The Studio at Laurelhurst Park reopens 7 years after Portland budget cuts shuttered it

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Studio at Laurelhurst Park is set to reopen seven years after the historic community space was forced to shutter due to Portland Parks & Recreation budget cuts. The grand reopening of the arts and dance studio is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 26. At the free event, the community will be able to meet staff and learn about programming. More in Local The nonprofit Sellwood Community House has revived the mid-1920s studio that's built inside a Tudor-style structure in Laurelhurst Park, where it hopes to continue its tradition as "a place to learn, create, move, gather and celebrate." In 2019, the space closed down, along with the Sellwood, Hillside and Fulton community centers. PP&R, which owns the property, has agreed to lease it to Sellwood Community House for $1 per year. In exchange, the nonprofit will make "significant investment" in the building's capital repairs and improvements. 'The Studio has been part of Portland's story for generations, and we're thrilled to help write its next chapter,' said Ashley Murray, Executive Director of Sellwood Community House. 'We're bringing back what people loved about The Studio while creating new opportunities for the community to learn, gather, connect and celebrate across generations.' This is the third property the nonprofit has taken over from the city's extensive deferred maintenance backlog. The organization struck a similar deal with PP&R in 2019 to lease the Sellwood Community Center, which ran as a city-run community center for 100 years before getting cut from Portland's budget. Last year, the nonprofit revived the long-dormant "Shack" in Sellwood Park to be a hub for free and accessible recreation. This year, the Shack has welcomed more than 10,000 visitors this summer, serving as a seven-day-week, all-day free summer recreation hub. "Together, these spaces provide accessible opportunities for education, music, art, dance and recreation, while creating the 'third places' that support families, build social capital and inspire civic connection," Sellwood Community House said in a news release.