Tag Archives: historic preservation

Toward More Robust Practice Theory in Public Sector Historic Preservation: Getting Started

Part I of II guest blog post by Betsy Bradley, Historian and Historic Preservationist.

Public-Sector-Historic-Preservation Author’s note: I am a historian and historic preservation who has had many seats at the historic preservation table, ranging from consultant to SHPO staff. I have recently undertaken a deep study of where we are in historic preservation and how we might practice in the field differently in the near future. The retrospective look that was taken at the 50th anniversary in 2016 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) provided a lot of dialog but no clear ways forward that are any different than what we have done in the past. Based on the assumption that there are additional effective practices we should explore, bolstered by a growing interest in Critical Heritage Theory, I’m convinced that we can add effective practices within the existing regulatory framework – particularly if we base them on more robust theories of historic preservation. Therefore, we have important work to do together to develop and apply practice theories for heritage work in the public sector. This essay is one of several that will explore how our practice can be different.

With the term practice theory I am evoking how we integrate diverse interests and discipline-based practices into a more responsive relationship between those disciplines, more involvement of and service to the public, and more project-specific negotiations and solutions. I’ve adopted Hugh T. Miller’s understanding of the relationships between theory and practice presented in Postmodern Public Policy:

PRACTICE IS THE THEORY IN PLACE.
THEORY IS THE NEXT-TO-BE PRACTICE.
THEORY MAY BE SEEN AS ONE’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD.
PRACTICE IS THE ENACTMENT OF THAT UNDERSTANDING.

First, a look at where we are now. Historians, architects, anthropologists and archaeologists are trained differently in methods of investigation and processing the fruits of that research into meaning and knowledge. This makes for real differences in how we work in the heritage sector, even as the stated goals, standards and requirements are inclusive. This diversity is both a benefit to the public and a means for avoiding developing more robust and over-arching public-sector practice theories.

Some academics engaging in critical heritage studies see the American laws, regulations, practices and conceptual thinking so limiting that we must start over. Those of us who practice in the public realm recognize that negotiation is built into most processes and the openness of the structure allows for revised practice based on more sophisticated theories. I am firmly in this group.

THE NEED FOR PRACTICE REVISION
Teaching in the Goucher College master’s degree program in historic preservation for ten years has sharpened my understanding of the relationship between theory, policy and practice. Only policy is difficult to change, leaving theory and practice open for consideration. As most historic preservationists and cultural resource management consultants work in the public realm, this is worthy of rethinking.

We are in a social constructivist turn in historic preservation that addresses the above-ground built environment. In short, this means we recognize that buildings and landscapes have no inherent significance and they have meanings and importance constructed by people who experience and study them. This social-construction turn in historic preservation that is actually inherent in the Section 106 process. Section 106 of the NHPA requires consultation on federal undertakings and 36 CFR Part 800 is the set of implementing regulations for that process. The parallel to this social construction is raising the curtain on the power relationships that are inherent in negotiating the meaning, evaluation of, and treatment of historic resources.

For years we have overlooked the opportunities that the requirement for the public being informed and invited to consult in the Section 106 process provides. We have used gestures and dismissed the opinions of others as not understanding what we do, rather than committing to learn from broader perspectives and understandings. We have not developed theories and working premises that should guide public practice. These conversations are not happening, in part because of the unnecessarily hardened nature of the interpretation of the NHPA and 36 CFR 800.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, is leading us in the U.S. with the assertion that preservation is about people, not buildings. This popularizing of social constructionism of historic preservation work might well leave us anguishing over details of replacement windows that most of the public does not perceive, or perhaps on our knees in an excavation, a little sidelined. The Trust understands that heritage is what people negotiate, use, relate to, and work to save.

In academia, critical heritage studies, and in particular Laurajane Smith’s exposure of the authorized heritage discourse, echoes this point of view. Of course, the National Register program and its guidance, the Secretary of Interior’s Standards, as well 36CFR regulations are part of our authorized historic preservation discourse in the United States. As we unreflectively go through the Section 106 process and use this discourse and use our expert authority, we are able to avoid discussions of the more important, and interesting, challenges facing heritage work.

In Part II, Betsy explores: who is this public meant to be served by historic preservation?

