My name is Rick Cook. For the past three years, I have served on Restore Oregon’s Heritage Barn Taskforce, a volunteer role that has led me down the path to restoring my family’s own heritage barn. I would like to convey a message in regards to your continued support of Restore Oregon. Ever wonder what […]
Saving the Powerhouse
We saw the Bull Run Powerhouse for the first time in 2008. Sitting on the Bull Run River northeast of Sandy, the generator room was roaring with four turbines generating 22 megawatts of electricity like it had since 1912. PGE was about to decommission the powerhouse by removing two dams that supplied its water. Due […]
Raise your Voice for Historic Preservation in Portland on November 18
The Portland Historic Landmarks Commission will present their annual State of the City Preservation Report this Wednesday, November 18, at the 2pm meeting of the Portland City Council. The presentation provides a unique opportunity for the public to show their support for historic preservation and testify in favor of several important initiatives that would better […]
Historic No More?! Demo Epidemic Strikes Notable Downtown Buildings
The City of Portland has removed historic resource status from two prominent downtown buildings, a decision that is expected to pave the way for demolition and construction of a new hotel on the site. The buildings—the Ancient Order of United Workmen Temple and Hotel Albion—were placed on the Historic Resource Inventory in 1985 and had […]
The State of Demolitions in Portland
The City of Portland is projecting that 2015 will mark a record year for residential demolitions, with approximately 400 homes expected to be demolished by year’s end. While new code requirements provide for a delay and notification period before a demolition takes place, the trend for more and larger housing units continues to increase pressure on […]
Momentum Building to Reduce Demolition Waste
With outcry intensifying over the stream of waste being generated by demolitions in Portland, the Mayor’s office and City bureaus have been working to develop regulatory responses intended to address some issues of concern. Two initiatives have recently been announced: one designed to incentivize higher rates of reuse of materials from buildings slated for demolition, and the […]
Guide to Requesting Delay Extensions for Proposed Residential Demolitions
In April 2015, the City of Portland adopted new rules governing demolitions in the city’s single-family residential zones. These rules allow the public to request an additional delay period for the purpose of saving significant houses from demolition. Because the process can be confusing, a citizen guide has been created to provide step-by-step instructions for individuals and organizations […]
Zoning Code Loophole Contributes to Demolition Pressure
While the rebounding economy and influx of new residents has left no shortage of opportunity or incentive for developers to tear down and replace older houses in Portland’s single family neighborhoods, a recent trend indicates that an arcane provision in the City’s Zoning Code is among the biggest threats to the fabric of Portland’s older neighborhoods. The […]
Historic theaters: potential economic engines face challenges
A new report on the condition and needs of Oregon’s historic theaters reveals them as potentially significant economic engines as well as cultural touchstones in communities small and large. But they’re challenged by deferred maintenance and other financial and organizational needs, for which the report provides specific recommendations. Nearly a year of research resulted in […]