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Construction
Updates For photos, locations--and
translation of building names to current names--
click here. See also West Side Notes and East Side Notes. MEDFORD'S IMPROVEMENTS.
TWO BRICKS IN PROSPECT MEDFORD,
Or., Jan. 3, 1887.
And
They Do Build
EDITOR TIDINGS.--I
send you herewith a partial list of the improvements
made in Medford during the past year. It is as nearly accurate as I
could make it, but is, of course, subject to correction. After footing
the column and examining the total, you will have to admit that you
were in error in stating last week that Central Point, next to Ashland,
has expended more in improvements during the year than any other town
in the valley.
A.
L. Johnson, brick office and dwelling . . . . . . . . . . $2,000
Williams' block, two-story brick building . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 J. S. Howard, 2-story brick store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 Angle & Plymale, fireproof brick store . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,000 G. S. Walton, brick building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500 Byers & Jacobs, brick hotel improvement . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 Mrs. L. Foster, millinery and dwelling (combined) . . . 1,000 H. F. Baker, Farmers Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 S. H. Lyon, store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 O. Holtan, tailor shop and dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 Thos. Harris, improvement on dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300 McGee & Zimmerman, public hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,200 J. B. Riddle, poultry yards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800 A. L. Johnson, barn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500 ____ Clark, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,800 C. K. Fronk, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900 A. P. Talent, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 J. W. Short, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,500 N. H. West, dwelling repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 W. G. Zimmerman, ditto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 R. T. Young, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 Wm. Edwards, dwelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 E. J. Pool, blacksmith shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Total . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $34,900
Ashland Tidings, January
7, 1887, page 3Medford's Improvements.
A
correspondent says: I send you herewith a partial list of the
improvements made in Medford during the past year. It is as nearly
accurate as I could make it, but is, of course, subject to correction.
After footing the column and examining the total, you will have to
admit that you were in error in stating last week that Central Point,
next to Ashland, has expended more in improvements during the year than
any other town in the valley: A. L. Johnson's brick office and
dwelling, $2,000; Williams' block, two-story brick building, $6,000; J.
S. Howard, 2-story brick store, $3,000; Angle & Plymale,
fireproof
brick store, $4,000; G. S. Walton, brick building, $2,500; Byers
&
Jacobs, brick hotel imp't., $2,000; Mrs. L. Foster, millinery and
dwelling, $1,000; H. E. Baker, farmers warehouse, $1,200; S. H. Lyon,
store, $800; O. Holtan, tailor shop and dwelling, $1,000; Thos. Harris,
imp't. on dwelling, $300; McGee & Zimmerman, public hall,
$1,200;
J. B. Riddle, poultry yards, $800; A. L. Johnson, barn, $500; ------
Clark, dwelling, $1,800; C. K. Fronk, dwelling, $900; A. P. Talent,
$1,000; John W. Short, $1,800; N. H. West, dwelling repair; $200; W. G.
Zimmerman, ditto, $50; R. T. Young, dwelling [omission]; Wm. Edwards,
dwelling, $1,000; E. J. Pool, blacksmith shop, $150. Total $34,800.Democratic Times, Jacksonville, January 14, 1887, page 3 BUILDING
NOTES.
"Medford Items," Ashland Tidings, September
14, 1888, page 3
It is estimated that there are no less than fifteen dwelling houses in
course of construction at the present time in Medford, with numerous
others in contemplation--a number of those in course of construction
are nice and substantial structures, too. It is a noticeable feature
that as the town grows older the buildings put up are much more
substantial and look as if they were being built to stay. An estimate
made this week of the value of the building improvements now going on
in Medford places it at between $25,000 and $40,000, and those figures
are doubtless nearly correct. This is an excellent showing for Medford.
The foundation for Adkins & Webb's new three-story brick is completed, and the brick masons are at work. It will be a handsome structure and a credit to Medford--the first three-story business house in the city. Adkins & Webb have moved into the lower story of the Childers brick, the upper story of which will be fitted up for offices. A handsome veneered brick residence, being built for W. H. Barr in the western part of the city, is nearing completion. L. L. Angle is building a new residence west of the railroad. Judge Walton has his nice new residence almost completed. S. G. Worman's new house is nearing completion Rev. Russ is putting up a residence on C Street. More strangers are arriving in town than can get houses to live in. In several instances two to three families occupy one houses. Houses are being built as rapidly as the lumber can be procured. "Items from Medford," Valley Record, Ashland, December 27, 1888, page 3 Nearly twenty buildings are, or are soon to be, in course of construction at Medford, among which are a flouring mill, a fifty-foot-front brick by Angle & Plymale, three churches and several residences. "Jackson County Notes," Oregon Statesman, Salem, February 1, 1889, page 4 MEDFORD IMPROVEMENTS.
Many New Business Houses and Residences Going Up this Year.
MEDFORD, Or., April 3.--(Special Correspondence.)--There will be
considerable building and improvements here this year. Our town has
experienced a steady and healthy growth, but has never been cursed with
a boom. Several brick structures were erected last year, also a large
number of residences, and the indications at present point to an
increase in the number of substantial bricks and fine dwellings over
the record of last year. W. G. Cooper has let the contract for the
erection of a 25x76-foot two-story brick on his lot at the corner of
Seventh and B streets, to cost $2500. M. Purdin will also erect a
one-story brick in place of his present wooden blacksmith shop. Thomas
McAndrew will build a brick on Seventh Street on the vacant lot west of
the fence works. Numerous residences are being contracted for, and
others are contemplating building, which is bound to make things pretty
lively here this year. Material is very scarce, and as soon as lumber
can be had building operations will be carried on at a lively and
unprecedented rate.
MEDFORD IMPROVEMENTS.
Corr. of Oregonian.There will be considerable building and improvements here this year. Our town has experienced a steady and healthy growth, but has never been cursed with a boom. Several brick structures were erected last year, also a large number of residences, and the indications at present point to an increase in the number of substantial bricks and fine dwellings over the record of last year. W. G. Cooper has let the contract for the erection of a 25x76-foot two-story brick on his lot at the corner of Seventh and B streets, to cost $2500. M. Purdin will also erect a one-story brick in place of his present wooden blacksmith shop. Thos. McAndrew will build a brick on Seventh Street on the vacant lot west of the fence works. Numerous residences are being contracted for, and others are contemplating building, which is bound to make things pretty lively here this year. Material is very scarce, and as soon as lumber can be had building operations will be carried on at a lively and unprecedented rate. The new system of water works will be finished about the 1st of May. The large tower, fifty feet high, on which the two huge cisterns, calculated to hold 33,000 gallons each, are to rest, is being pushed to completion as rapidly as possible. Until a larger well can be dug, the water will be pumped by steam from a cistern some 500 feet away, which will be supplied with water from the large ditch dug last year, into the two cisterns from which the water will be carried in pipes all over the city for fire and irrigating purposes only, as the water is not fit for domestic purposes. The town is to be congratulated on its providing means by which it can be guarded against fire. Should a fire start now in the center of the town nothing could save it from utter destruction. But with a well-organized fire company and plenty of water, such as the new system will provide, the place will be perfectly safe and insurance will be greatly reduced. Our people are waiting patiently for the county court to do something toward repairing the bridge across Bear Creek. It is quite an inconvenience to the people who have hauling to do, and it is a matter that should be acted upon without delay. The farmers around here are busy plowing and seeding. This has been a very backward spring and there will not be the acreage sown this year as formerly. Valley Record, Ashland, April 17, 1890, page 1
Considering the inside and outside of the very scary condition of money
matters all the country over, there can hardly be said to be a dearth
in the building line in Medford. Our business seems to be moving on
about as usual among the city merchants and the steady trend of the
onward march of progress and improvements are noticeable. New or
enlarged business, as well as increased population, requires new
buildings, and the demand is being met with a sentiment of push which
tends not to a backward move. There are several new buildings now
underway or contemplated, a list of which we give below:
The Halley brick block, on C Street, will be ready for occupancy in a few weeks. The brick work is expected to be finished next week. The very neat Baptist parsonage, on North C Street, is fast nearing completion. It will be a one-story cottage and when in shape to be occupied it will be one of the neatest in the city. Postmaster Howard has just commenced the foundation for his fine two-story residence building, adjoining the Baptist parsonage on C Street. In architectural design it is promised to be second to none. Over in the Roberts & O'Neil addition to Medford W. B. Roberts has recently sold a five-acre tract of land to a Mr. Scott, from Eastern Oregon, and that gentleman will soon commence the direction of a dwelling for himself and family, who are now camped on the ground awaiting the time when the new house is ready for occupancy. J. R. Hardin has his new dwelling well under way, and ere the sun's rays of many more days shall have reflected the shadow of this gentleman across his path--his family will be nicely ensconced in their new and pleasant home. The Southern Oregon [Pork] Packing Company have closed the contract with Messrs. Starr & Drisco for the erection of a 20x60 cold storage building to be built adjoining their packing house. The contract was let for $395. A. J. Stewart is figuring on erecting a fine residence in the south and west part of town, near Prof. Narregan's place. Medford
Mail, August 11, 1893, page 3
While Medford isn't pulling herself to the front in any hurried manner, she is coming along at a pace very swift as compared with other towns and cities of the coast. One cannot walk more than a couple of blocks in any direction, in the residence portion, but that he will see new buildings springing up, and these good substantial ones. Editorial, Medford Mail, June 8, 1894, page 2 Medford has made more building progress this year than probably any town in Oregon, the total number of buildings, from brick stores down to small dwellings, being 83, including those under construction. "Medford Items," Valley Record, Ashland, November 15, 1894, page 3 That Medford will have a real live boom this year that will make the hair stand on end there is hardly any doubt. Among the buildings, besides Hotel Nash,will be a brick block by S. Rosenthal, the pioneer merchant; a two-story brick by W. B. Roberts with a possible third story by the K. of P. for a hall. W. H. Parker and Capt. Nash each contemplate the erection of elegant and costly residences. Valley Record Supplement, Ashland, February 7, 1895, page 5 Nearly every day we hear someone telling of the "crying need" for more buildings in which to open business on Main or Seventh Street. The "need" will be "crying" just as loud as now until suitable brick store buildings are built on North and South C Street. Property owners on this street are losing sight of their best interests by not inviting greater value to their property by putting up larger and more substantial buildings. "News of the City," Medford Mail, August 23, 1895, page 5 MEDFORD IMPROVEMENTS.
