AKA: Pittock Block, Southwest Portland, Portland, OR

Structure Type: built works - commercial buildings - office buildings

Designers: Brayton Engineering Company, Building Contractors (firm); Doyle and Patterson, Architects (firm); Albert Ernest Doyle (architect); William B. Patterson (engineer)

Dates: constructed 1913-1914

8 stories

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921 SW Washington Street
SW Portland, Portland, OR 97205

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The Pittock Block was located on SW Washington Street between SW 9th and SW 10th Avenues.

Overview

The prolific Portland architectural firm of Doyle and Patterson designed the Pittock Building in 1913. The architects worked with the Brayton Engineering Company, Building Contractors.

Building History

Excavation for the Pittock Block began in 07/1913, with construction of the building's first phase being completed in 1914.

The Pittock Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The National Register Nomination Form for the Pittock Building described it:""Designed by the architectural firm of Doyle and Patterson..., the building was commenced in 1913. The first phase of construction was completed in 1914. This phase included the wings of the south half of the building, and the first two floors of the north half of the building. The north half of the building above the second floor was constructed in 1923. Designed as an office building, the structure also includes an almost three-story sub-basement, which originally housed the Northwestern Electric Company's electric sub-station and west side distribution plant. The building takes its name from Portland newspaper publisher Henry Pittock, whose house, until construction of the bujilding, was located on the site. Over the years the building has had major changes on the interior and minor changes to the exterior. Alterations include changes to the Washington Street entry and main lobby in 1939, designed by [A.E.] Doyle's firm. (Doyle died in 1928.)" (See United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form, Pittock Block," 09/08/1987.)

By 2002, the Pittock Building housed one of the largest internet exchangesin the United States.

Building Notes

Five architectural firms had offices in the Pittock Block in 1938: Herman Brookman (Room #341), Ertz, Burns and Company (Room #222), Hollis E. Johnston (Room #847), Johnston and Brookman (Room #341), and Edgar M. Lazarus (Room #832). (See Portland, Oregon, City Directory, 1938, p. 2144.)

Alteration

Portions of the north side of the building above floor two were completed in 1923, making the building symmetrical.

National Register of Historic Places: 87001507 NRHP Images (pdf) NHRP Registration Form (pdf)

PCAD id: 20714