A new office and workshop for construction company Hammer & Hand has been approved by the Historic Landmarks Commission. The two story building by Holst Architecture will include workshop space at the ground level, with office space and a roof deck above. The project is being designed to meet Passive House standards, with the intention that the office portion of the building will achieve net zero energy use. No vehicular parking is proposed.
The project site is a quarter block at 1135 SE Grand Ave, at the southern end of the East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District. A vacant 1924 warehouse, considered “non-contributing” to the historic district, is currently located on the site.
The primary materials for the building will be painted brick with grey stucco accents and metal clad wood windows. The windows will use View Dynamic electrochromic glass, which changes tint as needed to reduce solar heat gain in the summer.
The project was approved by the Landmarks Commission on April 24th, 2017, after one prior hearing. In the conclusion to the Final Findings and Decision by the Landmarks Commission the project found to complement the “existing historic fabric in the district”:
The two-story office and workshop space proposed in the East Portland/Grand Avenue Historic District in the Central Eastside Subdistrict of the Central City Plan District will integrate well with the existing historic fabric in the district. The proposed building massing is low, reflecting the scale of numerous concrete and brick warehouses in the district. The street-facing facades are well-articulated with a regular pattern of vertically-oriented window bays with large areas of glazing. The proposed painted brick and subtle brick detailing add texture to the street-facing facades, and together with the rhythm of window bays, adds to the historic character of the building.
Building permits will need to be obtained before construction can begin on site.
Drawings
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- Plan – Context
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- Plan – Ground
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- Plan – Level 2
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- Plan – Roof
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- Elevations – South and North
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- Elevations – East and West
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- Sections – East / West
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- Sections – North / South
I don’t understand how the HLC is so out of alignment with nationally accepted historic preservation guidelines for new construction in historic areas.
They’re wasting a great opportunity for two of Portland’s more progressive architecture and design firms to add something vibrant to an important part of town. instead we’re left with an unassuming, humdrum building that in 10 years people will confuse with truly historic buildings while blaming design review for why Portland has so few contemporary design landmarks.
As well-articulated and carefully-crafted as this building will be due to the nature of the project team, the HLC is mandating that this building lie to the public about it’s era of construction. 2017 is not 1917. We should not be building things today that are not reflective of our era and our current city’s need for density and smart growth at close-in non-neighborhood sites. Or maybe we should be up in arms that not enough horse and buggy parking is provided to match the requirements of the historic period we’re trying to artificially recreate?
I know the HLC has the best intentions in mind and I appreciate all the time and effort that the committee puts in, but one project at a time they’re creating our local version of disneyland.
It’s a real stretch to say this is Disney. They did a decent job of blending the new and the old here. I think this makes a nice addition to the Central Eastside.
Thank you Holst for showing how to celebrate a corner. We have a lot of them here in Portland thanks to our tiny blocks and we should be celebrating them. Too often they are taken for granted. Good work Holst.