It's been close to two years since we posted about this monstrosity -- a mixed-use bunker, on Woodstock Boulevard near I-205, that nobody wanted. It was quite the eyesore. And an alert reader down that way wrote us on Sunday to remind us that it's still there, as bad as it ever was:
The reader noted:
I just took these pictures today. The only difference from 2009 is that the plastic wrap is tattered, and they took down the sign proudly announcing it is a PDC [Portland Development Commission] project.... If you want to talk about ruining a neighborhood and blight, look no further. The sidewalk has been closed and the place enclosed in chain link fence. Makes you want to invest and settle right in as a neighbor -- so much for all that multi-use housing demand along the light rail line. I wonder how much money down the rat hole, between transit-oriented development and PDC, has put together this mess.
The infill nobody wants. We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it.
Comments (22)
When the million or so promised climate change refugees finally arrive, at least they'll have abandoned apartment and condo buildings to take refuge and squat in. Think of these structures as shelters for the future.
Christo's art projects are often misunderstood. This is titled 'Wrapped Boondoggle,' a playful statement that puts a wrapper on a building from the Loaf of Bread school of architecture. A permanent gift to the city.
Christo's art projects are often misunderstood. This is titled 'Wrapped Boondoggle,' a playful statement that puts a wrapper on a building from the Loaf of Bread school of architecture. A permanent gift to the city.
He had to find a new location after the City of Beaverton took down his long-running installation on The Round.
Speaking of white elephant eyesores, the abominable ICE building (read: jail) at the south end of South Waterfront remains untended and undeveloped (and unnecessary), after all the smoke and noise created by a few greedy developers. Sick.
That picture and the observer's E mail text ought to be mandatory reading for all of the folks playing games as citizen representatives on the Barbur Boulevard Plan;for Morgan Tracy, the PBOT staff person heading up the railroading job, and for SWNI head Marianne Fitzgerald, who is in lovge with the Toonerville Trolley.
I've been inside that building and climbed around on the scaffolding behind the shrinkwrap on several occasions (when it was bank-owned). It is a real mess from water intrusion and even if it were fixed up it would still be a nightmare. The best solution would be to tear it down and leave the land vacant.
This is about 2 miles from my house and I drive past it almost daily. It makes the New Copper Penny (across the street) feel more classy, that's for sure.
I can't wait until Recology puts in the new stinky compost site so I can have eyesores AND nosesores! Win Win Win!
The infill nobody wants. We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it.
Great Idea. Let them look at the "reality" of plans rather than looking at the artistic illustrations used to sell the plans. I read somewhere where this is a great technique to have all these illustration boards used at meetings, much more convincing and distracting to have citizens view nice drawings. Don't think they show photos like these at the meetings!
Makes all those vacant, developable lots of land next to the MAX line look like progress.
You know, like that vacant lot between Rose Quarter and Convention Center, or the empty parking lots surrounding 7th Avenue...the empty land near Gresham City Hall/Civic Drive...Beaverton TC...the Round...Millikan way...Beaverton Creek (heck, almost ALL of the Westside MAX stops!).
We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it.
Sorry, the funds for such a bus have been transferred to toy train operations by TriMet. Now if there was a streetcar that went past it, then we could talk...
Besides tour buses only go to the "show" areas of our city, must becoming more difficult as less to show, and routes along the way may be more telling. I can see the city saying, can't take that route, because now. . . . the roads are too bad. . .
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (22)
When the million or so promised climate change refugees finally arrive, at least they'll have abandoned apartment and condo buildings to take refuge and squat in. Think of these structures as shelters for the future.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | June 19, 2012 9:41 AM
Odds that the proper permits have been filed to keep that sidewalk closed?
Posted by Dave J. | June 19, 2012 9:47 AM
Be a shame if someone reported it to the city as a hazardous site...
Posted by tankfixer | June 19, 2012 9:47 AM
Same as the one on NE 15th and Alberta
Posted by Leaving soon | June 19, 2012 9:55 AM
Christo's art projects are often misunderstood. This is titled 'Wrapped Boondoggle,' a playful statement that puts a wrapper on a building from the Loaf of Bread school of architecture. A permanent gift to the city.
