The front court of the Montgomery Building on the left, and the front of the Blackstone building on the right. Both in Portland Oregon on Portland State University's campus.

Proposed Demolition of Blackstone & Montgomery Court

Speak Out to Save PSU’s Existing Historic Low-Income Housing!
In a housing crisis, we can't afford to be removing multi-family housing. We support PSU to build additional housing, however we believe there are creative alternatives with less carbon and climate impacts, that can be a win-win for all.  

Portland State University has secured a demolition permit to tear down two historic 1930s residence halls-Blackstone Hall and Montgomery Court. These buildings are located adjacent to the historic Park Blocks, a designated National Register historic site to which these buildings are significant contributors. This move threatens our city’s cultural and architectural heritage, PSU’s unique identity, and the integrity of the historic Park Blocks. Both buildings are eligible for National Registry Historic Designation for their historic, cultural, and architectural importance, however because they were never officially listed, there was no public hearing.

“This building represents one of the most significant buildings for women's history
in the state of Oregon.” - Jan Dilg, Historian, Letter to PSU Trustees

Montgomery Court, formerly the Martha Washington Hotel for Self-Supporting Women, was built by the Portland Women’s Union and designed by Portland's most famous architect, A.E. Doyle. (See documentary)

The Blackstone Apartments were designed as an early model of high-quality, low-income housing by Elmer Feig for Harry Mittleman. These buildings have been providing continuous affordable housing for almost 100 years, and if retrofitted, they could have another 50 - 100 years of life. There is no need to demolish irreplaceable historic resources to build new housing when PSU has available vacant land on multiple nearby parcels.

These buildings are too important to the downtown, our existing affordable housing stock, as well as our city and state’s heritage.

Urge PSU to “Press Pause” and explore alternatives that can meet shared goals for all.

SEND A LETTER
SIGN THE PETITION

Sign the petition or send a letter using our template encouraging the PSU trustees to retrofit these buildings to retain existing housing, save women’s history, and build additional new housing on existing vacant land.

The Martha Washington and the Women who Built Her documentary (known today as Montgomery Court) highlights the significance of this building which is likely one of the most important buildings for women’s history in the entire state of Oregon.