More than a decade ago I wrote for Neighborhood Notes, a cool community-focused digital publication based in Portland. The now-defunct site went offline a couple of years ago but the editors have graciously let me repost the handful of articles I wrote. Here’s one from 2009 (13 years!) on the then-newly retrofitted Leftbank building. I made some minor edits but kept it mostly intact.

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Originally known as the Hazelwood building, designed and built by architect A.E. Doyle in 1923, the building has a fascinating history. Once housing a restaurant, creamery, candy manufacturer, the building then morphed into a restaurant, beer hall, stood vacant, and most recently housed manufacturing companies. But the most famous tenant was the Dude Ranch in the 1940s – ground zero for Portland’s jazz scene in the 1940s that attracted local talent and some heavy national acts such as Lionel Hampton, Art Tatum, Nat “King” Cole and a young Thelonious Monk. (Read more about the 1940s jazz scene in Portland here.)

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Many times, that’s the end of the story. The scenario goes like this: said building has an interesting back story, it goes into disrepair, loses its appeal, gets torn down and a new structure gets built to replace it – sometimes retaining the flavor or even the name of the previous tenants. [I can see it now: “Dude Ranch Condominiums: Live the jazz life.”]

But instead of being mowed down and forgotten, the building [along with a more recent one built later on the property] has been reborn as the Leftbank Project. The space has not only been saved it’s also vying as a magnet for Portland’s creative community, by attracting artists, retailers, a café, various organizations, and this being Portland, a beer brewer making some of the most unique beers in town.

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The building’s interior is clean, modern and spacious. Developers took advantage of the natural lighting and original windows in some of the larger rooms. Even with the lights turned off the rooms are bathed in daylight.

The developers also employed reuse and recycling techniques – including recycling seven tons of steel and reusing existing materials such as windows, milling water-damaged beams into stairways, and restoring covered materials. The building also uses a zoned HVAC system, energy-efficient LED lights, sustainable hardware, fixtures and other elements provided by local artisans, such as Eleek, Inc. and Stardust Glass.  

There’s even a ghost sign left over from the exterior of one of the complex’s buildings – now in the interior space – that’s been integrated into one of the larger rooms.

Reuse, recycling, energy-efficiency and the cool design aside, the overall vibe to the space is that it’s well on its way to becoming a hub for the Portland community. Its location is certainly a bonus. Near the Rose Quarter on one side of the river and the Pearl on the other, the Portland Streetcar will eventually glide by almost directly in front of the space.

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I’m not one to get overzealous about design: Exposed brick! Wood beams! Wall-to-wall windows! Sure, Leftbank has these features. But it has more: an enthusiastic and organically built community, a great vibe and a shot at becoming one of Portland’s community hubs.

One of the more visible tenants, Upright Brewing, has plans to open a tasting room on Saturdays and Sunday in mid-summer. Currently, they are behind closed doors at Leftbank crafting some interesting beers and aren’t open for walk-in customers. Thankfully, beer fans can sample their beers at different pubs and summer events around town in the meantime.

I invite you to visit the space. Stop by, enjoy some Stumptown coffee or a sandwich made from seasonally, local produce at the spacious but warm Leftbank Café; go upstairs and wander the hallways. It’s a wonderful space.

Leftbank
240 N Broadway
http://leftbankproject.com/