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 […]
Portland to Reevaluate Residential Infill Development Standards
With a rebounding economy driving frenzied development and projections that Portland will grow by more than a quarter of a million residents over the next twenty years, the city’s single family neighborhoods are facing more building pressure than ever before. While the majority of the city’s growth (and nearly all of its net density gains) have been occurring […]
Restore Oregon Wins Precedent-Setting Bull Run Court Case
The historic Bull Run Power Plant was saved today following a Land Use Board of Appeals ruling that will enable the adaptive reuse of rural historic resources across Oregon for years to come. Restore Oregon invested significant time and resources in filing a brief and arguing before the court in support of the preservation-friendly land […]
Intern-Approved: Historic House Bars
This edition of Intern-Approved features Portland’s other favorite house-served liquid: booze! Be it served in a can, pint, or brandy snifter, there is a wide array of watering holes that have taken up residence in Portland’s historic houses. If the walls of these homes could talk, they would have many stories to tell; and after a […]
Intern-Approved: Historic Coffeehouse Houses
Five out of four Portlanders agree: coffee is a staple part of the modern diet. The city is known nationally for having a virtually never-ending supply of coffee shops to get a fix. All of these options can be a bit overwhelming, so leave it to Restore Oregon’s occasional series “Intern-Approved” to solve your indecisiveness. […]
Restore Oregon Asks Court to Save Historic Power Plant, Set Precedent for Adaptive Reuse Projects
Restore Oregon today filed an extensive brief with the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) that could significantly advance the preservation of historic buildings that are today deteriorating in farm and forest lands across Oregon. Anticipated to be precedent-setting for the rehabilitation of some of the state’s most challenging historic resources, the case in question […]
After Heroic Quest, Portland Councilman Discovers Lost Endangered Place
Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish is today being celebrated as the “Indiana Jones of Historic Preservation” after rediscovering the long-lost Jantzen Beach Carousel, a historic 1921 merry-go-round that has been shrouded in mystery since disappearing three years ago. Following the quest, Fish’s office announced Tuesday that the Carousel is being held at Jantzen Beach Center and […]
Oregon Main Street Update – July 2015
It is rewarding to see the amazing accomplishments of the Oregon Main Street Network communities over the past few years in breathing new life into their historic downtowns using the nationally recognized Main Street Approach® to preservation-based economic development. Main Street programs and communities have a vital role to play in ensuring that the historic […]