Kellogg School (Portland, Oregon)
- Title
- Kellogg School (Portland, Oregon)
- LC Subject
- Architecture, American Architecture--United States
- Alternative
- Kellogg Middle School (Portland, Oregon) Hoffman School (Portland, Oregon)
- Creator
- Naramore, Floyd A.
- Creator Display
- Floyd Archibald Naramore (architect, 1879-1970)
- Description
- This image is included in Building Oregon: Architecture of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, a digital collection which provides documentation about the architectural heritage of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon Historic Site Form. Prepared by Iris Eschen.
- Provenance
- University of Oregon Libraries
- Temporal
- 1910-1919 1950-1959
- Style Period
- Gothic Revival Collegiate Gothic
- Work Type
- architecture (object genre) built works views (visual works) exterior views public schools (buildings) architectural drawings (visual works) plans (orthographic projections) plans, floor
- Latitude
- 45.497527
- Longitude
- -122.592099
- Location
- Portland >> Multnomah County >> Oregon >> United States Multnomah County >> Oregon >> United States Oregon >> United States United States
- Street Address
- 6909 SE Powell Blvd
- Date
- 1917 1954
- View Date
- 2009
- Identifier
- OR_Multnomah_Portland_Kellogg.pdf
- Rights
- In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
- Type
- Image
- Format
- application/pdf
- Material
- Brick; Terra Cotta
- Set
- Building Oregon
- Primary Set
- Building Oregon
- Institution
- University of Oregon
- Citation
- PPS Historic Building Assessment 2009
- Note
- Oregon Historic Site Form Kellogg School 6909 Powell Blvd Portland, Multnomah County block nbr: lot nbr: tax lot nbr: township: range: section: 1/ 4: LOCATION AND PROPERTY NAME elig. evaluation: not eligible/ non- contributing primary orig use: School secondary orig use: primary style: Late Gothic Revival secondary style: primary siding: Standard Brick secondary siding: Glazed Terra- Cotta plan type: School ( General) Portland historic name: Kellogg School primary constr date: 1917 secondary date: 1954 height (# stories): 3 total # ineligible resources: 2 ( optional-- use for major addns) current/ other names: Kellogg Middle School, Hoffman School ( c.) ( c.) orig use comments: prim style comments: Collegiate Gothic sec style comments: location descr: assoc addresses: vcnty address: ( remote sites) siding comments: PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS farmstead/ cluster name: zip: total # eligible resources: apprx. addrs resource type: Building NR status: RLS survey date: 6/ 4/ 2009 external site #: 261 ( ID# used in city/ agency database) survey project name or other grouping name comments/ notes: HRI Rank II. ILS survey date: 6/ 4/ 2009 Gen File date: SHPO INFO FOR THIS PROPERTY NR date listed: GROUPINGS / ASSOCIATIONS Optional Information 6909 SE Powell Blvd Multnomah County ( former addresses, intersections, etc.) architect: Floyd A. Naramore builder: NR date listed: ( indiv listed only; see Grouping for hist dist) 106 Project( s) PPS Historic Building Assessment 2009 Survey & Inventory Project South elevation, units 1,2, & 3. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 1 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Kellogg School 6909 Powell Blvd Portland, Multnomah County ARCHITECTURAL / PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ( Include expanded description of the building/ property, setting, significant landscape features, outbuildings, and alterations) HISTORY ( Chronological, descriptive history of the property from its construction through at least the historic period [ preferably to the present]) Description Summary Clad in red brick, Kellogg Middle School includes a primary, two story building and a detached annex. The primary building is divided into wings; anoriginal H- plan wing designed with modest Collegiate Gothic Revival stylistic elements and a 1987 addition with little ornamental detail. The original portion of the school features glazed terra cotta coping, belt cornice, water table, cartouches, and window and door surrounds. The fenestration consists of a mixture of original wood frame as well as grouped metal frame windows. Architectural Description Kellogg Middle School is situated in the South Tabor neighborhood of southeast Portland at 3330 SE 69th Avenue. The campus occupies a 6.3- acre, rectangular parcel on the north side of Powell Boulevard. Development in the surrounding area consists primarily of single family residences built between 1900- 1950 ( Sanborn Maps 1924- 1928, Sanborn Maps 1908 1950- updated). More recent development includes multi- family buildings and commercial businesses that are located on the arterial streets, particularly SE Powell Boulevard that borders the school property to the south. The campus consists of a primary rectangular- shaped building ( 261A & 261B) and a detached single story, rectangular classroom building ( 261C) located on the east side of the property. The primary entry to the school is from an asphalt covered parking lot located on the south side of the property. Recreation facilities include play fields on the north and south sides of the school buildings