Most Endangered Places Archives - Restore Oregon

Most Endangered Places: Save the Date!

Restore Oregon — Tue, 30 May 2023 21:07:32 +0000

Save the Date: Gates School Celebrates 100 Years!

Gates School, a 2022 Most Endangered Place, is celebrating its centennial! Save the date for October 14, 2023 to celebrate this historic place with Upward Bound Camp (UBC) and the local community. Festivities include dinner and a live, old-time radio show! All proceeds benefit the restoration and reuse of Gates School. RSVPs are appreciated.

The historic Gates Schoolhouse was built in 1923, decommissioned, and put up for sale in 2012. UBC bought the property in 2014 and operates year-round camps for persons living with developmental and physical disabilities on-site. As a rare historic place—even more so since the overwhelming loss of historic places in the Santiam Canyon as a result of the 2020 wildfires—Gates School serves as a case study for resources threatened by climate change and is an inspiring example of grassroots preservation in rural and underserved communities.

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Most Endangered Places UPDATE

Restore Oregon — Tue, 30 May 2023 20:54:22 +0000

Most Endangered Places UPDATE:

Cumberland Community Events Center Celebrates Restored Steeple & New Roof!

Last year, the Cumberland Community Events Center (CCEC), a 2019 Most Endangered Place, received a grant from the Kinsman Foundation with Restore Oregon’s support for $50,000 to perform exterior restoration work, including the roof and historic steeple. When the 131-year old church was moved in October 2021 to save it from demolition, crews had to remove the deteriorated steeple so it could pass under utilities. It has now been repaired, reinforced, repainted and put back in place!

While the steeple was restored offsite, CECC replaced the roof of the Cumberland and continued with interior renovations to reveal the original shape of the space inside. They are still fundraising to make improvements to the building including the addition of a wing and parking lot. Joel Orton, vice president of the volunteer group, says CECC hopes to repair and repaint the outside of the building by the end of this year.

Click here to donate and support this community-based project!

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The Jantzen Beach Carousel Ready for Next Phase

Restore Oregon — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 21:06:10 +0000

Restore Oregon seeks visionary new owner to carry turn-key restoration project through completion

With preservation planning nearly complete, Restore Oregon, Oregon’s only statewide nonprofit historic preservation organization, is reactivating their search for a visionary entity or community with resources adequate to both assume ownership of the iconic Jantzen Beach Carousel and provide a permanent home for it (meaning property and a building.) If no such entity steps forward by September 15, the carousel may be forced to leave Oregon.

When Restore Oregon accepted donation of the carousel back in 2017, they did so with the intention of serving as temporary stewards, knowing that not taking action could result in the carousel being broken apart and sold off in pieces. As they stated after assuming ownership from EDENS, the former owners of Jantzen Beach Center: “Restore Oregon does not intend to be the long-term owner/operator of the carousel. It is our goal, once a new site and plan have been developed, to transfer ownership to an appropriate entity after placing protective covenants on it to ensure its preservation.” This continues to be the organization’s intent, as their area of expertise is historic preservation, not carousel operation.

Restore Oregon has spent over five years working to position the carousel's future owner for success. Using what they are best known for -- their technical expertise in the preservation realm -- the organization has created a turn-key Preservation Roadmap to guide future carousel restoration. But Restore Oregon cannot move this project along to the next phase alone. So, with their six-year anniversary as temporary stewards fast approaching, the organization has set a deadline of September 15, 2023 for finding a site solution in Oregon or Southwest Washington.

One of the largest wooden carousels in North America, and the only one of its kind still in existence, the Jantzen Beach Carousel stands a whopping 28 feet tall and measures over 66 feet across. Thanks to funding from a variety of community partners and philanthropic supporters, Restore Oregon has researched, developed, tested and refined a comprehensive restoration protocol for this magnificent piece of Oregon history. Now, with its wooden, mechanical and electrical inventories and assessments completed; an assortment of horses and carousel canopy pieces successfully repaired and repainted; abundant photo and video documentation; and a multi-gallery exhibit on display at the Oregon Historical Society outlining restoration best practices in detail, the preservation planning phase is winding down. This means it is time to solve the critical next challenge in this process: identifying a new owner for the carousel who can construct a permanent home for it, and execute full restoration.

