A Portland eyesore no more...

[Fez Hammersticks]

The homely, humongous Edith Green/Wendell Wyatt federal building in downtown Portland will be transformed into an environmental showpiece and become Oregon's single biggest federal stimulus project.

When it's done, the boxy, concrete-and-glass tower at Southwest Third and Jefferson will have a softer, sleeker, more modern look, according to an architect's drawing of the finished product. As a bonus, the 24-year-old windows won't leak and the building could qualify for "LEED" certification, an internationally recognized green seal of approval.

"We're looking at this as an opportunity to showcase how we can take an existing building and turn it into a high-performance green building," said Kevin Kampschroer, acting director of the environmental construction program for the General Services Administration in Washington, D.C.

The $133 million price tag puts it far ahead of any other stimulus-funded work in the state, and among the more expensive building redos in the nation. The closest in Oregon is a $33 million railroad track rehabilitation for the Port of Coos Bay, according to recovery.org, the Web site for a nonprofit that tracks stimulus projects.

-OregonLive

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

that building doesn't look that bad. $133 million dollars of taxpayer money to renovate a building?

are they completely retarded?

 

[barfo]

that building doesn't look that bad. $133 million dollars of taxpayer money to renovate a building?

are they completely retarded?

It's pretty damn ugly, but I suspect looks are not the main reason for the renovations.

barfo

 

[Colonel Ronan]

Doesn't look ugly, just looks boring.

 

[julius]

As far as making the city look nicer, how about they tear down those grain mills on waterfront. And paint the Fremont and Marquam bridges too, those things are in dire need of cleanin and paintin.

I just did a quick google image search for Marquam bridge, and this page came up
http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=24798&c=27928

check out some of the links on the right.

 

[julius]

Another thing they could do to "beautify" Portland, is move Portlandia to a man-made Island in the middle of the Willamette. Or maybe even at the mouth (although that's a bit far and no one would see it).

 

[barfo]

As far as making the city look nicer, how about they tear down those grain mills on waterfront. And paint the Fremont and Marquam bridges too, those things are in dire need of cleanin and paintin.

I just did a quick google image search for Marquam bridge, and this page came up
http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=24798&c=27928

check out some of the links on the right.

Rather than painting the Marquam, tear it down and put the freeway in a tunnel under the river. That's my beautification pipe dream.

Nice set of photos in the link you provided.

barfo

 

[barfo]

Another thing they could do to "beautify" Portland, is move Portlandia to a man-made Island in the middle of the Willamette. Or maybe even at the mouth (although that's a bit far and no one would see it).

I think she's a little small for that, isn't she? She'd look more like a mermaid than the statue of Liberty.

barfo

 

[julius]

Rather than painting the Marquam, tear it down and put the freeway in a tunnel under the river. That's my beautification pipe dream.

Nice set of photos in the link you provided.

barfo

You are welcome.

The Marquam and the Fremont are the two ugliest bridges on the Willamette (in Portland). That late 60's and early 70's concrete look is hard to swallow.

Another idea. Maybe they should invest some of the "stimulus" money in burying all the power lines in the city. Imagine how much prettier the views would be if power lines were buried?

How about widening I-5 right when you come into Oregon from Washington? Or maybe widening 26, so it's not a fucking parking lot?

Or here's a really good way to beautify Portland. Pay my student loans.

 

[julius]

I think she's a little small for that, isn't she? She'd look more like a mermaid than the statue of Liberty.

barfo

Maybe put her at Tom McCall waterfront then. Somewhere where people can actually see her, or appreciate the fact that we have the (at one time) second tallest bronze statue in the world. Or maybe it was US. Or maybe it was the 2nd tallest bronze statue named Portlandia.

She is 34 feet tall (vs, by comparison, the SoL, which is 151 feet tall).

 

[barfo]

You are welcome.

The Marquam and the Fremont are the two ugliest bridges on the Willamette (in Portland). That late 60's and early 70's concrete look is hard to swallow.

I don't mind the fremont design so much as the overwhelming size. The marquam, however, is horrid in every way.

Another idea. Maybe they should invest some of the "stimulus" money in burying all the power lines in the city. Imagine how much prettier the views would be if power lines were buried?

I'd be for that. Especially if they did it this way, which would put some people to work:

How about widening I-5 right when you come into Oregon from Washington? Or maybe widening 26, so it's not a fucking parking lot?

Well, they are widening 26, although it seems to be a 20-year project. I'm not sure it will help.

barfo

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

It's pretty damn ugly, but I suspect looks are not the main reason for the renovations.

barfo

its a throwback to 1980s corporate lifestyle. when someone sees that building, they know important biz is going on, not some hippies designing ads.

 

[julius]

barfo

I know the info for that picture says Barbur extention and 4th (or something)..I wonder if that's the hill near Burlinggame Fred Meyer, or right before Barbur Y.

 

[barfo]

its a throwback to 1980s corporate lifestyle. when someone sees that building, they know important biz is going on, not some hippies designing ads.

It's a government building. They deal in socialism and fascism, not any of that good corporate stuff.

barfo

 

[BTOWN_HUSTLA]

It's a government building. They deal in socialism and fascism, not any of that good corporate stuff.

barfo

I'm referring to the design of the building! very cold wall-street-esque!