Posted by Cary | June 19, 2012 10:16 AM
The street trees are lovely though, don't you think?
BTW - I love the new banner GIF; be interested to see the SoWa edition.
Posted by Max | June 19, 2012 10:41 AM
...and it's within sniffing distance of the proposed composting site.
Posted by R1Ray | June 19, 2012 10:51 AM
MAX has been so good for Lents!
The revitalizing has been tremendous.
Milwaukie and Oak Grove are next.
Posted by Lying Pig | June 19, 2012 10:59 AM
At least we got a good band name out of it:
The Mixed-Used Bunkers.
Posted by Bill McDonald | June 19, 2012 10:59 AM
Christo's art projects are often misunderstood. This is titled 'Wrapped Boondoggle,' a playful statement that puts a wrapper on a building from the Loaf of Bread school of architecture. A permanent gift to the city.
He had to find a new location after the City of Beaverton took down his long-running installation on The Round.
Posted by Soon-to-be-Dr. Alex | June 19, 2012 11:18 AM
Speaking of white elephant eyesores, the abominable ICE building (read: jail) at the south end of South Waterfront remains untended and undeveloped (and unnecessary), after all the smoke and noise created by a few greedy developers. Sick.
Posted by Rolf | June 19, 2012 11:28 AM
That picture and the observer's E mail text ought to be mandatory reading for all of the folks playing games as citizen representatives on the Barbur Boulevard Plan;for Morgan Tracy, the PBOT staff person heading up the railroading job, and for SWNI head Marianne Fitzgerald, who is in lovge with the Toonerville Trolley.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | June 19, 2012 11:31 AM
I've been inside that building and climbed around on the scaffolding behind the shrinkwrap on several occasions (when it was bank-owned). It is a real mess from water intrusion and even if it were fixed up it would still be a nightmare. The best solution would be to tear it down and leave the land vacant.
Posted by reader | June 19, 2012 11:33 AM
This is about 2 miles from my house and I drive past it almost daily. It makes the New Copper Penny (across the street) feel more classy, that's for sure.
I can't wait until Recology puts in the new stinky compost site so I can have eyesores AND nosesores! Win Win Win!
Posted by TacoDave | June 19, 2012 12:09 PM
I guess you just don't get that much for $165K (foreclosure sale in 2010) these days.
Posted by Steve | June 19, 2012 1:38 PM
The infill nobody wants. We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it.
Great Idea. Let them look at the "reality" of plans rather than looking at the artistic illustrations used to sell the plans. I read somewhere where this is a great technique to have all these illustration boards used at meetings, much more convincing and distracting to have citizens view nice drawings. Don't think they show photos like these at the meetings!
Posted by clinamen | June 19, 2012 1:58 PM
"The infill nobody wants. We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it."
Hey, maybe Randy will lend the Bull Run tour bus!
Posted by Cary | June 19, 2012 2:15 PM
Makes all those vacant, developable lots of land next to the MAX line look like progress.
You know, like that vacant lot between Rose Quarter and Convention Center, or the empty parking lots surrounding 7th Avenue...the empty land near Gresham City Hall/Civic Drive...Beaverton TC...the Round...Millikan way...Beaverton Creek (heck, almost ALL of the Westside MAX stops!).
Posted by Erik H. | June 19, 2012 2:22 PM
I can vouch for the fact that the blue tape is an excellent product, but this is ridiculous.
Posted by Mark Ellis | June 19, 2012 8:16 PM
We should start running tour buses down there for progressive Portlandians to look at it.
Sorry, the funds for such a bus have been transferred to toy train operations by TriMet. Now if there was a streetcar that went past it, then we could talk...
Posted by MachineShedFred | June 20, 2012 4:36 AM
That's what Vancouver's "Waterfront Project" is going to look like in a few years as well.
Posted by Chieftain | June 20, 2012 6:47 AM
Besides tour buses only go to the "show" areas of our city, must becoming more difficult as less to show, and routes along the way may be more telling. I can see the city saying, can't take that route, because now. . . . the roads are too bad. . .
Posted by clinamen | June 20, 2012 12:58 PM