Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Cleveland High School Breaks Ground on Modernization

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/23/26

Key Takeaways

  • Portland Public Schools has begun a major modernization of Cleveland High School, replacing the existing campus with a new 300,000-square-foot facility scheduled for completion in summer 2029.
  • The new four-story, two-wing campus will feature upgraded academic, arts, athletic, and community spaces, including theaters, a student health center, and flexible after-hours access to key facilities.
  • Designed with sustainability in mind, the project will incorporate nearly 870,000 board feet of Pacific Northwest mass timber and other low-carbon building materials while students and staff temporarily relocate to Marshall High School during construction.

Portland Public Schools in Portland, Ore., recently announced that construction has begun on a modernization project for Cleveland High School, according to a news release. The existing building will be replaced with a new, 300,000-square-foot facility at the same site. The district partnered with Skanska USA for construction services on the project, which has an estimated completion date of summer 2029.

The campus will consist of two wings, four stories each, connected by a skybridge. The north wing will play home to classrooms and labs, and the south wing to community-use, events, and performing-arts spaces, the news release reports. Specific amenities will include a new main entrance, a student health center, a performing arts theater, a black box theater, studios for dance and wrestling, and separate after-hours access for spaces like the theater and gymnasiums.

“For years, the Cleveland community has envisioned a campus that matches the talent, energy and aspirations of its students,” said Dr. Jon Franco, Portland Public Schools’ Senior Chief of Operations. “We are excited to see that vision become a reality and to provide future generations of students with spaces that support learning, creativity and connection.”

Students and staff will relocate to Marshall High School during construction.

The district also partnered with Mahlum Architects and Studio Petretti for the project’s design. Sustainability initiatives include the use of almost 870,000 board feet of mass timber from the Pacific Northwest. It will also make use of Acoustic Dowel Laminated Timber (ADLT) decking, structural steel, low-carbon concrete, and glulam beams and columns, according to the news release.

“Skanska is proud to partner with Portland Public Schools on a project that will serve future generations,” said Trevor Wyckoff, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Skanska USA Building in Oregon and Southwest Washington. “This project brings together innovative design, high-performance building strategies and flexible learning environments to create a campus that supports student success while serving as a valuable community resource for decades to come.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • UCF Modernizes College of Hospitality Management

    The University of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., recently completed a major renovation effort for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, according to a news release. The project modernized 77,600 square feet worth of academic classrooms, teaching labs, and collaborative spaces to support both students and faculty.

  • GeoCam and UCLA: Modernizing Campus Accessibility Mapping

    In early 2025, UCLA partnered with GeoCam to capture and modernize its pedestrian infrastructure data. The goal was ambitious but clear: to produce a high-accuracy, imagery-backed digital map of every sidewalk, pathway, ramp, and ADA-related feature on UCLA’s 419-acre campus.

  • California Middle School Breaks Ground on Major Renovation Project

    The Hillsborough City School District (HCSD) in Hillsborough, Calif., recently began construction on new multipurpose and administration facilities for Crocker Middle School, according to a news release.