A Bunch of Varied Improvements Being Made in the Metropolis of the Valley.
It
hardly seems possible, yet it is a fact that Medford has continued to
grow during the past two years--when times were so deucedly depressing
almost everywhere else. That our city has been growing and is still
doing business in that line is just as true as the fact that the
farmer's wagon wheels go round and that they gyrate Medford way
weighted with the products of the soil and returned equally as heavily
loaded with merchandise.
No time has there been since the coming to the city of the present publishers of the Mail but that there has been a steady, sure building growth. The buildings have not been put up with a hurrah and a jump, but just fast enough to meet the demands of trade. These structures have been largely of brick, an don them has been fixed a surface of permanence that fosters not retrogression. At the present time there is a little unusual flurry of building, and it is of such nature as to omen good to our fast-developing hub city. We give below a mention of the buildings now in course of construction--and there are mechanics here sufficient in number to build them all: B. B. Gearvis is erecting a 16x24-foot cottage on H Street, between Fifth and Sixth street. M. W. Skeel's new residence, in Southwest Medford, is enclosed and will soon be ready for occupancy. George Justus is building a 24x44-foot barn on the site of the building recently burned. L. M. Lyon is doing the work. Blacksmith C. W. Milton is nearing his neat and well-built cottage to a finish. This is on West Tenth Street and will be an added beauty to that part of the city. Joe Shone has the foundation laid for his new residence in Northeast Medford, but the gentleman is dog-blasted busy with other work that he gets but little time for his own house. Mrs. A. A. Kellogg is arranging to remove her former store building, corner Sixth and C streets, to another part of the lot, and when an addition is made thereto use it for a residence, exclusive. The brick work on Councilman J. R. Wilson's blacksmith shop is finished, and the carpenters are now at work laying floors and putting in windows and doors. Brooks, the tinner, is putting on the roof. W. F. Halley has arrangements all made for the erection of a two-story brick dwelling house, corner of Fifth and G streets. It will be 24x30 and will cost something like $1500. S. Childers will do the brick work. J. C. Ferguson's new residence across the river is pretty close onto a finish and a fine building it is. While we are mentioning it there are several fine residences in that particular locality. G. H. Williams is building Mr. Ferguson's residence. Hon. Henry Klippel, one of our enterprising lumber merchants, has his beautiful five-room cottage, on North H Street, enclosed, and the same will soon be ready for occupancy. A more extended mention of this structure was made a couple of weeks ago. Ed. Wilkinson's new brick block, in which Ed will carve steaks to the general liking of all who come, is fast narrowing down to a finish, so far as the brick work is concerned. This will positively be the gem of all the buildings--and of which Ed is justly proud. J. O. Johnson, the Table Rock rancher, has purchased a tract of land just south of Dr. B. F. Adkins' residence--50 feet wide and long enough to reach to the bank of Bear Creek. Upon this land Mr. Johnson is having laid a foundation for a five-room brick cottage. The main part of the building will be 30x35 with an ell 14x24, and a porch on two sides. The structure will cost not less than $1800. S. Childers will do the brick work. W. J. Bennet, architect. A new brick block which is soon to be erected will be situated between I. A. Webb's and W. H. Meeker & Co.'s stores, south side of Seventh Street, and will be built by Dr. B. F. Adkins and Mrs. Dennison, who each own a twenty-five-foot lot. The block will be 50x100 feet, two stories high and of brick. The first floor, of Mrs. Dennison's half, will be occupied by Mitchell, Lewis & Staver Company and J. W. Lawton's harness shop, each taking twelve feet of the twenty-five. A few weeks ago we made mention of a new residence which L. B. Warner, the fruit tree man and insurance man--and Mail solicitor--was going to build. He now has Chas. Pheister at work laying the foundation and hopes to get the building up before the winter rains set in. It will be two stories high, six rooms below and three above. This will be a frame building and will cost about $1800. It will be located near attorney J. H. Whitman's residence. W. J. Bennet, architect. Last week we spoke of the new brick residence to be built by S. Childers, Jr. This building will be quite unique in design, the verandas and porticoes being also of brick. It will be a two-story building with six rooms below and three above. The sitting room, parlor and dining room will be connected by folding doors and can all three be thrown into one room when required. The foundation for this building will be commenced within a few few days. The cost of the structure will be about $2000. W. J. Bennet, architect. The new brick school building, which is to cost $12,000, is one of the most prominent buildings which is entitled to mention in these columns. Work on the foundation was commenced Saturday morning. The whole work of construction in its several lines will be pushed to its quickest possible completion. The contractors are Butler, Barrett and Stewart. The subcontractors: On stone work, Frank Wait; brick work, G. W. Priddy; iron work, such as bolts, ties, etc., G. F. Merriman; painting, Ling & Boardman. Medford Mail, September 27, 1895, page 4 A TWELVE MONTHS' RECORD
Nearly $100,000 Expended in Buildings in Medford the Past Year. A Separate Mention of Every Building Erected that Cost More than $100.
From
time to time during the past year we have made a casual mention of the
improvements which have been going on in Medford--as items of news--and
we have at all times contended that Medford's growth was even more
extensive than many would readily believe. Having ourselves been in a
position in which we could but see the rapid strides which has
characterized the onward march of our little city and which is rapidly
bringing it to the front as one of the chief commercial cities in
Oregon, and, believing that a published list of all the improvements
made here during the time mentioned would result in a very agreeable
surprise to many, we have this week with no little amount of labor made
a true and correct compilation of all the residences and business
houses erected here from October 1895 to the present date. Here is the
list:
BUSINESS BUILDINGS.
J.
O. Johnson, two-story brick store building, 50 feet front and 50 feet
deep. Built by S. Childers, at the contract price of $2100.
Dr. B. F. Adkins, two-story brick store building, 25 feet and 135 feet deep. Built by S. Childers, at the contract price of $3750. F. K. Deuel, two-story brick store building, 25 feet front and 135 feet deep. Built by S. Childers, contract price $3750. C. B. Rostel, two-story brick store building, 22 feet front and 60 feet deep. Built by S. Childers, woodwork by Brand & Campbell, contract price $2000. G. W. Hamlin, two-story brick store building, 50 feet front and 80 feet deep. Built by S. Childers, contract price $4700. Weeks Bros., two-story addition to furniture store, cost $200. Crane & Childers, two-story brick livery stable, 50 feet front and 60 feet deep. Built by S. Childers at cost of $1500. Since purchased by I. A. Mounce. G. P. Lindley, two-story brick store building, 25 feet front and 140 feet deep, cost $6000. Ed Wilkinson, two-story brick meat market, 20 feet front and 100 feet deep. Built by S. Childers at a cost of $6000. A 40-foot addition, two-story high, is now under construction. RESIDENCES IN MEDFORD.
J. O. Johnson, two-story brick, 9 rooms. Built by S. Childers, cost
$1500.
E. E. Phipps, one-story frame, 3 rooms. Built by contractor B. F. Crouch, cost $300. O. & S. L. Carpenter, one-story brick cottage, six rooms. Contractor S. Childers for the brick and W. F. Shawver for woodwork, cost $700. Geo. Fox, one-story frame, 3 rooms, cost $300. J. E. Toft, one-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $250. Ed Phipps, one-story frame, 3 rooms, cost $200. R. T. Lawton, one-story frame, four rooms, cost $400. D. Brooks, two-story addition to residence and tin shop, cost $400. Arthur Fitzgerald, two-story frame, 6 rooms, cost $700. Wm. Barnum, two-story frame, 7 rooms. Built by contractor G. L. Schermerhorn, cost $900. W. D. Beidleman, two-story addition, four rooms. Built by Williams and Ferguson, cost $300. Also a barn at the cost of $350. G. L. Schermerhorn, one-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $150. C. M. Crouch, two-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $150. Joe Shone, one-story cottage, 7 rooms, cost $1000. Built by himself. Mr. McKee, two-story frame, 4 rooms. Cost $250. W. J. Marlow, one-story frame. Built by contractor E. W. Starr, cost $300. W. R. Barrett, one-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $250. Built by himself. J. W. Bates, one-story cottage, 4 rooms, cost $300. W. L. Halley, two-story brick, 8 rooms. Built by S. Childers, cost $1000. J. A. Smith, two-story frame, 5 rooms. Built by Starr & Drisko, cost $500. Henry Klippel, one-story cottage, 7 rooms, cost $1000. J. Osborne, two-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $425. Mr. Grizzle, two-story box house, 5 rooms, cost $300. J. H. Whitman, two-story frame addition, 5 rooms, cost $300. F. K. Deuel, two-story frame, 10 rooms. Contractor Perry Stewart, contract price $1800. J. H. Stewart, two-story frame, 12 rooms, cost $3000. S. S. Strayer, one-story frame, 5 rooms. Built by contractor Barrett, cost $400. F. W. Hutchison, two-story frame addition, 4 rooms. Built by E. W. Starr, cost $500. B. N. Butler, one-story cottage, 4 rooms, cost $250. N. Orser, two-story frame, four rooms, cost $300. Arthur Wells, house and barn, cost $200. L. B. Warner, two-story frame, 8 rooms, cost $1500. Dr. C. C. Pletcher, one-story house. Reconstructed. Cost $200. Marion Tryer, one-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $150. A. S. Bliton, two-story frame, 7 rooms. G. W. Starr, contractor. Under course of construction, estimated cost $800. A. H. McKay, two-story frame, 7 rooms, cost $1200. W. L. Halley, two-story brick, under construction, 6 rooms. Contractor S. Childers, cost $800. P. J. Halley, two-story brick, 6 rooms. Under construction. S. Childers, contractor, cost $800. G. H. Haskins, addition to residence, reconstruction etc., cost $500. I. A. Webb, addition to residence, brick cellar, etc., cost $250. S. W. Speas, 14-foot addition to residence, brick. Contractor, S. Childers, cost $200. J. T. Bates, addition to house, $100. EAST MEDFORD RESIDENCES.