Surveying the Laurelhurst Neighborhood in Portland, OR

Founded in 1912 on the original plat of William Ladd’s Hazel Fern Farm, Laurelhurst was developed to be an example of the potential for European “garden suburbs” close to the city. An eclectic variety of architectural styles, from “fairyland” bungalows to quaint English cottages to the more classic Dutch Colonials, was chosen as a set of prototype designs for the creation of this community-centered neighborhood. To this day, many of these homes still exist, as does the pre-intended sense of comradery between its residents.
pmapdx-laurelhurst-survey-portland-oregon
WHAT IS THE LAURELHURST SURVEY PROJECT?
Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA) is in the process of conducting a Reconnaissance Level Survey (RLS) of the Laurelhurst neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Data from the survey will be used to prepare a potential historic district nomination of the neighborhood. A great deal of research was necessary to understand Laurelhurst’s general historical context prior to beginning survey fieldwork involved in the RLS. We began by reviewing all previous documentation that has been collected of the neighborhood—including historic tax records, Sanborn maps and other graphic data, newspaper articles from historic periodicals, and the City of Portland’s Historic Resource Inventory. We also reviewed context statements that had been written for earlier historic district nomination efforts, and primary source documents that had recorded Laurelhurst during its early stages of development.

The primary objective of a Reconnaissance Level Survey (RLS) is to provide a “first cut” of typically residential resources within a given area that appear to meet the survey criteria for historic significance. An RLS involves only a visual evaluation of properties in relation to the overall neighborhood context, not an assessment of associated historical events or individuals connected to the property.
pmapdx-laurelhurst-survey-portland-oregon
With the information gathered from our preliminary research at hand, PMA set out in November 2017 to survey approximately 1800 properties that were constructed during Laurelhurst’s period of significance. Our approach will be informed by information gathered during our research and any additional background information provided by Laurelhurst residents’ initial observations. Factors includ¬ing potential eligibility, typographical distribution of resources, integrity of setting, and proximity to other resources will be considered when selecting survey properties.

So far, we have completed 70 percent of the total survey area. As Laurelhurst consists of approximately 1,800 properties, we still have a large number of houses to go!

There are distinct characteristics within Laurelhurst that are well known to residents and visitors. The inclusion and extent of these characteristics, like street patterns, open spaces, landscapes and trees, objects like sculpture, lamp posts, etc. will be discussed with the LNA, the City, and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine the importance of the characteristics in telling the story of Laurelhurst.
pmapdx-laurelhurst-survey-portland-oregon
SURVEY PROCESS TO DATE
PMA project staff has been working with a taskforce of volunteers—residents of the Laurelhurst neighborhood and preservation graduate students from the University of Oregon. To date we have finished surveying three of five sections of the neighborhood. The in-field survey will be completed by late Spring 2018. Some properties have been noted as potential opportunities for an Intensive Level Survey (ILS), in which a more detailed review of the property would yield further information of its level of historic integrity and the significance of Laurelhurst as a whole. Intensive Level Surveys, if any, will also be completed by late Spring 2018. PMA aims to have a first-draft nomination ready for the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Association by June 2018.
pmapdx-laurelhurst-survey-portland-oregon
Challenges
The main challenge has been the large size of the survey area, the fact that we have a limited number of staff and volunteers, and walking around all day. The weather has also been difficult at times—with very cold temperatures, rain and snowfall. Dry days at this time of the year are hard to come by, but they are ideal because many leaves have fallen from the trees that block visibility of the houses and lighting is always better on a gray day.

Community Interaction
Many residents of the area have already conducted their own research on the history of their houses, and many have shared with us their findings. Of the stories we have received, we learned of a cluster of houses owned by many generations of the same family, one woman who met the famous architect that designed her house, and a man who has nurtured a dilapidated house back to life. We encourage anyone who may have more information about the history of development in Laurelhurst to contact us as well.

Interesting Resources
We have collected a number of historic photographs of Laurelhurst homes from multiple sources, including a 1916 Brochure of “Laurelhurst and its Park”, and have had a lot of fun tracking them down. Some have been demolished, but there are still MANY that exist.
pmapdx-laurelhurst-survey-portland-oregon

Written By Marion Rosas / Designer

The Historic Documentation of Umpqua Hall

Southwestern Oregon Community College hired Peter Meijer Architect in September 2017 to assist in the historic documentation of Umpqua Hall. This significant resource will be reconstructed as part of the college’s new Health and Science Technology Building, a project that will provide additional classroom space to support the college’s nursing and EMT programs. Umpqua Hall played a significant role as one of the first two buildings constructed on campus to serve as the primary location for the college’s vocational courses. Below is an excerpt from the documentation that PMA provided for the State Historic Preservation Office that assesses the historic significance of Umpqua Hall.

