After years as one of Portland’s most conspicuous eyesores, city contractors spent Thursday and Friday rolling fresh paint over the layers of tags covering the former Gordon’s Fireplace building at NE 33rd and Broadway, a hulking, graffiti-splashed landmark in full view of drivers on Interstate 84. The new coat instantly changes the face the long-neglected structure presents to commuters and neighbors after years of boarded-up windows and peeling paint.
According to The Oregonian/OregonLive, crews kicked off work on Thursday, and a city spokesperson said the graffiti-removal contractor planned to paint the entire structure. The outlet’s photos show workers and equipment on-site, and the report notes contractors were slated to spend both days on the cleanup.
How the Building Changed Hands
The property, which had become a reliable canvas for taggers, was swept into foreclosure and put up for auction last October, according to Willamette Week. The paper also reports the site was bought in 2017 for about $2.7 million amid redevelopment plans that never materialized, and that the most recent sale followed a drawn-out legal fight over liens and unpaid bills.
City Program and the Bigger Cleanup Push
Portland’s Graffiti Abatement Program manages the contractor crews and this spring launched a public dashboard to track reports and cleanups, per the city’s announcement on Portland.gov. City budget documents from the Portland budget office also show added funds for graffiti abatement this fiscal year to expand contractor work on high-visibility sites like this one.
Plans for Supportive Housing
Nonprofit Do Good Multnomah holds a master lease on the building and, according to The Oregonian, plans to buy it this summer with an eye toward converting it into permanent supportive housing. Federal regulations define permanent supportive housing as permanent housing in which supportive services are provided to assist homeless persons with disabilities to live independently (24 CFR § 578.3).
What Residents Say and What’s Next
Neighbors and local activists have pushed the city for years to act on the long-standing eyesore, and Hoodline covered the council’s foreclosure vote last year. For now, the freshly painted facade is a visible first step; the nonprofit and city staff still need to finish the purchase logistics, secure funding and file permits before any rehabilitation work can begin.
