Wong Laundry Building

Portland, Oregon
Built: 1908

Wong Laundry Building is significant to Portland’s economic history and to the ethnic and immigration history of both city and state. Designed by Alexander C. Ewart, the two-story masonry structure combining retail on the ground floor and lodging above is a prime example of early 20th century commercial architecture built for the travelers, businessmen and workers pouring forth from the new Union Station. The building played a significant role in the evolution of both Portland’s New Chinatown and Nihonmachi, or Japantown.
The Wong Laundry Building was occupied before 1930 by a saloon and various retailers. In the early 1940s, the storefronts were converted into a Chinese hand laundry (parts of which are still intact), a radio repair shop, and living quarters for the widow of a Chinese medicine preparer, Mrs. Kai Young Wong, and her six children. Through extremely hard work and the help of several Wong uncles, Mrs. Wong was able to purchase the building in the early 1950s. A fire in 1970 caused by kerosene thrown through the exterior laundry chute, caused extensive water damage to the first floor and the laundry was closed. The building has been vacant since that time.
 

 
Threats
For decades the Wong Laundry Building has been experiencing demolition by neglect attributable to a lack of access to capital for needed major restoration. The unreinforced masonry structure has been challenging for owners to maintain and is considered seismically unsafe. The building’s poor condition, low height, and location within a quickly developing part of Portland make it a candidate for demolition and redevelopment if a plan for preservation isn’t developed soon.
Progress
Fall 2017
City of Portland adopted New Chinatown/Japantown design guidelines for the National Register Historic District, which Wong Laundry is a contributing property in the district. Restore Oregon staff sat on the advisory committee for the creation of the guidelines and subsequently testified in favor of them at a Portland City Council hearing.
Spring 2017
Restore Oregon staff and board is meeting with local constituents and supporters of the building for next steps
Winter 2017
New owners submit documents including redevelopment and demolition plans to the City of Portland. Restore Oregon and City of Portland staff met with owners to discuss alternatives to demolition.
Spring 2016
New owners purchase the property
Fall 2015
Restore Oregon seed grant was awarded to the Portland Chinatown History and Museum Foundation to study the building and create a strategic plan including a market analysis
November 2014
Listed as one of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places
 
There is strong support from the Chinese and Japanese communities and the Old Town Chinatown Community Association for preserving and reusing the Wong Laundry Building. Developing an economically viable plan for the restoration of the building as a community resource such as a mixed-use multi-ethnic museum will be imperative to the survival of the building.This project was funded in part by the Oregon Cultural Trust and Kinsman foundation: