This Week in the Mercury
Thursday, January 15, 2009
News / Portland Hollywood's Pagoda Faces Demolition
Posted by Matt Davis on Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Hollywood's iconic Pagoda restaurant faces demolition to make way for a dreary Keybank building!
The news was first reported in the Hollywood Neighborhood Association's newsletter this week, and spotted by the Mercury's eagle-eyed Art Director, Mark Searcy:
There's a neighborhood meeting next Thursday, January 22 at 7 pm, which appears to be a chance for Portlanders to voice their concern. The neighborhood meeting will be held at the Hollywood Senior Center, 1820 NE 40th.
So: You care? You no care? You think is stupid? Yes?
1
That bums me out. Their food sucks ass, but the bar is splendid. I get a real lift every time I cross the bridge over that algae-filled pool.
Good to see the TARP funds going to unintended purposes on a local level.
Good to see the TARP funds going to unintended purposes on a local level.
2
Eagles are an endangered species, you know. It's not nice to steal their eyes even if you are some fancy schmancy "art director".
4
That would be one cool-looking bank if they kept the pagoda on top of it. Or maybe they could put it on top of a new branch in Chinatown.
5
I always thought that building added a great deal of color and character to the neighborhood.
A KeyBank building will, literally, suck the color and character from it's surroundings. I hope the neighborhood fights this. Fuck KeyBank.
A KeyBank building will, literally, suck the color and character from it's surroundings. I hope the neighborhood fights this. Fuck KeyBank.
6
I like the food better at the Pagoda than at Key Bank. As a matter of fact, I like the checking accounts better at the Pagoda too.
7
The great leap forward that is Key Bank doesn't seem to take into account color or character.
The Pagoda may not have been outstanding as a restaurant, but its always stood out as a landmark.
It'd be a shame to see it go the way of other Hollywood locales like Yaw's and Boc's Burger.
The Pagoda may not have been outstanding as a restaurant, but its always stood out as a landmark.
It'd be a shame to see it go the way of other Hollywood locales like Yaw's and Boc's Burger.
8
I would much rather have a cool looking chinese food restauraunt that I'll never eat at than an eyesore of a bank that I'll never make any transactions at.
9
Can't they just compromise and put the bank inside of The Pagoda, and just keep the building exterior the same? I bet it would tempt people to start banking with them.
10
NOOOOO! I fucking love Pagoda! This makes me hate the fact that I use key bank. As if they weren't a shitty enough bank already. Christ. Where else am I gonna get a #10?
12
I've been doing a lot of research about Portland history lately and it kills me every time I see old pictures of what Portland used to look like. We've decimated so many amazing buildings to build souless boxes like this fucking bank.
Case in point, the old 7-up bottling place on Sandy and Broadway was once shaped like a gigantic milk bottle before they built over the top and put the 7-up sign on it. The sign at least had character. Now it sports that god-awful Budwieser sign.
When the fuck are we going to develop a little fucking foresight?
Case in point, the old 7-up bottling place on Sandy and Broadway was once shaped like a gigantic milk bottle before they built over the top and put the 7-up sign on it. The sign at least had character. Now it sports that god-awful Budwieser sign.
When the fuck are we going to develop a little fucking foresight?
13
At least the bank that stole the old Rose & Raindrop kept some of the character - Key Bank would do well to do the same here.
14
anyone who uses a bank gets what they (over)paid for. use a Credit Union! even if it's not inside a pagoda, which it should be. Credit Unions are non-for-profit and exist to serve their members, not suck the depositors dry.
15
Wouldn't it make more sense for Key Bank to move into the vacant bank building a few blocks away instead of demolishing a local landmark? Also, we pretty much have no businesses in Hollywood other than banks. Do we need more banks?
16
Portlanders need to make KeyBank feel as unwelcome as Walmart. I will appeal to the many Portlanders who, like me, moved here years ago after visiting. Remember all those little wonderful things that first made you fall in love with Portland? Do you want to get used to the damn KeyBank the way you got used to the hideous Budweiser sign?
Lame that KeyBank is striking during the recession. I always hoped a local entrepreneur would take it's potential for a good bar and restaurant and run with it.
Lame that KeyBank is striking during the recession. I always hoped a local entrepreneur would take it's potential for a good bar and restaurant and run with it.
17
God damn it! No, stop demolishing awesome buildings and then creating horrible crap! (See: all of the Pearl.)
18
Jesus, it's about time you guys reported on this. It was mentioned in the Blogtown comments weeks ago.
19
"When the fuck are we going to develop a little fucking foresight?"
When people from around the country stop flocking here and/or the economy truly crashes depression-style. Until then, "progress" will carry on.
When people from around the country stop flocking here and/or the economy truly crashes depression-style. Until then, "progress" will carry on.
20
I don't get your comment, Jake. If the economy weren't so bad already, someone who would actually respect the pagoda's exterior and use the building for something the neighborhood could embrace might be able to start something with it. But because small business ideas can't get loans right now, the soulless KeyBank is snatching it up like an empty lot.
And what does it have to do with people flocking here? Like anyone who chooses to live here would prefer KeyBank?
And what does it have to do with people flocking here? Like anyone who chooses to live here would prefer KeyBank?
21
Wow, if only the whole world could look like a soulless shopping mall! What, is Key Bank owned by the Chinese who don't want to remind their customers of the fact that China owns us or something?
Obviously, I think this sucks.
Obviously, I think this sucks.
24
This is FUCKING TERRIBLE. Where in the hell is Glenda going to go? I think a piece of my soul just died.
26
If you all loved the Pagoda so much you should have patronized it, then maybe we wouldn't be discussing this. Old buildings with terrible infrastructure and dank and smelly restrooms ought to be razed. There is nothing special about this building except the Chinese spire.
27
molly i dont eat at the pagoda because its halfway across town and doesnt have a single vegan item on the menu. That does not mean that I am not allowed to appreciate the building for what is on the outside. there is nothing special about your comment except for.....well, nothing.
28
We must keep this foodie landmark! The Pagoda served inexpensive and good dishes. The Pagoda roof with its Mandarin type turret on top was maybe a precursor to the those infamous Golden Arches. I remember that wonderful Sweet & Sour pork (#3 on the menu)- extra rice please - yummy!
29
Typical Portland CRAP! I think the Pagoda has been there since the 40s, can still find old postcards on E bay every now and then. What will go in it's place will be lifeless, like everything new in this town, It didn't used to be like that.
30
Take a hint from Los Angeles, folks, where a lot of you may be from. Hear in sunny SoCal they tear out everything with any character and stick in a WalMart. They took out the Brown Derby, didn't they? They took out the Pink Parasol, a good place to get breakfast, on Crenshaw and highway 1. LA's soul was torn away long ago leaving absolutely nothing left architecturally worth being proud. I lived in Portland in the early 1970s and live in LA now. I see similarities happening in good old Portland that took place long ago hear in LA. Be warned folks.....your LA is on the way.
31
Beware folks, some of you probably escaped Los Angeles to go to Portland to experience the difference. Well, Portland is looking less and less like the town I knew back in the early 1970s when I lived there. I live in LA now and see a city with no civic pride in any of its old architecture. They tear ANYTHING out hear to construct a stucco WalMart in its place....or another freeway. Look what happened to the Brown Derby, the Abassador Hotel, the Pink Parasol on Crenshaw and Highway 1, just to name a few. You could get a really good breakfast at the Pink Parosol (it was shaped like, well, a pink parasol). They tore it out to make way for CVS pharmacy. Sorry to say it folks, but if this bank doesn't at least keep the Pagoda's facade, you're on your way to being another LA.
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