In return for providing this magnificent carousel with a home, Restore Oregon can offer:

Ownership of the carousel itself – a priceless, century-old, hand-carved work of art with the potential to become a strong economic driver in a business district, or a popular sub attraction within an existing tourist destination
A truly turn-key restoration project, complete with a detailed protocol to guide carousel repair, repainting and reassembly
Technical support as a preservation consultant to aid with restoration, if desired
An archive (physical and digital) of historic Jantzen Beach Carousel photos and artifacts
Established relationships with community partners, funders and carousel artisans

Restore Oregon acknowledges the carousel’s size makes securing a new home challenging but does not believe rehoming is impossible, particularly if there is strong community support. Although Restore Oregon intends to continue to give priority consideration to sites within the Portland Metro area, they are open to working with any community in Oregon or Southwest Washington, provided that the community is able to offer a viable path forward for the carousel. Because its wooden elements are over 100 years old, the carousel must be housed indoors, in a climate-controlled environment, to ensure longevity. An open-air structure is not an option.

“Five years ago, Restore Oregon stepped up to save the carousel from being sold. Now we need our community to step up to allow this project to move forward,” says Carousel Planning and Education Director Stephanie Brown. “We have conducted market research and community education and outreach. We’ve also done extensive preservation planning and testing, with gorgeous results. Donors and community partners are excited and engaged, and the carousel is perfectly positioned for the next step in its journey: restoration and reassembly.”

Now is the time for those who love the Jantzen Beach Carousel to rally together to secure a future for this beloved landmark, here in the Pacific Northwest. If a viable home is not identified by the September 15 deadline, Restore Oregon will have no choice but to market the carousel nationally. Hoping to avoid that outcome at all costs, Restore Oregon urges interested property owners to reach out with proposals by emailing stephanie@restoreoregon.org or calling (503) 243-1923.

Status of Restore Oregon’s Partnership with Portland Diamond Project

In February 2020, just a few short weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Restore Oregon announced an exclusive partnership with Portland Diamond Project, with the intention of locating the Jantzen Beach Carousel within a planned Major League Baseball stadium development. Since then, the Portland Diamond Project has been a phenomenal partner whose one-time donation helped restoration testing proceed unhindered during the pandemic. However, three years have passed since joining forces, and the partnership agreement has expired. Both parties have mutually agreed not to extend the partnership for a fourth consecutive year, and Restore Oregon has begun to widen their site search. Restore Oregon has tremendous faith in the talented Portland Diamond Project team, and wishes them every success in bringing Major League Baseball to Portland. “We have enjoyed a great relationship with Restore Oregon, but our exclusive partnership agreement has expired,” said Craig Cheek, Founder and President of Portland Diamond Project. “We understand why Restore Oregon feels it is necessary to explore additional site options sooner rather than later, and wish them well with their search. Ultimately, we all want the same thing: to see this beautiful, historic carousel up and running again."

Please direct questions about the Portland Diamond Project and their efforts to bring Major League Baseball to Portland to craig@portlanddiamondproject.com.

About Restore Oregon

Founded in 1977, Restore Oregon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advocates for sound preservation policy and legislation. Our mission is to preserve, reuse and pass forward the historic places and spaces that reflect Oregon’s diverse cultural heritage and make our communities inclusive, vibrant, liveable, and sustainable. Each year, we provide statewide educational programming and technical assistance, while working to save sites and structures, like the Jantzen Beach Carousel, which are part of our Oregon’s Most Endangered Places program. We also hold conservation easements on over 45 historic properties, thereby protecting them in perpetuity.

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2022: A Year of Progress for Restore Oregon’s Preservation Programs

Restore Oregon — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 21:54:03 +0000

Waldron Brothers Drugstore (The Dalles) - After years of uncertainty about the fate of this 159-year old building, The Dalles City Council made a momentous decision about its future this past October – they voted unanimously to pursue preservation in place! The Friends of the Waldron Brothers Drugstore will work with the City to identify projects, such as repointing and the repair of the structural crack at the NW corner, develop options and a budget, and identify funding and grant opportunities. Check our website at www.restoreoregon.org for updates. Photo by Katelyn Van Genderen.

Gates School (Gates) - Announced in September as the 59th historic resource to be named a Most Endangered Place, Gates School demonstrates the fire recovery efforts and resiliency of communities in the Santiam Canyon, as well as providing a case study for access by people with disabilities. Restore Oregon will be working with Upward Bound, the nonprofit owner of Gates School, on preservation, reuse, and climate resiliency planning. Head to www.upwardboundcamp.org/gates-school-restoration-project for more information and to donate to the effort. Photo by Gary Calicott.

Billy Webb Elks Lodge (Portland) - As Oregon’s 5th individually-listed site of Black historical importance in the National Register of Historic Places, BWEL has worked closely with Restore Oregon staff to raise nearly $200,000 in grant funding since experiencing a devastating fire last year, including $140,000 from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, However, they still have a large funding gap to fill before they can become fully operational. Restore Oregon is assisting BWEL with fundraising and a reconstruction plan. To contribute to the project, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/historic-billy-webb-elks-lodge-devastated-by-fire. Photo by Katelyn Van Genderen.

