When the huge Amazon distribution building was erected on the site of the old Portland Meadows horse track, its developers had to compensate for the wetlands lost as part of that project; a portion of the former golf course fulfills that requirement.
Technically, Feig never was a licensed architect. He had studied architecture at the University
of Oregon, and worked for the city as a plans inspector from 1922 to 1927. He operated an architecture office in
Portland until 1935, when the Depression had essentially closed the
construction business.
Feig then moved to Orlando, Florida, where he worked as a construction supervisor. He retired to Yamhill County in 1965, and died three years later.
Here are a few of Feig’s interesting apartments:
Aronson lobby |
The lobby has been maintained in original condition. No matter if the weather is sunny or rainy, when people enter here they know they are in…a different place.
Zenabe Court Apartments, 1929. Some of Feig’s designs were like paired boxes, with a deeply-recessed entry way. He often used corded cast stone to surround doors or windows. The candle-like decorations also occurred often.
The recessed lobby provides an elegant entry passage, but requires extra steps to get to a unit.
Irving Manor, 1928. One of Feig’s smaller buildings. Many of his doorway designs with Romanesque arches were similar to this on his smaller apartments.
Flanders Apartments, 1930. One of his larger designs shows Feig’s preferred decorative ornaments. Regrettably from a visual standpoint, the fire escapes had to be added later.
The Depression ended Feig's career as an apartment designer in Portland. Now eight and nine decades later, many of the current tenants love his buildings. His Broadmoor golf clubhouse, however, is history.
------Fred Leeson
(If you would like to join Building on History's mailing list, write to fredleeson@hotmail.com and say, "Add me.")
Does anyone know if Feig was responsible for the several "mummy" apartment buildings around town? I can think of three: one on NW Everett, another in Lloyd Center on Weidler, and one on the Park Blocks. Any others? King Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922, just in time to be included as a design feature for apartment buildings of the roaring 20s.
ReplyDeleteYes. All three of those are Feig designs. I believe there is one other in Southwest Portland, close to Pill Hill. I did a program on Feig some time ago at the Architectural Heritage Center. You are correct about the King Tut discovery.
ReplyDeleteWas the Santa Barbara on 21st and Hawthorne one of his? It looks an awful lot like the Aronson Court inside and out.
ReplyDeleteYes. Good eyes!
ReplyDeleteApart from the discouraging news about the Broadmoor, this is delightful. I had long liked the quirky Aronson, and some of the others, without knowing about Feig. Thanks, Fred.
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