Thanks for posting this, Jack. I've already experienced a similar unfortunate situation of the actual destruction of a mid-century residence in Seattle. It was a beautiful residence overlooking a creek that emptied into Lake Washington. It was my wife's family residence, and much like Frank Lloyd Wrights FallingWaters with floor to ceiling glass walls and large cantilevered roofs. It was partially sold and donated to the City of Lake Forest Park. The family and myself tried earnestly to save the residence on an acre of land, to be a part of a park the city envisioned for the property. They didn't see the value of the home and thought everything should be turned back to nature and their vision. The home could have been used as a nature center (like Tryon's Nature Center), a community meeting space, a wedding reception center, a place to view the nature on a wintery day, etc. It is sad that public officials miss opportunities for multiple, sustainable uses.

Memorial Coliseum has the same potential. I lean towards retaining most of the Coliseum as is, and even the myriad uses that it has accommodated through the fifty years. It just needs maintenance that has consciously been ignored with purpose. Disclaimer: I use to work for SOM and it definitely has historical architectural merit, and not because of my affiliation.

I said before and after skimming that excellent piece, I feel it even more strongly: That SamRand would consider demolishing MC just shows that they are no better than the Taliban in Afghanistan who destroyed gigantic, priceless buddhas to show that they could.

It says something really profound about what philistines SamRand are that guys who run a chain of beer and burgers joints do a far better job saving and finding creative reuse opportunities for older Northwest structures than city officials. Future generations will honor and esteem the McMenamin Brothers, and people who do great things for the city will be compared to them.

Meanwhile, the names Sam Adams and Randy Leonard will be, at best, curses.

The Oregonian editorialists endorse the plan to tear down the Coliseum proposed by Paulson and his footmen Adams and Leonard partly because light rail serves the Rose Quarter area. Delta Park is served by an underused light rail that will eventually end up in Vancouver. Why not put the minor
league ballpark at Delta Park if they are bound and determined to build one? They could call it Vanport Stadium.

SamRand should build that Beavers Stadium on Hayden Island where the WalMart wasn't built.

RckN,

I'll wager light rail never gets extended to Vancouver.
The wheels are coming off the scheme machine around here.

I'll also wager the editorial baord, not one of them, has seen what Jack posted here. http://bojack.org/images/machtoncoliseum.pdf

So I am going to send it to them.

As for the new stadium?
I'll also wager that PGE park either is outfitted for both baseball and soccer or the MLS soccer deal is off.

And Creepy gets recalled of course.

Demolish SoWhat and put the baseball stadium there. It's a blighted area, isn't it?

I'm glad someone put some thought into this. And the author did it without the benefit of a day-long City of Portland charrette session. Impressive!

Would a baseball stadium fit on the current site of City Hall?

I just dont understand the need to remodel PGE park. Why not just keep it for baseball and build for soccer at the Rose Quarter? Hell, just remove the glass box around the Coliseum and put some turf down. Its in a better location than PGE park, better access (I-5, a parking garage, light rail, etc.)
Yes, PGE has light rail too, but lets be serious, if they are projecting all the attendance for soccer, its just not as accessible for people outside Portland.
And we get to keep a historic park for baseball.

"Charrette" is just the way the Toilet Tomcat & Fireman Randy pronounce "charade"

Cap the I-405 with new stadium.