Medford Mail, October
23, 1896, page 6
Walter Anderson, two-story frame, 4 rooms, cost $200.
C. Morris, one-story cottage, frame, 4 rooms. Built by contractor J. A. Eggers, cost $400. C. Morris, two-story frame, 5 rooms. Built by contractor J. A. Eggers, cost $475. J. C. Ferguson, two-story frame, 7 rooms. Built by contractor G. W. Williams. Cost $1500. L. M. Lyon, two-story box, 4 rooms, cost $150. E. E. Thompson, two-story frame, 7 rooms. Built by Springer, cost $1500. L. H. Settles, one-story frame, 3 rooms, cost $100. J. A. Lyon, two-story frame, 10 rooms. Built by contractor L. M. Lyon, cost $1800. H. G. Shearer, one-story frame, 5 rooms, cost $600. J. S. Hagey, two-story frame, 10 rooms. Built by contractor G. W. Williams, cost $1800. A. P. Green, one-story brick, 4 rooms. Under construction. S. Childers, contractor. Contract price $700. J. U. Willeke, two-story frame, 12 rooms. Built by contractor G. W. Williams, cost $1800. H. Fish, one-story frame, 3 rooms. Built by contractor J. A. Eggers, cost $200. G. W. Williams, one-story frame, 4 rooms. Built by himself, cost $300. A. L. Ferguson, one-story frame, 3 rooms. Built by himself, cost $200. J. R. Hardin, one-story frame, 5 rooms. Built by contractor Colby, cost $265. MISCELLANEOUS.
S. Childers, barn. Built by himself, cost $250.
J. H. Stewart, windmill, cost $500. F. K. Deuel, windmill, cost $150. W. H. Parker, windmill, cost $100. F. K. Deuel, barn. Built by J. A. Eggers, cost $600. J. Morris, addition to second-hand store. Built by W. Eaton, cost $150. Dr. E. Kirchgessner, windmill, cost $200. Presbyterian Church, brick. Built by contractor N. B. Bradbury, cost $1700. Medford public school building, built by Butler, Barrett & Stewart, brick work by G. W. Priddy, at an aggregated cost of $18,000. This building was commenced before October but was not completed until December, 1895. Medford steam laundry, built by Wigle, cost about $500. Repairs and improvements on city water tank and buildings, at an aggregate cost of $1700. The compilation of the above list shows a grand total of $90,565, which have been expended in Medford within one year and which does not include a long list of minor improvements, which would, could they be properly enumerated, increase the sum total to about $100,000, which is nothing short of phenomenal and which we believe cannot be equaled by any city of its size on the Pacific coast. It gives us more causes for congratulations than one, as it has been not only the means of attracting attention from all parts of the Pacific coast, but it has furnished employment for our resident mechanics. While there has been a goodly amount of employment for our workmen during the past, we, in justice to these men, admit that there are a sufficient number of them to easily handle all the work here, and it would be a matter of regret should any number of others be attracted hither by the impression that mechanics are in demand, for it would not only be an injustice to those who reside here now, but would result disastrously to those who might be attracted here by erroneous impressions. Such is Medford's record for one year--and in times of unrest and depression. BUILDING BOOM AT MEDFORD.
Many New Structures Intended for Business Purposes.
MEDFORD,
June 7.--The demand for business locations here has greatly stimulated
building. Seven brick buildings are under contract, and others are
contemplated. R. H. Halley is pushing to completion a two-story brick,
50x50 feet, the lower part to be used by the Medford Mail;
the upper part to be used by Mr. Halley in connection with his boarding
house. J. R. Wilson is engaged on a brick structure, 46x50 feet. D. T.
Lawton has under construction a fine building 50x75 feet, to be used
for a carriage and implement house. Captain Nash and A. M. Helms are
building separate store rooms, 25x100 feet. T. McAndrews will build a
store room 25x125 feet. There is not a desirable house to rent in the
city, and many newcomers are purchasing village and farm property.
Morning Oregonian, Portland, June 8, 1900, page 3 There are 1125 lineal feet of two-story brick buildings fronting or siding, on our streets; 440 feet of one-story buildings, and 155 feet of solid brick business places, or very nearly six solid blocks if strung out in a line. There are now in course of construction one fifty-foot two-story brick building and one twenty-foot brick. Where is there another town in the state with less than 2500 people that can make as good a showing? "City Happenings," Medford Mail, July 19, 1901, page 7 One who has counted them says that there are more than 20 buildings in course of construction in Medford. "Medford Squibs," Democratic Times, Jacksonville, August 1, 1901, page 7 Building Notes.
Medford is not booming this spring, and it never has boomed, but there
is a steady growth going on all of the time, and the number of
buildings now under way in this city will compare well with any place
of its size in Oregon; in fact, there are few towns that can equal it,
and some that have a larger population are doing less building than is
Medford.
The handsome cottage that W. H. McGowan is having erected on Oakdale Avenue is well under way. The Oregon Granite Company has the foundation almost up, and as soon as that is completed G. L. Schermerhorn, who has the contract for the woodwork, will begin putting up the building. Architect I. A. Palmer has drawn the plans for $2000 colonial style house for L. Niedermeyer, which he will have built on land near Jacksonville, which he bought of Beekman & Reames. Mr. Niedermeyer's new house will be one of the handsomest farm residences in Jackson County. Mr. Palmer prepared last week the plans for a well-arranged farm residence for J. Meyers, who lives on Butte Creek. J. H. Stewart has the foundation completed for a fine residence in a grove at the old fair grounds. Owing to his inability to secure lumber, the carpenter work cannot be commenced until sometime in July. Captain Gordon Voorhies, who purchased the J. H. Stewart Eden Valley Orchard, has let the contract to G. L. Schermerhorn to remodel the old house and to build an addition to it 23x33 feet, two stories high with a wide porch extending around it. Work will be commenced in a few days, provided the lumber can be had. The brick block that A. J. Stewart is having erected on Eighth Street is rapidly nearing completion, and if no delays are encountered the building will be ready for occupancy about the first of July. S. Childers has the walls up and E. W. Starr is pushing the carpenter work with all possible haste and will have the roof ready in three or four days so that the bricklayers can put up the fire walls, after which the tinners will put on the tin roof. The building, which is 50x55 feet, is to have a cement floor, and it will be an ideal workroom for the cigar factory. Messrs. Palm and Whitman have leased the building, and they will move their factory as soon as it is ready for them. Medford Mail, June 13, 1902, page 3 BUILDING IN MEDFORD
Medford is building up rapidly, but not
rapidly enough to keep pace with the demand for dwelling and business
houses. There isn't half a dozen vacant dwellings in town, nor is there
a single business location which is not occupied. Besides this there
are residence and business buildings being erected all the time and
more are contemplated.Last week the Mail made mention of a number of new buildings constructed for and being built but did not get the facts concerning the Iowa Lumber & Box Co.'s contracting department. At present the company is putting an additional story upon Attorney Purdin's residence and has contracted to erect the building for the vinegar factory--mentioned last week. This structure will be 50x56 in size and will be rushed to completion for use this season. They also have the contract for remodeling the Hotel Nash, which will consist of throwing the present lobby and the bar into one room, to be used for office purposes, and removing the bar to the room now used as a billiard parlor. A new and modern barn is to be erected on the Erdman farm, east of town. The company is just finishing a 10x80 storage shed and warehouse, for the storing of box material. This makes the fourth addition in the way of buildings that they have made to their plant during the past few months. All this construction work is under the supervision of G. L. Schermerhorn. Manager Edgar Hafer said to a Mail reporter this week, in relation to the business: "We are working full time in the factory and will continue to do so as long as lumber comes in as it has been coming lately. Last Friday and Saturday we unloaded and stacked in the yard 200,000 feet of lumber, and if nothing happens we will be receiving lumber in large quantities for sometime to come. This lumber comes principally from Josephine County mills we have leased and those upon Evans Creek. I don't care to say a great deal about the fruit box business, but you can say that five of the largest growers of apples in the county have contracted with this company for their boxes for the next three years at an agreed price. These boxes will cost them a cent apiece more than they could get them from another concern--but believing--like all loyal Americans should--in patronizing home industry, they are content to do this. At the same time they are getting a better box than ever before and at a lower price that they paid before the Iowa Lumber & Box Co. commenced doing business here. These orchardmen are: E. J. DeHart, Gordon Voorhies, C. H. Lewis, E. E. Hopkins and J. W. Perkins. They represent, perhaps, the majority of the acreage in fruit in this vicinity. I am hopeful of making a contract with the Fruit Growers' Union, as I believe if they consider matters carefully they will realize that the difference in prices between ourselves and our competitors will be more than counterbalanced by the good results following the patronizing of a home industry. Medford Mail, July 21, 1905, page 1 EIGHTY-FOUR NEW HOMES.
