Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Pacific Northwest College of Art has been given a stately old federal building in Portland’s Pearl District. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The building stands across from the central post office and houses the Department of Homeland Security.

The college, which is the fastest growing independent art school in the nation, applied for the site via a federal education program.  President Tom Manley, says they’re thrilled.

Manley: “If it hadn’t been designed as a post office you would have thought that it was designed as an art school because when we can restore all the natural sky lighting systems and the upper stories, it’s just such a well lit building naturally.”

Several other organizations had been interested in the 1916 structure, including the Portland Public Market.

The art school was founded 99 years ago as the education wing of the Portland Art Museum. It has about 430 students, but expects to have twice that number when it takes control of the federal building in a couple of years.