Rural Historic Theaters (Statewide) - For the past two years, Restore Oregon has acted as a technical consultant for eight grant-funded historic theater projects totaling $615,000, many of which were affected by the pandemic, shutdowns, inflation, and supply chain disruptions. Although these obstacles prolonged project timelines, an enormous amount of progress has been made to complete restoration, and systems and life-safety upgrades. In July, the Liberty Theatre in North Bend, shown here, celebrated the restoration and return of the Moorish copper domes to its roof after 48 years—a stunning visual capstone to the years of behind-the-scenes planning and fundraising by Little Theater on the Bay, the nonprofit owner of the Liberty Theatre. Photo by Katelyn Van Genderen.

Cumberland Church (Albany) - Since the church’s move to a new location in late 2021, its owner - the nonprofit Cumberland Community Events Center (CCEC) – has fundraised with Restore Oregon’s support to rehabilitate the building for use as a community center. Recently, CCEC received a grant from the Kinsman Foundation to repair the church’s siding and historic steeple. Restore Oregon will continue the partnership with CCEC as technical preservation and fundraising consultants throughout the restoration process. Future phases include purchasing three adjoining lots, interior renovations, and an addition to accommodate future community center programming. Visit www.albanycumberland.org for information on how to help with the restoration. Photo by Camron Settlemier.

Jantzen Beach Carousel (Portland) - Our Carousel Preservation Roadmap is nearly complete, including detailed protocols for wood repair, repainting and jewel replacement. Having exceeded all expectations, these protocols will guide future restoration of the carousel. Also, on November 18, the Oregon Historical Society opened The Odyssey of the Historic Jantzen Beach Carousel, an exhibit examining the carousel’s journey from Parker’s Leavenworth factory to California’s sunny shores to the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park and beyond. You will have until April 30, 2023 to check it out! Learn more at https://restoreoregon.org/saving-the-jantzen-beach-carousel/. Photo by Stephanie Brown.

Legacy Business Initiative - Restore Oregon’s Legacy Business Initiative (LBI) launched this year with a statewide economic and demographic study performed by Mary Bosch of Marketek, Inc. The study, funded by a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, helped inform the outreach phase of the project being conducted by our intern, Jordan Sobrino. Funded by a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust, Jordan began work in early July to perform outreach to Oregon’s legacy businesses that will result in a report with recommendations for how a statewide legacy business program can provide necessary resources to business owners. Photo of Dean's Beauty Salon & Barber Shop, located in Northeast Portland – one of the oldest continuously-operating Black-owned businesses in the State of Oregon. Photo courtesy of the Dean Family.

Historic Conservation Easements - Restore Oregon added its 46th historic conservation easement this year, the Armstrong House in Northeast Portland. The Queen Anne home built in 1895 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. The easement includes the exterior of the home, various interior elements including plaster ceiling medallions, original woodwork, and stained glass windows. The corner double-lot, and a monkey puzzle tree planted for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in 1905, are also protected under the easement. Find out more about our conservation easement program at www.restoreoregon.org/historic-conservation-easements/. Photo by Nicholas Emilio Photography.

Restore Oregon Modernism - In May, Restore Oregon hosted architect Paul McKean for an informative lecture on "Sensitive MCM Restoration," including his exciting 10-year restoration of architect Richard Campbell’s home in Southwest Portland, also known as the Cain-Wong Residence. As a fundraiser for Restore Oregon, Jeff Weithman of w(here) Real Estate, who is also a member of the Restore Oregon Modernism Committee, hosted an exclusive tour of the home which is one of Portland's best examples of the Northwest Modern Style. We also launched our first self-published book: Oregon Made, A Tour of Regional Mid-Century Modern Architecture. You can buy your copy today at https://store.bookbaby.com/book/oregon-made. In 2023, we will be launching the Restore Oregon Modernist Society, an exciting opportunity to be part of a series of exclusive mid-century modern events. Check our website in the coming weeks for information on how to join! Photo by Chuck Smith at Spin Photography.

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2020 Most Endangered Place Spring 2022 Update: Billy Webb Elks Lodge, Portland

Restore Oregon — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:53:59 +0000

Since the September 2021 fire that devastated the Billy Webb Elks Lodge (BWEL) ballroom, Restore Oregon and BWEL leadership have been working together on fundraising and restoration planning for the lodge, beginning with authorizing a condition assessment led by Restore Oregon Board member Sean Bolden, in collaboration with John Flynn of Resolve Architecture and Planning and Maab Mohammad.

