The City of Portland is proposing development of a two-story, 60,710 square-foot public community center, with an indoor acquatic facility, exercise, activity, meeting and class rooms, a 55,930 square-foot underground parking garage for 168 cars, and an outdoor open space area. The project is proposed to be completed in two phases.

Phase One is proposed to include a full-service, indoor aquatic facility, exercise and fitness facilities, meeting and art rooms, locker rooms, control desk, child care facility, kitchen, offices, lobby, storage and related support functions, for a total of just under 49,000 sqaure feet. The underground parking garage would be part of phase one and, in addition to the 168 auto parking spaces, would include one loading space. In addition, most site development would be included in Phase One, including an outdoor plaza, a multi-use playing field, built over the garage and possible addition of community garden plots, a playground and a natural landscaped area.

Phase two is proposed to include an 11,820 square-foot, two-story addition in the southeast corner of the building to include a ground-floor gymnasium and possible second-floor circular walking track along the gym’s perimeter.

Phase one is expected to be completed within three years, while phase two may be at any time, up to the end of the ten years that would be granted with approval of the proposed master plan.

It sure would be nice if it happened. But Portland has an apartment jungle to build at Lincoln High School. It seems unlikely that there'll be any actual money to spend on recreation in a southeast neighborhood. It's hard enough to get City Hall to leave the existing public pool at Buckman School open and operating.