Auto Freight Transport Building of Oregon and Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Auto Freight Transport Building of Oregon and Washington
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Auto Freight Transport Building in 2010
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| Location | 1001 SE Water Avenue Portland, Oregon |
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| Area | 0.85 acres (0.34 ha) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Architect | Houghtaling and Dougan |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000641 |
| Added to NRHP | June 30, 2005 |
The Auto Freight Transport Building of Oregon and Washington is a historic building in Portland, Oregon. It is also known as the East Side Terminal or Eastbank Commerce Center. This four-story building was built in 1924. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 because of its important history.
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A Historic Building for Freight
This large building takes up a whole city block in Portland's Central Eastside Industrial District. It is shaped like a "U" and has a flat roof. The building is about 64,892-square-foot (6,028.7 m2) in size. It has many big industrial windows and simple concrete floors and walls inside.
When it was first built, the building was mostly an open warehouse. It had a few offices on the second floor. Today, it has been divided into many smaller spaces. These spaces are used for light industry, businesses, and offices.
Why Was This Building Needed?
In the early 1900s, Portland was growing fast. Freight, or goods, arrived at docks on the west side of the Willamette River. But getting these goods across the river was hard. City bridges and downtown streets were often very busy. This caused delays for businesses.
For over 20 years, business owners and community groups pushed for a solution. They wanted a new place to receive goods on the east side of the river. This led to the construction of the Auto Freight Transport Building. It was designed to be a central receiving station.
The building was very well-located. It was close to large river docks, only about 100 feet (30 m) away. It also had easy access to train lines and city streets. This made it perfect for handling and storing many different types of cargo. Goods could be easily moved from here to their final destinations. Many smaller freight companies also used the building for their offices and employee lounges.
Who Used the Building?
The Auto Freight Transportation Association of Oregon and Washington first operated the building. This group was made up of many small trucking companies. They worked together to run the terminal until 1938.
In 1938, the group changed its name to East Side Terminal, Inc. They then moved to a different building nearby. After that, the Auto Freight Transport Building became a general warehouse. Many different freight companies used it for storage.
The Service Station
The Auto Freight Transport Building originally had a small gas station inside. Around 1930, another building was constructed across the street. This was called the Auto Freight Terminal Service Station. It provided fuel and repairs for vehicles using the main Transport Building. This service station operated until the early 1940s.
Still Standing Today
In 1964, a major change happened in Portland. Interstate 5 was moved from the west side of the Willamette River to the east side. This project caused many changes along the waterfront. The old docks and other industrial structures were removed. Many old industrial buildings were torn down.
However, the Auto Freight Transport Building survived. It is now the best-preserved historic waterfront building in the 680-acre (280 ha) industrial district. It stands as an important reminder of Portland's transportation history.
