When I was involved with efforts to save the Dr. Pierce Barn in Cottage Grove, I was in a highly charged, impassioned state most of the time. Darn it, I CARED about saving this old barn! We formed a group of ordinary citizens, called ourselves People Who Love the Barn, and set out to stop […]
Saving the Ermatinger House
When it comes to Oregon history, it doesn’t get much more significant than the Ermatinger House. In 1845, Francis Ermatinger built for himself a federal style residence in what is now downtown Oregon City. Ermatinger was a powerful and influential figure in early Oregon history, serving as a chief trader for the Hudson’s Bay Company, […]
WHAT A DONATION TO RESTORE OREGON CAN DO
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 […]