city news...
Oct 31,2008
Globe Hotel Pre-Application Conference
by shooter
The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine is moving to new digs in Old Town Chinatown. Their architect, Ankrom Moisan , has applied for a pre-application conference for the proposed renovation of the Globe Hotel building at 88 NW Davis Street. The proposed renovation includes the addition of a 5,000 square foot fifth floor, and 3,500 square feet on the ground floor that may be used for retail. Another proposed modification to the building reduces the window area on the ground floor along NW Davis.Founded in 1983, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine is a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to advancing healthcare and the art of healing. It was one of the first Oriental medicine colleges in the United States to provide masters-level instruction. In 2005, it became the first college in the nation to graduate doctors of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The school is currently located at 10525 SE Cherry Blossom Drive. The school has 241 students
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posted at 10:08 AM
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Oct 6,2008
Kenton's Paul Bunyan Statue on the National Register of Historic Places?
by shooter
This Friday the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation could nominate the Paul Bunyan statue in Kenton to the National Register of Historic Places.The 31-foot tall statue has stood in Kenton for close to 50 years. Built in 1959, it was originally intended to last about 6 months as part of a statewide celebration of Oregon's centennial. The neighborhood embraced the statue as a link to its working class roots. It is now the recognized image of the Kenton neighborhood.
If the Committee on Historic Preservation votes to nominate the statue, the nomination is then forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register. Once received, the Keeper has 45 days to approve or deny the nomination. If approved, it would be the first Oregon roadside attraction to make it on the list.
Related links:
Portland Tribune story
National Register of Historic Places
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posted at 11:25 AM
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Sep 24,2008
More On the U.S. Custom House
by shooter
Brian Libby at Portland Architecture talks about the current status of the Custom House. His post is a really good summary of the recent history of the building and is a good facilitator to get people thinking about what to do with the building. It's a good read. Related posts and links: United States Custom House Photo Tour GSA Decides to "Dispose" of Portland Custom House Custom House History General Services Administration Buildling Information Portland Tribune — Building Pivotal to Area's Revival General Services Administration website
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posted at 09:35 AM
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Sep 22,2008
Smithsonian’s Museum Day, See Four Portland Museums Free
by shooter
Looking for something to do this Saturday? Why not go to a museum- FREE ! Saturday, Sept 27th is Smithsonian Magazine's Museum Day . Smithsonian has arranged for free admission to hundreds of museums around the country. You can find participating museums in Portland at the Smithsonian website, but thanks to Around the Sun , we've got the list right here:
Architectural Heritage Center
Oregon Historical Society Museum
Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
World Forestry Center Discovery Museum
You will need to visit the magazine's website to print out a free admission pass for yourself and a guest.
What a great way to spend the day, for FREE !
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posted at 04:37 PM
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Sep 22,2008
GSA Decides to “Dispose” of Portland Custom House
by shooter
The GSA has announced that it will dispose of the historic Custom House , located at 220 NW 8th Avenue. An analysis showed that removing the structure from its inventory would be beneficial to taxpayers. The disposal process is the same as was used for the 511 Building , which PNCA has been approved to acquire. Here is the process as described in the GSA press release: GSA first offers the property to other Federal agencies that may have a program need for it. If another Federal agency identifies a need, then the property can be transferred to it. If there is no further need within the Federal government, the property is made available for other uses through public benefit conveyances (PBCs) or negotiated sales. Homeless provider organizations, by law, are given the first opportunity to acquire the building through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If HUD finds the building unsuitable or no homeless agency applies for a PBC for the bu
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posted at 11:42 AM
3 comments
Sep 17,2008
United States Custom House Photo Tour
by shooter
One evening in August, the Federal Government opened the Custom House to the general public. A project to convert the building into a boutique hotel had recently collapsed, and the General Services Administration wanted to generate interest in the building again. The Building is located at 220 NW Eighth Avenue on the North Park blocks. I have wanted to get inside this building ever since I moved to Portland. When the open house was announced, I put it on my calendar. Briefly, I think the exterior is beautiful, as are the entry and main staircase. Interior details such as the wood trim, doors, etc are interesting, but on the whole the inside is a bit plain. This is partly due to the remodeling by the government—acoustic ceilings, ugly carpeting, and florescent light fixtures. This building has great potential, and I'm sure once the previously mentioned additions are removed, the interior space could be transformed into something
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posted at 03:14 PM
7 comments
Sep 11,2008
Ladd Carriage House Design Review Approved
by shooter
The Historic Landmarks Commission has approved the historic design review for the Ladd Carriage House rehabilitation. The house has been "mothballed" in a parking lot at SW 10th and SW Columbia during the construction of the Ladd Tower—but it will soon be returned to its original site and restored.In a previous post , we talked about the difficulties with the building's historical registration and renovation. The house is currently for sale at $1.1 million through Venerable Properties .
Upon relocation to its original site on SW Broadway, the building will be set back five feet from the right-of-way on both street frontages. The resulting open area will include:
Two externally illuminated monument signs Short-term bicycle parking Steps, ramps, and handrails associated with building entries Treatment of the building itself will include:
Cleaning, patching repairing, and painting of surviving historic materials
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posted at 08:59 AM
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Sep 10,2008
Benson Bubbler Brochure Now Available
by jenniferd
I am so excited to announce that the Portland Water Bureau has proudly unveiled a new brochure on Portland's iconic Benson Bubblers, this week. Portland's Benson Bubblers -An Icon. A Legacy ., includes information about the history and conservation efforts associated with the Bubblers, as well as a map of their downtown locations. It is a beautiful piece, rich with photographs and illustrations. You can either download a PDF version here or call (503) 823-7510 and ask to have a copy mailed to you. Jennie Burget Interim Public Information Officer Portland Water Bureau
posted at 10:49 AM
4 comments
Sep 3,2008
Irvington Wants Condo Project Kept to Scale
by shooter
The Irvington Community Association has been at odds for a couple of years now with the developer of a project at 1510 NE Hancock. The project is a proposed condo building, the issue is not should it be built but how tall it should be and what are the setbacks.The Proposed building is 64 feet tall with minimal setbacks, 0 feet from the curb on one side and 11 feet on the other. These setbacks could harm existing trees on the site. The community is hoping for an 18-foot setback to maintain a visual corridor. Residents aren't against a high-density building; they knew one was going to be built. They just want it to conform to the historic district guidelines.
The problem is two conflicting codes. The zoning codes allow for a building 75 feet tall, while the historic district guidelines limit the height to 54 feet. It's not clear which code takes precedence. The decision is significant because it not only applies to Irvington but
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posted at 09:11 AM
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Aug 24,2008
NW District's Groundhog Day
by shooter
You knew this wasn't going away. The garage at NW 23rd and NW Irving is back in the news—again. On August 11th, the Historical Landmarks Commission approved a new design for Richard Singer's proposed parking garage at 2317 NW Irving. The vote was 3-2, so it was by no means unanimous. Commissioner Harris Matarazzo wasn't happy that the project included the demolition of a historic house, while Art DeMuro, commission chair, felt the garage design was appropriate, sensitive, and necessary. The neighborhood association doesn't like the location, because half of it is in a residential district—there's a nearby preschool, and the NW Irving/NW 23rd intersection is one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the city. Singer's latest design has fewer parking spaces (87 instead of 103), pushes back the entrance/exit from the street, and includes a mechanical arm and warning sounds (living next door to that would be a joy). It's not like the neighborhood association hasn't
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posted at 12:24 PM
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