Layered History
This is a palimpsest - a ghost sign with multiple worn ads painted over each other. This specific sign, nicknamed 'Roy Burnett Motors Inc.,' has two discernable layers we were able to revive. Learn more below about the building & brands.
Building
Built 1908
Roy Burnett
This building, initially constructed as a warehouse in 1908 by Bennes, Hendricks & Tobey architecture firm, started out as the headquarters for the Blumauer-Frank Drug Company.
c. 1915
In 1941, The Burnett Car Company purchased the building, and owner Roy Burnett managed a Chrysler-Imperial dealership there through the 1960s. In addition, he owned the Desoto-Plymouth dealership just two blocks south at NW Broadway and Couch.
c. 1981
By the 1980s, the building was being used as a warehouse, hosting seven floors filled with used auto parts.
"... John's Import Auto Wrecking as I recall. I remember going there myself a number of times; you could wander through six floors of junked cars and car parts."
— Dan Davis of Portland Building Ads
After changing ownership in the 1990s, the building became known as the Artisan Building, housing artists, professional photographers, an art gallery, and a deli.
Building
Loft Conversion in 2000
North Park Lofts
The Artisan Building's location in the rapidly developing downtown of Portland, made it a prime candidate for extensive renovations and use conversion. In 1997, the building underwent seismic upgrades and the removal of the top section, including part of the Roy Burnett ghost sign. The six existing floors were converted into livable lofts, and four more floors were added, resulting in the North Park Lofts.
Despite the removal of the upper half of the signage, the historical ghost sign remnants were preserved and remain intact.
