Property Watch: A Shapely '70s-Era Skyscraper with Views Galore

"Much was made of the building's unique shape. Instead of the standard glass box, it's a triangle, rounded by nodes that pop out at each of its three points to offer 230-degree views for most apartments. Advertisements touted the building as "the shape of things to come," and buyers bought in. Three-quarters of its 145 units were sold before Senator Mark Hatfield ceremoniously broke ground on the project with a 100-year-old pickax in 1972."

"Two-bedroom units are the standard here, such as this 1,319-square-foot unit currently for sale on the ninth floor. Each bedroom has large windows and access to its own bathroom, including an en suite for the larger, primary room with a double vanity and abundant custom storage. The main living spaces are airy, with high ceilings and pale wood floors. The kitchen forms a neat galley, with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, wine storage, and a breakfast bar with a pass-through window. That leaves the main room and its generous curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, which capture views of the trees in the West Hills as well as the concrete and steel forest of downtown."

"A long list of amenities comes with the price (and HOA fee), including 24-hour concierge, gym, library, heated saltwater pool, gardens, and BBQ area tucked under a swooping glass pergola-not to mention regular window washing to keep those views pristine. The building also sits just behind the Keller Fountain Park, a location that caused quite the uproar in the years before the Portland Plaza's completion."

Portland Plaza rose in the 1970s as a 25-floor, 267-foot condominium tower and was once among the city's tallest buildings. The building's triangular form with rounded nodes provides roughly 230-degree views for most units and spurred early sales, with three-quarters of 145 units sold before groundbreaking in 1972. Two-bedroom layouts predominate, often featuring en suite baths, generous storage, high ceilings, pale wood floors, and kitchens with granite and stainless appliances. Building amenities include 24-hour concierge, gym, library, heated saltwater pool, gardens, BBQ area under a glass pergola, and regular window washing. The tower sits just behind Keller Fountain Park, a site that provoked controversy before completion.

Read at Portland Monthly