Historic Portland Discussion

[mainejeff]

View attachment 45140
A friendly reminder of what is coming! The ladder on the Congress Square Hotel roof looks like it would be a challenge in the winter.

Does Portland still get snow like this?

 

[Portlander]

 

[Portlander]

 

[Portlander]

Looking at the 6 story building in the left center, not sure which version is worse. Regardless, it was a poor renovation effort!

 

[nomc]

The pink version is way worse, what a disgrace.

 

[lunardinosaur]

 

[nomc]

Are there any pics that show the Oak St side/corner? Or the back side on Free?

 

[DanielPWM19]

The stucco facade and removal of the tower is just blasphemy.

 

[Portlander]

 

[Portlander]

 

[Portlander]

The new cold storage facility will ruin the beautiful views that residents used to enjoy from their nearby homes!

 

[cneal]

The stucco facade and removal of the tower is just blasphemy.

I've always wondered if a lot of the facade is still there under the stucco. On Congress, you can still see the granite columns are intact on either side of Moody Lords:
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.654...aTDGpeklFc7k7jeQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

And note how the newer stuff is all proud of the granite, which suggests that they just stuck this stuff on top instead of demolishing what was there before.

There are also a few cast-iron columns intact on the Free Street side, and of course the pediment is still mostly intact on both sides.

 

[Portlander]

The cost to renovate may outweigh the return on the investment especially when it involves removing the current facade and restoring the original.

 

[nomc]

I've always wondered if a lot of the facade is still there under the stucco. On Congress, you can still see the granite columns are intact on either side of Moody Lords:
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.654...aTDGpeklFc7k7jeQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

And note how the newer stuff is all proud of the granite, which suggests that they just stuck this stuff on top instead of demolishing what was there before.

There are also a few cast-iron columns intact on the Free Street side, and of course the pediment is still mostly intact on both sides.

Unfortunately it looks like some of the cornice was removed and they added a small angled roof from the remaining cornice to the top of the parapet. But, you can still see the top of the brick columns.

 

[Portlander]

Year should be around 1904 due to the election banner. 562 Congress St to the right looks very stately in this photo 6 years prior to the completion of the Fidelity Building.

 

[nomc]

And look at those triple stacked poles

 

[TC_zoid]

That used to be a nice building. It's too bad it didn't remain like that and then get restored. It would be a real gem, like the Victorian period one across from MECA, of which is my favorite in the city.

 

[TC_zoid]

It's somewhat like what happened to the Vendome building in Boston (1872), at 162 Commonwealth Ave. It got smoothed out a little and the crown was removed or altered. Boston in general, has done a great job with building preservation. I used to walk down this street often when I was in college. Gems all around. To live on this street now is nearly impossible, or unless you have millions.

 

[Portlander]

This photo shows the exterior renovation completed prior to the two floor addition to the Time & Temperature Building in 1963.

 

[Portlander]

An aerial showing the Eastland Hotel prior to the apartment addition in 1963.