The Morris Marks Diaries: Structural Development

Arciform • Jan 25, 2018

An update from project manager, Joe McAlester

Perhaps while stuck in traffic, you’ve noticed the old house sitting at the intersection of Southwest Broadway Drive and Grant Street—you know that busy intersection to get on or off I-405 near SW 6th? It’s an area you might not have given much notice before, other than that cool retro motel sign. Now you find yourself gazing at what looks like a very old home. You may ask yourself, “Just how old is that home? Was it always there?”

In fact, it’s 138 years old. It was cut in half a few months ago and moved from its shady home near PSU with towering new buildings on each side. You probably hadn’t noticed it before, but now it’s come out of the shade and into the light. It might look a little run-down, but don’t worry, it will be a shining part of our city soon. And a shining part of history as well.

The house was built in 1880 by architect Warren H. Williams for Morris Marks, a successful shoe merchant, at what was then #254 Twelfth Street. This is the first of two homes Marks had built. Apparently, he was he was a man who appreciated architecture, as this is perhaps one of the best examples of Italianate architecture our city has to offer.

Arciform founder Richard De Wolf gave me an update on the home a few weeks ago:

“Now that the house has been set on a new foundation and structurally ‘tied back together,’ the historic review portion of the project can happen. Lots of decisions are made during this process. Our history with the city puts us at an advantage with historical restoration projects. We know what to expect and how to make it as efficient as possible.

The use of the building dictates how we move forward. An office building requires different codes than if it were used as a home. Things like ornamentation, rot, siding, etcetera, will be addressed in either scenario, so we can move forward on those common items. Seismic retrofitting is also a concern when deciding which code we apply to the building envelope. Once those are finalized, we can remove the addition on the roofline and restore the beautiful shape that has long since been gone. With a dried-in roof—watch out—we can go crazy on interior finishes and exterior restoration.”

The process is like a large puzzle in which Arciform’s Project Manager puts together the pieces. Today, photographer Christopher Dibble and I get to explore the inside of the house and find out what’s going on, straight from the Project Manager, Joe McAlester.

We feel pretty lucky to get the inside scoop on this home. With an average of 5-6 projects going on at a time, Joe McAlester isn’t usually free to sit and chat about his work, although he seems quite relaxed and happy to do so for us today.

“We’ve never had any top-down, house-lift projects quite like this. There’s a lot of structural stuff to be done. At this stage, we’re finishing structural repairs in the basement. Then we’ll remove the out-of-context dormer that was added on in the 70’s and restore the home to its original style, updated for today’s world,” says Joe.

The home has been a boarding house for many years with numerous children, adults and families as tenants.

”We’ve had several people walking by stop and inquire about the house; they share memories of living in the house and take photos.”

As we walk through the home, I notice layer upon layer of plaster and wallpaper on the walls. Large sliding dining room doors, a beautiful old marble fireplace, high ceilings in every room.

Things like bathrooms weren’t a thought in the 1880s—indoor plumbing didn’t exist yet! Which might be why we find a toilet underneath the stairwell (where Harry Potter would have lived if this were a J.K. Rowling novel).

Joe tells me the house will be done in about 9 months. As we look around and he lists everything that needs to be done, he says, “…maybe a year? Let’s say 9-12 months.”

Heading down to the basement, site lead Jack Ouska and his team are working inside the structural build.

Original beams are being replaced. New, larger beams allow for a more open floor plan with fewer posts.

They are also changing the way the beams are installed to improve headroom. The original beam was installed under the floor joists.  

 

“To install the new beam, we cut a channel in the floor joists. The new beam will be installed in that channel, and the floor joists will be attached to the side of the beam. This will create roughly 5 inches more of headroom from the basement floor to the bottom of the beam. In addition to fewer posts, this will really help open up the space,” Joe explains to me as I try to grasp how in the world they’re making this old home stand strong again.

Written by Snow Blackwood

Photos by Christopher Dibble

Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • 15 Sep, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • 01 Sep, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
The Harlow Hotel

The Harlow Hotel: From High Hopes to Hard Times to a New Heyday

By Marty Hegg and Peter Herring • 05 May, 2023
The Italianate brick building – NW Portland’s second oldest remaining commercial structure – has had its share of ups and downs. Captain John Harlow, a Maine sea captain and co-founder of the City of Troutdale, built it as the Grand Hotel in 1882, hoping to cash in on the coming transcontinental railroad station, just blocks away. High hopes were soon lowered, as Grand Central Station (now Union Station) was delayed for fourteen years.
Show More
Portland's Architecture

A Century of Style: Portland’s Architecture from the 1850s to Today

By Anne De Wolf • 15 Sep, 2023
Since the easiest way to know the different styles is to understand the art, fashion, science, and industry of the times when they were built, you’ll also understand how Portland’s diverse architecture has told, and continues to tell, our collective story. History deepens experience. You’ll never see Portland through the same eyes again!
The Walter

