Save the Keller Press Event Feb 25, 2026 – Peggy Moretti’s Remarks

Feb. 25, 2026
By: Peggy Moretti

Good morning.  My name is Peggy Moretti and my credentials include being Executive Director, Emeritus, of Restore Oregon, serving on the Board of Directors of the Bosco-Milligan Foundation which operates the Architectural Heritage Center, and also serving as vice chair of the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission.

In addition to reiterating the obvious public benefits of reusing and renovating the Keller that my colleagues have enumerated - 

• Honoring its century-long legacy 

• Creating a cultural destination that connects with and revitalizes the adjacent park and Keller Fountain

• Leveraging existing infrastructure

• Supporting existing businesses

• And costing significantly less than building new… 

I want to throw a bright spotlight on the environmental benefits of renovation vs replacement. They are profound – and something that a city who makes big claims about sustainability should give more than lip service to.

The greenest building IS the one already standing, and that’s the Keller. Demolishing it to build a new theater, parking garages and hotel elsewhere directly contradicts Portland’s Climate Action Plan. 

It would add 17,800 tons of needless carbon emissions and cost to taxpayers.

That equates roughly to the CO2 emission of over 6.5 million gallons of gasoline. 

To me, the argument that its too hard to bridge the revenue and wages gap during renovation, reflects a profound lack of gumption, long-term vision and creative problem-solving.  But Portland IS a city of creativity. A place where we cherish and steward our historic and environmental assets. A place where we would never resign a beloved landscape, fountain, and arts center to emptiness and decay.

Renovate the Keller.  Revive this amazing quadrant of downtown. Save massive amounts of carbon emissions and landfill. This should be an easy decision for a City Council that thinks long term and leads with our shared values.