Pacific Northwest College of Art Announces Plans to Purchase Main Campus Building

Milestone reached in College's goal for an innovative, integrated urban campus

Portland, OR (PRWEB) April 24, 2008 -- Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) today announced plans to purchase its main campus building at 1241 NW Johnson Street, which the College has been leasing since 1998 from Edith Goodman and the Goodman family. "I am delighted to announce that we will soon assume ownership of our main campus building in the Pearl District," said Tom Manley, PNCA President. "The building is the heart and soul of the College, and we are grateful to the Goodman family for the opportunity to secure it for future generations of art and design students."

PNCA, which was founded in 1909 as the Museum Art School, has become a fast growing independent art college. The main campus building will continue to serve as the hub for the school's expanding urban campus. PNCA established the Pearl District campus after separating from the Portland Art Museum and moving to the then forming neighborhood among warehouses and lofts. Along with the purchase of the main campus building, PNCA has recently announced the acquisition of the historic 511 NW Broadway building through a public benefit conveyance from the U.S. Department of Education, which allowed the transfer of the former post office to PNCA at no cost.

"One of the ways PNCA is changing the traditional educational model is to rethink the idea of a campus," said President Manley. "PNCA's approach envisions a school that is woven into the larger urban fabric--a school that activates, contributes to and draws from the city and state's network of creative organizations and businesses. Our belief is that there is value to the ongoing exposure of our students to the wider cultural and social forces and that these can become part of the curriculum. Along with the recent acquisition of the 511 NW Broadway building, the ownership of our main campus building provides a solid foundation for the growth of the College, helping us to better realize our vision."

The main campus building was a former warehouse and was redesigned by Holst Architecture and built by R&H Construction in 1998 to accommodate the College's educational programs and provide a large open space for public events. The design and construction have won numerous awards, including the Unbuilt Citation Award for Excellence in Design from the American Institute of Architects and the Governor's Livability Award. PNCA first outlined its larger plan to develop its campus in the College's 2005 Master Plan, led by board member and Master Plan Committee chair Laura Hill and executed by Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works Architecture. In 2007, with increasing enrollment and plans to add new graduate programs through the new Ford Institute for Visual Education (FIVE), the College began active discussions to acquire the building from its current owners.

About PNCA

Since its founding in 1909, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) has become a leader in innovative educational programming that connects students to a global perspective in the visual arts. The College offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Communication Design, Illustration, Intermedia, General Fine Arts, Painting, Photography, Printmaking and Sculpture. In addition, the College offers a mentor-based MFA in Visual Studies that allows students to create a studio-centered curriculum to realize their personal artistic vision. PNCA has the oldest continuously running community arts education program in the Northwest. From its current base in the heart of the Pearl District, PNCA is actively involved in Portland's cultural programming through exhibitions and a vibrant public program of lectures and visiting artists from around the world. In connection with its Ford Institute for Visual Education (FIVE) the College most recently debuted the PNCA+FIVE Idea Studios featuring artists James Turrell and philosopher Jacques Rancière. Visit on-line for a full events calendar and to learn more about PNCA's BFA degree, MFA in Visual Studies or Continuing Education courses for all ages and skill levels.

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