PDC support provides facelift, upgrades
to newly expanded Mt. Scott school facility

Grants from the Portland Development Commission (PDC) are making a positive impact on Mt. Scott Learning Centers’ newly expanded grades 6-12 facility in SE Portland.

Mt. Scott was one of five organizations in 2010-11 to receive a grant through the PDC’s Community Livability Grant Program. The grant program promotes livable and healthy neighborhoods within the Lents Town Center and Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Areas. Targeted property improvements are at new and existing community facilities, in open spaces, or to preserve historic or cultural community assets.

The $26,500 Community Livability Grant Mt. Scott received helped launch the school’s consolidation project, which converted the former Laurelwood Church sanctuary into classrooms, offices and support areas.  The grant funds financed the framing and installation of the project’s new flooring system.  

Grants through PDC’s Storefront Improvement and Signage and Lighting programs quickly followed and provided a dramatic facelift to Mt. Scott’s existing building and exterior school property.  Storefront Improvement funds helped finance 75% of a $32,000 project to replace nine severely weathered and damaged classroom windows. The windows were replaced with energy-efficient Marvin windows custom-designed to match the building’s original window design.

The PDC’s Signage and Lighting program supported exterior safety lighting improvements at the school, as well as the design, construction and installation of Mt. Scott’s two new exterior signs (one at the school’s new main entrance on Holgate and one at the former entrance on 62nd Avenue).  The exterior lighting improvements included lighting for the two new signs.

Mt. Scott’s ongoing efforts to improve energy efficiency at its historic facility were recently boosted by PDC’s Green Features Grant Program.  Mt. Scott’s grant application was targeted at energy upgrades previously identified by Energy Trust of Oregon and the BEST Business Center.  The PDC Green Features grant funded $25,000 of $31,000 in upgrades at Mt. Scott for interior lighting, ceiling insulation, weatherization of all exterior doors, and replacement/upgrades of the school’s water heaters.

The students and staff at Mt. Scott Learning Centers are thrilled with the results of these projects supported by the Portland Development Commission.  It has made quite a difference at our school – as the photos on this page show.  Thank you PDC!!