November 5, 2018

Towne Storage in Portland

Photos from LRS Architects [enlarge]

The historic Towne Storage building in Portland’s Central Eastside Industrial District has been rehabilitated for a new tenant, Autodesk.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Design and renovation was reviewed and approved by the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission.

Originally built in 1915, the 99,000-square-foot, five-story building had fallen into disrepair and lacked any amenities. To bring the building up to date, seismic upgrades were made, including the installation of concrete shear walls, new steel brace frames and a series of micropiles reaching 130 feet underground.

The 16-month project began with interior demolition. More than 200 original wood-sash windows were salvaged, rebuilt with new panes of glass and then reinstalled to preserve the appearance while improving energy efficiency.

New roofing was added and entrances were improved. Other work included restoration of the original masonry and concrete, repair of the historic water tower, and addition of a new sixth floor with a 4,000-square-foot roof deck.

The building is currently occupied by Autodesk, a 3D design software firm. LRS Architects won the Restore Oregon DeMuro Award for the project.

Owner: Towne Storage Property, LLC

Developer: Sentinel Development

Architect: LRS Architects

General contractor: Bremik Construction

Engineer: KPFF Structural Engineers

Other team members: Westport Capital Partners, Apex Real Estate Partners, Versatile Wood Products

Do you have photos of recent projects? Share them with DJC readers. Send high-resolution images and information to lisa.lannigan@djc.com.

Previous columns:

• Brookville Gardens Park, 10-29-2018
• Kwethluk K-12 School, 10-22-2018
• Assembly 118, 10-15-2018
• Elara at the Market, 10-08-2018
• Heathman Hotel — Portland, 10-01-2018
• Mira Flats, 09-24-2018
• UW Life Sciences Building, 09-17-2018
• Voda, 09-10-2018