Park Heathman Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Heathman Hotel
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The Park Heathman Hotel, also known as the Heathman Hotel and the Park Haviland Hotel, currently the Park Tower Apartments
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 Location in Portland, Oregon
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| Location | 723 SW Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon |
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| Area | 100ft by 100ft |
| Built | 1926 |
| Built by | George E. Heathman |
| Architect | Claussen and Claussen |
| Architectural style | Early 20th Century Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000879 |
| Added to NRHP | August 25, 2014 |
The Park Heathman Hotel, also known as the Heathman Hotel, is an old building in Portland, Oregon. Today, it provides homes for older people and those with disabilities who need affordable housing. The building was renamed Park Tower Apartments in the 1980s. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014 because it's an important part of history.
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History of the Heathman Hotel
Building the First Heathman Hotel
The Park Heathman Hotel was built in 1926 by George E. Heathman. It was located at SW Park Avenue and Salmon Street in Portland. At first, it was simply called the Heathman Hotel. Just one year later, George Heathman built another hotel nearby. This new building was called the New Heathman Hotel. After that, the first hotel became known as the Park Heathman Hotel.
In the 1920s, Portland was growing very fast. Many new buildings were being constructed, especially in the downtown area. People wanted to expand the city's business district. The area around the South Park Blocks saw a lot of new construction. Many hotels were built during this time. The Park Heathman Hotel was one of these new and important buildings.
George Heathman was a general contractor, meaning he managed building projects. He had already built the Roosevelt Hotel in 1924. For the Heathman Hotel, he worked with architects Claussen and Claussen. The hotel was planned to have 302 rooms. It cost over $1 million to build and furnish the entire hotel.
Early Years and Radio Station KOIN
When the hotel first opened, radio station KOIN moved into its basement. This was just two weeks after the hotel welcomed its first guests. However, KOIN did not stay long. In 1927, the radio station moved to the New Heathman Hotel.
Soon after building the hotel, George Heathman sold it to E. V. Hauser, Sr. Even so, Heathman leased the hotel back from Hauser. He continued to manage it until he passed away in 1930. After his death, members of the Heathman family continued to run the hotel.
Changes in Ownership and Name
In 1960, Harry Heathman, George's son, passed away. The Heathman family then sold their share of the hotel to John Haviland. In 1962, John Haviland changed the hotel's name from Park Heathman to Park Haviland.
John Haviland also owned the Paramount Theater. He built a special sky bridge to connect the Park Haviland Hotel to the Paramount Theater and the New Heathman Hotel. For a while in the 1970s, he called both hotels the Paramount Heathman Hotel. However, the older building, the Park Haviland, was mainly used as a home for older people and those with disabilities.
By 1980, the building needed many repairs. City inspectors closed the hotel because it did not meet building and fire safety rules.
The Schnitzer Family Takes Over
The Schnitzer family bought the hotel in 1980. Jordan Schnitzer, a family member, started a big renovation project in 1982. The goal was to fix the building's problems and make it ready for Section 8 housing. Section 8 is a program that helps people with low incomes afford a place to live.
The hotel's name was changed again, this time to Park Tower Apartments. The building reopened in December 1982.
Why the Heathman Hotel is Important
The Park Heathman Hotel is historically important for several reasons. It was one of more than 184 buildings constructed during Portland's building boom in the 1920s. When it was first built, it was one of the largest and most elegant hotels in the city. This building boom changed downtown Portland. It led to taller buildings and more businesses, rather than just homes.
Many of the buildings from 1915 to 1931 have since been torn down. By 2014, only ten of the 38 hotels built during that time were still standing. Only the nearby New Heathman Hotel still operates as a hotel. Most of the other old hotels, like the Park Heathman, have been changed into affordable housing.
Because of its history and importance to Portland, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. It was listed under its original name, the Heathman Hotel.
