Historic Hood River
Heilbronner Building
Notes
A little “Groundhog Day” theme for today: here’s a nice study of landmark preservation. The top view shows the building as constructed in 1910, followed by 1988, with the final view showing it in 2004. It’s actually been restored a bit since then, but you can see the basic themes. The middle view show the building after decades of modifications without much attention to history or aesthetics. The more recent restoration restored the larger windows which had probably been reduced for energy efficiency in the 1970s.
A few small details: note the First National Bank Building didn’t have it’s clock when it was first constructed. Also note the utility lines in the earlier views have been replaced with street trees through the urban renewal project.
Tags: 1910s, 1980s, 2000s, 3rd Street, automobile, Cascade Avenue, Heilbronner Building, then and now
Charlott
I remember that at one time "The Leonora", which was a dress shop was one of the businesses in this building/area, before it went up on Oak Street. There was also John and "Cotton"s barber shop up there under the bank. Dr. Luke Smith, dentist had his office right on the second floor on the corner.
This building is on the National Register of Historical Places.
nels
Gentleman sitting on the roof in the first shot. Pretty hideous remodel in the 1970 photo. Thank you to whomever bothered to restore it to it’s present pleasing state. Wonder what is behind such a tall facade. So that makes it the tallest building in downtown?
judy
Surprised it could stay on the National Register with so many alterations. Too bad the citizens of HR could not raise enough money to have the "clock" fixed. It was fixed at one time, but it was costly.
dayne
I see the American flag just to the left of the man on the roof in the top photo. Its almost horizontal…..typical windy day!
Bill Seaton
i lived in downtown apartments from 1945 to 1956 and i regularly wandered all over that area. But I can’t remember ever going in this building.
Arthur–I really like getting the multiple pictures of the building. It really helps one see time’s effect and the building’s evolution.
Arthur
These two buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, after significant restoration work.
I think the building’s "crown" hides physical plant. Not my favorite part of this building but I suppose it’s preferable to screen that stuff from street view.
l.e.
Was the era of the 1960’s-70’s more of an advance and move ahead type of thinking rather than preserving?
Seems like we have slowed down a little bit and take the time to see the beauty in buildings. Or….that could just be me as I get older.
And in all fairness, windows have become so much more efficient, that we can enjoy beautiful, large windows without the sun cooking us, or the cold freezing us.
Steve r
Note that in the middle picture- one window did not get reduced in size like the others ….
Jeffrey Bryant
My step-father, Al Remlinger worked in Portland shipyards during World War II. He then worked in and managed several Portland Safeway stores before moving to Hood River. He attended barber and beauty school in Portland and worked at Meier and Frank Beauty Salon. He eventually became a hair salon owner and operator.
He moved to Hood River to work at sister-in-law Nellie Keir’s Milady Hair Salon on Second Street between Oak and Cascade avenues. He purchased the salon from Keir. He later passed the salon over to Rose Shute, Ethel Kincaid and Margaret Ballweber. He continued to occasionally work at the salon until he fully retired.
l.e.
Some of you already know this, but, just to add some information…
The building was also known as The Knights of Pythias because the top floor was used as the KoP Hall. They purchased the building in 1918.
Julian Heilbronner was a prosperous real estate and insurance business man. He built the building to accommodate a growing community. Population grew from 622 in 1900 to over 3,000 by 1910.
He purchased the lot with a residence and store from E.B. Clark in 1910.
It is called the Heilbronner Block, but I think it means only the building, not the entire city block.
The new building housed four retail spaces on the first floor, 16 offices on the second floor and a community hall on the third floor, with one of the biggest dance floors outside of Portland. The dance floor was constructed of maple.
The first floor is steel framed structure. The upper levels are brick construction.
The architect was Robert Bartlett, who designed the building to make use of large windows. Bartlett moved to HR in 1910 as an engineer and architect. He moved to Astoria in 1915.
The actual builder was Louis Daniel Boyed. He moved with his family to the Odell area and constructed the first brick building in downtown HR. Many of the bricks came from own kilns. He also built schools, bridges and homes in the area.
The new building was opened to the public and renters by Jan. 1911.
Julian Heilbronner moved to Butte Montana around 1918.
Bradford Perron, new owner of the building began extensive restoration work in 1999.
Art Larsen
The comment on the one remaining original window was interesting. This window was saved because it was behind the "racks" in the kitchen area. With this window as a pattern, the remaining windows we replaced to replicate the original design.
judy
The roof of this building is probably pretty ugly. The facade hides it well.
Jeffrey Bryant
The Hood River Glacier, May 5, 1910
J. H. Heilbronner
To Build Block
J. H. Heilbronner is preparing to erect a two story brick block 100 x 50 feet, on the corner of Cascade and Third streets covering half the quarter block which he recently purchased. The old frame building formerly occupied by O. P. Dabney, is being moved around to front on Cascade avenue, and the new brick will be 100 feet along Third street into which will open three business rooms, 20 by 50 feet and there will be a room on the corner 40 by 50 feet. The second floor of the building will be divided into office suites. The building will be of brick and will be modern in every respect.
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1910-05-05/ed-1/seq-11/
Jeffrey Bryant
The Hood River News, August 10, 1910
HEILBRONNER BLOCK
TO BE THREE STORIES
Believing that Hood River needs another large and conveniently equipped hall, J. H. Heilbronner, who is erecting the new block next to the First National Bank, has had the plans for the building altered so as to include another story. When completed, the structure will have three stories and basement, and, taken altogether, it will be the finest building in the city. The plans call for superior construction and workmanship in every detail. Hockenberry & Bartlett, the architects, who are directing the work, will see that the specifications are carried out to the letter. L. D. Boyd, who has the contract, is making good headway and work on the walls will be commenced this week.
Ron
Some may not remember but the north end of this building was at one time the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2150 the second and 3rd floor was the Eagles Lodge where many of dances took place on the 3rd floor. The first floor was businesses that rented space from the Lodge.
Barbara Parsons
The Mormon church met in the Knights of Pythias hall in the ’40s. Church ladies used to move the spitoons to an anteroom before services. The church held not only worship services but church parties. I remember attending a children’s Easter egg hunt there. Months after Easter, Ray Wach , about 5 at the time, found a leftover colored egg behind a radiator and ate it. Mothers converged on him crying, "No! No!" But the deed was done before they could reach him Ray suffered no ill effects, his mother told my mother.
I had what I considered a religious experiece at one of big windows when I was about seven. Rather like Saul on the road to Damascus, it was. It was snowing hard, obscuring my view of the town, end even the river. Waiting for my parents, I drifted into a daze, gazing at the snowflakes falling…falling…My eyes came un-focused, and gradually the motion of the snow became the rising of the K.P. Hall. We, and the whole building with us, beauty parlor, spitoons and all, were ascending to Heaven! Darn. This is what comes of taking children to church.