Touring the Central Eastside of Portland

Welcome to Portland! Tour a section of the Central Eastside, a 681-acre district home to some of the most stunning and iconic Portland architecture.

Dumbbell (2021) by Architectural Heritage CenterArchitectural Heritage Center

The Central Eastside of Portland

Explore one of the iconic downtown blocks in Portland! Central Eastside features a healthy mix of the old industrial Portland with the fresh and modern age that Portlanders love.

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R.J. Templeton Building (1929)

Designed by architects William C. Knighton and Leslie D. Howell in 1926. The Templeton Building was finished in 1929.

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A multi-leveled building...

The Templeton Building is unique in that the main entrance for retail and offices is directly off the Burnside Bridge approach while the floor and basement below the bridge level were used for warehousing and a direct connection to a rail line.

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The Frigidaire Co.

It was built in 1929 by Oscar E. Heintz as an investment property that housed the Portland offices, warehouse, and retail outlet for the Frigidaire Co. The company left in 1933.

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R.J. Templeton Co.

Around 1959 the building was purchased by automobile parts distributor R.J. Templeton Co. While no longer in operation, the building retains that name under its current ownership.

Dumbbell (2021) by Architectural Heritage CenterArchitectural Heritage Center

Fair-Haired Dumbbell (2017)

This building is located at 11 NE MLK JR. Blvd
Located at the foot of the Burnside Bridge, this is one of the most talked about and unique new buildings in Portland.

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Beautiful and useful

Built for Guerilla Development and designed by FFA Architecture, the two towers contain both office and retail spaces and are connected by sky bridges.

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Did you know...

The Fair-Haired Dumbbell's exterior is covered in hand-painted original artwork.

Auto Desk (2021) by Architectural Heritage CenterArchitectural Heritage Center

Towne Storage (1915)

This building is located at 17 SE 3rd Ave.

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Blake McFall Co.

Built for the Blake McFall Co., a wholesale paper products business founded in Portland in the 1880's.

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A long history

After many years of use as a storage facility with spaces for local artists, the building was creatively repurposed as offices in 2016.

Pacific Telephone (2021) by Architectural Heritage CenterArchitectural Heritage Center

Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Exchange (1903)

This building is located at 532 SE Ankeny St.

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Alexander A. Cantin

In the days before direct dial phones, San Francisco-based Pacific Telephone & Telegraph employed their in-house architect, Cantin, to design this and several other uniquely styled telephone exchange buildings up and down the West Coast.

East Bank Lofts (2021) by Architectural Heritage CenterArchitectural Heritage Center

East Bank Lofts (1912)

This building is located at 537 SE Ash St.

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Lipman & Wolfe

Built as a distribution center for the Lipman & Wolfe department store, it is one of the few multi-story warehouses east of Grand Avenue.

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In later years,

United Parcel Service and then a local auction gallery were the primary tenants before the building was transformed into office and retail space in the 2000s.

Architectural Heritage Center Lobby (2007) by Lincoln BarbourArchitectural Heritage Center

Engage with Portland's architecture and history year round!

The Architectural Heritage Center is exploring how our historic places intersect with issues like art and design; housing and affordability; the environment and social equity.

Join us for walking tours, events and exhibits, digital projects, and talks and forums.

visitahc.org

Credits: Story

Tour by Val Ballestrem, Architectural Heritage Center's Education Manager
Photos by Google

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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