From falling ceiling tiles to malfunctioning heaters, students at Cleveland High School are familiar with the daily perils of attending a school built almost 100 years ago that desperately needs updated. The move to the Marshall campus next year while the school undergoes complete demolition isn’t ideal, but was seen as a necessary decision by a majority of the community.

However, as Cleveland enters the final stages of preparation for the remodel, new voices have emerged, threatening to shake up the district’s plans. Alexander Krach, the former Historic Commissioner for the city of Ashland, is leading a final effort to halt the demolition of the school, hoping to protect its historical integrity. 

“The original Cleveland High School building has stood for nearly 100 years. It has earned the right to equal and fair consideration,” he wrote in a statement to the Clarion and Cleveland High School. 

A petition started by Krach to save the school has already amassed 800 signatures in two months, as he continues to advocate for an alternative to total demolition. He is supporting a renovation plan that would update and remodel interior parts of the school, while preserving the unique features of structures of the building.

“I want you to be able to come to school each day, see your school and think to yourself, ‘Look at that! That is a spectacular building,’ and walk in ready to take on your day, knowing that the district as well as our community supports you,” Krach said. 

As a preservation advocate for over 25 years, Krach doesn’t simply have an appreciation for the historic features of the  building, but has criticized the district for biases and flaws in the planning process, as well as the environmental impact of the demolition.

In a testimony to the PPS Board of Education, Krach built a case against the lead architects and school district, citing that the Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) was underinformed. 

“As early as the second session of the CPC, the district and architects were called out publicly for being biased towards demolition. And that is a red flag, as the process had barely begun,” Krach said. 

Krach feels that the CPC was not properly informed that Cleveland was given the highest category for architectural significance in 2009 by the Portland Public Schools Historic Building Assessment. It is believed by many historians that Cleveland may even be eligible to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

According to Krach, going the route of preserving and updating the building rather than demolition would cost an estimated two percent more than complete reconstruction. It also may be more environmentally sound.

“Demolishing Cleveland High School will release into the environment the equivalent sequestered carbon present in 55,000 trees at a ten year growth rate,” said Krach. He believes this would violate the district’s official Climate Crisis Response Policy.

These statistics have raised alarm for not just historians, but environmentalists. The demolition permit has already faced a 120 day delay for this very reason.

Portland Permitting and Development stated the delay as a time for reconsideration, and Krach hopes that more planning time will allow for better alternatives to demolition, as well as proper execution of the renovation. Krach has garnered numerous supporters.

“Cleveland High is a beautiful piece of Portland’s architectural history and a visual asset to its SE Portland neighborhood! It is important to preserve the exterior (and some key interior elements) while updating the interior functionality,” Sandra, one commenter on the petition said.

However, a majority of educators, admin, and Cleveland families still support the original demolition plan. 

Jan Watt, a retired journalism teacher and respected member of the Cleveland community previously stated that another delay in the process would be “demoralizing.”

Cleveland was added to the list of schools to be modernized in 2012, and for many advocates of the remodel, it has been a long and uphill battle to pass the necessary bonds and gain support. Additionally, the extra cost of not demolishing the school is seen as unfeasible for this project. 

Since the board meeting, the PPS district has doubled down on their original plan, sending out an estimated timeline for the project and stating it will continue to move forward as planned, after the 120 day permit delay. 

Despite the finality of the remodel plans, some preservationists, such as Krach, are willing to keep fighting for what they see as a worthy cause. Whether or not Cleveland is completely demolished, the balance between modernization and historical preservation will continue to be a heavily debated issue.

“I know in my heart that everyone involved in this project gave it their all, but in the end, if Cleveland High School is demolished, the district will become the latest poster child for how not to execute a public design process or preserve a historic school,” said Krach.

You can read Krach’s full statement at the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b12uu7sPKMHrHSHl1W_8nsozYKZ5nv4E/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=108611343802836374994&rtpof=true&sd=true