Portland‘s Historic Building Casualties
“Our community has demolished in the name of urban renewal. The following are a few examples of lost building with unique architecture and style.”
From Art DeMuro’s presentation “Historic Preservation: Portland’s Current Debate.”
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- Chamber of Commerce Building on SW Stark between 3rd & 4th Avenue, was built in 1892 and demolished in 1934. The original architect was Isaac Hodgson, Jr. The Chamber, which built the building, lost the title in the 1893 financial panic. By the 1930s, the SP&S (Spokane, Portland & Seattle) Railway owned it.
- Regarded as an antiquated relic of the past, the Chamber of Commerce Building was determined sometime in the 1930s that the building would need to be gutted and redone to be cost effective. Instead it was torn down. Today, in its place is a parking lot.
- Ladd & Tilton Bank, at SW First and Stark, built in 1868 and demolished in 1954. The original architect was John Nestor, who built it for William S. Ladd, a local pioneer merchant and banker. For many years the upper floor was used by the Portland Library Association, which then was a subscription library. Preservationist, Eric Ladd, salvaged the cast iron from the building which in the 1960s was used in the former Ladd & Bush Bank in Salem.
- Today, the site where the Ladd & Tilton Bank stood for almost 100 years is a parking lot.
- Lewis & Flanders Building, at SW Naito & Ash Street, was built in 1869 and was removed in 1940. The original architect was E.M. Burton. From the 1870s to 1890s, the building housed Knapp, Burrell & Co., a farm implement and industrial machinery business. Later, it was used by Fleischer, Mayer & Co., a large wholesale dry goods company.
- Now at the Lewis and Flanders Building site, the Central Fire Station, built in 1951 still remains
- Loewenberg-Leadbetter Mansion at SW Park Place, just below Washington Park, was built in 1894 and demolished in 1960. The original architect was Isaac Hodgson Jr. The house was built by capitalist, Julius Loewenberg and later was occupied by Fred & Caroline Leadbetter. After she was widowed, Caroline, daughter of Henry Pittock, gave the home and property to the Oregon Historical Society in 1951 to use as a museum.
- In 1954, it was determined that the site of the Loewenberg-Leadbetter Mansion was not suitable for a museum and it was sold. Today, an apartment building is built on the site.
- Massachusetts Building was built in 1905 and demolished in the 1940s. The building was built for the Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition. When the Expo was over, the building was moved to the east side of Portland and became part of the Crystal Springs Sanitarium. In 1910, the Sanitarium sold its holdings to Bennage Josselyn, president of the Portland Railway Light and Power Co. Josselyn had the building remodeled into a residence, which he named Josselyn Hall.
- Today, the Massachusetts Building and the remodeled Josselyn Hall are gone and the area has been rebuilt.
- Portland Academy, at SW 13th & Montgomery, was completed in 1895 and opened for students in 1889. The school closed in 1916. The private school focused on college preparation. Whidden & Lewis designed the building.
- In 1965 the Portland Academy building was removed to make way for freeway construction.
- Portland Hotel in Downtown Portland, was built in 1890 and demolished in 1950. The original architect was McKim Mead & White. The hotel had 284 rooms on 6 floors with a dining room that could seat 224 and another 124 could be served in a breakfast room. In 1974, the city secured the land for public use and in 1984 Pioneer Square was built and dedicated.
- Where Portland Hotel stood now houses Pioneer Courthouse Square, a gathering place for various city-wide events.
- This wrought iron arch/gate at Pioneer Square is the only portion remaining of the famous Portland Hotel.
- Perkins Hotel, at 5th & Washington, was built in 1891 with 125 rooms. It was remodeled in 1908 then demolished 1962. The hotel originally attracted business men, cattle men and families
- The golden steer is the only survivor from the Perkins Hotel demolition in 1962. The life-sized longhorn is made of carved cedar, coated with copper paint and sat in a niche with red tile, illuminated with electric lights. The steer is in storage at the Oregon Historical Society.
- St. Mary’s Academy & College at SW 4th & Mill, was originally built by pioneers in 1850s-1860s and was removed in the 1970s. The original architect was Otto Kleeman. In 1890, a brick building replaced the original wood structure.
- St. Mary’s Academy building was used until 1970 when rehab costs were so high that it was felt it should be removed. Today, all that remains is the stone wall surrounding the block that is now a parking lot.
- Worcester Building, at SW 3rd between Oak and Pine, was completed in 1892 and demolished in 1941. It was built in two sections for Portland pioneer merchant and US Senator Henry W. Corbett. During the 1930s, the building was used as artist studios
- Today, the site of the Worcester Building contains an old police headquarters addition from the late 1940s and a residential parking structure.
