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.[1][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.[1] The total construction cost was $375,000[5] (equivalent to $10 million in 2020[6]). The building is approximately 152 feet (46 m) tall.[7]

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

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, having discovered 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 were reported to be planning to turn it into a hotel.[10]

Tenants

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
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Southwest Portland, Oregon

References
  1. Tess, John M. (July 1997). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Stevens Building" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved February 25, 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  3. "Oregon National Register List" (PDF). Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. June 6, 2011. p. 40. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  4. King, Bart (2001). An Architectural Guide to Portland. Gibbs Smith. pp. 31–32. ISBN 9780879059910. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  5. "Stevens Building will open Friday". The Sunday Oregonian. April 26, 1914. Section 4, p. 12.
  6. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  7. Stevens Building at Emporis
  8. Spencer, Aaron (March 31, 2010). "Stevens Building". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  9. Spencer, Aaron (June 8, 2010). "Church of Scientology buys Sherlock Building". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  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 2012-09-27. 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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