Facility Update

CMC’s community was surprised last May by the sudden budget amendment from the City Council to close the Community Music Center, reportedly due to CMC's aging building. Luckily, that amendment was rescinded, thanks in large part to overwhelming community outcry. However, the incident brought into public debate the issue of PP&R’s facilities and the cost of keeping them viable.

The condition and viability of CMC’s building is actually a topic that PP&R and the CMC Inc. Board have been discussing for years. Two main issues have been articulated about our current home: the unreinforced masonry tower, and the facility’s overall size.

The Francis Street Firehouse, built in 1912, was converted for CMC’s use in 1969, then updated to the current seismic codes when it was renovated by PP&R in 1999, except for the original brick tower, which was left unreinforced due to cost. Since then, the price of

fixing the tower has only gone up, estimated now in the millions of dollars. A larger building for CMC to run more programs would potentially require fewer subsidies and be more financially secure.

The Francis Street location has been home for generations of musicians and audience members numbering in the tens of thousands, but it wasn’t the first CMC facility, and it hopefully won’t be the last.

With continued support from our community and leadership from the board and City, CMC will continue to have an appropriate facility as a community resource for all. If you’d like to be a part of the conversation, contact the CMC director at cmc@portlandoregon.gov or the CMC Inc. board president at board@communitymusiccenter.org.

Levy Update

The Community Music Center is funded by the nonprofit CMC Inc. through donations from individuals, companies and foundations, and by the City of Portland, in a blend of City General Fund allocations and Parks Local Option Levy dollars. So, we are happy to report that the 2025 Parks Levy passed in November, continuing an important revenue source for the next five years. Thank you to our community and Portlanders for their support of the Levy! For more information, see https://www.portland.gov/parks/parks-levy-2025.