and an asphalt covered playground on the east side of the property. Clad in red brick laid in an all stretcher bond, the primary school building is a 1913- 1929, two story, extensible- planned school building ( 261A) with a 1987 north wing ( 261B). The extensible school section was constructed between 1913 and 1929 with modest Collegiate Gothic Revival style elements and follows an H- plan. The first unit on the west wing was constructed in 1913, the middle unit in 1917, east wing in 1923, and rear gymnasium in 1929. The extensible section houses the administrative offices, library, cafeteria, old gymnasium and classrooms. Glazed terra cotta serves as the primary architectural embellishment on the parapet coping, belt cornice, water table, and window and door surrounds. The primary fenestration consists of grouped metal frame windows. The entrances to the building feature segmental arched openings. Groups of three double hung wood windows with transom illuminate the staircase above the entries. The north wing, constructed in 1987, provides space for classrooms, band practice/ music rooms, and a new gymnasium. The exterior of this wing contains minimal decorative detail or fenestration. Covered with a hipped roof, the 1952 annex features a mixture of red brick and stucco covered panels, with little fenestration or other openings. Interior The south wing of the primary building is organized around a central H- shaped corridor plan. The majority of classrooms are located on the west and east sides with administrative and shared facilities located in the center. A central double loaded corridor provides access to the offices and media center ( a former auditorium) on the second floor. Connection to the north wing is provided through corridors that extend the length of the east and west sides of the building. Flooring consists of linoleum tiles with wood baseboards. Tubular fluorescent lamps are suspended from an acoustic tile clad ceiling. The doors are a mixture of replacement wood and steel. The majority of the classrooms are rectangular with an interior cloakroom or storage area that creates an L- shaped teaching space. Daylight is provided by windows on the exterior wall. Many classrooms feature original woodwork including built- in cabinetry, flooring, blackboards, and window and surrounds. The tubular fluorescent lighting fixtures are suspended from the acoustic tile ceiling. The boilers that provide heat for the building are located in the basement. Heat is conducted through ducts to the individual classrooms where the air is brought in through a wire grill. In the basement the ductwork is exposed. Alterations/ Integrity Designed to be expanded over time, Kellogg School has gradually evolved since the construction of the first building unit ( west unit) in 1913. Additional building units were added in 1917 ( middle and east unit) and 1929 ( north gymnasium) to complete the plan. Later additions include the construction of the annex to the east in 1952. Other changes include conversion of the assembly hall to a library media center in 1949. The original design included divided facilities for boys and girls in the basement including a playroom, lunch room and toilet areas. These spaces were reconfigured to house a larger shared cafeteria space and additional classrooms in 1965. In 1987, the north wing added a gymnasium, additional classrooms, and space for music, dance, and drama to the school. This addition is nearly equal to the original building in size. Extensive alterations to the corridors have resulted in removal of walls to create additional classroom space. Other alterations include changes to the lighting, the addition of acoustic ceiling tiles, and enclosure of staircases to comply with fire codes. Due to the extensive changes in interior finishes, plan, and the construction of two prominent additions, Kellogg School no longer retains its integrity of design, materials, and workmanship. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 2 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Kellogg School 6909 Powell Blvd Portland, Multnomah County RESEARCH INFORMATION ( Check all of the basic sources consulted and cite specific important sources) Statement of Significance Beginning with the construction of the three story west wing in 1913, Kellogg Middle School was part of a dramatic building program begun by Portland Public Schools in the early 1900s. Gradually influenced by John Dewey’s Progressive Education Movement, Portland Public Schools responded to changing city demographics and ideas concerning school safety, sanitation, and child centered instructional methods beginning in the first decade of the 1900s ( Rippa, 1997: passim; Cremin 1961: 135- 153; Cubberley 1915: 283- 290). By 1905, it became increasingly clear that dramatic increases in school- age children outstripped the district’s existing classroom capacity and existing schools could not effectively serve areas of the city where new residential development was occurring ( Cubberley 1915: 283- 285, 288- 290). After several well- publicized school fires elsewhere in the United States, calls for a more fundamental change in the building stock of the district