Mills Open Air School Deconstruction Project
The Portland Housing Bureau and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability have partnered to deconstruct the Mills Open Air School as a pilot for a potential deconstruction program for commercial properties.
About the Open Air School building
The Open Air School was a public school built in 1919 for children vulnerable to tuberculosis. Its location in then-rural Mt. Tabor was thought to be particularly healthful. In 1948, the building was annexed to Mt. Tabor Elementary School.
The property is now owned by the Portland Housing Bureau.
Renovating the building for use as future housing wasn’t feasible for a variety of reasons. The building contains lead and asbestos, which were common building materials in the early 1900s before their hazardous impacts were widely studied and known. The building’s clay brick foundation would need seismic upgrades for safety, and the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems would need to be updated. In addition, the building’s layout limits the number of housing units to half of what a new building on this site could accommodate.
Learn more about the Mills Open Air School building's history
About deconstruction
When a building is at the end of its usable life, deconstruction is a more sustainable approach than demolition. Demolition involves crunching the building with heavy machinery and disposing of materials in landfills. In contrast, deconstruction involves manually disassembling a building to save materials for reuse.
The City of Portland was the first city in the US with a Deconstruction Ordinance. The ordinance requires houses and duplexes built in 1940 and earlier to be deconstructed instead of demolished.
Commercial deconstruction, like the Mills Open Air School deconstruction project, involves different techniques, material processing, and reuse pathways than residential deconstruction, but has all the same public health and sustainability benefits.
Benefits of deconstructing the Mills Open Air School building
Environmental: At least 8 tons of materials from this historic building will be salvaged for reuse. This reduces landfill waste and minimizes greenhouse gases created by the production of the same amount of new materials.
Health: Deconstructing the building minimizes the spread of dust containing potentially hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead, reducing health risks to workers and neighbors.
Local economy: Quality materials, such as old-growth lumber and salvaged interior fixtures, will be salvaged from the building and distributed to local salvage stores. These materials are then available for local residents and businesses to purchase and use in their homes and businesses.
Historic brick giveaway day
As part of the deconstruction of the Mills Open Air School building, the city hosted a Free Historic Bricks Day, where the public could come to collect bricks from the school.
At the event, held on June 7, 2025, twenty-eight Portlanders arrived to load up their cars with a total of 1,242 salvaged bricks. One dedicated Portlander returned throughout the following week to haul an additional 1,030 bricks to build her backyard patio.
In all, 2,272 bricks found new homes, saving Portlanders an estimated $1,500–$2,000 in building materials and avoiding over 1,200 kilograms of CO₂ emissions.
The most popular plans for the bricks were garden paths, flower bed borders, and mementos.
One man, who had attended preschool in the building, used the bricks to build a path at his mother’s home. Another resident took bricks home for her grandmother, who had attended the school as a child. Several neighbors took bricks as a memento of the neighborhood’s history.
The brick giveaway offered a tangible example of what thoughtful deconstruction can do: reduce waste, lower emissions, and connect people with the places that shaped their community.
What’s next for the Mills Open Air School property?
The Portland Housing Bureau plans to use the property for future affordable housing.