Never in the history of Medford's
existence has
there been the activity in residence building equal to that shown for
the past nine and a half months--and right now is the busiest time of
all.Money Invested in Medford Homes Since January 1st Aggregates over Eighty Thousand Dollars. Many of our townspeople have ventured guesses as to the number of dwellings constructed since January 1, 1905, and now in course of construction, but no authoritative data was in the possession of anyone until last Saturday, October 14th, when a representative of the Mail secured a conveyance and made a canvass of the entire town. To do this required five hours of steady driving, but when the territory had been covered our representative was in possession of names and figures. There have been constructed, and now in the course of construction, eighty-four dwellings, and their aggregate cost will be $80,475. This, as will be seen, is an average cost of very nearly $1000 for each house. Some of the houses are small, it is true, but in many instances these are but the start for a larger dwelling to be constructed next season. A great many of them are large and cost a considerable sum of money, but let us say right here, none of them, whether large or small, are temporary structures--all are built substantial and permanently, which fact in itself speaks many good words for the future of Medford. Another especially flattering feature for our town is that of the entire eighty-four, less than one-fifth of them are built for the purpose of renting. We have purposely omitted gathering data upon any buildings other than those in which persons intended living. If each one of these new homes represents one family--and they do--the population of Medford ought to have, or will have, increased during the year about 400. Below are the names of those persons who have built and the cost of their buildings: T. R. Kahler,
5-room cottage…… $1100
Medford Mail, October
20, 1905, page 1Thos. Collins, 6-room residence…… 500 G. L. Schermerhorn, 8-room residence…… . 1300 ------ Snyder, 7-room residence…… 1500 Perry Scott, cottage…… 350 F. E. Martin, 7-room residence…… 2000 M. B. Averill, 7-room cottage…… 1000 Mrs. M. Muller, 6-room cottage…… 1300 John Beeson, 4-room cottage…… 700 J. A. Bish, 3-room cottage…… 125 W. Green, 6-room residence…… 1700 Ted Kelsoe, 5-room residence…… 1750 Edgar Hafer, 13-room residence…… 4000 Marion Tryer, 5-room residence…… 1000 Dr. Louis Bundy, 8-room residence…… 2000 P. J. Halley, 6-room residence…… 1100 Chub Hamlin, 4-room cottage…… 500 J. A. Perry, 8-room residence …… 3500 D. B. Russell, addition to residence…… 300 H. Tripp, 5-room cottage…… 550 George Howard, 5-room cottage…… 350 Dr. W. L. Cameron, 8-room cottage…… 3000 Herman King, residence…… 800 I. W. Thomas, 8-room residence…… 2500 H. P. White, cottage…… 100 D. C. White, cottage ……… 100 J. W. Barkdull, addition residence…… 500 J. W. Redden, 8-room residence…… 1800 C. A. Poe, 4-room cottage…… 600 A. Penwell, 3-room cottage…… 300 Mrs. Friese, 5-room cottage…… 500 T. W. Johnson, 6-room residence…… 800 R. A. Lares, 4-room residence…… 600 Mrs. Ferguson, 5-room residence…… 800 G. Miller, 5-room residence…… 1100 E. W. Monroe, 6-room residence…… 1250 Wm. Cook, addition to residence…… 600 Mrs. A. N. Lewis, 4-room residence…… 500 J. W. Smylie, 8-room residence…… 1500 G. T. Jones, 8-room residence…… 1000 Ray Wilson, 4-room cottage…… 550 W. C. Hodge, 4-room cottage…… 600 G. T. Farnsworth, 5-room cottage…… 750 S. B. Kinsman, addition to residence…… 300 T. B. Kinsman, 6-room residence…… 500 M. Purdin, addition to residence…… 300 Mrs. M. Brooks, 6-room cottage…… 900 A. P. Talent, residence …… 1200 W. L. Orr, 8-room residence…… 1250 F. Osenbrugge, 8-room residence…… 1500 F. Osenbrugge, 8-room residence …… 1500 F. Osenbrugge, 7-room residence …… 1500 C. E. Eads, 5-room cottage…… 650 S. Dyer, 5-room cottage…… 650 H. Roberts, 4-room cottage…… 550 Mrs. Sample, 4-room cottage…… 550 E. Gutches, 5-room residence…… 450 J. E. Olson, 7-room residence…… 1100 J. E. Olson, 7-room residence…… 1100 W. H. Coop, cottage…… 50 J. Brandenburg, 6-room cottage…… 1000 J. Brandenburg, 6-room cottage…… 1000 E. T. Maultby, cottage…… 100 J. Bowles, 4-room cottage…… 450 Gus Samuels, 15-room residence…… 1700 F. Calwell, cottage…… 100 G. T. Farnsworth, 4-room cottage…… 250 ------ Eskew, cottage…… 100 W. F. Gray, 5-room cottage…… 400 M. W. Skeel, 8-room residence…… 1200 F. A. Bliss, 6-room residence…… 800 V. Wolgamott, 4-room cottage…… 500 H. Lawrentz, 5-room residence…… 800 W. H. Maultby, 6-room residence…… 1000 E. W. Starr, 5-room residence…… 800 C. E. Cranfill, 6-room residence…… 1000 E. M. Elwood, 7-room residence…… 1700 A. J. Stevens, 12-room residence…… 1500 W. A. Davis, 3-room cottage…… 200 H. N. Marcy, 7-room cottage…… 1000 D. H. Miller, 9-room cottage…… 2000 D. L. Day, 7-room residence …… 1050 W. P. Dodge, addition to residence…… 200 Darby O'Toole, residence…… 800
Total…… $80,475
Plans
have been drawn and submitted for the construction of two more brick
buildings on D Street within the next few months. The buildings
contemplated will make a solid brick block fronting on D Street, from
7th to near 6th, and it is reported that the buildings will be
constructed with a view to their adaptation to hotel purposes. The two
lots north of [the] Palm-Niedermeyer building is one of the prospective
sites, upon which Young & Hall are figuring on erecting a
brick,
and the vacant space between the Office Saloon building and the Nash
stable will also be occupied by a substantial structure [the Merino Building, completed
in 1907].
MEDFORD LEADS ALL OTHER COAST
TOWNSThe indications are that next year will see more new business blocks built in Medford than ever before in the history of the city. There are constant demands for office rooms and business places, and with the growth of the city those demands must be supplied. Medford Mail, November 17, 1905, page 1 IN BUILDING ACTIVITY Three New, Elegant Bank Buildings Tell an Eloquent Story of Enterprise and Prosperity of the Substantial Kind.
There
is not a town on the Pacific coast which can show more, and very few,
if any, can show as much substantial improvement under way as Medford.
And this despite the fact that contractors have had setback after
setback, because of the scarcity of building material. This lack is due
to two causes. First, the disaster of San Francisco, which has made
unusually heavy demands upon all classes of material used in
construction work, as well as on all kinds of skilled labor in the
building trades. The other cause is to be found in the recent awakening
of the whole western part of Oregon, with its consequent building
activity. The many dormant communities in this part of the state that
have kept in the same old rut for the last thirty years or more seem to
have fallen in line at last, and awakened to a realization of the
necessity of improvement and progress. New blood has been coming into
the state, and is greatly responsible for this bright era just dawning.
And no small share may be laid to the work of the Development Leagues
of the state.
