Pittock Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pittock Block
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View of the Washington Street face.
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 Location in Portland, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Location in the United States
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| Location | 921 SW Washington Street Portland, Oregon |
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| Built | 1914/1923 |
| Architect | Doyle & Patterson |
| Architectural style | Chicago school |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001507 |
| Added to NRHP | September 8, 1987 |
The Pittock Block is an old and important building in downtown Portland, Oregon. It takes up a whole city block between SW 9th and 10th Avenues, and SW Stark and Washington Streets. It's also west of O'Bryant Square.
Contents
History of the Pittock Block
How the Building Started
Before the Pittock Block was built, the land was home to Henry Pittock. He was the person who owned and ran The Oregonian newspaper.
Henry Pittock was getting ready to move into his new, big house, the Pittock Mansion. So, he rented out the entire block of land to an investor from California. He had one main rule: a special building named after him had to be built there.
Building Design and Construction
In May 1913, a group of architects called Doyle, Patterson & Beach announced they would design the Pittock Block. The building project was going to cost about $700,000. Construction was set to begin right away.
The Oregonian newspaper shared exciting details about the new building in May 1913:
- One part of the building would be eight stories tall. This part would face Washington Street.
- Another part, facing Stark Street, would be three stories high.
- The building would have a deep basement and even a sub-basement.
- The Northwestern Electric Company was going to use a large part of the building. They would be on the West Park street side and all of the ground floor on the Stark Street side.
- The rest of the ground floor was planned for shops.
- The floors above would be used for offices.
- The building would be made from strong, reinforced concrete.
Since 1987, the Pittock Block has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
Who Uses the Pittock Block Today?
The Pittock Block is home to the Pittock Internet Exchange. This is a very important place for the internet in Portland. It's where different internet networks connect to each other. Think of it like a major highway interchange for internet traffic!
Other groups also have offices in the Pittock Block. These include the City Club of Portland, which is a group that discusses important community issues. The administrative offices for the Oregon Symphony are also located here. This is where the people who help run the orchestra work.