With that condition assessment now completed, focus has shifted to developing a project plan, scope and budget to allow BWEL leadership to plan for restoration, continue to fundraise to fill any budget gaps, and set a target date for re-opening. Owner’s representative Kim Knox of Shiels Obletz Johnsen has graciously offered her time and expertise to assist in this critical new phase of planning.

Long-range planning for the lodge’s future is moving forward in parallel with the restoration planning. John Jackley of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) Portland Chapter is close to completing a feasibility study which explores self-sustaining uses for the property and outlines steps to optimize the building and its operations for new income-producing uses. Results of his study are expected later this month. This work was made possible thanks to John’s generosity, support from NAMC, and grant funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Restore Oregon has also provided technical support and has assisted BWEL’s all-volunteer leadership in identifying and applying for grants. For example, in January, BWEL utilized a Restore Oregon seed grant to hire historic preservation consultant Kim Moreland to write a letter of intent for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s (NTHP) African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund grant. In addition, BWEL was awarded a Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) mini grant to assist the lodge in finding resources to pursue funding for energy efficiency upgrades to help lower their operational costs.

We will continue to provide updates as the Billy Webb Elks Lodge reaches its fundraising and restoration milestones. For information on how you can help, contact katelyn@restoreoregon.org.

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Historic Billy Webb Elks Lodge Devastated by Fire, Needs Help from Community

Restore Oregon — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 14:47:47 +0000

On Restore Oregon’s List of Most Endangered Places since 2020, the lodge has served the Albina neighborhood for close to a century

In the early morning of September 11th, 2021, the Billy Webb Elks Lodge in North Portland’s Albina neighborhood suffered a devastating fire as a result of trespassers. The decking attached to the rear of the building caught fire, which in turn ignited two adjacent walls and the roof above the lodge’s ballroom. Thankfully, the fire was reported quickly enough that it was contained in time to save much of the building. Unfortunately, the blaze left gaping holes in the building’s roof, and burnt rafters throughout. Water has destroyed the walls and floor of the ballroom, as well as the basement below, and the entire interior has been damaged by smoke.

Lodge Exalted Ruler, Louis McLemore, estimates that between maintenance, general overhead, and insurance premiums, it costs roughly $100,000 a year to keep the beloved lodge at 6 N. Tillamook Street open and operational. And this weekend’s debilitating fire has rendered the organization unable to use its sole asset -- its historic building -- to raise the money needed for its survival. McLemore and others are working tirelessly to save and plan for the rehabilitation of the heavily-damaged structure, which serves as headquarters for Portland’s only remaining African American Fraternal Organization, but they need help from the community.

How the Community Can Help:

A GoFundMe page has been established to assist the Billy Webb Elks Lodge as they recover and rebuild. Every contribution, however small, makes a difference.

Funds raised through GoFundMe will assist with:

Securing the building post-fire
Making up for lost revenue
Operating expenses while the lodge remains unusable
Consultations with historic preservation experts about restoring what has been lost
Costs that may not be covered by insurance

Although Billy Webb Elks Lodge has insurance coverage, and SERVPRO of Portland has already visited the site to assess damage and offer assistance, it is estimated that full repairs and mitigation could take at least a year to complete.

While the lodge does collect fees from its members, the vast majority of its operating budget comes from rental of its ballroom, kitchen and bar for events, classes, meetings, and shows, all of which are impossible for the foreseeable future.

During a site visit by Restore Oregon staff earlier this week, McLemore stated in grief that “We were starting to gain so much momentum, and after a year of COVID-19 closures and planning, things were taking off...and now this devastating event has set everything back.”

Billy Webb Elks Lodge Mission & History:

The mission of the Billy Webb Elks Lodge is “to promote Charity, Justice and Love, to our members and the community. Our building is our greatest asset. We provide space for residents, other community-based and non-profit organizations to host meetings and trainings who often provide knowledge regarding social services, mental and physical health, and financial stability. We often provide the spaces free of charge to several of these entities.”

The lodge has a long association with the historic African American community in the Albina District of Portland. It first served as the African American branch of the Portland YWCA and was part of a larger historical context of “Colored Women’s Clubs” in early 20th-century Oregon. For a four-year period during WWII, the lodge was loaned to the United Service Organization (USO) for use as a recreation center for African American servicemen. In 1948, the building was used as an emergency shelter during the Vanport Flood disaster providing shelter to the African American community, which was disproportionately impacted. In 1956, the Portland Branch of the NAACP established its first official headquarters in the basement of the lodge, focusing on African American community issues like the value of organized opposition, state support for education, housing accessibility, discrimination in labor unions, and displacement by urban renewal programs in inner northeast Portland.