MORE NEW BUILDINGS.But among all the towns on the Pacific coast, Medford stands preeminent as an exponent of what pluck, push and perseverance may accomplish. There is no town that can show greater evidence of present prosperity and future greatness than our fair city of Medford. FINEST
ON THE COAST
Though it
is impossible and
altogether without the scope of short sketches like these to give
anything like a comprehensive idea of the construction work under way
and projected, an effort will be made to show a few of the principal
improvements.Across C Street from the new Medford National [Bank], spoken of in yesterday's issue, on the northwest corner, the Jackson County Bank will erect its handsome new home, said by people who know to be the finest building of its kind projected on the coast. It will be two stories high, 36 feet on Seventh Street and 66 and a half feet on C Street. The building material to be used in the construction of this edifice is pressed brick throughout, with trimmings of terra cotta. It will present an exceedingly handsome and imposing appearance when completed. The firm of Whidden & Lewis of Portland are the architects of this building. L. L. Litherland has the brick and excavation contract, and Augel & Son the carpenter and interior finish part of the work. To superintend the work here are Mr. Ryan for Litherland and Mr. Herbert Angel on the carpenter work. Excavation is now going on for the eight-foot-deep basement, in which the furnace for heating the building will be placed. The interior finish promises to be magnificent, conveying a sense of richness and luxuriation. The whole lower floor will be occupied by the bank, to which entrance will be had on the corner through two massive mahogany doors over a tiled vestibule. The walls will be covered with a high wainscoting, finished with marble base. The bank fixtures will be of elegant and the most modern design. The upstairs, which will be fitted up for offices, will be in keeping with the rest of the building, affording strictly up-to-date accommodations for professional men. LARGE
PLATE GLASS FRONT
It is a
noteworthy and significant
fact, telling its own story without need of further enlargement, that
all the three banking institutions of Medford are engaged in providing
for themselves new and improved quarters. An indication of prosperity
few towns can boast of.The First National Bank has acquired the Howard property on Seventh Street, formerly occupied by King Bros., and the work of reconstruction is now busily going on under the firm of Priddy & Stewart as contractors. The plans for this building, which are particularly handsome, have been prepared by Mr. L. A. Palmer, the well-known local architect. Like the other two bank buildings, this one will also use pressed brick as chief material. The west wall, with considerable alterations, will be used for the new building, but the whole front will be completely new. One of the features of this front will be a large plate glass window, measuring 9¾x7½ feet, in the center of the building, with the entrance to the bank to the right and the stairway to the left. There will be four windows to the alley on each floor, all with mullioned upper sashes. The inside is to be finished in golden oak, with marble base. Altogether this building promises to be an ornament to the site it will occupy. It should not be concluded from the foregoing that the east side has any kind of monopoly on improvements. West of the railroad may be found as much, and perhaps as far as projects are concerned, more doing in the building line. The structures erected here and in contemplation may not represent the big expenditures involved in the improvements on the other side, but they are all of the most substantial nature and of no mean importance as acquisitions to the business district of Medford. WEST
SIDE IMPROVEMENTS
Medford Daily Tribune, June
29, 1906, page 1
The most active
builder in this part of the city this year has been Mr. T. H. Moore,
whose property abuts the railroad. As a monument to his faith in the
future of Medford stands here a three-story brick, erected to meet the
demands of a modern hostelry. He has a 42-foot frontage, which is
divided between dining room and office, giving spacious
accommodation to both. The brick work on this building is all
completed, and three carpenters are now at work rushing the interior
finish. Mr. Moore expects to have the building ready for occupancy in
September. The kitchen and basement are erected separately from the
main building, the former in direct connection by double swinging doors
with the dining room. The hotel will have 51 bedrooms, four bath rooms,
and parlors and all other conveniences of a first-class hotel.
Across the alley Mr. Moore has erected another brick of two stories,with a front of 50 feet, the whole floor devoted to two store rooms, and the upper to be used as an annex to the hotel, with which it will be connected by a covered passage between the second stories.
The year 1906 will break the record for building in
Medford, both in the number and value of the buildings constructed.
BANNER BUILDING YEAR OF MEDFORD'S
HISTORY IS 1908Brick buildings alone to the value of over $100,000 will have been erected by the end of the year, exclusive of the new school house. The list includes the three-story building of the Medford National Bank, the Jackson County Bank's new home, and the building being erected [the Vawter-Brophy building] between the latter and the Hutchison & Lumsden building, the big 150x45-foot structure of Hubbard Bros. and Wallace Woods, and the two bricks being built on the west side by C. W. Palm, the additional story to Hotel Nash and the remodeling of the First National Bank building. In addition to these buildings the Big Bend Milling Co. is considering plans for the erection of two two-story bricks on the half block owned by the company at the southeast corner of 6th and C streets. These buildings will be 50x100 feet in size and will be finished in up-to-date style for mercantile purposes. The contract for these buildings will be let in a short time. The big, three-story Moore [Hotel] building, on the west side, is not included in this list, as it was intended to include only those buildings which were commenced this year, but it might be very properly included, as although it was commenced in 1905, it was not finished until this summer. The addition of this building would raise the total valuation of the brick buildings for 1906 to at least $125,000. Besides this, numerous frame dwellings have been erected all over town. Just how many is a question. Medford Mail, October 12, 1906, page 1 BUILDING BOOM CONTINUES
The building boom in Medford still continues. On the west side of the
railroad track several new buildings have been started during the past
week. C. W. Palm has started the construction of a new brick building
on 7th Street to be occupied by Winkler's second hand store, and
expects to rush the work to completion as soon as possible.Medford's Growth Unprecedented BUILDERS ARE BUSY Some Structures Being Finished. Work Commenced on Others and Still Others Contemplated. G. W. Priddy, the contractor on John F. White's new building, has a large force of men at work on the foundation. This building will be of brick and will be 60x75 feet fronting on 7th Street. The automobile garage building fronting the railroad track is practically completed with the excepting of the roof. C. W. Palm is the owner and was put up under contract by Mr. Priddy. T. H. Moore has broken ground for his new brick building on the north side of 7th Street across the street from his other buildings. In addition to this, that locality has been further improved by the construction of cement sidewalks for the various property owners and the city, by G. W. Priddy and Reinhart and Atwell. On the east side the three new bank buildings are rapidly nearing completion. The First National will be able to move into their new quarters in a few days. The Medford National and the Jackson County banks will probably not be settled in their permanent places of business before December 1st. The new building to the east of the Jackson County Bank building will have a pressed brick front to correspond with the bank building. This as well us the contemplated building to the north of the bank structure will be built by the Jackson County Bank people. The latter building will be occupied in part by the Pacific States Telephone Company. Medford Daily Tribune, October 24, 1906, page 1 Contractors and builders have been rushing work on the many buildings in our city since the weather has settled. Besides the several business blocks that are in course of construction, there are many residences. This will be a busy year in the building line. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, April 12, 1907, page 5 A building boom has struck Medford, and there are at present more buildings in course of erection than at any one time for a number of years. The Medford Bank and the Jackson County Bank, two of the largest banking houses in southern Oregon, have recently moved into handsome new structures, just completed. A $75,000 school building, the Moore Hotel block, the Big Bend Milling Company's block and a large number of smaller structures are monuments of the prosperous growth of this southern Oregon City. "Medford Has Things Coming," Oregon Daily Journal, Portland, April 12, 1907, page 6 MANY NEW BUILDINGS ARE UNDERWAY
Hundred and Seven New Houses and Store Buildings Being Erected and Still No Boom.
Though Medford is not boasting of a building boom, the amount of new
structures now being erected are substantial proof of the growth of the
city. There are by actual count 107 store buildings and residences
today under construction here.
Even then the supply fails to equal the demand. Inquiries for store buildings are daily received, while there is a great dearth of houses. Though the homeseekers from the East have not yet arrived, hotels and lodging houses are filled chockablock, and it is next to impossible to secure a house. Medford Sun, September 27, 1907, page 1 In spite of the fact that this is the "slack" season of the year and as a general rule buildings are not being erected nor projected as rapidly as at other times, there are now in this city over fifty new dwellings--homes--in course of erection or nearing completion. These dwellings range all the way from a cottage of a few rooms to a mansion, but all represent the spirit of growth and progress of Medford. During the financial panic or since there never has been a day when the carpenters were not busy either inside or outside--as the weather permitted. Oh, we are growing a few right along, and we will grow more during the coming year. "City Happenings," Medford Mail, February 14, 1908, page 5 All of the City's Contractors Report More Work Than Ever Before-- Larger and Better Business Blocks and Residences To Be Erected.
W.
D. Hazel, contractor, reports that there is a better outlook for
building in Medford this spring than in any one year since he has been
contracting. He says that there are many buildings contracted for at
the present time and that they are much better and more costly
buildings than heretofore erected in Medford.
BIG BUILDING YEAR IN SIGHTC. W. Snyder states that he has been contracting in Medford for the past four years and that this promises to be the banner year. Mr. Snyder says there is nearly double the amount of contracts placed this year than was ever placed before. R. W. Gray, contractor, states that this will be the best year in the history of Medford for large and costly buildings and that there will be more money spent in fine business and residence properties than in any one year in Medford's history. C. F. Collins, contractor, states that there is fully double the amount of money being spent in buildings in Medford than there was last year. Mr. Collins also states that the so-called hard times seemed to have had a good effect, for there were far more and better buildings to be put up the coming year than last. Contractor Reinhart states that he has been rushed to the limit, and from appearances there will be more than double the amount of building this year than last. Already there is more building under construction than there was last year. Mr. Reinhart predicts that the building of this year will surpass that of last. G. L. Schermerhorn, contractor, states that this year promises more building than any single year in the history of Medford. He says that there is more large contracts being placed now than last year. Medford Daily Tribune, February 22, 1908, page 1 Expressions from different realty agents show it to be the belief that at present there are at least 150 residences in the course of construction throughout the city, and many more are contemplated. The principal business done by agents at present is the sale of small building lots, and nine out of ten of the lots sold, the buyers contemplate building. "Medford Growing Fast," Medford Mail, March 20, 1908, page 4 IMPROVEMENTS ARE MANY.
This
is pretty warm weather to figure on doing much, but there do be things
doing in this Medford town all the time. The improvements which are now
under way are progressing at a pace almost beyond comprehension.
The putting in of the curbing for the Seventh Street paving is nearly all in, and many of the sidewalks have been extended to their full width of 14 feet. The paving of this street is expected to start in about 10 days. In this work several colored men will be employed, and the reason for this is that the material used must be applied while hot, and the colored man is the lad upon whom this intense heat has but little effect. The cement sidewalks around the west school building are well under way. The new high school building is progressing finely, with the brick nearly all laid for the first story. The concrete foundation for the new department store of Deuel & Kentner is nearly all laid. The ditcher is making good progress on the sewer, in district No. 6. The work of hauling crushed rock for several of our side streets will undoubtedly commence about the 15th of this month. Medford Mail, August 14, 1908, page 4 MEDFORD BUILDS RAPIDLY
MEDFORD, Or., Nov.
