it is available.
He thought of one possibility for a site being created by demolishing some present structures. The new complex could perhaps occupy the present site of Lincoln Hall plus the property just across the Park Blocks now occupied by the Extended Studies Building and a substantial parking lot.
As for a timetable, Sylvester could only speculate. This fall, he will go into more conferences, including some mini-retreats with various constituencies inside and outside the university.
Considering the current financial crunch, he views that as cyclical. In a somewhat longer-range project as this, the economy may make several turns before the project reaches completion.
“Other things may also speed up or slow down the process,” he said. Construction could take about eight years, or six years or even four years, he speculated.
“At any rate, we are off and running,” he said. “We are talking to many people who are going to be helpful to us.”
Richard Piekenbrock, university architect, explained, “Sternberg is doing a preliminary program study for Dean Sylvester and his faculty to look at what facilities Fine and Performing Arts would need for a future ‘performing arts’ facility.”
The study would supply Sylvester with estimates on what the project would cost, the time it would take to build, and what functions and spaces would likely be needed.
“This kind of preliminary study is usually done prior to submitting request for a capital project, in an effort to define a project and scope,” Piekenbrock said. He indicated the university is just starting the study and Sternberg has little data to share as yet.
But Sylvester radiates optimism, despite the potential hurdles.
“These things actually do happen,” he said. “It has to do with believing in the project and what it will do for the university and the community.”