1972 ca._Umpqua Hall
HISTORY AND CONTEXT
Southwestern Oregon Community College was the first post-secondary education available to students on the Oregon Coast in the early 1960’s. It held its first classes in 1961 at the North Bend airport, and was relocated to its new home three years later. Prior to its establishment, students in this coastal area travelled long distances to be able to attend college, and many could not afford to go at all.

Southwestern Oregon Community College began as a vocational school with the mission of preparing the general population of Coos Bay to enter a workforce created mainly by the timber and fishing industries in the area. As the original “Shops Building”, Umpqua Hall was at the heart of this development. It was the primary building on campus to house many of the school’s vocational-technical programs. The automotive, welding, and carpentry shop classes that were a part of the Mechanics and Industrial program all took place in Umpqua Hall.

In the 1970’s, the college faced the dilemma of a changing market in Coos Bay. As housing development increased in the city and brought the opportunity for new businesses with it, minimum wage service-oriented jobs began to replace the higher paying manufacturing jobs that the college’s courses were tailored toward. Graduates of the programs offered at SWOCC were in less demand, and student enrollment began to decrease. As a result, SWOCC recognized a need to provide displaced workers—as well as veterans that were returning home from the Vietnam War and students seeking to later transfer to a university at an affordable cost—with the appropriate type of education required to compete in the changing economy.

The campus has since evolved to accommodate these economic changes. Umpqua Hall was retired from its academic function when the Automotive Technology program was eventually eliminated in 1994. The oldest buildings that still exist at SWOCC, namely Umpqua and Randolph Halls, represent a significant period of economic growth in the history of Coos Bay that played an indispensable role in the initial development of the city and in its educational options.

1964_Aerial view SWOCC with Randolph and Umpqua Halls only
UMPQUA HALL CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
1963 to 1964—Umpqua and Randolph Halls, as well as parking lot #1 on the south side of campus, were constructed as part of Phase I of the 1963 six-phase Master Plan. Randolph Hall was known as the “Laboratory Building” that served as the main academic building. Umpqua Hall was known as the “Shops Building”, and originally functioned for vocational schooling that included automotive, carpentry, woodworking, and industrial technology classes.

1964 to Mid-1960’s—The campus underwent Phase II of the Master Plan that included Dellwood Hall (the administration building and temporary home of the library at the time), Coaledo Hall, Sitkum Hall, and parking lot #2.

1981—A storage outbuilding was built to the west of Umpqua Hall by this time, probably in the late 1970’s.

Circa 1985—The college planned to relocate the “Industrial Building” to a location northeast of Prosper Hall, but to keep the metal welding and auto diesel programs located in Umpqua Hall. The plan was to eventually phase out the use of Umpqua Hall.

1994—The Automotive Technology program in Umpqua Hall was eliminated, and the building was retired from academic purposes.

1994 to 1999—By this time, new buildings had been constructed northeast of Prosper Hall to accommodate for the retirement of Umpqua Hall. Fairview Hall held the new welding and manufacturing classrooms, and the new Lampa Hall housed what became known as the B-2 Technology Annex.

2005—Umpqua Hall had since been used for an assortment of different functions. At this point, the building served as the college’s computer networking and hardware instructional labs. As early as 2005, a Master Facility Plan mentioned that a design for a Health, Science, and Technology building was being considered, which would have resulted in the conversion of Umpqua Hall to additional campus storage and maintenance space for the Plant Operations department.

2008—As part of a potential $2,600,000 project to reintegrate Umpqua Hall, another Master Plan of the SWOCC campus proposed to rehabilitate the building to serve as the electronic lab and to hold AutoCAD and computer classes for students. This plan also proposed to add a Student Center Addition to the western side of Umpqua Hall. This proposal was not actualized.

