Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners rescued, revitalized these historic places

1921 The Pickle Factory in Portland was originally constructed as a tire factory but was mostly used as a foundry. (Brett Schulz Architect /Brett Schulz Architect)

Oregon improvement projects are tapping grants and other funds to preserve and upgrade existing, often historic, structures. The nonprofit Restore Oregon organization has selected 14 projects across the state to receive a 2023 DeMuro Award for Excellence, the state’s highest honor for the preservation, reuse and revitalization of architectural and cultural sites.

“It’s exciting to see that this year’s class of DeMuro projects demonstrate that reuse at every scale helps reduce Oregon’s carbon impact,” said Nicole Possert, Restore Oregon’s executive director. “Our jury selected these award recipients based on each project’s positive impact on their community and for the ways in which they inspire others to keep and reuse historic places as a measurable climate sustainability practice.”

The teams of architects, engineers, designers, contractors, developers, property owners, community leaders and volunteers selected for DeMuro Awards will be recognized at Restore Oregon gala fundraiser, Restoration Celebration, on Sept. 22 at Castaway Portland, a 1929 warehouse in the Pearl District transformed into an event space. Tickets are $100 (restoreoregon.org).

Here are highlights cited by Restore Oregon of the 2023 DeMuro Award winners:

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners The 1882 Harlow Hotel is a three-story Italianate brick building. (Harlow Hotel/Harlow Hotel)

1882 Harlow Hotel in Portland’s Pearl District: The three-story, Italianate-style brick building, named for developer Captain John Harlow, opened as the Grand Central hotel with street-level storefronts like the East Park Exchange saloon and a barbershop.

Doors to the Harlow Block, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, were shuttered in the 1970s. In 2019, hoteliers Ganesh and Pinky Sonpatki of Portland Value Inns introduced the renovated and seismically retrofitted historic building as the Harlow Hotel.

The foundation was strengthened, new mortar was installed around exterior brick and interior wall framing was replaced with steel posts and beams along with other reinforcement work funded in part with the National Park Services’ Historic Preservation Tax Incentives.

Arciform design firm, Chesshir Architecture, Heritage Consulting Group and others were also a part of the project team. Learn more at harlowhotelpdx.com.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners The Bungalow Theatre is Woodburn's only remaining historic theater. It was built as a furniture store in 1894 and converted to theater use around 1911. (City of Woodburn staff/City of Woodburn staff)

1894 Bungalow Theatre and 1905 Woodburn Historical Museum in Woodburn: The city’s only surviving historic theater was built as a furniture store in 1894 and converted to theater use around 1911. The Woodburn Historical Museum, formerly known as the Woodburn World’s Berry Center Museum, was also part of a restoration project that included the theater to form a community meeting and event space.

Seismic updates and other improvements included the facade and interior remodels. DECA Architecture, Natalys Construction and others were part of the project team. Learn more at woodburn-or.gov/museum.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners 1907 Hotel Grand Stark in Southeast Portland, formerly Shleifer Furniture, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. (Hotel Grand Stark/Hotel Grand Stark)

1907 Hotel Grand Stark in Southeast Portland’s Buckman neighborhood: The four-story brick building that occupies a quarter block in the East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District, as recognized by the National Register of Historic Places, has housed Hotel Gayosa, renamed the Chamberlain Hotel and for 79 years, Shleifer Furniture.

Beam Development and Urban Development + Partners hired Works Progress Architecture in their goal to renovate not raze the distressed building.

The National Park Services’ Historic Preservation Tax Incentives were used to make seismic upgrades that included a new foundation with micro piles, two large seismic brace frames at the ground-floor perimeter, new shear cores and a series of strong backs and tension ties to support existing brick. Palisociety operates the hotel; Grand Amari and Little Bitter Bar by Olympia Provisions are onsite. Learn more at palisociety.com/hotels/hotel-grand-stark.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners 1910 SERA Portland Headquarters in Portland was the Olds, Wortman & King Department Store. (SERA Architects/SERA Architects)

1910 SERA Portland Headquarters in downtown Portland: The five-story building, designed by Seattle-based architect Charles Aldrich, was a department store under various names including Olds, Wortman & King, until doors closed in 1974. Bill and Sam Naito bought the building in 1976 and converted it into the Portland Galleria indoor shopping mall that includes Target.