During the 1950s and 60s the site became a meeting place for Black community groups like the Urban League of Portland and the Congress of Racial Equality. In 1959 it was sold by the YWCA to the Improved Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks (IBPOEW) who own and occupy it today. The IBPOEW was established in response to racial exclusivity of American fraternal societies and continues the legacy of uplifting the surrounding African American community through fellowship, benevolence, charity, citizenship programs, economic, and business objectives.

The lodge has been on Restore Oregon’s Most Endangered Places list since 2020, and our organization has been working with its leaders -- Lou McLemore, Exalted Ruler and Deborah Roache, Daughter Ruler -- and experts in the community since 2019 to create a plan for the lodge’s future. Recent listing in the National Register of Historic Places has opened doors for grant funding that can offset the costs of preservation and business planning, as well as staffing. Last month, the lodge was awarded a small grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to fund a feasibility study exploring self-sustaining uses for the property that will outline steps to optimize the building and its operations for new income-producing uses. Thus, the fire really could not have come at a worse time.

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Progress on the Mayo House – A 2020 Most Endangered Place

Restore Oregon — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 22:16:56 +0000

In the fall of 2020, Restore Oregon hired locally-owned Albina Construction, LLC to weatherize and protect the Mayo House from damage. Paid for through a Most Endangered Places seed grant made possible by the Kinsman Foundation, the cottage now has new downspouts, and clean gutters, and has been cleared of moss on the roof and treated with EPA-approved moss killer. Albina Construction also covered basement openings and trimmed back arborvitae on the property. Now prepared to withstand another rainy Portland winter, the building is one step closer to housing the Davises’ ARTchive vision.
Restore Oregon thanks Albina Construction, LLC, who graciously provided materials at-cost, and deeply discounted their labor in order to provide this much-needed service to their Albina-community neighbor.

“Preserving the Mayo House as a family home to create generational wealth for a longtime Black Portland family is exactly in line with Albina Construction’s mission as an affordable housing builder and remodeler, especially for our Eliot neighborhood community in NE Portland. It was our pleasure to be in a position to assist the Davis family.”
-Albina Construction, LLC

The Mayo House is a Queen Anne Cottage with a complex history. Built in 1895 by Austrian immigrant, Martin Mayo, the gingerbread-trimmed cottage originally sat on the northwest corner of Union Avenue (now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd) at NE Sacramento Street in Portland.
In 1912, after Mayo commissioned an apartment building for this site (still standing as the Union Manor Building), the house was moved onto Sacramento. When Union Avenue was widened in 1930, the cottage was moved again. It sat at 206 NE Sacramento until 2019 when it was rescued from developers. The Mayo House’s current location at 236 NE Sacramento — very near its original lot — is part of a much larger story of recognition and atonement for Portland’s decades-long campaign to seize Black-owned homes under the guise of “urban renewal.”
After appealing to the Portland City Council to waive $40,000 in fees required to move the house, Eliot neighborhood residents Cleo Davis and Kayin Talton Davis saved the house from demolition. For the Davises, City approval holds significance beyond saving a historic home from the wrecking ball. It also signifies a step towards recompense for decades of racist City of Portland policies that directly and negatively impacted generations of the Davis family.
To ward against supposed “blight,” the City actively targeted black homeowners with fines, fees, and intimidation from the 1940s through the 1990s. Cleo Davis’ grandmother was one such owner who, in the 1980s, was forced to relinquish ownership of her boarding house and watch it be demolished. Today the Mayo House sits on a new foundation on the boarding house property, and represents atonement for a grave injustice.
In partnership with the City of Portland Archives and Portland State University, the Davises are working to convert a family property that was once wrongfully targeted by the City of Portland for condemnation into an archive for the Black diaspora in Portland. They envision the Mayo House as embodying a multipurpose future through the creation of an “ARTchives”– a hub for African American arts, history, and culture. The ARTchives concept builds on years of Cleo Davis’ public art projects, including the highly acclaimed Historic Black Williams Project, a collaboration with wife Kayin Talton Davis that details the history of Williams Ave.
“It will be an extraction and extension of the narrative story and artwork of the oppressed, exploited, and innovative history of Blacks in Portland,” says Davis.
Restore Oregon thanks Albina Construction, LLC, who graciously provided materials at-cost, and deeply discounted their labor in order to provide this much-needed service to their Albina-community neighbor.

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