2017—Currently, Umpqua Hall is used for campus security operations and storage, and its western outbuilding serves as an auxiliary maintenance warehouse for Plant Operations. A new project to incorporate Umpqua Hall into the new Health, Science, and Technology building is underway.
southwestern-oregon-community-college-most-beautiful-campuses-1024x608
AT A GLANCE – PROPOSED PROJECT FOR UMPQUA HALL
The most substantial work proposed at the SWOCC campus is the reconstruction of and addition to Umpqua Hall, one of the college’s two oldest buildings, to develop the new Health & Science Technology Building (View 10). The outbuilding that sits west of Umpqua Hall will be demolished to make way for the construction of the new “west wing” addition. Both the interior and exterior of Umpqua Hall will be heavily altered to provide space for the program’s health and science classrooms and offices. A new “west wing” addition will also be built southwest of the Umpqua Building, and will more than quadruple the overall square footage of the new facility. The eastern end of the addition will intersect with the southern end of the existing building at a 90-degree angle. A large lecture hall will protrude from the northern façade of the addition.

Written by Kristen Minor / Associate, Preservation Planner with Marion Rosas / Designer

OSU Memorial Union Rotunda Universal Accessibility Design

Oregon State University (OSU) is dedicated to providing universal accessibility throughout its Corvallis campus. The historic Memorial Union building opened in 1927, and is an important gathering place on campus. In its current configuration, the rotunda entry access poses challenges to complying with current ADA Standards for Accessible Design. PMA with our multidisciplinary team members addressed how to improve the arrival experience starting from the Quad by focusing on the front door as the primary accessible entry, while retaining the buildings historic integrity. With an integrated approach there will be a primary travel path for all.

The existing limitations of accessibility to the MU are the existing ramps do not lead to the front entrance and the circulation through the rotunda requires use of non-compliant ramps. The existing exterior 1980s ramps were built interior of the terrace’s balustrade wall and access is not intuitive and requires signage. They take up significant portion of the historic terrace with circulation and railings.

The renovation of OSU MU Rotunda provides an opportunity to highlight the integration of universal access to historic properties. The vision for a new accessible path is integrated into the highly ordered Neo-classical design of the MU creating a symmetrical entry on either side of the grand entry stairs facing the quad. The design seeks to reactivate the formal side terraces by eliminating the clutter of handrails and circulation space that currently breaks up the space.

Assessing a Historic House in Springfield, Oregon

Owning, maintaining, and providing active use within a single family settlement era house is not a typical mission for a public parks agency. One such property is the Reynold & Eva Briggs House located in the northeast corner of the Dorris Ranch Living History Farm, in Springfield, Oregon, currently stewarded by Willamalane Parks and Recreation District (WPRD). Compounding the unusual situation is that the area is a historic site, a working farm, and a public park. In addition the property’s history, age, material, and conditions of the house add further complexity to the stewardship role. In order to guide the WPRD with long-range decisions regarding the Briggs House, the District sought an up to date exterior and interior condition assessment and potential rehabilitation options in support of current and future park programming needs, including as a source of income derived from continued residential use. The Briggs House has not been occupied since its last resident left in 2009.
Briggs-House

THE ASSESSMENT
The property, The Dorris Ranch Living History Farm, was listed as a National Register of Historic Places Historic District on June 22, 1988. While the Briggs House is located on the ranch property, it sits outside the boundaries of the historic district.

As researched by University of Oregon historic preservation students, the settlement era house is one of the five oldest houses in the Springfield area and one of the city’s few remaining examples of box construction from the Homestead era. The oldest portion of the house—the two-story volume and its eastern wing—was originally constructed by George Thurston in 1872, and later served as the home of caretakers Reynold and Eva Briggs. Once vernacular in the Willamette Valley, the house exhibits a Gothic-influenced upright-and-wing style of construction and was expanded in the 1890’s to accommodate the changing needs of its residents.

Typical of early homestead sites, the Briggs House was constructed without a foundation. The original substructure that continues to support the house consists of partially hewn wood posts on stone piers set directly on the ground surface. Utilizing the box-construction method, 1-inch by 11-inch boards were set vertically and connected to the 7-inch by 9-inch sill plate and ledger plate above the posts to create a “box” form without the use of other framing members. Two-inch by 4-inch roof rafters were then set above the top ledger plates. Floor joists, the original board-and-battens wall siding, and roof panels were added to the house after its basic skeletal structure had been completed. The original wall siding was replaced with weatherboards at an unknown date. Portions of this siding were later replaced with shiplap in the 1890’s, and the entire exterior was later covered with T-111 siding in the 1970’s.
Briggs-House

