I lived downtown from 2002 to 2005. Back then, a few of my jogging routes would take me through Northwest Portland, so between that and walking around, I had a pretty good lay of the land. I had to be at 24th and Northrup, so I walked from Union Station through the neighborhood just to see what had changed.
In short: nearly everything. Huge buildings where there once were none, huge multi-unit places where once there was a house, stores, stores, stores, restaurants, restaurants, restaurants and parking just as horrible as it always was.
So I was thrilled to come upon the Northrup Food Center, which has not been bought, torn down, spiffed up ironically, or anything else. It looks exactly like it did a decade ago.
I love the incredibly grimy 70’s white rock.
I spied an R2D2 hidden away. Old promotion maybe?
Whoever takes over this property has a lot of junk to dispose of.
Here’s a link from 2008 about a mural on the other side of the building. I’m not sure if its still there.
Here’s a link from 2010 about the man who owns the building which also provides insight about why the store hasn’t been redone.
It’s always a little sad, whenever I come back, to see how much has changed. I suppose that’s the nature of progress though. You have to accept it because you can’t really change it. Still, it’s nice surprise, in the middle of everything new, to see that something has stayed the same.
I love these old relics that are filled with such interesting treasures. But that white stone? Who ever thought that looked fab? Remember the Buttery’s (now Mac’s – actually now its some fitness place – I just looked it up) on the corner of Cole and Fairview? Completely covered with that lovely stone.
It’s been long enough that that white stone hasn’t been hip that I’m starting to like it again. Good lord, next I will think that split-level houses are cool. I had to explain to a fourth grader what split-level houses were. I’m not sure where to find them in Portland proper. Outer Southeast maybe? Definitely a ton in Beaverton.