Lawmakers put Sustainability Center on hold


House Republicans have blocked state bonding for Portland State University’s proposed Sustainability Center until developers present a more detailed proposal.

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House Republicans have blocked state bonding for Portland State University’s proposed Sustainability Center until developers present a more detailed proposal.

“There are a multitude of concerns,” said House co-Speaker Bruce Hanna, R-Roseburg. Top among them, he said, is that the building would require expensive lease rates and the Oregon University System plans to command two-thirds of the space.

“When parents come and say ‘How come our tuition costs are so high?’ one of the answers is, we’re building an incredibly high-cost building and obligating the university to rent space there,” Hanna said. 

He said he wants university officials and developers to figure out a way to get commercial firms to rent the bulk of the space. “If this building is really as fascinating as it sounds, the private sector ought to want to rent there,” Hanna said.

Read more at OregonLive.com.

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