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| Governor and community leaders celebrate opening of worksource center in New Columbia | ||
| 05/31/2006 | ||
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Governor to deliver keynote remarks Contacts: Sue Fletcher WSI, 503.478.7319 and Shelley Marchesi HAP, 503.802.8427 Portland, OR – The New Columbia redevelopment will celebrate a milestone on Tuesday, June 6 with the grand opening of WorkSource North, a publicly-operated center dedicated to enhancing the skills and employment opportunities of community residents. Governor Ted Kulongoski will join center partners Portland Community College, the Oregon Employment Department, the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP), Department of Human Services, and Worksystems, Inc. at the opening and deliver the keynote address. The center is located at 4610 N. Trenton Street in Portland and the event will begin at 10:30 am. Center and neighborhood tours will follow. WorkSource North is one of several centers in the region that under the Governor’s direction has been re-branded as WorkSource to help businesses, workers, and job seekers more easily locate and access services. A range of programs and service providers operate out of the centers to maximize public dollars and increase customer options. Services at WorkSource North will be delivered by the Housing Authority of Portland, Portland Community College, and the Oregon Employment Department, and will include access to: Career Center computers, job postings, career advancement assistance, training and certificate classes. Streamlining and centralizing publicly funded workforce services is a key component of Governor Kulongoski’s overall economic development agenda. “We must seize every opportunity to leverage public and private resources and talents and pull partners together to ensure that every Oregonian has the skills to succeed and help boost Oregon businesses,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski. The center is one of several amenities opening on New Columbia’s Trenton Street that will further develop the neighborhood’s sense of community. The development’s two mixed-use buildings will include the WorkSource Center, a neighborhood grocery store, coffee shop, history exhibit, community meeting hall, and New Columbia’s property management offices. Both buildings were built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards. “From the beginning, we have called Trenton Street our main street at New Columbia. It is the heart of the community, and we hope it will draw residents and neighbors together as they participate in all of the recreational and educational opportunities it offers,” said Steve Rudman, HAP’s executive director. In addition to the amenities provided in the two mixed-use buildings, the street features a four-acre city park, senior housing, and a Community Campus that connects a new replacement elementary school and Boy & Girls Club with the existing University Park Community Center, which is being renovated. New Columbia is an innovative, mixed-income housing development that offers a mix of public housing, affordable rental housing, senior rental units, and homes for sale. Replacing the isolated, aging Columbia Villa public housing, the redevelopment was anchored by a $35 million HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development earmarked for revitalization of public housing. The City of Portland committed $20 million, and HAP leveraged an additional $90 million in private, public and philanthropic investment. The architecture, street patterns, services, and recreational and educational opportunities are all planned to integrate New Columbia with the surrounding neighborhood and enrich the lives of residents and neighbors. Program 10:30 Remarks - Chair of Housing Authority of Portland, Kandis Brewer Nunn - Governor Ted Kulongoski - President of Portland Community College, Preston Pulliams - Participant in WorkSource programs - Recognition of Major Donors 11:00 Governor presented with key to the building - Photo Opportunity 11:10 Tour of WorkSource Center and walking tours of New Columbia ###
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