The renovated building’s upper floors are now architecture firm SERA’s Portland Headquarters.

Improving comfort and performance while retaining original character as well as equity and sustainability guided decisions on the renovation of the National Register-listed building.

Adapting the old building saved almost 80% of embodied carbon of new construction. Upgrades are expected to reduce operational carbon emissions by half through 2050. The building qualified for a $500,000 incentive through Energy Trust of Oregon’s Path to Net Zero program.

Unico Properties, KPFF Consulting Engineers and Fortis Construction.com were also a part of the project team. Learn more at seradesign.com.

1911 Fountain Place Apartments in downtown Portland. (Nick Grier, Lorentz Bruun Construction, Peter Meijer)

1911 Fountain Place Apartments in downtown Portland: A spacious, new form of multifamily dwellings, called “apartment houses,” showed up in Portland a year before the city’s biggest promotional campaign, the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. Millions of people lured by the months-long fair saw the newly spruced-up city and many decided to stay, causing an unprecedented need for housing.

The original Wheeldon Annex, named after first manager Alice Wheeldon and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by Portland architecture firm MacNaughton and Raymond in the Italian Renaissance Revival style.

Affordable housing and equity were a focus of the project to improve the building owned by Home Forward and managed with Pinehurst Management.

Lorentz Bruun Construction and Peter Meijer Architect collaborated on a full building redevelopment to improve safety, seismic compliance and occupant comfort, while retaining historic character. Learn more at homeforward.org.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners The restored 1935 J.F. Hutchinson Elementary School (seen here) as well as the 1911 Union High School, 1950 Gymnasium and 1957 S.E. Miller Elementary School are in the Union School District. (Union School District/Union School District)

Union School District structures in Northeast Oregon: The 1911 Union High School was designed in the American Renaissance style and is a primary contributing building to the Union Main Street National Historic District.

In November 2019, the Union community passed a bond to improve safety, efficiency and accessibility in school facilities. The project budget was shared between Union High School and three other buildings not included in the historic district designation: the 1935 J.F. Hutchinson Elementary, 1950 Gymnasium and 1957 S.E. Miller Elementary.

Given the age of the buildings, the magnitude of deferred maintenance and the limited budget, the District had to make tough choices to prioritize project scope. Special attention was paid to addressing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, creating a community gathering space, executing creative seismic upgrades and prioritizing energy efficiency.

The project team included Wenaha Group construction management, BLRB Architects, Walker Structural Engineering and others. Learn more at union.k12.or.us.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners The 1914 Oregon Supreme Court Rehabilitation is the oldest surviving government building on the Capitol Mall in Salem. (Josh Partee/Josh Partee)

1914 Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem: The first building solely dedicated to state Supreme Court matters in Oregon and the oldest surviving government building on the Capitol Mall in Salem is also the best example of Oregon state architect William Christmas Knighton’s work in the Beaux-Arts style.

Home to the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals and State Law Library, the three-story landmark is adorned in terra cotta, marble, mahogany and an abundance of classical detailing. Also historically significant is a stained-glass skylight in the courtroom created by Povey Brothers Art Glass Works, Oregon’s first decorative window company and known as the Tiffany of the Northwest.

Modernization by Hennebery Eddy Architects, Forell-Elsesser Engineer, Hoffman Construction and others on the project teach resulted in a safer, more accessible work environment as well as energy efficiency seismic resilience. Salvage and reuse of materials were employed where possible to adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s historic preservation standards and exceed Oregon’s energy-wise SEED requirements.

Successfully listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a result of this project, this building is one of only two Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified historic base-isolated buildings in the nation and the first in Oregon. Learn more at courts.oregon.gov.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners 1921 The Pickle Factory in Portland was originally constructed as a tire factory but was mostly used as a foundry. (Brett Schulz Architect /Brett Schulz Architect)

1921 Pickle Factory in Portland’s Piedmont neighborhood: The original tire factory was mostly used as a foundry and “The Pickle Factory” name is derived from the foundry term “pickling,” which is the process of removing surface impurities from cast parts.

The adaptive reuse to create affordable office and studio spaces included minor modifications to the exterior and preservation of the raw industrial interior’s exposed concrete, cranes and gantries.

