Customs House

Long ago when I spent most of my junior year in college abroad in India, I actually had to visit the US Customs house to 'register' my camera so that I could prove I took it out of the country when I returned to the country.  (I was naive and thought it was important to do so - but it wasn't) It was my first real experience there and I was amazed that such a cool building existed that had entirely escaped my attention up to that point.

Now comes news that the deal to move the International School there has fallen through and the building will now go to auction.  It always seemed curious to me that the international school should move there - the building seemed too big, too out of the way, too limited in terms of campus for a school of that nature.  Nevertheless, it is such a marvelous building in such a marvelous area, I hope something good becomes of it.

If anyone wants to stake me, I envision a "Portland School of Economics, Business and Policy" like a Portland version of the London School of Economics - an exceptional non-profit private school. How great would that be for the city and for the business, economic and bureaucratic state of the state?  Send me your $100 million checks today.