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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
Preserving Portland’s Supply of Reservoir History
Water has been a hot topic on the West Coast as drought declarations have moved north from California into Southern and Eastern Oregon. With all of this talk, why not take a quick look back at Portland’s water history? Beginning in the mid-1800s, water was first supplied to the city of Portland from creeks in […]
Preservation Field School Comes to Portland
Have you ever wanted to experience preservation firsthand? Look no further! The University of Oregon’s Historic Preservation Program will be hosting the 2015 Pacific Northwest Preservation Field School in the Portland area later this summer. The two sites attendees will be working on are the Pioneer-era A.J. Masters House in Hillsboro and a log home […]