Brett Schulz, Architect, BK Engineers, Portland Industrial Services and others on the project team made spaces for artisans, craftspeople and makers to work in the city. Learn more at brettschulz.com/pickle-factory.

The 1926 Hollywood Theatre in Northeast Portland’s Hollywood District has a restored lower facade. (NashCo)

1926 Hollywood Theatre’s lower facade in Northeast Portland’s Hollywood District: Designed by the architectural firm of Bennes & Herzog, the National Register-listed movie palace and vaudeville house has an ornate Mediterranean front facade and Spanish Baroque entry pavilion.

Architect Paul Falsetto and the project team’s primary goal was to recapture the drama of the original entry experience that was stripped away in the 1960s. During demolition, original building elements were discovered, repaired and incorporated into the new design. Learn more at hollywoodtheatre.org.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners The renovated 1926 McDougall Farmhouse in Dayton has been owned by the same family for generations. (Fackler Construction Company/Fackler Construction Company)

1926 McDougall Farmhouse in Dayton: A farmhouse owned by the same family for generations was renovated by Fackler Construction from the exterior to the kitchen and other rooms.

Old and new elements were blended without sacrificing historic charm. The project team restored a cast-iron sink, intricate moldings, counters and cabinetry, and woodwork from the historic Whitney Mill.

Pillars on the porch and portico were reproduced as nearly exact replicas. Vintage-looking lighting and fixtures meet modern electrical code while holding on to the historic aesthetic. Learn more at facklerconstruction.com.

1936-1937 Canby City Hall was designed by Portland architects George Howell Jones and Harold D. Marsh. (Michael Schoenholz)

1936-1937 Historic Canby City Hall in Canby: Originally named the Holly Street City Hall, the single-level structure was designed by Portland architects George Howell Jones and Harold D. Marsh.

Canby City Hall was identified for preservation as an example of a Colonial Revival style civic building and the renovation was entirely funded through private funds. Original hardwood floors were refinished, historic light fixtures were installed and historic wooden doors and windows were replicated in the new retail space.

Hanlon Development’s project team included SERA Architects, historians, local artisans and contractors. Learn more at hanlondevelopment.com.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners 1950 De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland’s Cully neighborhood uses renovated buildings used by St. Charles Parish. (Bora Architecture & Interiors/Bora Architecture & Interiors)

1950 De La Salle North Catholic High School in Portland’s Cully neighborhood: St. Charles Parish was converted into a high school campus by Bora Architecture & Interiors and the project team.

The existing 30,000-square-foot school wing, built in 1950 and expanded in the 1950s and 1960s, was closed in the 1980s. The reimagined structure has flexible classrooms, a visual arts center, maker space as well as science classrooms and laboratories

Existing and new structures, including a new commons and gymnasium, create a central courtyard. Learn more about delasallenorth.org.

1958 BackFire Station (Pendleton Fire Station #1 was built in 1958 and served as the Pendleton’s primary fire station through the end of 2019. (BackFire Station)

1958 BackFire Station in Pendleton: Pendleton Fire Station #1 served as the city’s primary fire station and firefighting administration facility through 2019.

The repurposed firehouse, designed by Koble Creative, Architecture, is a retail space on the ground level and residence on the second story. BackFire Lodge, a motorcycle-themed short-term lodging facility, occupies the former firefighters’ sleeping quarters. The project team also included Moto Stuff, Schutte Consulting Engineers, McCormack Construction and others. Learn more at backfirestation.com.

Restore Oregon’s 2023 preservation award winners 1961 Path Home was the Lents Evangelical United Brethren Church and is now a shelter for unhoused families in the greater Portland area. (Aaron Leitz/Aaron Leitz)

1961 Path Home in Portland’s Lents neighborhood: Constructed as the Lents Evangelical United Brethren Church, the midcentury modern building underwent multiple renovations before becoming a permanent Path Home shelter for unhoused families in the greater Portland area.

Trauma-informed design decisions by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design working with Carleton Hart Architecture as well as Prato Landscape Architecture and Corlett Landscape Architecture improved accessibility, flexibility, inclusion, health and healing. Learn more at jhinteriordesign.com.

— Edited by Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

[email protected] | @janeteastman