The building on the northwest corner of SW Broadway and Oak Street has had various names over the years. Built in 1908 as the Beck Building, it became the Artisans Building in 1920, and later the Commerce Building. It lost many of its ornate architectural features during a 1942 modernization. Now named Broadway Commons, the building is undergoing another renovation.
(The Field Museum)
Tags: Historic Photo, Huron Smith, Oregon, Portland
March 4, 2013 at 6:58 am
Looked this one up in the Portland Daily Abstract. Architect was David L Williams.
March 4, 2013 at 7:14 am
It looks like it lost all of it’s ornamental architectural features.
I thought the Benson Hotel had already been built by 1910, but Wikipedia tells me it didn’t open until 1913.
March 4, 2013 at 7:15 am
P.S.: For those not familiar with Portland, the Benson Hotel would be built on the grassy area to the right of the Beck Building.
March 4, 2013 at 7:20 am
The American flag at the top of the building appears to have only 5 rows of stars, which would date the flag much earlier than 1910. http://www.united-states-flag.com/evolution-of-the-american-flag.html
March 4, 2013 at 9:13 am
gotta love all the horse poo scattered on the street…
March 4, 2013 at 10:15 am
Oof, it’s quite hideous now. I love the way awnings make almost any old building look good.
March 4, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Reblogged this on Oregon Real Estate Round Table and commented:
they do not build buildings like this any more. Billions of dollars f Portland business has passed through this building over the last 103 years. What a treasure.
March 4, 2013 at 6:09 pm
mention in the Abstract says 6 stories with the possible addition of another 4. Guess those didn’t happen
March 5, 2013 at 1:16 pm
Before the Benson was built what occupied that space? You can see what looks like the corner of a roof on middle left hand side of the photo.