Originally built in 1898, the Oregon Pacific Building is a five-story office building in downtown Portland that is locally known for its previous long-standing tenant, the Greek Cusina. Now, working with Brett Schulz Architect, the entire building is set to be repaired, renovated and structurally retrofitted. This includes rebuilding the ground-floor windows, completely remodelling the office floors, repurposing the basement for active uses, adding new stairs and circulation, and creating a rooftop patio among other improvements.

 

The original cast iron detailing and storefronts along SW Washington and 4th Avenue were removed long ago, and the building's upper floors had incurred structural damage over the decades of improper renovations and lack of maintenance. The current project aims to rectify those past mistakes by returning the building back to its more original state while also adding of some contemporary amenities for future tenants. At the street level, some of the original cast iron work that was preserved off-site is poised to return to the building, to be reused as an integral part of a new full-height, wood storefront system. Inside, all of the previous infill walls and drop ceilings were removed, creating a dramatic double-height ceiling at the entryway and ground floor retail spaces. The basement, once a dark and drab storage space, is to be opened up, renovated and repurposed with its own street access for retail or restaurant uses. A new internal stair tower will replace the existing exterior fire escape, and new skylights and a carved-out rooftop terrace will bring daylight into the deepest parts of the corner-lot building. A great deal of the building's architectural history will be preserved throughout the building, and the original brick walls, iron and timber framing will be left exposed once the project is complete. 

 

After years of neglect and decades of interior and exterior modifications, the old downtown landmark is finally getting the attention it deserves.