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Portland State University officials plan to renovate and expand their School of Business Administration with a $60 million construction project.

Last week, officials inched closer to their fundraising goal when they received an $8 million gift from a graduate of the school. Officials are withholding the donor’s name because he and his wife wish to remain anonymous.

Scott Marshall, associate dean of graduate programs for the school, said that about $13 million of private money has been raised so far; officials hope to raise $20 million. Oregon lawmakers are being asked to approve $40 million in state bonds.

“That’s the intention anyway,” Marshall said.

The school – at 631 S.W. Harrison St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue – presently has 52,000 square feet. The project will add 95,000 square feet, including a new building. Marshall said the school’s 3,400 undergraduate students and 750 graduate students could use the elbow room.

“The No. 1 thing we’re going to do is meet our current needs,” he said. “Our students have been attending classes spread out to various other buildings across campus. This new building provides a greater sense of community for our business students.”

At least 53,000 square feet of new space will come from the School of Education building, which will be renovated. Suzanne Pardington Effros, media relations coordinator for PSU, said that presents a bit of a problem for the School of Education.

“I’m not sure it’s been decided where they’re going,” Effros said. “They’re going somewhere.”

Some other uncertainties linger. Although a Portland architectural firm drew up proposed renderings for the project, Marshall said an architect has not been selected for the project. However, he said, a request for proposals will be issued soon.

Tripling the size of the business school will mean not only new classrooms, but also auditoriums, event space, offices, study rooms and common areas.

Scott Dawson, the school’s dean, said he is optimistic that state legislators will provide the money. Gov. John Kitzhaber has identified capital funding as his No. 1 priority for state spending on higher education.

Private donations have come from Tektronix, Moss Adams and the Ralph and Bunny Schlesinger Foundation. Dawson said the school benefits from myriad business contacts around the world.

“We see our programs as locally embedded and globally relevant because of the high participation of local businesses,” he said. “We’re very lucky to be where we are with access to such opportunities and business partners.”

Marshall said the project is the largest construction effort at PSU in recent memory.

“This is certainly one of the most ambitious capital projects on campus in a long time,” he said.

Effros said there have been other big construction projects on campus in recent years, “but what’s different about this is that it includes the expansion.”

Dawson called it an important part of the school’s evolution.

“The new building will, for the first time, allow us to create a true business community with the benefits that come from all being under one roof,” he said.