The Walter: A Labor of Love

By Marty Hegg • 01 Sep, 2023
The next time you’re in the Mt Tabor neighborhood, hiking in the park , picking up plants at Portland Nursery , or ordering take out from Ya Hala , make a detour and drive up SE Belmont Street between 55 th Avenue and 58 th . Better yet, park the car and take a stroll. In the middle of the long block proudly sits the Jacob H. and Etna M. Cook House , built in 1892-93 and looking as handsome as ever. This historic home has journeyed through thick and thin, and current owner Lyrin Murphy is the reason it’s so beautiful today. Originally built as a Victorian in 1892 for Alexander and Maria Warner, it was one of several Victorians with small farms and orchards at the base of Mt. Tabor. They sold the home in 1904 to Jacob H. Cook, a local businessman and lumberman, and his wife, Etna. In 1909, the Cooks completed a major renovation of the home, transforming it into the Neoclassical style we see today. This was a trend amongst socially elite Portlanders, drawn to less-fussy, more open Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, and Craftsman designs, perhaps inspired by travels and exhibits at the 1905 World’s Fair in Portland . They often entertained in their home, hosting dance parties, luncheons, club events, and out-of-town guests. Their large-scale remodel helped push the area into upper-class status in Portland. Some prominent exterior changes were adding the main façade’s massive portico with Tuscan columns, a full-width porch and 2 nd floor balcony, and a smaller balcony at the 3 rd floor.
The Harlow Hotel

The Harlow Hotel: From High Hopes to Hard Times to a New Heyday

By Marty Hegg and Peter Herring • 05 May, 2023
The Italianate brick building – NW Portland’s second oldest remaining commercial structure – has had its share of ups and downs. Captain John Harlow, a Maine sea captain and co-founder of the City of Troutdale, built it as the Grand Hotel in 1882, hoping to cash in on the coming transcontinental railroad station, just blocks away. High hopes were soon lowered, as Grand Central Station (now Union Station) was delayed for fourteen years.

Site Measures – Part 2: Documenting Home Systems: Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

By Sarah Crouse • 03 May, 2023
Measuring a home is more than sizing and locating walls, windows, and doors. There are many more complex parts of a home that need to be captured in order to set our design team up for success during the design process. With remodeling comes moving openings, walls and fixtures, which inevitably means moving systems. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are typically hidden within walls and between floors, requiring a bit of know-how and experience to properly document, which is crucial for helping our design team to determine the feasibility and cost implications of our choices. Mechanical Systems:

Site Measures - part 1

By Sarah Crouse • 04 Oct, 2022
Remodeling is an art that requires many talents – of course craftsmanship and technical knowledge – but also creativity AND organizational skills. No other step in the process taps into all of those trades quite like as-built documentation. When we pull out a tape measure, we do not only document distances, but how pieces are put together. Knowing why a post is in a particular location, or noting that a duct bisects a space helps the team document the as-built properly and makes communication during all phases of construction clearer and more concise. While measuring a house might sound simple and straightforward, it takes a seasoned crew to be efficient! Our team has a well-vetted checklist of things to measure and note, in addition to an order of operations that helps ensure nothing is missed and our client’s time is well-spent. Here is a peek into how we go about collecting this data: HOT TIP: Make sure to take breaks and have plenty of snacks and drinks on hand. Making mistakes during site measures can waste a lot of time, so making sure everyone is energized is key!

Return to Romance

By Snow Blackwood • 09 Jul, 2022
As I walk to the door of Gretchen Newmark and Jim Gerber’s 1910 Craftsman Bungalow, painted in a pale yellow with cream and periwinkle trim, I notice I’m feeling a little nervous, but I’m not sure why. Jim is a nutritionist who spent 40 years as a professor, teaching nutrition and supervising interns. Gretchen was a dietitian in private practice, collaborating with other health professionals to help people recover from eating disorders. Now she focuses on her passion—spiritual direction. They’ve spent many years helping people find healthy paths in life. I decide my nervousness is just an artifact of this long pandemic as I notice their garden, full of vivid blooms that settle my nerves. My photographer Christine and I mask up as I knock on their door. When Gretchen opens the door, she immediately puts us at ease. “No masks, unless you prefer; we’re fully vaccinated,” she says. We are, too, so we gratefully remove the cloths. I remark on the lovely garden, and how nicely it complements their home.

In Good Hands: Project Manager JOE HOFFMAN

By Marty Hegg & Sarah Crouse • 09 Jul, 2022
Quiz time: which ARCIFORM employee was raised in Detroit, Michigan, has held jobs as a fine woodworker, a stay-at-home-Dad and sailing instructor before his current job at ARCIFORM?  The one and only dependable, often-goofy and incredibly patient Joe Hoffman! As one of two Joes and one of two Hoffmans at ARCIFORM, Joe definitely knows how to set himself apart and make a lasting impression on staff and clients alike.

Building Trusting Relationships by Design

By ARCIFORM • 09 Jul, 2022
Building Trusting Relationships by Design Arciform has been a premier design-build renovation and remodeling company for older buildings and homes in the greater Portland Metro area since 1997. From the very beginning, we set out to be the designers and craftspeople you could trust to achieve your vision. We aim to create a smooth, transparent process that involves you from start to end, and to deliver zero surprises – except the delighted surprise you feel when you see your finished project. For decades we’ve partnered with hundreds of people in the Pacific Northwest to bring their dreams to life. We believe that it is the relationships we build in the process of designing for you that are the real foundation of our success. Over time we’ve found that our relationships with our clients are similar to successful relationships we have with partners, good friends and family. They rest on trust engendered by the integrity of open communication, doing what you say, following up, and quickly making good if anything goes awry. So we thought we’d write a little about the ingredients that we think go into creating great relationships that, like our designs and work, endure. 
Fried Durkheimer House

By Saving “One of the Last of Its Kind,” ARCIFORM Preserves Portland’s History

By Holly Cullom • 09 Jul, 2022
The ARCIFORM team has been hard at work restoring the historic Fried-Durkheimer House , also known locally as the first Morris Marks House, and the extensive renovations are nearing completion. Recently, we were able to take a look at the progress and talk to project manager Joe McAlester and the ARCIFORM crew about this impressive Italianate structure.
More Posts
Share by: