Recently, a development team in Portland’s New Chinatown / Japantown Historic District have asked for height increases, additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR), and exemption from Historic Landmarks Commission’s historic review process. Restore Oregon provided these examples in testimony to City Council regarding this development to show projects which have recently and successfully worked within the […]
Restore Oregon's 2018 Advocacy Agenda Aims High
Often the biggest preservation efforts are unseen, behind-the-scenes struggles in the political and regulatory arenas. Without the right policies, protections, and incentives, there is little to prevent the loss of the unique historic fabric that enriches our communities and, collectively, make Oregon, Oregon. As the only statewide advocate for preservation in Oregon, we continually assess […]
Most Endangered Places Spotlight: Santiam Pass Ski Lodge
Listed as one of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places in 2018, the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge has made much progress on its path to restoration thanks to the Friends of the Santiam Pass Ski Lodge and the Forest Service. The Lodge was constructed between July 1939 and February 1940. It is located in the Central Cascades […]
New Life for the New Redmond
The New Redmond Hotel, a historic landmark in the heart of downtown Redmond, is undergoing an extensive rehabilitation that will be completed in summer 2019. The Georgian Revival hotel was built in 1928 and designed by Hugh Thompson, a prominent architect from Bend. The New Redmond was listed in the National Register in 1980 for […]
A Heartfelt Thank You!
Heartfelt thanks to Roy Fox, Liz Carter, and Jeff Joslin who have each completed six years of service on Restore Oregon’s Board of Directors! We have greatly benefited from their expertise in business, preservation, and city planning, and have been lifted up by their passion for our mission. They will be missed (and we won’t […]
City Donation Secures Future of Historic Creswell Schoolhouse
Negotiations between the City of Creswell and the Creswell Heritage Foundation (CHF) have resulted in an agreement to transfer ownership of the Upper Willamette Valley town’s oldest structure to the recently-formed non-profit. An ambitious five-year plan proposed by CHF would see incremental fundraising and construction project which would complete the building’s rehabilitation in time to […]
New Tax Reform Drastically Alters Tax Deductions for Charitable Giving
Only 5 Days Left to Give Before the New Tax Reform Drastically Alters Tax Deductions for Charitable Giving As we count down the days to 2018 and a spirit of philanthropy is in the air, we encourage you to maximize your 2017 charitable tax deduction to take full advantage of the deduction while you still can. With the passage […]
Update from the National Trust: House and Senate Reconciled Tax Bill Includes 20% Historic Tax Credit, Final Vote NOW!
The House and Senate Conference Committee has reconciled the differences between the two versions of the tax bill. The agreement eliminates the pre-1936 10% non-historic tax credit and includes the 20% Historic Tax Credit (HTC) with a provision that it will be claimed over five years. Also, the Conference Committee included additional transition rule language that […]
Fairness Demands that Mandatory Seismic Upgrades Be Tied to Financial Aid
UPDATED: May 10, 2018 At the first of two public hearings at City Council on May 9th, amendments to the recommended seismic standards mandate were proposed by Council members. Perhaps most significantly, Mayor Wheeler proposed removing, for now, the requirement to tie floors to walls for “class 3” URMs due to the lack of financial […]
ADVOCACY ALERT: Historic Tax Credit Eliminated
The federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) has been an essential source of funding for the restoration and revival of over 100 historic buildings across Oregon. Without the HTC, the vast majority of these projects – along with their jobs and community uplift – would not have happened. The HTC has returned a 25% “profit” to […]