What Will Become of theSolomon Courthouse?

Since its construction in 1933, the Gus Solomon US Courthouse at SW 6th and Main downtown has been one of Portland’s most compelling buildings. Designed by local architect Morris Whitehouse (who also co-designed Oregon's state capitol building), the neo-classical building is grand yet nimble in form and made from beautiful enduring materials such as sandstone, terra cotta, marble and bronze.

But since the Hatfield US Courthouse was completed in 1997, the Solomon building has sat mostly empty. Sure, the Regional Arts & Culture Council temporarily occupied a fraction of the 117,000 square foot building. And now the post office has relocated there from the Pioneer Courthouse to make way for judges’ parking spots. Multnomah County looked into relocating there from its shamefully-decaying courthouse a few blocks away, but the move was nixed by then County chair Bev Stein.

Considering the landmark status of this historic building, shouldn’t it be something more? Like, a lot more? The Solomon is still listed as part of the federal government’s roster of courthouses, but I’d like to see the building sold, remodeled and re-imagined. Even if there are commercial and/or government office tenants there, I think the courthouse needs to be more than office space. This building needs to become an active space in the city again. Could it be an arts facility of some kind? While it would be worrisome to imagine wholesale changes to the structure, the right architect could make the Solomon a very appealing hybrid of old and new elements.

It’s doors are not exactly padlocked shut, but in my mind the Solomon courthouse is essentially a dead space in an otherwise vibrant downtown. And that needs to change.

Comments

[EDIFIK]

Hello !
Your blog is very interesting and i'll keep on watching it.
If you're interested in 3D for architecture you might have a look at mine !
http://www.edifik.fr/blog/edifiknews.html
it's in french, but you can easely translate it !

you can also visit http://www.edifik.fr

[MarkDaMan]

I'm afraid that with the condo craze the building would just be converted over in today's market. It would probably be good to get full time residents into that portion of the city, but I would hate it to be at the expense of the courthouse.

[djk]

A few years ago, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts took a look at expanding into the Solomon Courthouse -- both for more performance space and for rehearsal space. Nothing ever came of it.

[Dennis Coalwell]

I understand that the County Courthouse still needs upgrading or replaced. Can't the Federal Courthouse be revisited now that there is a change in City/Federal/County leadership?

[Philippe]

Our Multnomah County Courthouse is sorry and barely habitable. When I think of all the psychological reasoning that went into the Hatfield US Courthouse and compare it to MCC. . .We should build a new one!