Dave Knows Portland

Ecoroof Portland (18-March-2011)

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Ecoroof PortlandAbout a year ago, we took a tour of the Central Library’s Ecoroof. It was neat to see a 95 year old building updated with an Ecoroof.

Just last week we had the pleasure of meeting with Matt Burlin, the City of Portland’s Sustainable Stormwater Management Outreach Coordinator, for another ecoroof tour. We are actually just being polite when we say it was a pleasure. Matt was a nice guy, and all, but as we reached the penthouse level of the sleek new Pearl tower we were visiting, the Portland winter sky opened up and unleashed upon us a ferocious mixture of snow and sleet and wind and rain and cold.

Over the roar and din, Matt pointed out the surrounding rooftops and their colorful mosaics of living roofs. I did the best I could to get photos without drowning the camera. But the weather was really remarkably bad. Matt said it was the worst weather during any of his tours.

Roof of the Pearl District Safeway

We learned enough on our quick tour to know we certainly want to tour more projects from the Portland Ecoroof Program (maybe on a day when the weather is more cooperative . . . in August, and preferably with a summer beer in hand, when the rooftop BBQ is open).

Ecoroofs aren’t just for hippies, dainty environmentalists, and real estate developers. If you want to learn more about how they work, and maybe even put on your own structure (high rise, house, food cart or chicken coop!) go check out Ecoroof Portland 2011 on March 18 (10am to 6pm) at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd).

Participants will learn how ecoroofs work, why they’re important, and what resources are available to help start their own projects. They can get information directly from ecoroof vendors including architects, consultants, contractors, landscape architects, manufacturers, nurseries, structural engineers, suppliers, researchers, and non-profit and community organizations.

Go on a tour too (but be sure to bring your rain gear!).

Visit the Ecoroof Blog any time for project updates, announcements, and events. Ecoroof Portland can also be found on Facebook!

It’s “Cooch” not “Cowch” – An Insider’s Guide to Portland Architecture and History (19-February-2011)

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Architectural Heritage CenterThe Architectural Heritage Center presents It’s “Cooch” not “Cowch” – An Insider’s Guide to Portland Architecture and History this Saturday, February 19, 2011.

Few people learn about Portland’s history or its architecture in a formal way. For the majority of new residents, learning is by happenstance. A building that went unnoticed on the morning commute suddenly emerges from the mist with a nickname and its place in the city’s history is revealed. And learning is often by mistake. Have you ever been corrected for mispronouncing the name of a new or unfamiliar street or building?

We hope newcomers and old-timers alike will join us for this informative and sometimes whimsical overview of Portland’s architecture and history. Did you know there was a typo on the exterior of Portland’s 1913 Central Library? Was it ever fixed? Other than poking your head out the window, where can you find a weather forecast while downtown? Who’s “Freddie?” What shopping mall was once the largest in the United States? And what is “Big Pink” anyway?

Portland native Amanda Tillstrom, who has a Master of Arts degree and has worked on exhibits at the Oregon Historical Society and the AHC, will provide answers to these questions!

The presentation takes place at the AHC (701 SE Grand) from 10am until 11:30. Admission is $13 for members and $18 for the general public. Pre-registration is strongly recommended!

Elevated Living PDX: Tree Houses

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I don’t recall how exactly I stumbled upon the site, but I was immediately hooked. I can’t imagine the permitting process, but I would truly love to have of these. First, however, I’ll need to find a tree, in particular, according to the FAQ, a “straight-trunked tree such as a Pine, Spruce, or Fir tree” – I think I can probably find one around here . . .

Elevated LivingPortland-style urban infill reaches new heights with Elevated Living:

Elevated Living, based in Portland Oregon, is a manufacturer and installer of high-end, customizable treehouses fully supported by a tree. Each pre-manufactured treehouse is a fully functional living space with options such as plumbing, electrical, and any other modern-day convenience found in a standard home. Elevated Living is also eco-conscious. Every treehouse is made using green products and building methods.

Elevated Living was founded by Portland native Schuyler Silva, who has a Master of Fine Arts in Scenic Technology from the University of Illinois and has been remodeling houses and building theatrical sets for over a decade.

Visit ElevatedLivingPDX.com for answers to all your inevitable questions. Stay on top of developments at the Elevated Living blog and you can also follow @ELPDX on Twitter.

Pittock Mansion: Beaded Purses (February 1 – July 10, 2011)

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Pittock MansionClosed for much of January for annual maintenance and post-holiday exhibit cleanup, the Pittock Mansion re-opens February 1, 2011 with a new display: Beaded Purses – Finishing Touch.

More than a means to carry personal items, purses express the tastes and personalities of their owners. During the late 19th and 20th centuries, elaborately beaded purses were especially popular. View more than 50 vintage beaded and mesh purses, loaned to Pittock Mansion by a local collector.

The museum is open 11am to 4pm daily and admission is free for members, $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+), $5 for youth (ages 6 – 18), and free for children ages 5 and younger.

January 8, 1961: Memorial Coliseum Dedicated

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Veterans Memorial ColiseumPortland’s Memorial Coliseum opened on November 3, 1960. But it was on January 8, 1961 that it was formally dedicated to the memory of Portland’s war dead.

An Oregonian article on January 9, 1961 describes how the event’s master of ceremony, Edwin H. Norene, said the dedication marked the

realization of a plan to put here something of enduring nature in memory of Portlanders who fought in World War I, World War II, Korea and the Spanish-American War.

Mayor Terry D. Schrunk, also speaking at the dedication, hoped

there would never be another world war and that no names would have to be added to those of the more than 1,600 men and women who died in military service and are listed in the honor roll book in the Memorial Chapel of the coliseum.

On January 5, 2011 the city council re-christened the Memorial Coliseum the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, to recognize more fully that the Coliseum was built to honor veterans in the Portland area.