began as early as 1906 when Mayor Lane called for the construction of new “ fireproof” school buildings ( Oregonian, 10- 31- 1906). In 1910, various city neighborhood “ advancement clubs” joined forces to discuss the unfit school buildings in their respective neighborhoods ( Oregonian 07- 31- 1910). Soon after this meeting, on August 16, 1910, the Portland City Council enacted a requirement that all schools constructed after January 1, 1911 would have to be of fire proof construction ( Powers and Corning 1937: 183). By 1914, in the first joint meeting between Portland city officials, Multnomah County Commissioners, and the school board, officials agreed to work with building code officials to encourage the use of fireproof construction and to implement fire safety measures in all existing and future schools ( Oregonian, 03- 31- 1914). In 1908, Portland Public Schools created the Bureau of Properties in an effort to centralize the management of the district’s various properties ( Powers and Corning 1937: 182). Within this office, the District architect took on a more formalized role in the design and maintenance of school facilities. Two of the most influential district architects during this period included Floyd Naramore and George Jones who designed a majority of the schools between 1908 and 1932. These new school buildings were often constructed of brick and concrete and were one or two stories in height. To speed the construction of the new schools and to anticipate later growth in the neighborhood, these new buildings were often constructed in units ( sometimes referred to as extensible schools) ( Powers and Corning 1937: 182). The buildings also contained more differentiated and increasingly specialized instructional spaces such as libraries, gymnasiums, science rooms, music rooms, as well as assembly spaces ( Powers and Corning 1937: 182). The architectural details of the new schools were largely encompassed by the Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, and Collegiate Gothic styles; architectural revivals that were viewed as inspirational and appropriate for educational settings ( Betelle 1919: 28; Sibley 1923: 66; Patton 1967: 1- 8). Between the onset of the Great Depression in 1929 and World War II in 1941, few schools were constructed in Portland, although several schools were recipients of Works Progress Administration funding for artwork, additions, system updates, and playground improvements. The architect of Kellogg School, Floyd Archibald Naramore, was adept in the requirements of school design from his tenure as architect and superintendent of school properties for Portland Public Schools. A native of Illinois, Naramore attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1907. Naramore’s first employment after his arrival in Portland in 1909 was as an engineer for the Northwest Bridge Works. In 1912 Naramore began his tenure at Portland Public School which would continue until 1919. During this period, Naramore designed 16 schools for the district including the Kennedy School which gained notoriety as a single story response to the issue of fire safety in American public schools ( Evening Telegram 11- 03- 1915). Naramore’s success with Portland Public Schools led to a similar position in Seattle, where he designed many of the city’s most renowned schools. Architect Victor Steinbrueck, credits Naramore for producing the best quality Motor Age architecture in the Puget Sound area ( Vaughan and Feriday; Space Style and Structure, 1974: 508). Naramore subsequently founded several private architectural partnerships in the Seattle area. The best known firm, Naramore, Bain, Brady & Johansen had early success designing large World War II building projects. In the last half century, the firm grew into one of the largest architectural practices in the world ( Ritz 2003: 293). Designed to be expanded over time, Kellogg Middle School has evolved dramatically since the construction of the first building unit in 1913 for $ 74, 316.00. An additional building unit was added in 1917 for $ 67, 833. At this time the school was also renamed from its original designation as Hoffman School ( PPS School Chronology Binder). In response to the need for additional schools in the rapidly expanding neighborhood the Board approved the funding and contracts for the 3rd Building Unit at the Joseph Kellogg School in January 1923 ( Oregonian, 01- 04- 1923, Portland Chronology Binder). Two years later, PPS reorganized five of its schools, including Kellogg, to follow the platoon system of instruction ( Oregonian 08- 31- 1925). Following the unit plan developed by Naramore, the school facilities were expanded once again in 1929 to include a gymnasium. The Board awarded the $ 22,037.000 contract for construction of the gymnasium to the Stebinger Brothers firm ( Oregonian 03- 05- 29). Later additions include the construction of the annex in 1952. In 1987, the north wing added two gymnasiums, additional classrooms, and space for music, dance, and drama to the school. This addition is nearly equal to the original building in size. Due to shifts in student demographics the school has been vacant since 2007. Although designed by Floyd. A. Naramore, one