 

[barfo]

I know the info for that picture says Barbur extention and 4th (or something)..I wonder if that's the hill near Burlinggame Fred Meyer, or right before Barbur Y.

It seems like since they called it "4th avenue extension", it should be closer in than Burlinggame. But it is hard to tell from the picture.

barfo

 

[maxiep]

If you wish to beautify Portland, try bringing more corporate headquarters downtown. Nothing beautifies a downtown like a vibrant downtown filled with workers.

 

[julius]

If you wish to beautify Portland, try bringing more corporate headquarters downtown. Nothing beautifies a downtown like a vibrant downtown filled with workers.

nothing stankafies a downtown like the pungent odor of the homeless and panhandlers who dominate Portland's sidewalks and pioneer square.

Look, if I wanted to smell something that resembles unwashed taint, matted arm-pit hair and ass crack juice, I'd go to Eugene.



*but julius, how do you know what all that smells like? HCP told me.

 

[maxiep]

nothing stankafies a downtown like the pungent odor of the homeless and panhandlers who dominate Portland's sidewalks and pioneer square.

Look, if I wanted to smell something that resembles unwashed taint, matted arm-pit hair and ass crack juice, I'd go to Eugene.



*but julius, how do you know what all that smells like? HCP told me.

The homeless and vagrants don't bother me a whit. If they're ignorant of the kind of assistance they could receive, then being in a place with so many resources is helpful. If they simply have made the choice to be homeless, then I say enjoy all that Portland has to offer.

 

[bodyman5001]

Interesting

 

[maxiep]

Interesting

I believe in the freedom to choose what you wish to do with your life. I only ask that you not force me to pay for the able-bodied to sit on their ass and do nothing. However, if charities wish to help them, then I have no beef. Homelessness isn't a path I would choose, but I have a few old friends who are vagrants. They work just enough to eat and take care of themselves. Otherwise, they sleep outside and travel around the country.

 

[bodyman5001]

I believe in the freedom to choose what you wish to do with your life. I only ask that you not force me to pay for the able-bodied to sit on their ass and do nothing. However, if charities wish to help them, then I have no beef. Homelessness isn't a path I would choose, but I have a few old friends who are vagrants. They work just enough to eat and take care of themselves. Otherwise, they sleep outside and travel around the country.

Huh, sorry I was just making a vague statement about the original post. Didn't even really read much of it.

Anyhow, my girlfriend used to always want to give homeless people money. I said no. She said I was heartless.

I told her that if we got home and she looked up a place to take the homeless people to that I would drive any one of them there directly. She never followed through with it, but now I don't have to listen to her whine about nobody helping them. I would have actually went through with it, maybe she didn't think I was serious.

 

[maxiep]

Huh, sorry I was just making a vague statement about the original post. Didn't even really read much of it.

Anyhow, my girlfriend used to always want to give homeless people money. I said no. She said I was heartless.

I told her that if we got home and she looked up a place to take the homeless people to that I would drive any one of them there directly. She never followed through with it, but now I don't have to listen to her whine about nobody helping them. I would have actually went through with it, maybe she didn't think I was serious.

I've oscillated between two extremes, only giving to charitable organizations and not giving money directly to people, or just giving them money. I now carry around at least $20 in $1 bills as a matter of habit. If someone asks for money I'll give them a buck. I've decided I never know if they really need it. If I help one times in 500, that's good enough for me.

 

[bodyman5001]

I've oscillated between two extremes, only giving to charitable organizations and not giving money directly to people, or just giving them money. I now carry around at least $20 in $1 bills as a matter of habit. If someone asks for money I'll give them a buck. I've decided I never know if they really need it. If I help one times in 500, that's good enough for me.

The last one I gave money to was a woman who was standing by the Orchards off ramp by what was at the time the new Wal Mart in Vancouver Wa. She had one arm that was so disfigured it looked like the one guy in the movie Total Recall. It looked to have open sores from what I thought were burns.

It had to hurt. I didn't feel bad giving her money, food or drugs or booze...whatever helped.

In Vegas they run up on you and are pretty aggressive. I don't take kindly to that. We pulled into a restaurant parking lot a few months ago and one of them snuck up to my door and almost got smacked with the door before I noticed him. That really pissed me off so I got out and screamed at him. Which I shouldn't have but I couldn't help myself.

 

[THE HCP]

http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?&a=24731&c=27928

This looks like a scene straight out of an old Popeye cartoon!

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

OHSU plan to build their campus around the horrendous bridge.

 

[barfo]

Portland, April 7, 1874:

Chief James Lappeus arrests fifteen members of the "Womens Temperance and Prayer League" for picketing downtown saloons. The women were charged with "Disorderly Praying." The women appeared in court the following day and were found guilty, by an all male jury. They were sentenced to one day in jail.

barfo

 

[Natebishop3]

If we want to beautify the city, maybe we should spend 133 million to bring more beautiful women here...... just saying

 

[barfo]

If we want to beautify the city, maybe we should spend 133 million to bring more beautiful women here...... just saying

I suppose the bottom has dropped (but not drooped) out of that market too. If we bought them wholesale, how many could we get for $133 million?

barfo

 

[Natebishop3]

I suppose the bottom has dropped (but not drooped) out of that market too. If we bought them wholesale, how many could we get for $133 million?

barfo

I guess it depends on the quality... are we talkin california 10's?