Picture Above: Rendering of 21st Century Keller, Hennebery Eddy Architects/Stufish Entertainment Architects

Advocacy Alert:

Support the Keller Re-Imagined with Public Testimony TODAY

As you may have read in the current issue of FieldNotes, Restore Oregon fully supports and is advocating for the reuse of the Keller Auditorium in downtown Portland.  A wonderfully reimagined Keller, strengthened by its association with the world-class Keller Fountain and the Open Space Sequence, is the proven path to viable reuse of this Oregon destination that anchors the revitalization of Portland as well.  Learn more about transforming this Portland icon into "Our Next Keller".

It is critical to have everyone's voice heard, from all parts of the State, that preservation and reuse are the best options. Please take just 5 minutes today to submit written testimony to the Portland City Council in advance of tomorrow's critical hearing. Your testimony can be as simple as "I strongly support the reuse of the existing Keller.  I encourage the City to renovate it to take care of and improve what you already own." Restore Oregon will testify and, with you, show there is overwhelming support for this option.

 

Our friends at the Halprin Landscape Conservancy, who are leading this wonderful reuse project, have provided all the details:

The City Council will meet on Wednesday, May 29, at 2:00 p.m. to hear three formal presentations and then take public testimony on whether to reimagine and renovate The Keller or build new theater venues and amenities at either PSU or the Lloyd Center. We need your support! It is essential that the City Council hears directly from you why you support the 21st Century Keller option. This is THE moment and meeting where we need your help. Testify, if you can, either in person or virtually. Or join us in person so your support can be counted! If you need some ideas, we’ve included some key messages below. Thank you for your support, Halprin Landscape Conservancy.

 

How to submit written testimony: 

  1. Click this link 
  2. Select Agenda Item “455 – Accept updated Halprin Landscape Conservancy Keller Auditorium Renovation…”
  3. Select “Support”
  4. Fill in your comments. See below for some key messages to try and deliver in your own way!
  5. Fill out the rest of the form and hit submit

You can also sign up to testify in person or virtually using this link.

 

Here are some Key messages to deliver in your own way:

  • In Portland, we sustainably renovate and reuse. Let’s improve what we already own rather than build something new at another location that costs more, will take longer, and, unlike The Keller, doesn’t already have adequate nearby parking, restaurants, hotels, and a beloved fountain.
  • Don’t abandon downtown and remove 400,000 people a year from the heart of the city. Renovating The Keller is a smart investment to keep and bring more people downtown – right when we need it. Closing it sends the wrong message and will leave a dark hole downtown and in the cultural district.
  • The Keller is a proven success story and a real place that, with exciting, planned improvements – inside and out – will serve Portland well for decades to come. Other proposed locations come with more question marks and risks about cost, parking garages, and nearby neighborhood amenities.
  • Portlanders strongly support The Keller – and prefer to renovate it. A recent poll showed 69% feel positive, and 43% have attended an event at The Keller in the past two years. 66% prefer renovating The Keller vs. just 10% who want the city to build a new auditorium someplace else. 81% agree that with so many pressing community needs, it’s not responsible to spend money building something new instead of taking care of what we already own.