1.--(Special.)--Two hundred new residences have been erected in Medford
since the first of the year, and there is no sign of a lull in the work
of putting up new buildings. A special canvass has just been completed,
and the count does not include barns or outbuildings, nor the business
structures.THOUSANDS SPENT IN NEW STRUCTURES THIS YEAR. Southern Oregon City Witnesses Vast Amount of New Building Since Last January. In the business portion there have been erected, or are in process of construction, several substantial structures. A two-story brick and stone building, 75x130 feet, for a department store is being erected by Deuel & Kentner, at a cost of $40,000. A two-story building, containing three store rooms, has just been completed by J. C. Hall, at a cost of $15,000. Warner, Wortman & Gore have added to their building, to be used as a grocery store, at a cost of $6000. A new union livery stable is being built at a cost of $6000. The Medford Opera House is being enlarged and otherwise improved at a cost of about $6000. The ice plant has been doubled in capacity, representing in the past two years about $50,000 in improvements. In buildings of a public nature, the Seven Day Adventists have just completed a new church. The Catholics have completed a school building costing $30,000 and are now building a church. The most expensive building, however, to be erected is the high school, a structure which is not excelled in beauty of architecture and conveniences in the state. In addition, a new express office by the Wells-Fargo Company, a depot built by the management of the R.R.V. Railroad and a distributing depot for the Standard Oil Company have been built. In way of civic improvements, $65,000 has been expended for a complete water distributing system and perhaps as much more for a sewer system. The work is now under way on a contract for one mile of bitulithic paving. The construction of an entire new water system will be started as soon as the source of water supply can be determined, bonds to the amount of $365,000 having already been voted. Morning Oregonian, Portland, November 2, 1908, page 12 There has been a wonderful amount of building done in Medford this summer, and the end is not yet by a good bit. Some idea as to the amount of building material being used may be reached when we tell you that for over two weeks last past the Woods Lumber Company has received an average of one carload of lumber each day--and there are four carloads booked to be received yet this week. The Woods Lumber Company is becoming deservedly popular with the contractors and building people of Medford--and this because of the fact that the company does as it agrees to in every instance. "Prosperity for Medford," Medford Mail, November 13, 1908, page 4 COMING TO THE FRONT.
If anyone wishes to see a busy place, let them visit Bennett's Sunrise
Park Addition and see the building that is going on there.Many New Buildings Going Up at Bennett's Sunrise Park Addition. Forrest Edmeades will soon move into his nice new house, which he is having erected on the corner of Howard Street and Bennett Avenue. Mr. Wiley, the contractor, is building for Mrs. Wolverton a very nice six-room bungalow on her lot adjoining Mr. Edmeades. These will both be modern, up-to-date homes. Mr. Edmeades is one of the firm of Edmeades Bros., who will soon open a new shoe store in the Hotel Moore building on West Seventh Street. Mrs. Wolverton is a very estimable lady of considerable means, who recently came from the East and is buying lots and improving them. Mr. Medley is improving the grounds around his new bungalow erected this fall and will soon have a very beautiful suburban home. The population is increasing, too. Note the arrival of a nine-pound boy at the home of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Overholser. Mr. Moyer is erecting for E. P. Bennett a good, substantial tank house and a 3,000-gallon tank. Mr. Bennett and Mr. Edmeades have put down a new sidewalk from their properties along Howard Street to Washington Street in Fruitdale Addition. From there Messrs. Porter & Horning, the hustling real estate firm, of East Medford, have taken up the line and are putting in a splendid walk from there out to East Seventh Street. Medford Mail, December 11, 1908, page 1 HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
IN NEW BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS These Figures Speak of Medford's Wonderful Growth Last Year-- No Other City in the State Can Show So Great Percentage of Increase
Friday
morning this newspaper gave some statistics concerning the postal
receipts of Medford post office during 1908. Saturday morning it told a
few things about increase in volume in other lines of business as
showing the general prosperity and growth of the city and country, and
this morning it gives its readers a statement of the number and value
of the business houses, dwellings, etc., which have been erected or
improved during the past year. The man who was sent out to gather these
statistics didn't figure that he was up against much of a job at first,
but the further he went the wiser he became until he was about as
pleased a man as you ever saw when he finished.
Incidentally, he found on his rounds 229 houses which ranged in cost from $750 to $3000 and over, 13 of them being over, besides a number of other structures of less value. He found that the total amount of money expended in the erection of dwellings alone reached a total of $318,600, which, we will venture to say, is a larger growth than can be shown by any similar-sized city in Oregon for the time. In compiling these figures many small structures in the various additions surrounding the city were omitted; for the reason that they are merely temporary, or makeshift dwellings, and really have no value from a commercial point of view. Still they help the population, for every one of these 25 or 30 buildings serves as the residence of a family, and these people, while they are not within the city limits, may be and should be classed as residents of the city for all practical purposes, and it is merely a question of a short time until they do become actual residents of the city. Also, it was found that improvements on old and erection of new business buildings totaled $175,975, and there are a bunch more business buildings in sight for construction in 1909. The grand total of business and private buildings is nearly half a million--to be exact, $494,575. Besides all this, there have been seven and one-half miles of water mains laid and seven miles of sewer pipe. We have just started paving, but have nearly half a mile completed, and there will be much more of it this year. Over two miles of new cement walks have been laid, and improvements in the way of beautifying residence lots, etc., not counted in this statement are many and important. A high school, at a cost of nearly $40,000, has been built; two new churches and the Christian tabernacle have also been erected, and the Catholic school, costing $40,000, is another one of the new structures.
Summary.
Residences between
$750 and $1000 .
. . . . . . . . . 43
Residences between $1000 and $2000 . . . . . . . . . 131 Residences between $2000 and $3000 . . . . . . . . . 37 Residences over $3000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 About 15 small
structures ranging from $80 to $100 not included.
No. residences over
$750 .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Residences and improvements thereto . . . . . . . . . 265 Business blocks, churches, schools, etc. . . $175,975 Residences and
improvements to same . . . $218,600
Many Buildings.
Just
as an indication as to what is going to take place in this blooming,
bustling little city of Medford in the way of buildings, The Morning Mail is
going to tell you that the Medford Brick Company has already contracted
for the construction of enough buildings to consume 600,000 brick. Last
season this company manufactured and laid just an even million brick,
but one year ago now there were no contracts signed or promises made
for the use of any brick. If this be a condition upon which to base an
estimate, it will be safe to predict that fully 3,000,000 brick will be
manufactured and laid by this firm alone during the coming season.Medford Mail, February 26, 1909, page 5 MANY HOUSES WILL BE BUILT
Not
only is Medford enjoying a great growth in the construction of business
buildings, but the activity is great in other lines of building as well.
Several hundred residences will be built during the coming summer. The lumber companies report that there is a larger demand for residence building materials this spring than for similar materials at the same season in any other year. The contractors and carpenters tell the same story. All are busy and are figuring with prospective builders for other residences to be built later in the season. Building and loan associations by their activity are also increasing the amount of building that will be done this summer. One lumber company alone, the Woods Lumber Company, has sold $100,000 worth of building materials for residences and repairs and additions to residences since the first of the year. This figure indicates the magnitude of the building that will be done this summer. A few of the houses that are going up are the following: Thomas Becket, who lives on the Jacksonville road near the corporation boundary, is building a cottage, 24x28 feet in size. This house is being built for Mrs. Hull. In the Ross addition Lyons & Bostwick, the contractors, are building a seven-room cottage for Harry Loflin. This house is about completed. In the Page addition, among a number of other new houses being built or about to be built is the new cottage of Oscar Lyons. This is a seven-room house. At the end of Riverside Avenue, in South Medford, J. T. Eads is having constructed a modern two-story house. Frank Davis is the contractor. A modern ten-room house is going up on Cottage Street, just off Seventh Street. This house belongs to L. M. Lyons. Another residence going up on the same street is that of J. B. Liptrap. This is to be a cozy five-room cottage. The lumber for this cottage, as for the other residences described above, was furnished by the Woods Lumber Company. Rental agents report that there is a greater demand for vacant houses than ever before and that it will be impossible to glut that market, no matter how many houses go up during the coming summer. No better indication could be secured to establish the rapid and substantial growth of Medford than the fact that it is impossible for the builders to keep up with the demand for new houses. Medford Mail, March 12, 1909, page 8 During the Past Year
Two hundred and twenty-nine homes were erected in
Medford, ranging in cost from $750 to $15,000 each.
One hundred and seventy-three thousand, three hundred and seventy-five dollars was spent in erecting new business blocks in Medford. Medford's new high school was built at a cost of $40,000. The Catholic College was built in Medford, costing $40,000. Two places of worship were added to Medford's list, viz., the Catholic Church and the Christian Tabernacle. Seven and one-half miles of water mains were laid in Medford. Medford put in seven miles of sewer pipe. Main Street in Medford was paved with bitulithic pavement. More than two miles of cement sidewalk was laid in Medford. Medford's population increased more than twelve hundred souls. More than fifty modern dwellings are under construction at the present time. Medford's Magazine, April 1909, page 13 Everything Indicates That Next Year Will Shatter All Building Records in City of Medford.
Next year will
see all building records eclipsed in Medford, if the preparations for
new buildings are any indication of what may be expected later.
