[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Peggy Moretti lives in Louis Pfunder’s house. That is, she lives in the house that once belonged to him. Louis was a florist and landscape architect responsible for landscaping the South Park Blocks in Portland. An admitted “old house geek,” Peggy is now the ward and conservator of the historic brick home. It will come as no surprise, then, that Ms. Morretti is the executive director of Restore Oregon, formerly known as Historic Preservation League of Oregon.
Restore Oregon’s mission is to “preserve, reuse, and pass forward Oregon’s historic places.” The original HPLO organization was formed in 1977 and, according to its website, “serves as the statewide voice of preservation and reuse, addressing issues that threaten communities’ historic fabric such as zoning, economic incentives, or simple lack of awareness. Our goal is to bring forward issues in a way that advances solutions. Ultimately we strive to promote livability, pedestrian scale, authenticity, distinctiveness, community connectedness, cultural roots, and the sustainability of adaptive reuse.”
In addition to advocating for restoration projects, the organization hosts various workshops and tours to educate and entertain the public, and advises on matters such as historic conservation easements. It has worked on projects/problems like the Demolition Epidemic in Portland and the reuse plan for the Bull Run Power Plant, and lobbies for funds to revitalize Main streets throughout the State. Restore Oregon also presents the annual De Muro award for outstanding historic rehabilitation and infill projects.
Historic buildings and places help connect our communities with their past. Preservation does not mean freezing things in time, rather it is forward thinking and related actions that link us with the past in a meaningful way. It means keeping things in use by updating and adapting them to current needs and standards. Preservation has both cultural and social benefits, such as giving us a “sense of place” and providing affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods. The greenest building is the one that is already standing. The energy to construct it has already been spent, and we should “conserve our way to sustainability” rather than spending energy and resources on new construction. Historic preservation provides economic benefits through jobs.
When asked about funding for restoration projects, Peggy is quick to point out that McMennamin’s isn’t going to save it, the government isn’t going pay for it, and turning it into a museum isn’t a viable solution. Sadly, there is often no legal mechanism to save a building. The owner has to consent to designating a building as “historic.”
In 2016, Restore Oregon has chosen eight new projects (Oregon’s Most Endangered Places) in addition to carrying over work on seven projects from 2015. They are:
- Eastern Oregon University Staircase in LaGrande
- Gray Building in Portland
- Mildred Kanipe House in Oakland
- Wong Laundry in Portland
- Jantzen Beach Carousel
- Uppertown Net Loft in Astoria
- Rivoli Theater in Pendleton
- T. Smith House in Forest Grove
- Floed-Lane House in Roseburg
- Pehr Lindberg House in Port Orford
- Concord School in Oak Grove
- Oregon Caves Chateau and Historic District in Cave Junction
- Sumpter Valley Railroad Depot
- Upper Sandy Guard Station on the Pacific Crest Trail
- Fort Rock Homestead Museum.
Peggy Morretti spent over 20 years working in business and marketing. She has been the executive director of Restore Oregon since 2009.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]