{"id":5560,"date":"2022-10-31T12:21:26","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T12:21:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/melvinmarkcompanies.com\/?p=5560"},"modified":"2022-11-07T17:47:20","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T17:47:20","slug":"downtown-portland-then-and-now-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melvinmarkcompanies.com\/downtown-portland-then-and-now-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Downtown Portland, Then and Now (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since it was incorporated in 1851, Portland has been a city of adaptation. It has gone through both hardships and prosperity throughout the years and has grown into what is now one of TIME’s World’s Greatest Places<\/a>.\u00a0In this blog series, we focus on major areas of the city and share some of the structures, individuals, and events that have transformed it from what it was \u201cthen” to what it is “now.”<\/p>\n

Early Waterfront Buildings<\/h2>\n

Before the invention of the railroad, Portland relied on the Willamette River to import and export its goods. The waterway was the source of industry, so many of the city\u2019s first buildings were constructed along the river adjacent to what is now Tom McCall Waterfront Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s first commercial property was erected in 1857 at the corner of SW Oak St and Naito Pkwy (then Front Ave). Known as the Hallock & McMillan Building, the two-story structure was built of brick and cast iron by Portland\u2019s first professional architect, Absalom Hallock, and contractor William McMillan. In the 1940s the fa\u00e7ade was replaced with a nondescript stucco, but in 2011, Russell Development Co. bought the building and restored it to its original appearance. Today, the 5,000 square foot property is considered the oldest commercial building in Portland.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Hallock & McMillan Building (237 SW Naito Pkwy) (Emerick Architects; Oregonian)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Other early buildings of that time that still stand today include the Northrup and Blossom-Fitch Building built in 1858, the Dielschneider Building built in 1859, and the side-by-side Pearne and Poppleton Buildings built in 1865 and 1867, respectively. These buildings were some of the earliest in what would become the city\u2019s business core.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Northrup and Blossom-Fitch Building (55 SW Yamhill St)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Pearne Building (left, 814 SW 1st Ave) and the Poppleton Building (818 SW 1st Ave) (Vintage Portland)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Cast-Iron Business Core<\/h2>\n

By the mid-to-late 1800s the price of iron was more affordable than stone, so many architects turned to cast-iron building designs. Its flexibility also allowed them to incorporate beautifully decorative details into their exteriors and the style became very popular. In fact, Portland is home to the second-largest collection of cast-iron buildings in the country, and most of them can be found in the Skidmore\/Old Town Historic District.<\/p>\n

This area became the city\u2019s business core, filling up with office buildings, warehouses, retail stores, and lodging by the end of the century. One of the most notable buildings still standing is the New Market Block on SW 1st<\/sup> Ave. When it opened in 1875, it was originally called Ankeny Hall with a theater on the second floor, a market on the first, and a restaurant and offices on the third floor. It was also the first home of Portland\u2019s symphony orchestra. Today, office tenants and retail tenants occupy the building, and the area is home to the Portland Saturday Market<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Another favored cast-iron building is the Smith Block<\/a> building, built in 1872. One of the oldest buildings along the waterfront area, Smith Block was originally home to a row of warehouses named for owners William K. and Joseph S. Smith. When it was renovated in 2008, it was built with office tenants in mind. It is also now home to a local restaurant, Lechon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The New Market Block (120 SW Ankeny St)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Smith Block Building (111 SW Naito Pkwy) (Vintage Portland)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Towards the end of the century the charm of cast iron architecture began wearing off, replaced by steel-frame masonry-fa\u00e7ade buildings. One of the last cast-iron buildings to be built is the Glisan Building in 1889. The two-story property was once home to medical offices, a creamery, and an electrical supplies company; today it\u2019s known for its restaurant tenant, Kell\u2019s Irish Pub.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Glisan Building (112 SW 2nd Ave) (Lost Oregon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Shift to Downtown<\/h2>\n

By the early 20th<\/sup> century, the waterfront area had suffered several river floods and fires (including the Great Fire of 1873<\/a>, which destroyed 22 blocks). A greater railroad presence was also emerging in the city and dozens of large out-of-state companies had moved into the area following the Lewis & Clark Exposition in 1905. All of these factors began shifting Portland\u2019s business core west towards what is now Downtown.<\/p>\n

Fearing a loss of business on what was a trendy 3rd<\/sup> St (now 3rd<\/sup> Ave), store owners collaborated and created a movement called \u201cThe Great Light Way.\u201d Together they funded the erection of brightly lit, two-and-a-half-ton steel arches that spanned every intersection on 3rd<\/sup> St from Yamhill St to Glisan St. The idea was to increase the desirability of 3rd<\/sup> Ave as a business center and even though the core continued to shift west by the 1920s, many believed the Great Light Way helped 3rd<\/sup> Ave businesses stay successful.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Great Light Way at SW Yamhill St & 3rd Ave (Oregonian)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Building Up<\/h2>\n

As business shifted, Victorian homes and mansions that once dotted the Downtown landscape started being replaced by commercial structures. This began the era of high-rise office and apartment buildings.<\/p>\n

Coincidentally, Portland\u2019s first skyscraper and Portland\u2019s tallest skyscraper share a similar title. When it opened in 1907, the Wells Fargo Building at SW 6th<\/sup> Ave & Oak St was 182 feet tall and had 12 stories. It was built using steel framing and stone, a materials style made popular after the era of cast iron. (By contrast, today\u2019s Wells Fargo Center is 546 feet tall with 40 stories.)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Wells Fargo Building (309 SW 6th Ave) (OHS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By 1910, the city\u2019s population had doubled, so it didn\u2019t take long for architects to start building up. Downtown high-rises like the Yeon Building, Pioneer Park Building<\/a>, Failing Office Building, and the Journal Building (now Jackson Tower) were all constructed before 1914. High-rise hotels were also built during this time to cater to the thousands of tourists that visited the city each year. A few notable ones that still stand today are the Benson, the Multnomah, and the Imperial Hotels.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The Pioneer Park Building (715 SW Morrison St) (Vintage Portland)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Benson Hotel (309 SW Broadway) (Oregonian)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The Multnomah Hotel and Embassy Suites (319 SW Pine St) (OHS)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Theaters started to become popular as well. One of the first vaudeville theaters was the Pentages Theater at SW Broadway & SW Alder St. After it was renovated in 1928, it became the Alderway Building<\/a> and today it is home to several office and retail tenants.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Alderway Building (Hennebery Eddy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A prominent architect of this era, A.E. Doyle, built many of Portland\u2019s most notable buildings. Doyle\u2019s firm not only built the Meier & Frank Building (1909), the Benson Hotel (1912), Pittock Block (1914), and the U.S. National Bank Building (1917), but several large office buildings during the 1920s:<\/p>\n