Seismic Retrofits
Most Portland Public School Facilities were built before 1940, before seismic safety was a factor in building design and construction.
Since 2013, bond-funded seismic work has either improved seismic resiliency or brought schools up to the seismic code most current at the time of construction. Much of this work is focused on unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings.
Work in design or construction
For roof-level seismic improvements, see Roof Replacement.
Schedules are subject to change
Construction starting or ongoing in summer 2026
- Marysville Full Seismic Retrofit
- Vernon Targeted Seismic Retrofit
- Winterhaven Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Marysville Full Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing for the third and final phase of work this summer. Some ongoing interior work will take place over breaks through the school year.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2024
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2026
We will retrofit all seismic deficiencies at this campus.
This work is expected to continue in summer 2026. Work will primarily be completed over summer to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
SRGP funding was awarded to supplement bond funding in this seismic retrofit.
Vernon Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2026
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2026
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in building A2.
This work is expected to be completed over summer to reduce impacts to students.
Winterhaven Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2026
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2026
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in building A.
This work is expected to be completed over summer to reduce impacts to students.
Work starting in summer 2027
- Ainsworth Targeted Seismic Retrofit
- Beach Targeted Seismic Retrofit
- Beverly Cleary-Fernwood Full Seismic Retrofit
- Capitol Hill Targeted Seismic Retrofit
- Kelly Targeted Seismic Retrofit
- Richmond Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Ainsworth Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2028
We anticipate retrofitting unreinforced masonry in buildings B and G.
This work is expected to be completed over summers 2027 and 2028 to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
SRGP funding was awarded to supplement bond funding in this seismic retrofit.
Beach Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2028
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in building A.
This work is expected to be completed over summers 2027 and 2028 to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
Beverly Cleary-Fernwood Full Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: A design consultant has been selected for this project and design will begin soon.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2028
We will retrofit all seismic deficiencies at this campus, including:
- Unreinforced masonry in buildings A1 and A2
- Other deficiencies in all buildings
This work is expected to begin in summer 2027 and finish in summer 2028. This work will take place through the school year. Students will be relocated to a swing site during construction. Planning work is taking place and a swing space will be identified. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Our team has a applied for SRGP grand funds in addition to bond funds.
Capitol Hill Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2028
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in buildings A, D and E and F
This work is expected to be completed over summer 2027 and summer 2028 to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
Kelly Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2027
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in buildings A4 and A3.
This work is expected to be completed over summer 2027 to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
Richmond Targeted Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2027
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2028
We will retrofit unreinforced masonry in buildings A, and C. Roof replacement work will be completed in conjunction with the seismic retrofit. This work is expected to be completed over summers 2027 and 2028 to reduce impacts to students. The campus will be closed during summer work.
Work starting summer 2028
Rose City Park Full Seismic Retrofit
Project update March 2026: We are preparing to start design on this project.
Construction start (anticipated): Summer 2028
Construction finish (anticipated): End of summer 2029
We will retrofit all seismic deficiencies at this campus, including:
- Unreinforced masonry in buildings A1 and A2
- Other deficiencies in all buildings
This work is expected to begin in summer 2028 and finish in summer 2029. This work will take place through the school year. Students will be relocated to a swing site during construction. Planning work is taking place and a swing space will be identified. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Our team will apply for SRGP funding for this project in addition to using bond funds.
Completed work
- Full seismic retrofits and modernizations
- Targeted seismic retrofits and roof-level seismic improvements
Full seismic retrofits and modernizations
Targeted seismic retrofits and roof-level seismic improvements
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Seismic improvement approaches
- Full seismic retrofit
- Targeted seismic retrofit
- Roof-level seismic improvements (Roof replacement)
- Modernization
Full seismic retrofit
Targeted seismic retrofit
We complete seismic improvements on individual portions of the schools with the highest risk scores, addressing the most dangerous conditions first. Much of this work is focused on unreinforced masonry (URM).
This approach allows us to use funds to lower risk district-wide and provide maximum safety for more students.
Roof-level seismic improvements (Roof replacement)
While replacing aging school roofs, we also do work to also strengthen seismic resiliency, though it does not bring buildings entirely up to current seismic code. This work is sometimes referred to as “roof-level” seismic improvements.
Some seismic retrofits include full roof replacements. Sometimes roof replacements are completed alone. In these cases, roof replacements are designed to prepare buildings for future seismic retrofits when funding becomes available.
See Roof Replacement for more information
Modernization
More information
Seismic retrofit selection strategy
The 2025 bond begins a renewed multi-year, multi-bond plan to address seismic deficiencies at schools. Following Resolution 7109, approved by the Board of Education May 6, 2025, we are using a transparent, data-driven process to seismically retrofit the highest-risk buildings and/or building elements first.
How we selected schools for 2025 bond funding
PPS utilized the Seismic and Seismic Risk Assessment report prepared by Holmes Engineering, to identify the schools that have the highest-risk scores and building elements (such as Unreinforced Masonry), in a prioritization calculation to address the highest-risk schools efficiently in alignment with Board direction.
Assessment: Holmes scored each "building part" at every school across the district based on its age, construction type and specific seismic vulnerabilities. See the Seismic and Seismic Risk Assessment.
Weighted scoring: We ranked schools using a formula that weighted the seismic risk scores 90%, facility condition scores 5% and student enrollment 5%.
Equity was factored into the prioritization formula as an adjustment to a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) school’s facility condition score, allowing the team to incorporate equity while aligning with board direction to prioritize the highest-risk schools.
Strategic selection: Using the resulting ranks as a data-driven baseline, we selected projects for the 2025 bond based on constraints such as construction feasibility and phasing, swing site availability, budget and ability to have the highest impact on reducing the overall district seismic rating and risk, therefore reducing the risk districtwide for our students.
Depending on the building, we will use either full-campus retrofits or targeted fixes for high-occupancy areas like gyms or exits, or targeted fixes for specific deficiencies like unreinforced masonry (URM).
A school’s lack of presence on the list does not represent a lower priority.
Our seismic work is not over. High-risk schools not included in this cycle will be prioritized for future investigation, planning, and funding. This work is ongoing.
Since the 2012 bond, we have, or plan to, strengthen seismic resiliency through modernizations, full or partial seismic retrofits and roof-level seismic work at over 65 schools, including 26 of PPS’s 36 schools that have had Title I status in the last five years. This effort will continue beyond work funded by the 2025 bond.
Oregon Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program (SRGP)
The state of Oregon’s Seismic Rehabilitation Grant Program provides funding for seismic work on critical public buildings, including public schools. PPS regularly applies for SRGP funds to complete additional seismic work that is not funded by the bond.
SRGP funds have helped fund over 10 PPS seismic rehabilitation projects.