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Demolition of Portola Begins – Chomp by Chomp

As the attached photos and video show, steel jaws of heavy construction machines were turned to destruction Friday as they chewed off part of the old Portola Middle School in El Cerrito. The knock-down begins in earnest next week, school officials said.

The sky was a somber gray Friday as large pieces of construction equipment – looking like a T-Rex robots – bit into the old Portola Middle School in El Cerrito.

The 62-year-old school buildings were condemned by the West Contra Costa Unified School District because they sit on a slope deemed too unstable in an earthquake for student safety.

The deconstruction work this past week has been "minor," while the long-awaited "heavy demolition" is scheduled to begin next week, said E. Keith Holtslander, the school district's director of facilities and construction.

Workers have been at the site, located at Moeser Lane and Navellier Street, since spring, removing and containing hazardous materials in the buildings and preparing for the knock-down.

Portola classes are being held in temporary buildings on level ground at the western end of the site until a new Portola Middle School is built at the site of the former Castro Elementary School in El Cerrito.

The sloped portion of the current site will be graded and left empty by the school district for the time being. The temporary buildings on the flat western portion of the site, which are now being used by Portola students, will be used temporarily by Fairmont Elementary School students after the new Portola is built. Fairmont will be rebuilt on its current site.

After the Fairmont students move back to their new school, the City of El Cerrito may use the flat portion of site for soccer fields or other uses, depending on city needs at the time and agreements with the school district.

We thank Patch contributor Betty Buginas for the attached photos and video.

To see past stories about the school, click "Portola Middle School" next to Related Topics below. For alerts to future stories about the school, click the Keep me posted button below.

Sharon Steele September 29, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Sad to see this go.
Milton H September 29, 2012 at 12:39 pm
It looks like they didn't even have the decency to preserve those beautiful murals. Glad I took a lot of pictures and video. All that time, mess, and money just because they want to erase the history of the school. Something fishy is going on.
David L September 29, 2012 at 01:30 pm
Why isn't this work being done when Portola and Prospect students are not present to be impacted by the noise and dust -- during weekends and vacation days?!
Michael O'Connor September 29, 2012 at 01:33 pm
I can think of no better choice "to erase the history of" than this notorious failed middle school.
Jean Womack September 29, 2012 at 04:03 pm
Having a brand new school is something that most people can only dream about. Take Helms for example. You have no idea in what dilapidated condition that school was in. I am sure that no maintenance work was done on it during the entire life of the school. How much money is budgeted for maintenance of ANY
school buildings? Are these new schools built like throwaway watches? I see that Gompers has been torn down. You will never see anything like it again. The historic people were asleep at the wheel on that one. Beautiful woodwork, high ceilings, cool in summer and warm in winter, wide staircases with bannisters--just a heavenly place to work in. It must have been the best of the best when it was built for the children of Richmond.
K Murphy September 29, 2012 at 04:57 pm
Castro School also has a historic tile mural created in 1999 by Castro Students and artist Isabelle Delloye -- my hope is that WCCUSD will have the foresight to save this bit of history (see Patch article on Murals of El Cerrito at http://elcerrito.patch.com/articles/murals-of-el-cerrito-hidden-in-plain-sight ). The mural catches perfectly the beautiful view from that location.
Patti Jakel September 30, 2012 at 01:51 am
Sigh... my elementary school, is now a private school, my high school was demolished and rebuilt.... my Jr. High (middle school) has just been demolished!( Even the neighborhood park I grew up at has changed!!( although, honestly it changed in 1967.. no place to go for memories...except of course my parents gravesite...
Christina Slamon September 30, 2012 at 12:41 pm
I think the murals were saved at Portola. There was a group of people put together to archive the materials from Portola just like there was at ECHS. I know there was specific mention of saving the murals and other pieces of art.
Katheryn September 30, 2012 at 02:59 pm
Where is the California Attorney General, and why is she letting this happen?
Tell does this sound familiar, I have provided a link to a story on the Temecula Patch. Please read the story and watch the video in the story. Add this to all your facebook accounts, get the word out. http://temecula.patch.com/articles/citizen-reader-shares-mining-sounds
Debbie Weeks September 30, 2012 at 07:11 pm
Selfish of all the sentimental dreamers for believing that the preservation of Portala , in it's oversize, unsafe, under cared for state could provide our children with what they deserve. A earthquake safe, clean, modern amenities school that they can be proud of.
Margaret Maher September 30, 2012 at 08:39 pm
While all the dust is in the air, they are having school below the demolition. I know the experience because I taught at the new Helms, while the old one was being taken down. Sad to see Portola go. I too have seen my elementary sold for a private school and my high school gone and replaced with a new middle school. This makes all three. ( El Monte, Portola, and Ells)
Kathy A. September 30, 2012 at 08:44 pm
I live pretty close to the Portola site, and so far -- there has been a lot of work done already -- there has not been a lot of noise. Probably there will be some with the final tear-down, which hopefully will go quickly. So much has been torn out and taken away already.
There is kind of no way to win, here. Costs are obviously an issue for any public project; and requiring work only on weekends and holidays would mean -- I think -- that the costs will be much greater, the work will be slower to completion, and that there will still be disruption for the neighbors. Because this deconstruction has gone as smoothly as it has, I'm hoping the wrecking-ball phase will also be accomplished with good warning, with precautions for the students, and very quickly.
Janice Fabini October 3, 2012 at 03:58 am
I would like to say that building a new middle school in El Cerrito is a good thing. Portola needed rebuilding badly, whether you liked any part of it, hated it, or are just grumpy about change. The idea of not having a middle school in our community tells our students that during their difficult early adolescence, we would just as soon they disappear. That is not a constructive message, and if it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes the village during the entire life of that child, not just during the "cute" years or the "mature" years. If the only suitable site not sold off to private schools is the former Castro site, then let's please help the district and the community to do a good job. Please come and be part of the process. Is the site smaller than some "ideal" middle schools? Help it to be workable. Are there now way more students at Fairmont due to the influx of Castro students? Please come help with the situation if you possibly can. Volunteer time to supervise at crowded times of the day, help raise funds for grants to help the schools. There is a history of cutting maintenance budgets and cutting hours for instructional aids and maintenance workers (and hence benefits costs) in this district to minimize cuts to the classroom. The resources available to the district are limited, and come with many strings attached. Please help by passing Proposition 30, Measure G (for instruction), and Measure E (for rebuilding unsafe facilities)!
Lathan Fields November 8, 2012 at 03:25 am
This was a personal piece of architechure. Could be seen from miles away. White, strong and graceful. A little overwhelming to treverse, but still the sun would dance all around it, into the sunset.

