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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Utility work will cut power for areas south and east of Ashland ... Douglas County DA: UCC gunman killed himself after police shot him ... UPDATED: SOU officials say handwritten note found in campus building prompted closure ... Utility work will cut power for areas south and east of Ashland ... Douglas County DA: UCC gunman killed himself after police shot him ... UPDATED: SOU officials say handwritten note found in campus building prompted closure ... ARCHITECTURE Fixit tag for Portland's noted Portland Building: $175 million Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM By The Associated Press Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News PORTLAND — A prominent Portland office tower that attracted national attention for its postmodern design when it was built for $25 million three decades ago is in such poor shape and so obnoxious to the people who work there that city officials want to gut and renovate the building — for an estimated $175 million. The Portland Building was one of the notable achievements of Michael Graves, an architect who introduced color and ornament as a leader of a design movement aimed at countering the coldness of the spare, functional buildings of the modernist school prevalent in big-building construction in much of the 20th century. Graves died in March. The building, home to city offices and next to City Hall, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its small windows are a problem. Many workers in the 15-story building next to City Hall employees loathe the interior and compare it to working in a dark, moist basement, The Oregonian (http://bit.ly/1HR2M0F) reports. The building also needs earthquake protection, and it's leaky. City officials have considered razing or selling it. Two years ago, the city considered a $95 million renovation to fix seismic deficiencies and water damage. The city's chief administrative officer, Fred Miller, says it doesn't make sense to spend that much fixing the exterior while not doing something to get more light in the gloomy interior, home to about 1,300 employees. "I think we'd be criticized for spending $100 million on a lemon," said Miller. Fully renovated, he said, the Portland Building should be good for 75 years. The biggest cost increases from the estimates two years ago are tied to a $19.5 million interior renovation and $36.8 million to replace most of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Mayor Charlie Hales will put some money for the building in the budget proposal he'll release next week, but he is "not committing to a dollar figure just yet," said spokesman Dana Haynes in an email. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted May. 1, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501