Preservation Roundup: Welcome to Preservation Month 2012!

[Brandon Spencer-Hartle]

It's finally here: From Albany to Astoria, communities across Oregon are gearing up to celebrate the biggest preservation event of the year. We're talking, of course, about Preservation Month 2012! The HPLO got started a little bit early this year, kicking things off with a preservation celebration in Salem on April 28. If you weren't able to join us in celebrating 35 years of the HPLO, we'll bring you up-to-speed on the event with the accompanying photos and a link to the digital version of A Past for our Future. As astute readers of the Friday weekly roundup know, we're a little behind with sharing news and events from around the state. Without further ado here's this week's roundup:  

Albany. Talk about a jam-packed Preservation Month! 

Cave Junction. The Chateau will undergo changes and the public is invited to provide comments (and we hope some HPLO members indeed provide feedback)

Corvallis. The Gazette-Times features the work being done to preserve neighborhood character in the face of pressures for high density housing. 

Dallas. The Dallas Armory has been demolished, an unfortunate loss for a unique community that already boasts more than its fair share of surface parking lots. 

Depoe Bay. The wayside has been listed in the National Register. 

Gresham. The O takes an in-depth look at preservation in Gresham. 

Jacksonville. Following the HPLO's recent Preservation Roundtable, the National Historic Landmark city is talking about joining the Main Street program. Also, a home tour is scheduled for May 19.  

La Grande. Things are moving along at the Liberty. 

Lake Oswego. A May 19 home tour and a Wednesday program by Steven Dow Beckham are on tap for May.

Lime. Between the retro-ized photo, the comments, and–of course–the content, the O's above-the-fold story on Lime becoming a utopia is a must-read story for the cynical and idealistic alike. 

Medford. Two BIG wins for Medford: the Holly Theatre has been relit and the Sparta has come back to life! 

Mt. Hood. John Steiner has passed away. 

Newport. Yaquina Head Lighthouse is surrounded by some controversy (our friends at the SHPO have assured us they are working hard with BLM to remedy the situation).

Oregon City. In addition to winning a Heritage Excellence Award, Oregon City is sponsoring a preservation photo contest. 

Portland. PPS is weighing a facilities bond measure, a unique building on Foster is getting rehab'd, the George Lawrence Building is for sale, Portland Monthly looks at historic interior remodels, things are moving galloping along at Ladd Carriage House, demolition of an older building on the North Park Blocks is one step closer, a proposed rehab of the Schnitz is on hold, and there's a waffle cone of urban archaeology unfolding at 42nd and Hawthorne. 

Salem. 1000 Friends of Oregon are holding a conversation on "Rethinking Downtown," a proposed memorial in the Oregon State Hospital Historic District does not meet the Secretary Standards and represents a departure from mitigation outlined for the district, and the historic freight depot may finally have a new use. Also, the Downtown Partnership is looking for an executive director. 

Silverton. The Palace Theatre will be back.

University of Oregon. The McMath Awards will feature an associated symposium, Howard Davis has published a book on the history of mixed-use, and join the preservation program for a special event tonight at 5:30. 

That's it for this week's roundup. Special thanks to Drew Nasto for the great photos from Salem.