City of Portland to move forward on $850M performing arts center project with Portland State University

The City of Portland, Oregon is planning to renovate a more-than-100-year-old auditorium and partner with Portland State University to build a new performing arts center on campus. 

The Portland City Council last week voted to pass a resolution to renovate the city-owned Keller Auditorium while also partnering with Portland State University to construct the new performing arts center.  

The performing arts center will be built first and will host traveling Broadway shows, the Portland Opera and the Oregon Ballet Theater while the Keller Auditorium undergoes renovations. 

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The Keller Auditorium has not undergone significant renovations since the 1960s and has significant structural issues, including the inability to withstand a major earthquake, the city says. 

The total cost for the work on both venues is projected to be around $850 million. The project could include the addition of a hotel and conference center. More than half the total cost is anticipated to come from local and state funding, according to the city. 

The PSU theater is anticipated to open in 2029, and, once open, renovations will commence on the Keller with a projected reopening in 2031. 

Once open, both facilities will be “Broadway-capable” venues that will meet criteria required to host Broadway performances including stage size, lighting, loading/unloading capabilities and more. 

Details of the project include: 

• A market feasibility analysis that will assess optimal seating capacity, financial feasibility and construction timelines 

• Collaborating with Portland State University for future site development including traffic-study impacts, building programming, and development concepts 

• Forming a project steering committee to oversee the financial planning, construction management, and overall coordination of the proposed strategy.  

• A traffic study of Third Avenue to evaluate the impact of a potential street closure. Development of Third Avenue would be considered as part of the future proposal to create a destination where visitors could enjoy a variety of experiences, drawing and keeping more people downtown, the city says. 

Photo courtesy Oregon State Archives