Take a look at this

[RAPfrosty]

My friend and I were walking around downtown and we thought this looked so cool. I took a million pictures but here's a few. It's an old Watt and Shand building that they are restoring and converting into something (not sure what).

And here's a picture of my friend and my brother at lunch:

 

[susanne]

They've done this with a number of historic buildings in Portland (and many other places)...by keeping the walls and rebuilding the rest, they maintain historic status and the associated tax deferrals and other benefits.

This has meant many wonderful buildings have been "saved" -- or at least t heir facades -- keeping the character of our older neighborhoods while giving the owners/tenants the modern conveniences they want.