It’s taking them longer than planned to demolish the United Workmen Temple in downtown Portland, also known as the Tourney Building, built in 1895.
They had to bring in a bigger crane to take down the elevator shaft I believe. I think I saw it arrive this afternoon. They’ve been picking away at her innards in the meantime.
The building behind it is the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, 1992. I know nothing of architecture, but to me this suggests brutalist style tempered by the slightest postmodern whimsy:
I have no idea what the conning tower like thing is supposed to represent. It’s a little unsettling at this historical point that progressive Portland has a Stalin-esque courthouse.
The federal building is even less reassuring. It evokes secrecy and opacity, facing off against City Hall directly across from it, it’s literally shrouded from view by a confusing array of what look like wrought-iron shutters:
untethered 