REHABILITATION CHALLENGES
After discussing the main program activities that take place on Dorris Ranch with Willamalane Parks and Recreation District staff, PMA recognized the primary challenge to any rehabilitation options was the balance between maintaining the historic character of the house and meeting all the code requirements mandated by a rehabilitation, including public access, universal access, and mechanical, electrical, energy, and plumbing upgrades. Previous studies undertaken by Restore Oregon on similar settlement era houses indicated that a balance must be reached between preserving the essence of the house while changing and modifying other portions of the house and property to achieve programming needs. Complicating the Briggs House options are siting of the house within an active area of the park, the two story volume, the lack of an adequate structural foundation, and accommodating large classroom needs within original tiny floor plans. Every room of the historic property has an established spatial function and are tiny in size. Any rehabilitation option must consider that all rooms in the house would be “flexible” and be used as needed for a variety of purposes.

THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF HISTORIC STATUS
Willamalane Parks and Recreation District currently stewards the Briggs House as a historic property by maintaining and protecting the property from encroachment by nature, animal and pest infestation, and unsafe use by park visitors. Inclusion of the property within the district as a contributing resource has both pro and con impacts. Inclusion within an expanded boundary of the current National Register Dorris Ranch Historic District could prove beneficial in finding financial sources to help with a rehabilitation although the available funds are likely insignificant when evaluated against the full cost required to upgrade the Briggs house to a public structure. On the other hand, including the property in the district may prove problematic for WPRD as it may limit, or make more difficult, viable and creative rehabilitation options that would not be approved by the local jurisdiction having authority.
Briggs-House

It is generally agreed that house museums (properties that are preserved as homes to be visited by the public) are not financially prudent uses to retain historic properties. Recent studies conclude that a compromise must occur between balancing original historic character with up to date and flexible programming space to achieve viable long-term solutions for unique homestead-era properties.

Written By Marion Rosas / Designer and Peter Meijer, AIA, NCARB / Principal

Clark County Poor Farm Historic District

Peter Meijer Architect, PC (PMA) was retained by the Clark County Community Planning Department to write and submit a National Register nomination for the Clark County Poor Farm Historic District. PMA consulted with the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation regarding the National Register eligibility of the Clark County Poor farm and worked with Clark County staff to prepare a National Register of Historic Places District nomination for the Clark County Poor Farm Site. The nomination involved a district boundary evaluation and explanation, along with a thoroughly researched and detailed description of the district and its resources, the historic context and the overall historic significance the district.

PMA conducted on-site fieldwork to gather physical data to describe the district and its character-defining resources and features. The nomination addressed the 7 aspects of historic integrity: location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, association and feeling and how these aspects highlight and impact the significance of the district.

PMA supplemented the physical descriptions with research that supports the historic context and will develop a narrative that describes the district’s significant history and National Register eligibility. Research included local sources such as newspapers and the Historical Society, state records on poor farms, and the development history of the surrounding area. PMA’s research combined past studies to develop a thorough and effective district nomination. Clark County Poor Farm was added to the National Register on January 7th, 2013.

Integrating Universal Access with Historic Architecture

Oregon State University (OSU) is dedicated to providing universal accessibility throughout its Corvallis campus. The historic Memorial Union building opened in 1927, and is an important gathering place on campus. In its current configuration, the rotunda entry access poses challenges to complying with current ADA Standards for Accessible Design. PMA with our multidisciplinary team members are addressing how to improve the arrival experience starting from the Quad by focusing on the front door as the primary accessible entry, while retaining the buildings historic integrity. With an integrated approach there will be a primary travel path for all.

The existing limitations of accessibility to the MU are the existing ramps do not lead to the front entrance and the circulation through the rotunda requires use of non-compliant ramps. The existing exterior 1980s ramps were built interior of the terrace’s balustrade wall and access is not intuitive and requires signage. They take up significant portion of the historic terrace with circulation and railings.
pmapdx-osu-mu-accessible-design
OPPORTUNITY FOR INTEGRATING UNIVERSAL ACCESS
The renovation of OSU MU Rotunda provides an opportunity to highlight the integration of universal access to historic properties. The vision for a new accessible path is integrated into the highly ordered Neo-classical design of the MU creating a symmetrical entry on either side of the grand entry stairs facing the quad. The design seeks to reactivate the formal side terraces by eliminating the clutter of handrails and circulation space that currently breaks up the space.

