When built on W Burnside between NW 4th and 5th in 1907. the Hotel Philip was about twice as deep as it is now. This 1927 photo shows the building before the early 1930s Burnside widening project took about half the building’s depth away, leaving two of the original four windows on the 5th Avenue side.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
Ahh…so that’s what the Grove Hotel was called prior to being renamed. If you do a Google search there are some interesting articles about it’s history, deplorable conditions it’s residents live in, and the new plan to change it into art studio/youth hostel. It’s amazing how many of Portland’s flophouse hotels still exist such as the Grove, the Joyce, and the Kent just come to mind….
Interesting former tenant: “Taylor the Tailor”. Oddly, the smaller marquis entrance appears to be to the hotel proper and while the larger marquis covers a faint sign “(undeciferable) Stock Co. Musical Comedy.” I had no idea there was ever a theater in this building. I’d hazard a guess that a few years later there wasn’t.
Wow, you’re right, they just chopped in in half. http://is.gd/CVrf6Z
I wonder how they determined what the floor plan would be after the narrowing. It must have been a complex project, to change the floor plans, stairways, theaters, etc. of all those buildings.
I also note that the transit companies were not shy about anchoring to buildings. I count at least 8 points where supports for the trolley wires are attached to the building.
The blade sign seems like a redo. It has more shape than the Hotel Phillip name would seem to require.
Note also that the smaller marquee entrance spells it “Phillip” with two Ls while the other treatments only have one.
Also if you look at the back of the building from the 4th Avenue side you can see a very faded “PHILIP” sign.
http://pdxbuildingads.blogspot.com/2008/01/philip.html