Welcome from our Executive Director

Introduction to HAP

Our Mission

HAP Programs

Board of Commissioners

Our Organization

Contact Us

New Market West: HAP's Historic Headquarters Building

Photo: M. Wert

HAP's historic headquarters building, New Market West, is in downtown Portland at the heart of the Skidmore Fountain (Old Town) National Register Historic District. HAP purchased the building and began moving into its "new" headquarters in 1990.

Built in 1889 as a warehouse, forge, and annex to the New Market Theater next door, the building was originally called "New Market Annex." Nearly 100 years later adaptive re-use encouraged retail/office uses and in the 1980s the building briefly became a retail mall named "New Market Village." Today, the five-story building actually has seven levels, housing a mezzanine on the first floor as well as a basement. With its brick arches and rusticated stone, the building was at the time of its construction an abrupt change from its neighboring Italianate cast-iron facades.

Richardsonian Romanesque features are displayed in the massive rough-cut stones on the ground floor, the large arches of windows, and the ornamental rough-cut stone belt course below the parapet. Many believe the basement at one time was connected to Portland's infamous mid-19th century tunnel network. The massive stone- and brick-arched passageways extend underground – below the public sidewalks all the way to the street – which is the reason why no street trees are planted along the streets adjacent to the building. New Market West is designated as an historic landmark by the city of Portland's Historical Landmarks Commission and the Oregon Historical Society.

New Market West has many unique architectural features, including the brick and stone exterior walls, large arched windows in brickwork, the massive rusticated stone base of the forge, wrought-iron balconies and fire escapes, cast-iron wall ties, engraved street names on the southwest corner, and an ornamental corner flagpole support.

David P. Thompson

New Market West's builder and original owner, David P. Thompson, served in the Oregon State Legislature and was Territorial Governor of Idaho from 1875 to 1876. He was twice elected Mayor of Portland, once in 1879 and again in 1881. Active in his community, Thompson served on the board of Portland Public Schools for at least eight years, was president of Portland Business College and regent of the University of Oregon for 10 years. Thompson made generous financial contributions to schools and demonstrated his love for animals by giving money and moral support to the Oregon Humane Society.

National Register Historic District
The Skidmore (Old Town) Historic District was officially recognized in 1959, and in 1975 was certified by the U.S. National Park Service for enrollment on the National Register of Historic Places. The status protects historic buildings from demolition. The district encompasses some 21 city blocks in the downtown and waterfront area, and contains many of Portland's most significant historic buildings. The district takes its name from the Skidmore Fountain, built by bequest of the will of one of Portland's early commissioners, Stephen Skidmore. A number of landmark structures are located in the district, including the New Market Theater (1872) designed by architects Piper and Burton, the Poppleton Building (1871) designed by E.M. Burton, the Glisan Building (1889), the Haseltine Building (1893), the Skidmore Building (1888), the Blagan Block (1888), and HAP's New Market Annex (1889). The district achieves its significance not only for its many notable early buildings, but also because it marks the site of the first claim filed (via tomahawk slash marks) for the city of Portland by William Overton and Asa Lovejoy in 1843.

Photo: M. Wert

The Skidmore (Old Town) Historic District once was Portland's center of commerce and entertainment and encompasses the largest remaining collection of mid- to late-19th century business buildings. Foremost among the historic structures is the New Market Theater building which is located next door to HAP.

Visit Us
HAP is on the corner of SW Ash Street and SW 2nd Avenue. (entrance at 135 SW Ash St.). Conveniently located in Portland's "Fareless Square" transit area, the building is only a block from a MAX light-rail station (Skidmore Fountain) and three blocks east of the transit mall (served by most bus routes).

Historical Photographs
- click photos for a larger view -

- click photos for a larger view -

- click photos for a larger view -