Urban Lives, Old Spaces is a blog series that chronicles the shifting lives of historic spaces and how the built environment connects with contemporary issues in our lives. Featuring a different space in each blog, guest writer Lainie Ettinger looks at the resilience of historic places and the changing role they play in making Portland more [...]
The Historic Resources Code Project (HRCP) proposes changes to the City of Portland’s regulations for identifying, designating, protecting, and reusing historic places. You can read the draft HRCP proposal, released in July 2021, here. The draft will go before the Portland City Council on November 3. Share stories or general ideas The HRCP [...]
Updated October 28 - The deadline to submit written testimony on the Proposed Draft amendments of the Historic Resources Code Project has been extended to November 10, 12:30pm, so you still have the opportunity to weigh in on a city plan that impacts Portland’s historic resources. You can access a sample template for writing your [...]
June 17, 2020 - One of the most significant collections of architectural artifacts in the western United States is now under one roof. Frieze panels from the AHC collections were donated to Portland Public Schools to be installed in the renovated Lincoln High School. AHC's collection consists of thousands of building pieces salvaged [...]
Updated October 20 - In the final candidate forum in this election cycle, the AHC asked candidates for mayor and commissioner to weigh in on equity, livability, and emergency preparedness issues as they relate to the city's built environment. Read their ideas. Updated July 30 - The AHC asked Dan Ryan and Loretta Smith, the two candidates running [...]
January 8, 2020 - We’re excited to share an important update on a project that will help honor and protect the culturally significant yet vulnerable structures of Portland’s African-American community from demolition. A draft of the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation (MPD) form for African American resources in Portland is now [...]
December 17, 2019 - Efforts by the AHC advocacy committee and other historic preservation advocates have resulted in additional protections for historic resources in Portland’s multi-dwelling zones. Following almost two years of development, the Portland City Council adopted the Better Housing by Design changes on Wednesday, December 18th. These code changes become effective in March [...]
Photo by Brian Johnson. UPDATED February 4, 2020 - In an opinion issued last week, an Oregon Court of Appeals ruling upheld the state Land Use Board of Appeals August 2019 ruling on compatible heights in the Chinatown-Japantown historic district and agreed with us that the City of Portland did not show [...]
UPDATE (April 2, 2019): Your testimony is still needed! Please submit your testimony by Wednesday afternoon, April 3, before the next committee hearing. Address your testimony to Senator Dembrow (committee chair) and to the committee clerk, and email it to: Sen.MichaelDembrow@oregonlegislature.gov senr.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov Two important legislative bills that could have substantial positive impact on preservation are [...]
Buckman neigbhorhood. Photo by Brian Johnson July 24, 2018 - Portland’s city planners have recently delayed a decision on a proposal aimed at increasing density in residential neighborhoods and largely eliminating single-family residential zones throughout most of the city. If approved as proposed, the plan would allow duplexes, triplexes and possibly even [...]
