Historic Hood River
PP&L Building
2-3-2015
Notes
We’ve been fortunate to have downtown building owners who have done such a nice job renovating their buildings with attention to both history and the pedestrian environment. This before/after of the PP&L Building at Oak and 4th is a good example. The 1988 view shows the metal facade that obscured the nice building we saw in several Alva Day views. The newer (circa 2000) view restores the more historic facade and provides nice display windows for the pedestrians walking by.
Category: Downtown Hood River
Tags: 1980s, 2000s, Donovan, Donovan collection, Kerrits, Landmarks Review Board, Oak Street, PP&L Building, then and now
Tags: 1980s, 2000s, Donovan, Donovan collection, Kerrits, Landmarks Review Board, Oak Street, PP&L Building, then and now
nels
Is there an agency that encourages or requires return to original design, or is this an owner decision?
AndyB
Its incredible that someone thought the vertical metal siding was aesthetically pleasing and inviting. It looks almost Soviet in design. Taste really went out the window through the 50’s to the 80’s.
Arthur
nels, the city has an historic preservation ordinance and a "Landmarks Review Board." I believe this was established in the early 1990s, and properties were able to opt out. I’ll see if I can get someone with more knowledge to weigh in on how it was set up and what obligations it creates for a property owner.
Cindy Walbridge
The City appointed a Landmarks Review Board in 1994. We have a Local Historic Downtown District which includes the buildings in the downtown from approx. Front St. to 7th and I-84 to State Street. Anytime a building owner wants to do exterior alterations to a historic building they come before the Landmarks Board for review. A building does not always have to return to its original design, but the owner is encouraged to remove alterations that were made (like in the PPL building) that detract from the original character of the building, and that new changes are similar in scale, materials, and character of the original downtown.
l.e.
Arthur….have we seen the Alva Day photos of this building?
I looked through his photos and probably missed them.
I found this one
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=876
Arthur
l.e., I confess that it’s getting harder for me to remember what images have already been posted. Also, I write the text to the posts before I queue them up with a date, so sometimes they get out of order. But here’s one I know you’ve seen before: https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=34
I think Alva Day managed the building, so he took lots of pictures of the shop window displays. I think the one you suggest (876) was actually across 4th street– the Kelly Bros. Bldg. at 406-408 Oak Street.
l.e.
Oh yeh,….one of those mystery photos that never got solved.
Thanks Arthur. I wasn’t sure if the original was brick.
Looking at a google photo of today’s look, I would say it all looks better with the removal of that metal power pole.
I agree with AndyB that there were a couple of decades where architects went to ugly school. They built some high schools that look like prisons.
Maybe the metal facade replaced the striped vinyl sunshades. It is a south facing window which had to be brutal before the days of air conditioning and tinted glass.
Jeffrey Bryant
It looks like about the only thing that didn’t change between the photos was the sign for Sab Akiyama.
My grandfather, Harold Bryant, worked for PP&L from here in the 1930’s – 1940’s.
judy
Jeff~ remember Phyllis Pierce Kment working in the office. I think Dick Frazier worked for PP&L during that time also.
Susan Turner
Sab Akiiyama, family friend and my optometrist, was in that same office for so many years! I recall he had a beautiful piece of polished wood in a display case that his father (I believe) worked by hand while in an internment camp.
Cliff McArthur
My grandfather also worked at PP&L Hood River from 1925 to mid 40,s.I have pictures of him with his PP&L truck in 20,s .Frank J Simpson Have picture of him with Andy Anderson when they started the Crag Rats in 1926. My mother climbed Mt Hood with him many times.Frank J Simpson ( my grandfather) And Charles Carroll Piatt (my great grand father Built the first power plant in North Dakota (coopers town) in 1904. I was born at 711 Columbia St. Hood River in Sept 1933. I feel like I have found a gold mine,Pictures and comments Thanks to all of you.
Jeffrey Bryant
The Hood River News, March 9, 1910, page 1
http://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83009939/1910-03-09/ed-1/seq-1/
New Brick Building Corner 4th and Oak
Ground will soon be broken for a new brick building which J. Otten will erect on the corner of Oak and 4th streets. The plans for the building are in the hands of r. B. Bartlett architect, and call for a one story and basement structure which will be designed for an additional story later. The building will be built of brick with a cream colored pressed brick front. The frontage on Oak street will be 50 feet with a length of 80 feet on 4th street.
The work of dismantling the wooden buildings on the premises has been commenced and excavation for the foundations will be started as soon as they are removed.
Jeffrey W Bryant
New PP&L office.
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1924-04-03/ed-1/seq-4/
Jeffrey W Bryant
PP&L Opening Attracts Big Crowd
https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn97071110/1924-04-17/ed-1/seq-5/