Plus: A new Lake Oswego park is under construction.
 
10.10.2023 6AM-Top banner logo-small.png

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

49º | Showers | 84% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:50 a.m. | Sunset 4:40 p.m.
 

Portland’s 3rd largest office building

Historic Montgomery Park building might be heading to the auction block
Montgomery_Park,_Portland,_east_facade_close-up.png
At 756,055 sqft, Montgomery Park is currently the third-largest office building in Portland and is valued at $187.2 million. | Photo by Steve Morgan
Rising above the Northwest Portland skyline is a sign drivers can’t miss as they travel over the Fremont Bridge to the west side. Huge neon letters — which light up red at night — spell out two words against a forested backdrop: Montgomery Park.

The Montgomery Park building is a Portland landmark, but its future is uncertain after its owners defaulted on millions of dollars in debt. Now, the structure at 2701 NW Vaughn St. appears to be heading to the auction block.

100 years and counting

When it opened in 1921, the building — known then as Montgomery Ward — was the largest in Portland and an example of cutting-edge architecture.

Built on the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition grounds, the nine-story, 569,000-sqft structure featured fireproof, steel-reinforced concrete. It housed a mail-order catalog warehouse for Montgomery Ward & Company, as well as offices and loading areas.

Public Works Administration (Archival) - Public Works Administrator - Photographs - A2009-009.4193 Looking west onto NW Wilson St from NW 23rd Ave.png

This photo was taken in 1939 — a year after the new wing was added.

|

Photo via City of Portland Archives

A wing was added to the building’s northwest corner about 15 years later — changing the structure’s overall shape from an L to a U — and making room for retail space and a massive glass atrium.

The iconic, steel-framed sign crowning the building went up in 1925. “Montgomery Ward” was renamed “Montgomery Park” after Bill Naito bought the building in the mid-1980s. Filings to list the building on the National Register of Historic Places reported the sign as the largest in Portland.

Where it’s going

Global investment management firm Partners Group and Seattle-based Unico Properties (the owner of the U.S. Bancorp Tower) bought Montgomery Park in 2019 for $255 million. But a lender now intends to foreclose on a loan tied to the complex because the borrowers owe over $149 million, according to documents filed in Multnomah County.

Montgomery Park — whose current tenants include Adidas — is expected to go up for sale to the highest bidder on Feb. 14, 2024, outside the Multnomah County Courthouse.
 
Events
Tuesday, Oct. 10
  • Ray LaMontagne | Tuesday, Oct. 10 | 8 p.m. | Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, Portland | $39.50-$269.50 | Get swept away on a river of reflective, impassioned music as this Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter plays songs that span his seven albums.
Wednesday, Oct. 11
Thursday, Oct. 12
  • Mother Supper Pizza Party | Thursday, Oct. 12 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Tendue, 2505 SE 11th Ave., Ste. 255, Portland | $100 | This three-course dinner catered by Café Olli is designed to connect and create community around motherhood.
Friday, Oct. 13
  • Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2023 | Friday, Oct. 13-Sunday, Oct. 15 | Times vary | Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland | $15-$200 | Celebrate classic video and arcade games alongside original developers and artists, podcast hosts, and cosplayers — and test your skills in the Blockbuster World Video Game Championship IV.
  • Black Community Science Night | Friday, Oct. 13 | 6-9 p.m. | OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., Portland | $8-$10 | Join this second annual family-friendly event for a night of museum exploration, lectures, music, local vendors, and demos on robotics, microscopy, and chromatography.
Saturday, Oct. 14
  • Portland Arbor Day 2023 | Saturday, Oct. 14 | 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | McCoy Park, 4677 N. Trenton St., Portland | Free | Help Portland Parks & Recreation plant new trees, meet neighbors who care for trees in the New Columbia and Portsmouth communities, register for a yard tree giveaway, and more.
Saturday, Nov. 4
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Tech

Send a shark after your compromised data floating around the web
data breach alert computer unlocked steal.jpg
Surfshark One is a cybersecurity bundle for all-over protection. | Photo by Surfshark
DYK? Online data leaks give hackers an easy opportunity to gain access to your personal information and accounts — potentially leading to financial fraud and identity theft.

