First Regiment Armory Annex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Armory
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The Armory at dusk
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 Location in Portland, Oregon
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| Location | 128 NW 11th Avenue Portland, Oregon |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | McCaw and Martin |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001017 |
| Added to NRHP | August 31, 2000 |
The Armory is a historic building in Portland, Oregon. It was once known as the First Regiment Armory Annex. Today, it is called Portland Center Stage at The Armory. This name comes from the theater company that uses the building.
The building was constructed in 1891. Multnomah County built it for the Oregon National Guard. In 2000, it became part of the National Register of Historic Places. From 2002 to 2006, the Armory was renovated. This big project cost $36.1 million. Now, it is home to Portland Center Stage. This theater company puts on 11 shows every year. About 150,000 people visit The Armory each year. They come to see plays, attend the JAW: A Playwrights Festival, and enjoy other programs.
Building the Armory
In the late 1800s, there was some unrest in the West Coast states. To help keep peace, the State of Oregon decided to build armories. These buildings would give National Guard troops a place to train. This way, they could be ready to help if there were problems.
The first Armory in Portland was finished in 1888. But it was quickly found to be too small. So, an Annex was ordered to give the troops more room. This new building included an underground firing range.
The Armory Annex was built in 1891. It was designed in the Romanesque Revival style. This style was popular from 1880 to 1890. It often features large stone walls and rounded arches. The architects, McCaw and Martin, used many local stone materials. The building also looks like a fortress, which is called Castellated architecture. It has a main entrance with an arch and towers on each side. These towers have battlements and narrow slots for guns.
Past Uses of the Armory
The Armory was built with a special truss system. This meant it had no support pillars inside. This design made it easy to see the stage or floor from anywhere. Because of this, it was one of the few buildings in Portland that could hold very large crowds.
In the early 1900s, the Armory hosted many events. It showed early movie machines and held big meetings. There were also concerts and speeches by presidents. Three U.S. presidents spoke there: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.
In 1918, the new Municipal Auditorium opened. It had better sound and more comfortable seats. So, concerts and speeches moved there. But the Armory still hosted amateur boxing events.
In 1928, the Portland fire marshal said the building was a fire risk. Even so, people kept using it. From 1946 to 1948, the Armory was home to the Portland Indians basketball team. They played in the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League. In 1948, the building helped people who lost their homes. It was used to shelter refugees from the Vanport Flood. This flood destroyed the town of Vanport.
In 1968, the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company bought the entire complex. They tore down the original Armory building for a parking lot. They used the Annex building as a warehouse.
The Armory Today
The Armory Annex, now simply called The Armory, was the last part of Portland's Pearl District to be redeveloped. A company called Gerding Edlen had already rebuilt other buildings nearby. They used sustainable building methods. When they bought the Armory in 2000, they promised to keep its historic look.
The Armory now has two theaters inside. The main one is the 590-seat U.S. Bank Main Stage. There is also the smaller 190-seat Ellyn Bye Studio. The idea to turn the building into an arts center started around 2002. The renovation cost $36.1 million.
The Armory is a great example of how to save old buildings. It also shows how to make them eco-friendly. It earned a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. This means it was the first building on the National Register and the first in Portland to get this high award. As of 2007, it was one of only two buildings in Portland with Platinum status.
Some of its green features include:
- A system to collect rainwater.
- Special air systems that save energy.
- Skylights to let in more natural light.
- Spaces for bicycle parking.
