This Historic Nob Hill Condo Has a Fresh New Look

"But that was before the Lewis and Clark Exposition came along, and with it, Portland's population explosion. Along with the streetcar up 19th and 21st Avenues, it caused Nob Hill to become the site of an apartment boom between 1911 and 1913. According to the historic registry, 'Over twenty apartment buildings were under construction in the Nob Hill neighborhood' at the time the American went up."

"It advertised its extensive 'modern conveniences,' including a mosaic-tiled lobby, electric elevator, ladies' reception room and men's smoking room, house phones, and steam heat, making it a most elegant option for the high-end buyers it hoped to attract."

"Designed by architect William Bell and constructed for the American Realty Company, the building was a sort of one-off, as neither architect nor developer continued in their trades after it was finished. But as far as exterior looks go, its red brick facade was quite common, though here distinguished by a series of polygonal bay windows."

The American Apartment Building, completed in 1911 on the corner of NW Johnson Street and NW 21st Avenue, represents a pivotal moment in Nob Hill's urban development. Originally a neighborhood of grand mansions, Nob Hill underwent rapid transformation following the 1904 introduction of commercial shops and apartment buildings. The Lewis and Clark Exposition triggered Portland's population explosion, prompting a streetcar expansion along 19th and 21st Avenues. This infrastructure boom catalyzed an apartment construction surge between 1911 and 1913, with over twenty buildings erected simultaneously. Designed by architect William Bell for American Realty Company, the American featured distinctive red brick and polygonal bay windows. The building advertised modern amenities including mosaic-tiled lobbies, electric elevators, ladies' reception rooms, men's smoking rooms, house phones, and steam heat, positioning itself as an upscale residential option.

Read at Portland Monthly