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Interest in Constructing Hope‘s pre-apprenticeship program is on the rise, and the Portland-based nonprofit is taking action to ensure it can keep pace.

A renovation is under way to improve Constructing Hope’s headquarters 鈥� the bulk of a 9,000-square-foot commercial building at 405 N.E. Church St., near the intersection with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The project is intended to not only accommodate growth, but also educate the current cohort of pre-apprenticeship students 鈥� virtually all of whom are members of Portland’s BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) community.

鈥淲e were already in a place where we were in more demand,鈥� Constructing Hope Executive Director Pat Daniels said. 鈥淪o, we’re remodeling our building, and we are going to have a state-of-the-art building. My staff is brilliant; they came up with the idea of remodeling and opening the floor to show the plumbing, the floors and walls. The ceilings will be open for ductwork. It’s going to be amazing.鈥�

The project was designed by Anne Raccine Fishe, Architect; work is in full swing, albeit with some limitations due to COVID-19. Hillsboro Electric employees are rewiring the building following extensive interior demolition by Mack Construction, a local firm that is carrying out its first significant project. Another small local firm, Professional Lath & Plaster, is performing framing and drywall work, Brothers Painting is handling interior painting, and Caliber Plumbing and Mechanical is taking care of plumbing and HVAC work.

鈥淪tudents are working on the project too, working with contractors that took our curriculum and they turned it into hands-on work on the remodeling,鈥� Daniels said.

Even some bigger firms, including Hoffman, JE Dunn and Pence, have contributed to the effort.

鈥淚t’s truly been a community project, where all hands have been on deck, and it’s coming to life,鈥� said Angela Watkins, Constructing Hope’s board chairwoman and owner of Minority Construction Group, the general contractor for the project.

鈥淚t’s another piece of Pat’s heart, to be able to create a facility that’s large enough to do the things we need to do,鈥� added Mel Jones, senior diversity and inclusion director for JE Dunn Construction’s Portland office and a Constructing Hope board member. 鈥淲e want to create a facility that doesn’t look like a prison. Now it’s all brick and beat down, but we want these folks to come and show up and know there’s a future 鈥� and part of it was changing that appearance. The other thing was to make it more usable.鈥�

Constructing Hope’s mission is to provide formerly incarcerated Portland residents with construction training and the possibility of a different life. Each class has around 20 students, mostly men. They learn about the construction industry and various trades in a rigorous 10-week course that exposes them to a variety of skills and industry professionals.

鈥淭hey’ve already been in some extreme situations,鈥� Daniels said. 鈥淭hey’re going to go do whatever it takes to take care of their family, and they find out it’s something they really enjoy, the instant gratification of the work.鈥�

The group has been working out of the 90-year-old building for a decade now. One previous remodel made the space suitable for education. But three years ago, the board authorized Daniels and her staff to seek funding for another renovation in order to better serve students. Some money arrived in 2018 via a Prosper Portland grant, but then a series of setbacks in 2019 鈥� including the temporary loss of nonprofit status 鈥� delayed the project. But 2020 saw things turn around in spite of COVID, as further donations came in 鈥� including $100,000 from Dave Dahl, co-founder of Dave’s Killer Bread 鈥� and contractors were lined up.

鈥淲e have stepped up this year as far as what we’ve done with fundraising, branding the program and making sure Pat has a succession plan,鈥� Jones said.

Work is expected to wrap up in late spring, perhaps by May. There will be two new, large classroom and conferences spaces, including one equipped with a huge television. New reception and office space will open onto Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard rather than Church Street, as it was in the past. And the new spaces will have educational purpose: certain walls, floors and ceilings will be covered with plexiglass instead of drywall to allow plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems (plus framing) to be exposed for students to examine.

鈥淚t doubles our hands-on training space,鈥� Daniels said.

The project is providing a better future for more than just Constructing Hope, Watkins said.

鈥淚’m a woman of color, and I’ve had to overcome many obstacles,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I’m definitely grateful to Constructing Hope for giving me one of my first opportunities to do a larger project. I’m a new company. I’ve been in business for about two years now, and I understand what small businesses go through.鈥�

Whether pre-apprenticeship student or professional contractor, Watkins added, her message 鈥� and that of Constructing Hope 鈥� remains the same.

鈥淚’m here to help open the door,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he next step is up to you. You have to be willing to take them in and help them progress to the next step.鈥