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G.C. June 15, 2013 at 08:43 am
Of course. Read the following about Assemblyman John Perez and his disdain for transparency.Read More http://ronkayela.com/2011/09/speaker-john-perez-to-the-pres.html
Kathy A. June 19, 2013 at 09:32 am
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_23485981/mercury-news-editorial-public-records-act-must-be
Ira Sharenow June 12, 2013 at 07:44 pm
Some in Richmond do not agree with your viewpoint. http://www.tombutt.com/forum/2013/1305010.htmRead More “I have never seen a public servant work harder for anything than WCCUSD School Board member Charles Ramsey worked to complete the District’s ambitious program to rebuild or upgrade every single school in the system.” I wonder how this court decision will impact WCCUSD. http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_23447723/state-high-court-denies-review-alamedas-measure-h State high court denies review in Alameda's Measure H suit The ruling in the Alameda case is expected to have far reaching consequences for school districts throughout the state as similar lawsuits over parcel tax structures have been filed in Yolo, Contra Costa and Los Angeles counties.
G.C. June 13, 2013 at 07:15 am
The WCCUSD needs to hear what thoughts citizens have on this matter. Currently, the WCCUSD boardRead More meetings have placed the Public Comment period late in the meeting, making it difficult for folks to comment. I have started a petition for modifying the agenda. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/let-us-speak-wccusd/ In Hercules, we are still awaiting a correction to the taxation process, that apparently we are due a higher percentage as explained by Councilman Romero here http://pinole-hercules.patch.com/groups/opinion/p/2012-hercules-dan-romero Wouldn't it be ironic if Mr. Ramsey get's his wish before the citizens of Hercules get theirs?
Michael O'Connor June 14, 2013 at 08:34 am
Milton, your calm and reserved opinions certainly would serve you well in a leadership role.
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Mechanics from Street Level Cycles tune up bikes at the Albany Arts & Green Festival. Photo courtesy Matt McHugh
AS&R - Albany Strollers & Rollers June 7, 2013 at 11:30 am
Someone asked me to post when they can donate: Open Community Hours are Friday, Saturday, SundayRead More 12-6pm so anytime those days are definitely fine. They're there (84 Bolivar Drive - Aquatic Park) most of the day Wednesdays and Thursdays for Youth Classes and the doors are locked. I just spoke to Amber Rich and she asked you to call them at 510 644 2577 and let them know what time is good for you and they will be sure to be there. Thanks!