Portland, OR – November 7, 2018 – Portland Diamond Project (PDP) today announced it has formally retracted its offer to purchase Portland Public Schools (PPS)’s Robert W. Blanchard Education Service Center, the building that currently houses the school district’s leadership and administration offices.

“Although we were initially drawn to this property for its close-in location, access to transportation and its potential to be transformative to the east bank of the Willamette, it became apparent to us that the Albina Vision Trust’s board of directors has a long-range plan for the building and the immediate area that will serve the overall community in a very meaningful way,” PDP founder and CEO Craig Cheek said. “Albina Vision’s focus on diversity and social equity is aligned with our mission, and we are putting our full support behind it.”

In April of this year, Portland Diamond Project had put offers on PPS’s Blanchard ESC building and ESCO’s Northwest Portland headquarters, which was subsequently sold to a group of private real estate investors.

“We believe the PPS site was not the right place for a baseball stadium given the opportunities it offers to help create a new and diverse neighborhood,” Albina Vision Trust board member Gregg Kantor said. “So we are pleased with their decision and believe it is the right one for our community.”

Albina Vision seeks to honor the neighborhood’s past by transforming what exists today into a socially and economically inclusive community of residents, businesses, artists, makers, and visitors. This vibrantly diverse community would be anchored by intentionally conceived parks, plazas, combined with civic and cultural event spaces of different size and use, seamlessly connected to the river and its surrounding neighborhoods.

Portland Diamond Project plans to make an announcement regarding optioning properties for a ballpark within Portland’s city limits in a few weeks.