New Multnomah County Health Building

Portland, Or. – Ribbon cutting today in Old Town for a new, nine story building that will serve as Multnomah County’s Health Department Headquarters. The ribbon cutting comes on the third day on the job for the county’s new health department director, Patricia  Charles Heathers. She says what she likes best about the building is ” the fact that its right here in the community where people are.”

About 500 health department workers will move from their current location on SW Harvey Milk to the new headquarters. The $94.1 million dollar project has a state of the art central lab, pharmacy and an emergency health responses command post.

The building is named after the late County Commission Chair, Gladys McCoy. She was the first African American to be elected to public office in Oregon.