Jokesters used to tease Portland as being a city where the Otis
Elevator Company was headquartered in a one-story building.
Well, true dat.
The company in 1920 built its one-story building with Italian
Renaissance styling on a 5,000-square foot lot at N.W. 10th Ave.
and Everett St. The west end served as the office and the rear portion of the
building was used for storage and fabrication.
The charming little building – which survives today in excellent
condition – belies the importance of elevators in modern architecture. Paired
with the advent of steel-frame construction, the elevator industry helped the
world advance into the skyscraper era. The Portland Otis office was
instrumental in assisting Portland’s early high-rise buildings such as the
Wells Fargo Building, Meier & Frank, Jackson Tower, Benson Hotel, American
Bank Building as well as many newer tall buildings.
Portland’s stylish Otis office was designed by an Otis company architect whose identity is now known. The firm was building many buildings around the nation at the time. The 1920 date is interesting because it came near the end of architecture’s tradition of using historic styles.
“Its classical facade expresses a central tenet of the Beaux Art
influenced, classically derived architecture of the time, i.e., that even
mundane uses should be housed in nobly-designed
structures,” states a history compiled for the National Register
of Historic Places. “The Otis Building is noteworthy as a relatively late
example of this tenet, since by the time of its construction it was already
becoming common to house industrial uses in more functionally-designed
structures.”
The west facade contains tall Romanesque arched windows office
entry is decorated with an arched terra cotta pediment. Above, a frieze, cornice and red tile roof
are customary Italian Renaissance details.
The northern facade reflects the warehouse portion of the building with
simpler design and fewer architectural details.
Otis used the building until 1975. The former office space is now
home to a certified public accountant, and the interior by visual inspection (peeking
in the windows) appears largely intact. The former warehouse is contains an
artist-run art gallery.
Elisha Graves Otis invented his first elevator in 1852. The early
ones were intended for hoisting machinery. By 1857 Otis elevators were adapted
for carrying people; Otis also invented a safety mechanism that prevented the
elevator from falling if its supporting ropes were severed. His successful demonstration of the safety
device launched his elevators as people carriers.
After 123 years, Portland’s Otis building reflects design,
materials and craftsmanship of an architectural era that no longer exists. We
should appreciate its presence and its charm --
and hope that its long life continues without
harmful alterations.
And that’s no joke.
----Fred Leeson
Join Building on History’s email list by writing “add me” to
fredleeson@hotmail.com
Hello! Nice blog
ReplyDeleteEnhance the look of your outdoor space with our large outdoor clock. Our selection offers high-quality and durable clocks that are perfect for parks, universities, and other public areas.