Back in 2011 the Egyptian Theatre (built in 1925) was placed on Restore Oregon’s Most Endangered Places list. It had been shut down by our theatre’s owner, the Urban Renewal Agency of Coos Bay, because of structural concerns. In 2012 the City of Coos Bay and the Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association (ETPA) embarked on an […]
Can we get a WITNESS? It’s time to testify!
Committee Hearing on The REVITALIZE MAIN STREET ACT (SB 565) Set for March 4th The biggest obstacle to the restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings is money. Traditional financing just won’t cover the high cost of restoration, code upgrades, and seismic retrofitting in many cases. The Revitalize Main Street Act (SB 565) will change […]
We’re Headed to DC to Talk Preservation
As anyone who’s stopped by the office recently knows, the Restore Oregon staff are working long hours to advocate for the Revitalize Main Street Act. Passage of this bill would be transformative for hundreds of iconic buildings across the state. But, of course, there are many other legislative issues that affect historic places. So, we’ve […]
10 Reasons to Support the Revitalize Main Street Act
The most important thing we can do to save more historic places and bring Oregon’s historic downtowns back to life is to PASS THE REVITALIZE MAIN STREET ACT Many of Oregon’s traditional downtowns are at a tipping point, half-empty, with their historic facades in urgent need of repair and restoration. Thankfully, there is a small army […]
WANTED: Site and Purpose for Oregon’s Oldest Log House
The Molalla Log House, possibly the state’s oldest structure, reveals secrets that may rewrite the first chapter of Oregon’s pioneer history. Researchers think Russians were first to build in Oregon. MOLALLA, OREGON – The historic Fox Granary in rural Clackamas County was no secret to local history buffs— the county declared the expertly crafted log […]
Appellate Court Decision Weakens Protections for Oregon Landmarks
In a precedent-setting decision, the Oregon Court of Appeals this morning issued a legal opinion that will pave the way for the demolition of a yet-to-be-known number of local landmarks across Oregon. The case, Lake Oswego Preservation Society v. City of Lake Oswego, challenged a Lake Oswego City Council interpretation of a provision of the […]
Restore Oregon to Write Checks for Endangered Places
Restore Oregon is pleased to announce that $15,000 in grant funding has been made available to support efforts to save the 2015 list of Oregon’s Most Endangered Places. The Endangered Places Preservation Grant program will provide funding to support feasibility studies, preservation plans, National Register nominations, and other projects critically important for preserving some of the […]
Historic Dayton Church Turned Restaurant is an Adaptive Reuse Success Story
A charming piece of Dayton history is new again; repurposed as a favorite community gathering place… In 1885, 12 members of the Village of Dayton and the Baptist Church of McMinnville voted to join together to create their own Dayton First Baptist Church. In April of the following year the church’s building committee reported to […]
Restore Oregon to Endorse Proposed Demolition Code Revisions
After six months of negotiations between preservationists, builders, neighborhood leaders, and City staff, Restore Oregon is set to endorse a compromise proposal that would greatly strengthen the City of Portland’s demolition code. As Portland’s real estate market has boomeranged out of the recession, established neighborhoods have witnessed sharp increases in the number older houses being […]
Portland City Council Denies Application to Demolish Historic Building
At their December 18th meeting, the Portland City Council voted to deny a controversial application to demolish the Buck-Prager Building, a 1918 contributing building in the Alphabet National Historic District. The proposal sought to replace the existing three-story unreinforced masonry building with a half-block six-story apartment complex, the design of which had yet to be […]