Outside of the buildings for which ground has already been broken, a number are in prospect and will be erected during the coming year. The buildings at the corner of Main and Riverside Avenue have been vacated by the tenants, and the old structures are being removed in order to clear the ground for the construction of a modern building on the site. The plans have not as yet been fully perfected for this building, but it is safe to say that it will be up to date in every respect and in keeping with the spirit of progress of the city. Medford Lodge No. 83, I.O.O.F., has purchased 50x80 feet on Sixth Street, near Holly, adjoining the garage being constructed for the Valley Auto Company by Anderson & Green, and will put up a building of at least two stories, and perhaps four, for commercial and lodge purposes. It is the intention of the order to build a home for the lodge on this property that will compare favorably with any lodge home in the state. Lodge No. 1168, B.P.O.E., are negotiating for property on Sixth Street, opposite the above-mentioned tract, with a view to building an Elks temple thereon. This will be another structure worthy of the growing city of Medford. Ground has been broken for a rooming house, modern in all its features, at the junction of Apple and Fifth streets and Riverside Avenue. The house will contain 20 rooms or more. Medford Mail Tribune, December 3, 1909, page 2 1909 WAS GREAT BUILDING YEAR
No Less Than $2,500,000 Was Expended in Medford During 1909 For New Buildings, Homes and Business Blocks.
Two
million, five hundred thousand dollars was expended in the city of
Medford during the past year for new buildings--residences and business
blocks. And the building is continuing without abatement.
All through the business section new blocks are found. No less than ten of these large business buildings were erected, and several more started. During 1908, 229 buildings outside of business blocks were erected in Medford, ranging in price from $750 to $14,000. This year the number of buildings have increased to over 360, and the cost runs from the minimum of last year up. During 1909 the several additions to the city have been building up fast, and with the exception of a few subdivisions where building restrictions were in force the houses constructed have been not on the elaborate plan. Nevertheless these cheap houses count in the upbuilding of the city, for they are built for homes by people who have come here to grow up with the country and investing not for speculation, but with the intent to increase the value of their property as their circumstances permit. Quite a number of beautiful residences have been constructed during the past year, ranging in cost from $5000 to $10,000, and it was simply because material was short and skilled labor scarce that there were not more. Among the new real homes which have been built and included in the above class are W. C. Green's built on the site of the one burned in Bungalow addition; F. K. Deuel's residence and that of Porter J. Neff on Oakdale Avenue; H. E. Boyden's on North Central Avenue; George R. Lindley's on Siskiyou Heights, S. A. Nye, Bert Anderson, J. D. Heard and many others. A conservative estimate places the amount expended for building material in the city at $1,200,000, the material is usually figured at 50 percent of the cost of the building, so there you have another million and a quarter expended for labor. Medford Mail Tribune, January 2, 1910, page B1 POWER & REEVES
Medford
has experienced one of the best building years in 1910 ever seen in any
town. Its development work in buildings is simply marvelous. Yet with
all the buildings erected, the supply has not equaled the demand. The
record of the year makes Medford the banner building town of Oregon.
Medford
presents an extraordinary opportunity for those gifted with the ability
to design the beautiful and unite utility with elegance, for beyond any
other city of its size its people have the high-souled ambition to make
it the most beautiful city in the country. Messrs. C. O. Power and R.
R. Reeves, the architects, have been closely identified with Medford's
architectural beauty. During the past year they have drawn plans for
buildings aggregating in cost $100,000, among them being residences,
bungalows, and four brick blocks. The chaste lines and splendid
arrangement of the Tayler-Phipps building are theirs, the Garnett-Corey
Hardware Co.'s new building and the new Palm building are among these.
The preliminary plans have been drawn, and final specifications are
being prepared for Dr. Page's new hotel and theater at the corner of
Main and Riverside. Messrs. Power and Reeves are eminently fitted to
take a leading part in the structural development of Medford, as they
have had thorough training and years of practical experience. They are
members of the Commercial Club and owners of city property.
MEDFORD'S GREAT BUILDING RECORDMedford Mail Tribune, January 2, 1910, page B7 BUILDING SEASON STARTS WITH RUSH
Never before in the
annals of Medford has the building season opened with such a rush as
the present one. Last year $2,500,000 was spent in the city for new
buildings, but from all indications this mark will be exceeded during
1910. Already the business blocks planned total nearly three-quarters
of a million, and it is known that other buildings are contemplated for
the business district, to say nothing of the myriad of dwelling houses
contracted for throughout the city.CONTRACTS TOTALING HALF MILLION HAVE BEEN LET The greatest difficulty which is confronting prospective builders is the finding and securing of suitable sites. An instance of this is the difficulty which the local lodge of Elks and of Odd Fellows are at present experiencing. Each of these lodges are planning a home of their own, but so far have been unsuccessful in their efforts to find a suitable building location. New Buildings.
The buildings on which work is either started or will start within a
few weeks are:Building Estimated Cost Reddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60,000 Masonic Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,000 Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,000 Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,000 Southern Pacific . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,000 Natatorium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,000 Episcopal Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,000 Episcopal Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,000 Telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000 Medford Grocery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,000 Rogue River Electric . . . . . . . . . . 15,000 Medford Building Co. . . . . . . . . . 45,000 J. M. Root and Associates . . . . . . 30,000 Lodges To Build.
In
addition to these which have been assured it is known that the Elks are
considering the erection of a building to cost between $30,000 and
$40,000 ,the Odd Fellows a building of like cost, while the school
board is planning the erection of a new school building on the East
Side. Other possibilities include a federal building and a $40,000
hospital to
be erected by the Catholic Sisters.Much remodeling is to be done. The Garnett-Corey building, while it cannot be said to be remodeled, as it is not yet completed, will have a fourth floor. The Medford National Bank plans to spend $25,000 in building an addition to their present commodious quarters. H. E. Boyden will soon commence the entire remodeling of his building on Main Street now occupied by the Medford Hardware Company by tearing out the old front and replacing it with one up to date, using granite. The city council will also probably build an addition to the city hall, adding a third story, aside from putting up a building of the same size of the present one on the vacant lot adjoining it. The estimated cost of this improvement is $30,000. Another New One.
One of the latest
announcements made by builders is that of a new building to be
constructed by J. M. Root, J. E. Enyart, and F. E. Merrick, which is to
be erected just east of the projected building of the Medford Building
Company, and next to the Medford Laundry. This building will be a
brick, three stories high, facing 55 feet on Main Street and will be
100 feet deep. It will be modern in every respect.During the past week the contract for the new brick warehouse of the Medford Grocery Company was let. This building will stand three blocks south of the depot and will be large enough to house this concern, which is the largest wholesale grocery company in the state outside of Portland. A sidetrack has already been constructed by the Southern Pacific Company. Freight Depot.
When the Southern
Pacific Company first announced its plans of moving the present depot
it was stated that the freight depot would be situated two blocks
south. While the estimated cost of these buildings and platforms have
not been given out, attention having been paid solely to the passenger
depot, it is estimated that at least $25,000 will be spent on the
freight depot, work on which is to start soon.The plans for the new opera house, which is to form a portion of the Page building on East Main, have been completed and provide for a theater modern in every respect. Charles D. Hazelrigg has spent hours with the architect outlining his needs, and when completed Medford will have as fine an opera house as is to be found in the state. The contract calls for the completion of this work October 15. Masonic Temple.
The incorporation of
the Masonic Building Association is almost completed, and it is
believed that work will start within two months on the new Masonic
temple. This building will be at least three stories in height, the
first two floors being devoted to stores and offices, the third floor
being reserved by the lodge for lodge purposes.A. A. Davis announces that he is almost ready to commence to let the contract for the construction of his new business block on the corner of Central Avenue and Sixth Street. This building, which is to cost $40,000, will be modern in every respect. The Medford Building Company, which is to erect a large building on the corner of Riverside and Main streets, announces that it will soon commence construction work. The buildings which stood on the site have been already removed. New School Building.
While no definite
announcement has been made, it is believed that this summer will see
the erection of a new school building on the East Side, which has been
needed for months. Another possibility is a new $40,000 hospital by the
Catholic Sisters, who for some time have been considering the matter
and will probably take definite action in the near future.Contractors state that never before was there such demand in this city for the erection of new dwelling houses. Nearly 150 of these are at present in the course of construction, and every day sees some new contract let. Builders are jubilant, while lumber dealers can scarcely keep their equilibrium; they are being swamped with orders, and contractors with work. The new Episcopal Church, the cornerstone of which is to be laid on Wednesday, March 2, 2:30 p.m., the Rt. Rev. Charles Scadding, bishop of the Oregon diocese, officiating, marks the commencement of the finest church building in the state outside of Portland, and is a red-letter day in local church circles. The evening of that day will be devoted to a public rally to be held in the opera house, for which an elaborate program has been prepared. Medford Mail Tribune, February 22, 1910, page 2 Many of the plans mentioned above did not reach fruition, at least not in the form and on the timeline suggested above. WHAT SEPTEMBER FINDS IN MEDFORD.
September first finds Medford maintaining its lead as the banner small
city of the Northwest. Postal receipts show a gain over a year ago of
sixty-eight percent. Bank clearances and deposits are nearly fifty
percent greater. More and costlier buildings are under way than ever in
the city's history. Railroad business has increased in proportion. The
heaviest pear crop in the valley's history is being shipped, realizing
the highest prices of any fruit in the eastern markets. Double the
quantity of apples produced a year ago will soon be on their way east.
