The Architectural Heritage Center located in the historic West Block Building at 701 SE Grand Ave. is the culmination of a decade’s worth of deconstruction, renovation, and new construction. Slated to open Feb. 19, the building will be home to a combined museum and education center that will include two galleries, classrooms and workshops, collection storage spaces, and offices.
Built in 1883, the oldest commercial building in Portland’s Central Eastside was originally a dry goods store with upstairs apartments for Nathaniel Block and his family. Block used to be mayor of East Portland, before the two halves of the city unified in 1891. Many of his buildings were lost during construction of the Morrison Bridge. Three original buildings remain: The West Block Building and the East Bank Saloon, which is still in business today. A third, sandwiched between the other two, remains vacant.
According to lore, Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan, stained glass artists, were alarmed by the destruction of historic buildings throughout Portland and the Northwest. Together, they salvaged architectural pieces that would have otherwise been lost to the wrecking ball.
For 25 years, the two amassed a collection of historic stained glass windows, building hardware, doors, light fixtures and shades, cast-iron pieces, and an extensive architectural library, as well as countless other historic documents. The National Park Service documents that the Bosco-Milligan Foundation collections are the largest in the West and among the most extensive in the U.S.
Bosco and Milligan purchased the West Block Building in 1976. The two in turn bequeathed the building to their self-named foundation shortly before their deaths in the mid-1980s.
Cathy Galbraith, executive director of the Bosco-Milligan Foundation, talks about a project that has taken nearly a decade to complete and is the culmination of a vision shared by two men.“The vision for this building has always been in place from the very beginning,” Galbraith explains. “The goal is to promote a better understanding and appreciation of preserving our building heritage.”
The Architectural Heritage Center will provide classes and resources to teach architectural traditions, styles, materials, and building techniques, plus offer hands-on training and outreach programs to the general public.
Since 1992, volunteers have taught more than 164 classes, teaching homeowners and professionals everything from how to replace plaster to how to restore woodwork. “We always had to beg for space,” Galbraith says.
Not anymore. Two permanent classrooms will allow the Architectural Heritage Center to offer a variety of do-it-yourself renovation classes. The flexibility means a program can be easily repeated, and enable the nonprofit to better manage costs. The work was accomplished in two phases, beginning in the mid-1990s. “It has been a long haul to get to where we are today. We never thought it would take until 2005 to complete,” she says.
From unexpected repairs to meeting city codes, from natural disasters to the war in Iraq depleting or diverting much-needed building materials, to the current winter storms delaying delivery of finished goods, the process has been fraught with challenge. Galbraith credits the passion and perseverance of the Board of Directors, campaign committee, and support from donors who helped raise more than $2.2 million to first renovate the building’s exterior, then overhaul the interior.
One major undertaking involved removing the facade’s original red brick that had been painted bilious green. By reversing the brick so the green faced inward (and was later covered by wallboard), crews were able to return historical accuracy to the exterior.
The Architectural Heritage Center is open to the public; those curious about the city’s architectural history can inspect an ongoing series of exhibits that showcase how the city’s rich and famous used to live. For those wanting to return their own home to its original state, a massive research database of fixtures, finishes, and materials can provide education about period pieces. History buffs wanting a more detailed look can make an appointment to review a private library of books, drawings, and artifacts.
The Architectural Heritage Foundation will celebrate its grand opening with an exhibit of Povey stained glass and, within a month, an exhibit of emblematic hardware. Portland-based Povey Brothers made Povey stained glass from the late 1880s through the early 1920s. Emblematic hardware is elaborately wrought logos and monograms that used to adorn the homes and businesses of the city’s most elite families.
Beginning Feb. 19, the Architectural Heritage Center will be open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10am-4:30pm and Sundays from 11am-4pm. The library is open by appointment only. Admission is free for members and $5 for the general public. For more information, call the Bosco-Milligan Foundation at 503-231-7265; logon to www.architecturalheritagecenter.org.
