The "Other" Wells Fargo Building at 100

When one hears the name “Wells Fargo Building” in Portland, thoughts usually go to the downtown’s tallest structure, sitting just south of City Hall and clad with white granite in a minimalist style.

But there’s another work in town that shares the name Wells Fargo Building. In fact, it’s called Portland’s first skyscraper, and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Situated at 309 SW Sixth Avenue, the building was commissioned by the bank and designed by architect Benjamin Wistar Morris III, a native Oregonian working in New York City. The 12-story building was jointly occupied by Wells Fargo, Southern Pacific Railroad and Oregon Railway & Navigation. Here’s some more info about the building from the press release:

“The building was designed to evoke the Second Renaissance Revival style. Terracotta was the favored material for most large, commercial structures built during Portland’s era of rapid growth, as it was fireproof, lightweight and relatively inexpensive. Decorative terra-cotta blocks adorn the crown of the building—artisans created these blocks by pressing fine clay into plaster molds and then glazing, drying and firing them. Along with glazed terra-cotta exterior sheathing, gray granite plinths were used on the ground-floor level and limestone sheathing was used on the second and third floors; buff-colored brick was laid in decorative diamond-and-cross patterns; the roof was lined with a prominent copper cornice, a terra-cotta parapet and dentils.”

“Combining elements of Victorian and classical Italian architecture, the Wells Fargo façades stand out with unique compositional elements, colors and materials. The windows and door frames of the two-story street level arches are trimmed with cast iron; the upper floors have sets of double-hung wood sash windows.”

I’ve always loved the combination of early 20th Century buildings and modern ones from a few decades later. In this case, the name Wells Fargo represents both. I’m not nearly as negative towards the tall modern Wells Fargo building, which to many represents the epitome of behemoth Brutalism that supplanted itself in countless downtowns without concern for local architectural contexts. To me it’s a big minimalist granite sculpture that anchors the downtown with its height and simple palette. But it’s also true that the smaller-scaled buildings like the circa-1907 Wells Fargo Building, along with structures here by A.E. Doyle and other early 20th century architects, are an unqualified local treasure.

Comments

[Robert]

The tall white "Wells Fargo Center" will always be the "First National Bank Tower" to me, just like the Commonwealth/Equitable Building; are we just supposed to change what we call it because the owner changed or one company got aquired by another? When did that start? There are still old company names on other downtown buildings.

[Robert]

"This structure is not to be confused with the Wells Fargo Center" from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Fargo_Building

[Mike]

My favorite part of this building, is that it spells out Wells Fargo in the entablature, even though the business inside is now Touchstone Bank.

(I'm constantly imagining a frustrated bank manager who gets the wrong clients coming in because of the terra cotta frieze...)

[Carrollo]

Keeping a 100 year old office building relevant and economically viable is a real artform. People should know that in 1999 the Wells Fargo Building was shuttered - the front doors had a chain and padlock. Bringing this building into the 21st century took vision and financial risk. We should acknowledge the buiding owner as well as the tenants who occupy the building for their support in keeping the building alive for all Portlanders to appreciate.