of Portland’s more prominent architects and associated with a noteworthy architectural firm and several events related to the growth of the Portland school district, the Kellogg School is only a modest example of the Collegiate Gothic style. Furthermore, the Kellogg School does not retain a level of historical integrity commensurate with other schools constructed of similar styles during the same period and is therefore not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. While the Collegiate Gothic style is clearly discernable on the building and it is a good example of an extensible school type, several alterations have diminished the building’s integrity of materials, design, and feeling. These alterations include awkward connections between the gymnasium and the primary wing of the building, removal of windows, door replacements, and extensive interior modifications that have altered the original corridor configuration. Due to the loss of integrity, Kellogg School is not eligible under either NRHP Criteria A, B, or C. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 3 of 4 Oregon Historic Site Form Kellogg School 6909 Powell Blvd Portland, Multnomah County Title Records Sanborn Maps Obituaries City Directories Census Records Biographical Sources Newspapers Building Permits Property Tax Records SHPO Files State Archives State Library Local Histories Interviews Historic Photographs Local Library: Multnomah County Library University Library: Portland State University Library Historical Society: Oregon Historical Society Other Repository: PPS Archives Bibliography: Betelle, James O. “ Architectural Styles as Applied to School Buildings.” American School Board Journal. Vol. 58 ( April 1919). Cremin, Lawrence. The Transformation of the School: Progressivism in American Education, 1876- 1957. New York: A. Knopt, 1961. Cubberley, Ellwood Patterson. The Portland Survey: A Textbook on City School Administration Based on a Concrete Study. Yonkers-on- Hudson, NY: World Book Co., 1915. Oregonian. “ Change Favored in School Buildings.” 3- 31- 1914. Oregonian. “ School Building Schedule Speeded. Contracts for Joseph Kellogg Structure Approved.” 01- 04- 1923. Oregonian. “ Mayor Lane and the Schools.” 10- 31- 1906. Oregonian. “ New Schools Rushed.” 8- 31- 1925. Oregonian. “ Three New Schools Ready for Opening. Other Buildings Remodeled and Painted.” 8- 19- 1928. Oregonian. “ 22,073 Bid Wins Gymnasium Work. School Board Awards Job at Joseph Kellogg.” 8- 31- 1925. Oregonian. “ School Buildings are Called Unfit.” 7- 31- 1910. Patton, Glenn. “ American Collegiate Gothic: A Phase of University Architectural Development.” Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 38, No. 1 ( January, 1967). Portland Public Schools. Schools Chronology Binder. Powers, Alfred and Howard McKinley Corning, History of Education in Portland. [ Portland]: Work Projects Administration, 1937. Rippa, Alexander. Education in a Free Society: An American History. New York: Longman, 1997. Ritz, Richard. E. Architects of Oregon. A Biographical Dictionary of Architects Deceased – 19th and 20th Centuries. Portland: Lair Hill Publishing, 2003. Sanborn Map Company 1924- 1928, 1908- Dec. 1950 Sanborn Maps, Multnomah County Public Library, Portland, Oregon. Available at: https:// catalog. multcolib. org/ validate? url= http% 3A% 2F% 2F0- sanborn. umi. com. catalog. multcolib. org% 3A80% 2F. Accessed June 16, 2009. Sibley, Ernest. “ Why I Prefer the Colonial Style.” School Board Journal: Vol. 66 ( January 1923). Steinbrueck, Victor. “ Everyday Architecture in the Puget Sound Area.” In Space, Style and Structure: Buildings in Northwest America. Ed. Thomas Vaughan, 500- 517. Portland: Oregon Historical Society, 1974. Printed on: 10/ 14/ 2009 Page 4 of 4 South elevation facing north West elevation facing southwest East elevation facing southwest Annex facing southwest North elevation facing south Kellogg Facility Exterior Photos ENTRIX 2009 3rd Floor corridor facing east Corridor outside gymnasium Reconfigured corridor facing northeast 3rd Floor classroom facing north Corridor enclosed staircase and fire doors Kellogg Facility Interior Photos ENTRIX 2009 1924- 1928, Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map, Portland, Oregon, Map 995. Arrow points to Joseph Kellogg School. Updated to 1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map, Portland, Oregon, Map 995. Arrow points to Joseph Kellogg School. Note street name changes. Kellogg Facility 3330 SE 69th Ave, Portland OR, 97206 Building Periods 1. Original Building ( 261A), 1913 2. Addition ( 261A), 1917- I 3. Addition ( 261A), 1917- II 4. Bldg ( 261C), 1952 5. Addition ( 261C), 1987 6. Addition ( 261B), 1987 Aerial photo © 2009 Metro, Portland OR Imagery Date: July 12, 2007 SE 69th Ave SE Franklin St SE Franklin St 1917 photograph showing unit 1 of the Kellogg School completed and construction underway for unit 2. Late 1920s photograph of the Kellogg School, looking north. View Site in Google Maps Historical Significance and Building Integrity Contrib: High Significance Contrib: Moderate Signif. Non- Contributing 0’ 50’ 100’ 200’ N sandy Blvd Lombard st powell Blvd 82nd ave MLK jr b lvd 1 2 3 4 5 5 6