Two Remodels in Historic Districts

2121 NW Glisan St.

Plans for major remodeling projects in two of Portland’s historic districts have been approved by the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission.

Both buildings – Silver Dollar Pizza in the Alphabet Historic District and Grace Peck Terrace in the Irvington Historic District – are too recent to qualify as contributing elements of their historic districts.  However, the landmarks commission serves as the city’s design review agency because the properties lie within district boundaries.

The single-story Silver Dollar building will sprout two stories and add eight small apartments around an open courtyard on the second and third floors.  The pizza store will continue its long-term lease as the ground-floor anchor.  Entry to the apartments will be on the NW Glisan Street side, while the pizza entry remains on NW 21st Ave.

 The building will be encased in light-colored stucco, with gentle Art Deco adornments celebrating the Glisan façade and the apartment entry.  Pilasters on the original building will be extended on the new floors.  Landmark commission members applauded the project for adding new residences to an existing building rather than going the tear-down route.

 The one-story building was built in the 1940s and underwent subsequent renovations that lack a coherent architectural foundation.  The renovation includes a rounded cornice and corner at 21st and Glisan, adding to the Art Deco feel. 

 

View from NE 14th Ave. and Schuyler St.

In Irvington, the six-story Grace Peck Manor, a 95-unit subsidized housing complex erected in 1979, suffers from water leaks in its windows and stucco exterior.  The project calls for replacing all windows and cladding the building with oko skin, a fiberglass-reinforced concrete product that is expected to survive better in Portland’s wet climate.   The oko panels will be applied horizontally to reflect the wooden lap siding common to surrounding houses in the neighborhood.

 The primary colors will be contrasting gray tones, with three colors of blue standing vertically between the floors. 

The plan also calls for remodeling the main entry and creating a new patio on the Hancock Street side close to 14th Avenue that will be recessed a few feet below the level of the adjacent sidewalk.  Small balconies on the building that would have disappeared in an earlier version of the plan will be retained.  Although small at approximately 20 square feet each, tenants said they valued having them.

 “Overall, I think it’s going to be a great change for the neighborhood,” said Kristen Minor, landmarks chair.

 Landmarks commissioners also discussed the possibility of creating a large mural or work of art that would decorate a tall blank building mass above the main entrance at NE 14th and Hancock, but no conclusion has been reached about what it might be.  The building is managed by Home Forward, a federally-funded subsidized housing program.

 -----Fred Leeson

Join Building on History's website by writing "add me" to fredleeson@hotmail.com.