This Week in the Mercury
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Portland Punk Landmark to be Bulldozed
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 3:49 PM
The cement industrial buildings on the edge of the river in North Portland have many names in Portland's grittier circles: Pirate Town, the Creosote Factory, the SuperFun site. But the well-known, heavily lead-contaminated hangout for both good and ill-natured debauchery is about to be resigned to nostalgia. University of Portland purchased the contaminated site, known officially as Triangle Park, and plans to swiftly demolish the buildings.
In December, University of Portland bought the 35 acre stretch along the Willamette for $6 million. "This site will allow us to expand without going into the neighborhood," explains UofP's associate director of media relations John Furey. The University has not yet determined what they will use the ex-Pirate Town space for - maybe storage or an athletic field? Environmental problems at the Superfund site limit what they can build. But the university decided to tear down the old buildings and put up a fence around Triangle Park immediately because the school is legally liable for anything that happens their newly-acquired property. When I asked what day they plan to bulldoze the buildings, Furey replied, "I think they already have."
"There is a real opportunity here to take blighted and contaminated industrial land and restore it under the stewardship of the University of Portland as a public asset," said University vice president Rev. Thomas Doyle at the time of the purchase.
But for many Portland bicyclists, skateboarders and graffiti artists, the bizarre and lonely site was already a public asset. Bike punks held the epic Bicycle Chariot Wars there for five two years and screened vampire films on the former factory's creepy cement walls during midnight bike rides.
The North Portland Sentinel ran a piece this summer about skater kids revamping Pirate Town, turning the space into a skatepark reminiscent of the early Burnside Bridge days. This video slideshow shows how skaters and graffiti artists used the building developers had abandoned for decades.
The University definitely has reason to be concerned about legally dicey activities occurring at Pirate Town — the site was perfect for staging a whole range of illegal acts. "It's one of those places where there's no rules. A lot of good stuff happened there and a lot of bad stuff happened there," says Zander Speaks, who was photographing a friend doing parkour at Pirate Town last Friday. Two security guards arrived and informed Speaks (politely) that the long-unkept site was "an attractive nuisance" slated for demolition. "I'm perpetually frustrated by how society stomps out the places where people can create new things," laments Speaks.
Portlander Zachary van Buuren confirms that Pirate Town is still standing... for now. Van Buuren heard the place was in its last days and headed down Tuesday afternoon to take some farewell photos of the buildings he often visits to check out interesting new graffiti. "It's one of the few places that graffiti artists can go to do their art and it's completely alright. It's a giant industrial canvas. I'm sad to see it go," says van Buuren.
"These urban decay areas are gorgeous and every city needs them," says Gabe Tiller, perhaps the only person in Portland who rides a bike made from a coffin. But, Tiller concedes, "it was inevitable I guess. Fun while it lasted, and there are other great spots out there waiting to be found!"
Showing 1-13 of 13
A CAT/NOT A CAT IS RETIRING FROM BLOGTOWN.
Remember when blogtown was fun? I do. This was a frivolous place where we could have fairly intelligent discussions about the issue of the day while simultaneously celebrating cat friday/caturday and trolling Matt into various nervous breakdowns while he was changing his medications and calling everyone racist. It was fun!
Alas, the whole fucking Sam debacle brought in some sort of ideologue brigade that wanted nothing but SRS BSNS, but unfortunately had the debate skills of lesser apes. Sam-gate sort of wrapped up, but these dipshits just found new things to have completely incompetent show-downs about. It's fucking boring, and I'm fucking bored.
I know that Rom and jake and all the other half-wits will count this as a win, to which I say "good on you". You've made blogtown insufferably stupid, well done. I'm out.
Kiala, graham, Alison, other decent people: It's been fun, and I'll miss you guys.
Mercury arts interns: by and large you all suck. Up your game.
Matt: You're a talentless hack, but you knew that. Good luck with the mental health issues.
KTHXBAI.
That's an interesting point, NOT A CAT.
I, for one, will miss this place. One man's blight is another man's playground. Hopefully, though, it can be everyone's playground if University of Portland, the railroads, Swan Island businesses, and the City of Portland support the North Portland Greenway project (http://npgreenway.blogspot.com). Biking or walking all the way into the city from St. Johns without encountering any cars? Talk about the greater good...I'd trade one of my favorite hangouts for that!
Still, I idealistically wonder, isn't there any way they can save the building as a sanctioned graffiti spot?
I hope they salvage those gigantic beams from the second photo. They're probably worth a fortune to somebody (unless they're all lead contaminated).
3 cheers for the off-topic troll killers!
Is there a specific date for the scheduled demolition?
with this and the CRC looming im running out of body parts to chain to my favorite old places.
I predict They will bulldoze it and then nothing will happen with the space for a decade as the it's-not-just-good-it's-great depression sets in.
time to start looking at empty lofts in the Perl to practice in/on.
this place was ruined by the people in these videos. the wearhouse was cool before you guys started coming. now its ruined and soon to be gone forever. good going hipsters!
Correction: the bicycle chariot wars were only held at Pirate Town twice (2007 and 2008).
Also, unfortunately, when I tried to screen the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari there during a midnight ride, the battery failed after about ten minutes. But it was awesome while it lasted!
And so it enters the graveyard of memory, along with the pirate ship, the house of sound, and the graffiti laundromat on N Williams. Sigh.
thanks, Nickey. I'll change the chariot wars description.
"No one but the skaters cares about this place"? That's a pretty oblivious and kind of annoying statement. The narrator must just have not noticed the hoards of photography students, dog walkers, joggers, ROTC students, indy film producers, and man vs nature walkers enjoying the place. Not as flashy, I guess. Anyway, a lot of people other than those on wheels will miss the Triangle park site. With any luck, UP will keep it open to the public and some portion will be part of the North Portland Greenway trail. Everything was still up day before yesterday.
We burned thirty Christmas trees in a giant pyre there one night in early February with a few friends. I loved that site since the day I found it on google maps a couple of years ago. Best tag palace this side of the Rockies, really high quality work guy's! I'm a 52 year old punk that will feel this loss, until you scope the next one. There's always a next one.
There is always a next one. Yep.
I work for Portland photographer Bruce Forster; he went out to Pirate Town several times during the last few months of its existence (it is indeed reduced to rubble now), and got some great shots that really capture the artistry of the graffiti. I posted some to my blog: (http://viewfinders-photography.blogspot.co…) The AIA Gallery on 11th/Flanders is going to host the photos, and some of the actual wall pieces, during September. Maybe it can serve as final farewell?
beautiful kitty has gone missing from SE 35th & SE Morrison
Keep an eye out for our dear kitty!
Her name is Bramble Rose & she is a torti with long hair and a white face/chest & paws... pink nose..
She is extremely cute & affectionate- please call 503-913-1937
Band of the Week
Point Juncture, WA
About Portland Mercury
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (13) RSS