That’s why it’s essential to take your cybersecurity into your own hands.

For an easy way to manage it all, consider 24/7 breach monitoring with Surfshark Alert, which keeps you safe with:
  • Real-time credit card + ID breach alerts
  • Instant email data breach notifications
  • Regular personal data security reports
Stop worrying about data breaches — get Surfshark Alert
News Notes
Sports
  • Alaska Airlines has “mutually decided not to renew” its sponsorship deal with the Portland Timbers at the end of the 2023 season. The Seattle-based company has sponsored the Timbers since the club joined the MLS in 2011. It’s unclear if Alaska Airlines will continue to partner with the Thorns. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
Outdoors
  • Work is underway on a new 10-acre park in Lake Oswego. When it’s finished, Rassekh Park on Stafford Road will feature a sports field, skatepark, playground, walking trails, a protected natural area surrounding Pecan Creek, and more. The first phase is expected to be completed sometime next year. (Portland Business Journal)
Opening
  • Salt & Straw is getting in on the Vancouver waterfront development action. The Portland-born ice cream chain will open its first Southwest Washington location in early 2024 at 740 Waterfront Way. Fun fact: Salt & Straw is partly owned by former Vancouver resident Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)
The Word
  • Cheesemonger (noun): “a merchant who specializes in cheese.” Sam Rollins, a cheesemonger at Southeast Portland’s Cowbell Cheese Shop, won second place at the Le Mondial du Fromage last month in France. It’s the highest an American has ever placed in the elite competition’s 10-year history. (OPB)
Number
  • $39.5 billion. That’s how much Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his family are worth, landing him at No. 18 on the Forbes’ 2023 roundup of the 400 richest people in the US. Those who made it on the exclusive list are collectively worth $4.5 trillion. (Forbes)
Ranked
  • An orchard near Mount Hood is one of the best spots to pick apples in the US, according to a new list by Travel + Leisure. The magazine ranked Mt. View Orchards No. 16 (out of 20), praising the farm’s produce variety, wine-tasting room, and tractor rides. (Travel + Leisure)
Watch
  • If scary movies represent the main course in your October entertainment diet, then you may have an appetite for some horror flicks filmed in Oregon. “The Shining” is an obvious choice — but did you know “The Ring Two,” “Cabin Fever,” and “The Rental” have local roots? Here are three more. (KOIN)
Try This
  • In case you missed it, we’re running our inaugural PDXtoday Pumpkin Carving Contest this month, and submissions are open through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15. To participate, simply carve, paint, or decorate a pumpkin in a way that is fun for you + send us a photo. Make a submission.
Active
  • Looking for the perfect group outing for teams, coworkers, families + more? Axe the stress of party planning, and take your crew to Blade & Timber Axe Throwing instead — you’ll enjoy delicious food, drinks, and axe-throwing fun. Book your private event for the holidays.*
Trending
Answered

Last week, we shared our Portland-inspired costume ideas. Some of you were way ahead of us.

portland halloween costume.png

These outfits will earn you some swift praise from locals.

|

Photo courtesy of Lucy and Langston

While we thought we were so clever with the suggestion of the Chapman Elementary School chimney, it turns out Lucy and Langston already took this one for a test flight last year. The addition of a birdwatcher (peep the extra detail on the cheek) is perfect for pairs.
More high-flying costume ideas
Share PDXtoday
 

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

{{profile.vars.rh_reflink_20}}
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_20}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.
Claim your rewards
 
 
The Wrap
 
Cambrie Juarez headshot

Today’s edition by:
Cambrie
From the editor
Who do you call when a chicken coop is haunted? The eggs-orcist.

Bad jokes (yolks?) aside, there’s a place in Northeast Portland where you can meet plenty of fowl beasts. It’s called the Chicken Window and it’s located on Northeast Seventh Avenue between Stanton and Graham Streets. Started in 2022 by 6-year-old Olive, the Chicken Window gives her family’s flock of hens a view of the outside world and the chance to meet curious passersby.
Missed our previous newsletter?     ›
Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback     ›
Become a Member     ›
Advertise     ›
Shop     ›
 
 

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY