PORTLAND, Ore. – A warehouse on North Williams Avenue with a distinctive mural painted on its side has received a demolition permit and is slated to be replaced with a five-story mixed use building.
Located at 4018 N Williams Ave., the warehouse was constructed in 1965. It covers a substantial portion of its 10,000-square-foot lot.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
The property sold in April for $3.65 million to its current owner, Tel Industry LLC. City records list Daniel Kaven as the business’s manager.
A few months earlier, rumors of a potential sale prompted concern that the building, and a well-known mural painted on its wall, would be demolished for redevelopment. In September the mural was vandalized, as reported by Willamette Week.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
On Feb. 1 the city received an application to demolish the 52-year-old warehouse. The applicant was listed as Dan Williams of Faster Permits, while the contractor was listed as VWR Development LLC, registered to Vic and Walter Remmers.
According to the construction permit, the building is proposed to be replaced by a five-story mixed use building with ground-floor retail and 64 residential units on the upper floors. During the design review process the proposal was to include 18 car parking spaces in a tuck-under garage.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
A Facebook page titled Save “Machine” from Demolition was created in an effort to preserve the mural. It states the mural was commissioned in 1989 and painted by artist Tom Cramer. It was recreated in 2003 after degradation, according to the write-up, and partially restored again in 2015.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
“Over the years, Machine has become a Portland landmark, with residents and tourists photographing it daily,” the page says.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle contributor
William Kaven Architecture has renderings and information about the project on its website. The renderings show part of the mural as being incorporated into the new building, which has been dubbed “Parallax.”
Photo credit: Google Maps