Cleveland Modernization

The new Cleveland High School will feature two four-story primary wings linked by a skybridge– a northern academic wing for classrooms and labs, and a southern wing dedicated to performing arts and events. A secure, dynamic outdoor courtyard acts as the heart of the campus, providing a vibrant gathering space for students to access outdoor study and performance areas during the school day.

New facilities include a performing arts theater, a black box theater, two new gymnasiums, and dedicated dance and wrestling studios. A new, welcoming main entrance will be established on SE 28th Avenue, with separate after-hours access for community-use spaces like the theater and gym. Athletic fields at Powell Park will be upgraded in coordination with Portland Parks. The stadium track and field will also be improved.

The structure will be a highly energy-efficient, all-electric building capable of generating its own solar power.

Project Updates

February 2026: We are getting closer to finishing design work. We are working on permitting and construction preparation for a July start to construction.

Design

100% Complete

See the latest designs

Construction

0% Complete

Demolition start (estimated): July 2026
New building construction start (estimated): Winter 2027
Athletic fields construction finish (estimated): Fall 2028
New building construction finish (estimated): Fall 2029

Student Impacts
Community Impacts

Student Impacts

Community Impacts

Project Timeline

Schedules are subject to change

January-July 2026
We will complete the project design, and continue work on permitting and construction preparation.

July-December 2026
We will deconstruct the existing structure and prepare the site for construction.

We will preserve the educational continuity of our community by transitioning students to the Marshall Campus.

January 2027-Summer 2029
Construction on the new building will be underway. Students will remain at the Marshall Campus through the completion of construction.

Fall 2026–Fall 2028
Construction on improvements to athletic facilities will take place. Athletics will be relocated during this time period. More information will be provided by Athletics when available.

Fall 2029
The new building opens and instruction begins.

Community Engagement

Upcoming Public Meetings
Check back soon for upcoming meetings as they are announced.

Cleveland Design Advisory Group (DAG)

The Cleveland High School Design Advisory Group meets regularly during the design phase and includes students, teachers, alumni, industry professionals, parents, school programs, potential site and/or capital partners, school administration and a school board representative. This group is involved in developing the design of the new Cleveland High School by providing feedback on design details and options proposed by the project team. DAG members perform in an advisory role only. Decisions on project details are the responsibility of the Office of School Modernization in collaboration with other District leadership.

DAG Charter

DAG Code of Conduct

Previous Engagement Opportunities

Cleveland Design Option Public Survey (2024)

As part of the community engagement effort, PPS conducted a survey for the Cleveland Modernization Project. The survey asked which of two design options was favored for the modernization:

Plan A – Build an all-new Cleveland High School.

Plan B – Keep and renovate only the 1929 structure and build new facilities around it.

A total of 1,413 people responded to the survey with 81% in support of building an all-new Cleveland High School. Current CHS and feeder school students made up 40% of respondents, and they overwhelmingly support an all-new building. The main reasons people cited were that all new construction provides better educational options for teachers and students and more outdoor open space for the school and community.

Those who wanted to preserve the 1929 building expressed the importance of preserving historic buildings even though they pose some challenges for future use. Some expressed concern about what the loss of the historic building would mean for the neighborhood and the community. View the survey summary.

Cleveland Comprehensive Planning Committee (2022)

The Cleveland Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) was a group of school and community stakeholder representatives who worked together to help provide feedback for the Cleveland Comprehensive Plan. The Committee includes parents, teachers, students, alumni, PPS staff and partners, community representatives and a school board member.

Cleveland (CPC) Documents

Cleveland (CPC) Meeting information

CHS Design Workshop Materials

Cleveland Conceptual Master Planning (2019)

Cleveland CMPC #1 Meeting Minutes & Presentation (10-9-19)

Cleveland CMPC #2 Meeting Minutes & Presentation (10-23-19)

Cleveland CMPC #2 Locations_Ideas survey (10-23-19)

Cleveland CMPC #3 Meeting Minutes & Presentation (11-6-19)

Cleveland CMPC #4 Meeting Minutes (12-10-19)

Español |Tiếng Việt | Русский | Soomaali | 中文

View the CMPC charter here | Español | Soomaali | 中文

View the CMPC member Code of Conduct | Español

Honoring CHS’s History

An all-new structure is being constructed as part of the Cleveland Modernization. We carefully considered preserving all or part of Cleveland’s exterior throughout the planning and design process, beginning in 2019. This process involved frequent and meaningful engagement with the Cleveland community, alumni representatives, the Design Advisory Group, students, families and staff.

Community members expressed a desire for an approach that retained historic character to some degree, though they ultimately prioritized factors that could only be achieved through new construction. Cleveland community values included staying on budget, optimizing indoor spaces for better teacher, student and staff experiences, creating welcoming and accessible outdoor open spaces, and building a resilient, energy efficient school.

In recognition of Cleveland High School’s significance, we are engaging with various organizations to identify appropriate mitigation strategies, including the CHS Alumni Association, the State of Oregon Historic Preservation Office, the Architectural Heritage Center, and the City of Portland Historic Landmarks Commission.

We are also taking action to document and reuse various historic elements of the existing structure:

We are working with the City of Portland’s Commercial Deconstruction Pilot Grants program
The project will use salvaged materials from the current structure on the Franklin Street-facing side of a wall that will honor Clevleand’s historical significance
The historic Cleveland Kimball Theater Organ will be removed and stored by trained specialists. We are seeking a new home for the organ.

More Information

Meet the Design and Construction Teams

Meet the Design and Construction Teams

Design Team

Mahlum is the design team for Cleveland Master Planning. Deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest, Mahlum creates spaces that express the culture, aspirations and identity of the communities they serve, distinctively honoring the character of each K-12 school they design. They designed the recently modernized Grant High School.

Construction Team

Skanska uses knowledge and foresight to shape the way people live, work, and connect. More than 135 years in the making, we’re one of the world’s largest construction and development companies. As an Oregon builder for over 50 years, our expertise covers a wide range of market sectors, including education, healthcare, aviation, high-tech manufacturing and data centers. Our K-12 builders prioritize student safety and well-being, operational efficiency, sustainability and community value—combining local market knowledge with national best practices to deliver modern, resilient educational facilities on time and on budget.

Get Connected

For more information about school building improvement bond projects, email schoolmodernization@pps.net or call us at 503-916-2222