PCC Celebrates Completion Of Largest-ever Renovation At Health Technology Building - 05/06/26
VIDEO & PHOTO: Ribbon cutting and speeches.
SOUTHWEST PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Community College’s newest facility has earned a “clean bill of health,” and is now serving the region’s healthcare workforce needs.
On Tuesday, May 5, Portland Community College celebrated the completion of the college’s largest-ever renovation and officially introduced the newly renovated Health Technology Building to the public. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and guided tours for local leadership, members of the Tigard Chamber of Commerce, community partners and college employees.
Approximately 100 guests attended the celebration at PCC’s Sylvania Campus in Southwest Portland, where President Dr. Adrien Bennings joined college leaders to mark the completion of the state-of-the-art renovation. The facility, which opened to students and the public for spring term, will primarily support healthcare education and training.
“This building is much more than a renovation,” said Bennings. “It is an investment in our students, our healthcare workforce and the future of our region. These updated spaces will give students hands-on training for in-demand careers while helping meet a critical need for qualified healthcare professionals across our region.”
The Health Technology renovation began in 2018 and was funded through PCC’s 2017 and 2022 voter-approved bond measures. The west-side renovation modernized 66,000 square feet, including 9,500 square feet of new instructional space, at a total project cost of $37 million. The investment significantly upgrades the college’s healthcare and emergency professions programs and expands PCC’s ability to deliver hands-on, career-focused instruction in modern learning environments.
The HT West project followed phase one of the building renovation on the east side, completed in 2023. That earlier phase renovated nearly 100,000 square feet at a cost of $78 million and was funded through the 2017 bond measure. Together, the two phases represent an investment in a cornerstone career-technical education facility that had not received a full upgrade since the 1960s.
"The expansion and reopening of the PCC Health Technology Building marks a significant investment in training the region’s future healthcare workforce with modern, hands-on learning spaces,” said Tigard Chamber Chief Executive Officer Megan De Salvo. “This upgraded facility strengthens Portland Community College’s ability to meet growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals across the region. The Tigard Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate this reopening as it is a powerful investment in our region’s local workforce pipeline and our future as the region’s healthcare hub."
The renovated building includes updated instructional and support spaces for important programs -- Nursing, Medical Imaging and Radiography, Physical Education, Exercise Science, as well as additional collaboration areas throughout the facility. Designed with student belonging and community in mind, the building also features an all-user locker room with fully private changing, shower and restroom facilities. In addition, there are refreshed student commons and new fitness areas that support both academic programs and community education.
There is also dedicated instructional space for academic non-credit healthcare programs, helping ensure a comprehensive and modern training environment for both entry-level and continuing education students. By expanding capacity and access across key disciplines, the project better aligns PCC’s programs with regional workforce needs.
That need is significant. Oregon employers continue to report more open positions than available workers to fill them, and the shortage is especially acute in healthcare.
“By modernizing our instructional spaces and expanding access across multiple healthcare disciplines, PCC is ensuring that our programs are aligned with the needs of our students and regional employer partners,” said Janeen Hull, dean for the Healthcare & Emergency Professions Pathway. “We are equipping the next generation of healthcare, emergency and fitness professionals with the skills to lead and the hands-on experience to succeed from day one.”
Program improvements include the expansion of nursing assistant labs to Sylvania, multiple medical assisting cohorts across three campus locations, and a specialized VO2 max testing lab for Exercise Science Program students. These enhancements strengthen preparation for careers in healthcare, rehabilitation and fitness while broadening access to training opportunities across the district.
The project also reflects PCC’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and inclusive design. The renovation is designed to meet LEED Gold standards and is pursuing LEED NC v4.1 certification, and incorporates energy modeling, sustainability workshops and incentives through Energy Trust of Oregon. The design process included extensive stakeholder outreach and engagement, including workshops that applied a critical race spatial lens.
“This renovation represents PCC’s commitment to creating learning environments that reflect the excellence, innovation and care our students will bring to the communities they serve,” Bennings said. “At PCC, we believe students deserve learning spaces that inspire confidence, belonging, and excellence, and this transformation helps make that possible.”
The benefits of these investments extend well beyond campus. A 2026 economic impact study by Lightcast based on 2024 data found that PCC contributes $2.7 billion to the regional economy and supports 20,700 jobs. The same study found students gain approximately $4.10 in higher future earnings for every $1 invested in their education.
“We are deeply grateful to our voters and community for investing in facilities that expand opportunity and strengthen the region’s future,” she added.
For more information about the HT Building renovation, visit pcc.edu/bond/
About Portland Community College: Founded in 1961, Portland Community College is the largest post-secondary institution in Oregon and provides training, degree and certificate completion, and lifelong learning to more than 57,000 full- and part-time students in Multnomah, Washington, Yamhill, Clackamas, and Columbia counties. PCC has four comprehensive campuses, 10 education centers or areas served, and approximately 200 community locations in the Portland metropolitan area. The PCC district encompasses a 1,500-square-mile area in northwest Oregon and offers two-year degrees, one-year certificate programs, short-term training, alternative education, pre-college courses and life-long learning.
Visit PCC news on the web at http://news.pcc.edu/
For B-ROLL footage, visit PCC campus and student life highlight reel.