The new accessible pathway will be a sloped walkway along the exterior of the existing balustrade wall of the terraces. A 4.5 % sloped walkway will be integrated into the landscape and will free the space of guardrails. This will result in greater visibility of the accessible means of access to the building and restore the original spatial function of the terraces. Another slope walkway will lead from the terrace to the front entrance and will be integrated into a tiered landscape and informal setting area. The new design will reactive the terraces by streamlining circulation and providing new seating opportunities.

PROPOSED DESIGN OPTIONS
Two design options were explored for this scheme. The first design option removes a portion of the balustrade wall closest to the grand entry. This would open up views of the entry and terrace to the quad and provide additional visibility of the accessible pathway. The second option would leave the balustrade wall in place and would create more of an intimate feel along the terrace. Below are renderings of the first design option.
pmapdx-osu-mu-accessible-design

Written by Hali Knight / Designer.

Northwest Portland Residential Kitchen Design Concepts

PMA was commissioned for the remodel of a kitchen in a historic Queen Anne home in Kings Hill Historic District. PMA’s design included a new cabinet layout, counters, new appliances, lighting, and a refinished floor. The new design addresses the lack of counter space and dysfunction of the current layout, while providing a sophisticated aesthetic.

At the core of the design is the material and color palette. The cool grey scheme put together by PMA reflected the client’s taste. The cool shadow grey of the walls is juxtaposed by the Nordic white finish of the cabinets. Cornice is introduced back into the kitchen and matches the color of the cabinets. Tile along the backsplash is a geometric matte white porcelain tile. The lower cabinets are solid wood, Brookhaven Pasadena recessed door panels and solid faced draws, with a matte painted finish. To open the space, the upper cabinets feature frosted glass central panels.The feature lighting are simple pendant globe lights over the center bar and small flush-mount blubs symmetrically placed throughout the kitchen. Under cabinet lights enable work station lighting at each counter surface, while the upper cabinets are lit from behind to create ambient lighting. PMA proposed 3 refinish options for the hardwood floor. The preferred option is a warm honey oak finish, which compliments the overall cool grey color schemes and highlights the blue granite counters.

Historic Atrium Lighting Design

The concepts for our lighting schemes were based on the intended function of each identical space. The focus of the design and specified need of the client was to provide lighting for evening social gatherings, networking, and overall entertaining. Lighting needed to be adequate enough for speakers presenting to a crowd and for listeners to be able to read any related literature. Therefore, it was crucial to design lighting schemes that could provide ample lighting for evening events without compromising the historic integrity and ambiance of each space.

The prominent design goal was to increase overall light levels through a refined, modern scheme that would provide juxtaposition to the historic architectural elements and hanging sculpture. As in any historic project, it is important to avoid solutions that are faux historic, competing with, compromising, or confusing the original historic character. The few pragmatic design parameters defined by the client allowed for design freedom to provide several unique, distinct solutions.

While creating our designs, PMA experimented with the type of fixtures (down lights, sconce, defused) and placement of these fixtures within the large volume of the atriums. PMA explored these options in a Revit model of the atrium spaces, which enabled evaluation of the design solutions through lifelike renderings that portrayed the quality and levels of light.

Union Station Historic Renovation

Union Station is a historic and recognizable landmark within the City of Portland, and one of the oldest major extant passenger terminals on the West Coast. From its inception, Union Station has functioned as a major transportation link to Portland and the west coast, with a continued vital role to play in future rail and multimodal transportation planning. PMA is part of an interdisciplinary team responsible for the revitalization and renovation of the buildings, platform, and tracks at Portland Union Station.

As the lead Historic Architect, PMA is responsible for the development of the vision for Union Station- including future programming/space utilization and exterior canopy design;identification of the central design issues and alternatives; and the assessment and documentation of existing building exterior / interior conditions. Prior to 2014, PMA was retained to consult during the construction of seismic improvements and re-roofing of the Annex building at Union Station. PMA also participated in the development of the PE/NEPA Phase III Work Plan for Union Station.

Portland Union Station, designed by Van Brunt & Howe in 1896 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, is emblematic of the grand railroad stations of the period. From 1927 thru 1930, the Main Concourse was modernized by Portland’s internationally known architect, Pietro Belluschi, to reflect the streamline era of rail technology.