Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon)

The Stevens Building is a commercial and office building located in downtown Portland, Oregon, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2][3] The 12-story building was designed by Whidden & Lewis. The design is similar to the Failing Office Building (1907) and Wilcox Building (1911), also by Whidden & Lewis.[4] Construction began in August 1913[5] and was completed in 1914, with the building opening on May 1, 1914.[2] The total construction cost was $375,000[5] (equivalent to $11 million in 2024[6]). The building is approximately 152 feet (46 m) tall.[7]

Stevens Building
The Stevens Building in 2012
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon) is located in Portland, Oregon
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon)
Location within downtown Portland
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon) is located in Oregon
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon)
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon) (Oregon)
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon) is located in the United States
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon)
Stevens Building (Portland, Oregon) (the United States)
Location812 SW Washington Street
Portland, Oregon
Coordinates45°31′15″N 122°40′49″W / 45.520836°N 122.680351°W / 45.520836; -122.680351
Area0.1 acres (0.040 ha)
Built1913–14
ArchitectWhidden & Lewis[2]
Architectural styleLate 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements, Skyscraper[2]
NRHP reference No.98000213[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 5, 1998[2]

Most of the building's original tenants were doctors and dentists and their patient clinics, and the building's design was adapted for that use.[5] The building was renovated in 1954 to designs by architect Pietro Belluschi.[8]

In 2008, it was purchased by the Church of Scientology for $5.38 million, with the expectation of becoming the headquarters for its Portland chapter.[8] In 2010, they bought the Sherlock Building, also located in downtown Portland, after learning that the Stevens Building would be too expensive to renovate for their purposes.[9] The Church sold the building in October 2013 for $4.35 million to Arthur Mutal Investments LLC, who plan to turn it into a hotel.[10]

Tenants

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As of September 2011, one of the ground-floor tenants of the building is Finnegan's Toys & Gifts, who moved to 820 SW Washington Street after occupying the Blanchard Building at 922 SW Yamhill Street since 1981.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e Tess, John M. (July 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Stevens Building" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  3. ^ "Oregon National Register List" (PDF). Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. June 6, 2011. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  4. ^ King, Bart (2001). An Architectural Guide to Portland. Gibbs Smith. pp. 31–32. ISBN 9780879059910. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c "Stevens Building will open Friday". The Sunday Oregonian. April 26, 1914. Section 4, p. 12.
  6. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "Emporis building ID 122667". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ a b Spencer, Aaron (March 31, 2010). "Stevens Building". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  9. ^ Spencer, Aaron (June 8, 2010). "Church of Scientology buys Sherlock Building". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  10. ^ Njus, Elliot (November 7, 2013). "Historical Stevens Building in downtown Portland sold to group eyeing hotel". The Oregonian. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  11. ^ Spencer, Aaron (August 8, 2011). "Finnegan's Toys moving to Stevens Building in downtown Portland". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved September 27, 2012. Finnegan's will leave its space at the Blanchard Building, 922 S.W. Yamhill Street, and move to the Stevens Building at 820 S.W. Washington Street, the company said today .... The store has been at its location on Southwest Yamhill Street for 30 of the 34 years it's been in business.
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