Kaley Fought, AIA
AIAO President-Elect
Facilities Update - Moda Center Suite
As many of you know, we are reaching the end of our lease at the CFA in Portland this year. In conjunction with the board, our Facilities Task Force reviewed and discussed the various options for staying in place or moving to a new location. Working remotely has allowed all of us to rethink the way we work, communicate, and socialize, and this mindset adjusted the lens through which we were reviewing spaces up for consideration. With this in mind, we are very excited to be taking up interim residence at a suite in the Rose Quarter.
Following a rather chaotic, and yet strangely isolated year of events, AIAO has decided to shake things up and leverage the current uncertainty as an opportunity to extend our reach. During the last 12 years at the Center for Architecture in the Pearl District, we have hosted numerous events, members, galleries and notable installations to share achievements in architecture and opportunities for education and connection with our peers and the public. The importance, and influence, of architecture and the spaces we choose to share in experience is always at the forefront of my mind, and I think it’s important for our physical location to be a place that facilitates our goals as an organization. The value in having a space to land for CEU opportunities, social gatherings, and architecturally relevant displays is, I believe, a critical component to a successful AIAO. We will have reservable access to the many well-appointed venues at the Rose Quarter, ranging from conference rooms to large event gathering spaces.
Each space is effectively ready to go with A/V, furniture, and catering, and allows easy access for members and staff via secured free parking and public transportation.
There are numerous factors and points of discussion that we have considered during the last year, and ultimately came to the conclusion that our current location and lease arrangement is no longer our best option. Rather than jumping immediately into a new lease and/or location, we have decided to spend the next few years exploring options, evaluating our needs as an organization, and gathering insight into how we will function moving forward. Financially, this move creates independence as we expect to recoup the cost of the lease through ticket sales. With our 3-year lease at the Rose Quarter, we will not have the financial burden of finding and building out a new space, while improving our ability to host in-person and broadcasted events. The ticket sales for the upcoming concert season are projected to be a net gain in our revenue over the next three years, placing us firmly on solid financial footing to explore a new space, or possibly several spaces around the state.
We have had ongoing conversations around how we can better position ourselves in the broader community so that we not only have a positive influence on the built environment, but also become a viable resource for community leaders and allied organizations. This location gives us an opportunity to reach new sponsors, broaden our public awareness through strategic marketing and events, and have an elevated platform to extend our reach. I’m excited for the unique approach this takes, and thrilled that Heather has come out of the gate with a new perspective on how we serve our members. It should be an engaging few years, and I’m looking forward to the shift!
Learn more about the Facilities Big Picture in Heather’s article for the July 22 T@3