September first sees grading completed on the Pacific & Eastern to Butte Falls and the grade into Medford nearly completed. Construction gangs are busy laying the rails, while other contractors are rushing the extension of the Oregon Trunk down the Deschutes, across the Klamath country and the Cascades to a junction with it, thus giving Medford two transcontinental railroads. September first this year for the first time finds Medford with the best municipal water supply of any city in the West, with a gravity system bringing water twenty-five miles from its source in the snow-capped sentinels of the Cascades, with pure water ample for a city of twenty-five thousand people. It finds Medford with a completed distributing system exceeding twenty-one miles of cast iron mains and with work begun on nine miles of main extensions. September first finds Medford with over ten miles of bitulithic and asphalt paved streets. New contracts totaling over 280,000 square yards of pavement, with curbing and guttering, amounting to over a million dollars, the largest contract ever made on the coast, is but forty percent completed. When completed, Medford will be the best-paved city of its size anywhere. September first witnesses work begun on a large storm sewer a mile in length to carry off the flood waters from the West Side, and the beginning of work on contracts let for nine miles of sewer extensions, making Medford the best-sewered city on the coast. September first sees phenomenal building activity in the business district. It sees the finishing touches being put on the palatial new depot of the Southern Pacific, costing $50,000, the largest in Oregon outside of Portland. It sees the grounds around it being graded preparatory to parking [i.e., making a park.]. It witnesses the near completion of the $50,000 natatorium and its galaxy of amusements, the finest institution of its kind north of San Francisco. September will witness the completion of the four-story brick block being erected by the Garnett-Corey Hardware Company, of the granite block erected by the Episcopal Church, of the three-story concrete building erected by the Ray brothers, of the three-story wholesale store erected by the Medford Grocery Company and of the new pressed-brick Davis block. September first sees construction well under way on the Howard brothers' four-story reinforced concrete block [the "Woolworth" building], occupying a quarter of a block, on the six-story Medford Hotel, on the four-story Page Hotel [never built], giving Medford two first-class hotels and the best hotel accommodations of any Oregon city, and the beginning of construction of the Masonic temple, of the Root building [the Sparta building], of the Mail Tribune building, of the Westerlund block [the Holland Hotel] and several other structures, as well as innumerable residences. Congress has appropriated $110,000 to erect a federal building in Medford, and September will see the site selected and preparations under way for its construction. And now come the Sisters of Providence and [their] offer to erect a $100,000 hospital at Medford, providing a bonus of $10,000, to purchase the site, be raised. Half of it has been secured, and every patriotic citizen should see to it that he gives what he can afford, for by just such actions has Medford's progress been maintained. Medford is growing by leaps and bounds. Yet rapid as the improvements are, they cannot keep pace with the demands. There is not now and has not been in five years a vacant building or a house to let. And Medford's future is brighter this first day of September than ever. Medford Mail Tribune, September 1, 1910, page 4 Medford's Building Activity Is
Breaking All Records
The
seeming insatiable demand for office room, store space and hotel
accommodations which has continually confronted Medford in her rapid
growth from a small town to a rustling city should soon be temporarily
relieved. With the completion of the business blocks now under
construction, 428 rooms will be thrown upon the market for use as
offices, guest chambers and store rooms. Of these, 212 are designed for
business offices, while 216 will be for the accommodation of guests in
the two new hotels that are under construction. The majority of the
office rooms have already been rented to business firms who are now
holding forth in back alley apartments or in badly cramped quarters in
some of Medford's present modern business blocks.
There are over $600,000 worth of solid, permanent buildings under construction in Medford at the present time. Besides the buildings actually being built, the architects say that they are now negotiating with a number of prospective builders who have not yet made definite plans, but who will build in the near future. In addition to the stone, brick, iron and concrete structures being built in the downtown fire restricted district, Medford is witnessing an unprecedented rush in the home-building line. The business blocks under construction number twelve. Although none of them are skyscrapers in the New York use of the term, if piled together they would nose away the clouds at the height of 36 stories. The two hotels and the Howard building are to have five stories, the Garnett-Corey four stories and the rest two and three stories. A proper estimate of the extent of construction work being done in Medford's downtown section can be gained by the knowledge that if all the buildings being erected were one story high they would cover 112,309 square feet, or two and one-third acres. A wall made of the material that is being used in the buildings would have made an admirable protection for some medieval town. Robert Slewing, a Californian, is the last man to have plans drawn for the erection of a business block in Medford. Clark & Foster have just drawn plans for a two-story pressed brick structure, which is to be built by Mr. Slewing at 217 West Main Street. The new building will be 25 feet wide, with a depth of 120 feet. Both floors will be used as store rooms. Clark & Foster also have just finished plans for the new Christian Science Church, which is to be erected on Oakdale Avenue. The church is to be a frame structure, costing $3500. Medford's fine new $50,000 depot, which is the most expensive structure built by the Southern Pacific between Portland and Sacramento, will become the permanent abode of the Medford coterie of Harriman officials on the first of next month. The new depot resembles in every detail the one recently constructed at Walla Walla, a town of 30,000 people. Contracts have been let for John M. Root's new $30,000 building and will be completed in 121 days. The structure will have an enameled brick front. The first floor will be occupied by stores, while the second will contain offices. Both the Garnett-Corey and Rogue River Electric buildings will be ready for occupancy by the first of next month. The Garnett-Corey building, four stories high, will cost $58,250 when completed. The first floor will be occupied by the Garnett-Corey Hardware Company, while the upper three floors will be divided into 60 offices. Power & Reeves are the architects for this building. The first floor of the Rogue River Valley Electric building, on West Main Street, is already occupied by the company owning it. The second and third floors have been divided by the architect, McIntosh, into 30 offices. There will be a cafe in the basement connected by the elevator with a roof garden on top of the building. Power & Reeves report that the A. A. Davis building, which is being erected on North C Street for the [Big] Bend Milling Company at the cost of $45,000, will be completed within the next two months. The furniture store of Cuthbert & Co. will occupy the entire two floors of this building, which has the dimensions of 90x180 feet. The first story of this structure is extra high, having a mezzanine or balcony for storing goods. [The writer has apparently confused the Cuthbert and Davis buildings.] The five-story Howard building, being erected on Central Avenue across from the post office, will be Medford's largest business block. The first two stories will be occupied by a department store, consisting of an amalgamation of the Medford Furniture Company and Nicholson Hardware Company. Johns & Turner, the architects, have divided the upper three floors into 70 offices. The building will cost $85,000 and will be completed by the first of the year. The Page and the Medford hotels being erected at each end of the town both have their basement excavations finished. Within the next week contracts will be let for the buildings proper. The Medford Hotel will be six stories high and will contain 110 guest rooms and six sample rooms, besides a dining room and appurtenances, parlors, a lounging room for men, a store, a barber shop and a billiard room. [The hotel was built at five stories; a sixth was added in the mid-1920s.] The building will be pressed brick, costing $80,000. The Page Hotel, located on East Main and Riverside streets, is to cost $100,000 and is to be five stories high. The fifth floor, however, will not be finished immediately. This hotel will contain 100 guest rooms and will have a grill in the basement. [The Page Hotel was not built.] Both hotels will be steam heated and will have elevators. Between the Page Hotel and Bear Creek will be erected a theater as soon as the first building is completed. The Episcopalian building, next [to] that of the Rogue River Valley Electric Company, is nearing completion under the careful superintendence of Archdeacon Chambers of Portland. The building will contain two floors. Three stores have rented the ground floor, while the upper floor is being divided into eight offices. A large meeting or dance hall and a reception room to serve at times as a dining room. The building is being erected at a cost of $32,000. The new St. Mark's Church, next door, is not being built at present on account of lack of funds. Porter J. Neff and J. A. Westerlund have started work upon a business block 100x130, where the residence of J. E. Enyart stands on the corner of Sixth and Fir. This building is to be the new home of the Mail Tribune. In addition to these, a very fine new home [i.e., warehouse] has been erected by the Medford Grocery Company, just south of the present Southern Pacific depot, at a cost of $40,000. Buildings planned for the spring include a new opera house by Dr. Page, a Masonic temple and several apartment houses, aside from a large store on the east side. Medford Mail Tribune, September 4, 1910, page B1  MEDFORD AND ITS ERA OF BIG
BUILDING
Thriving City Where Five Millions of Dollars Is Being Invested This Year in Substantial Structures By Charles A. Malboeuf, Manager, Medford Commercial Club
Medford
looks like a city just built, torn down and rebuilt again. Streets are
re-torn up in every direction, huge piles of building material block
the way, and hundreds of men and horses are at work laying 16 miles of
asphalt pavement. Frame structures stand astride the thoroughfares in
the cause of removal from the business district and cause a still
greater detour of traffic. In every quarter buildings are going up,
either for business or residence purposes. Garages are to be seen on
all sides. More than 350 automobiles are to be cared for, and
additional sales are being made daily. Energy and activity are rampant.
The Medford spirit, after the tremendous operations of the last year,
has merely taken the second breath and gone at it again. Two and a half
millions of dollars were spent in 1909 for buildings; this was thought
enough for a city just passing the 7000 mark, but the record is to be
exceeded in 1910.
Five millions will be expended before December, and the demand for space continues. Truly an era of new building has been reached, more befitting the ordinary city of 25,000 than one that has increased from 2000 to nearly 10,000 in less than three years. One six-story hotel is being erected, and another four-story structure is going up. Each will cost over $100,000. Five business structures are nearing completion. Four more have been started and more contracted for. The aggregate cost for those under construction today is not less than $750,000. Nearly $1,000,000 is being expended in dwellings, and public improvements represent over $500,000 more. Recreation is not lost sight of. One of the largest natatoriums in the United States is about completed. It will cost $60,000, and its composite features are complete in every detail. The swimming pool, 50x100 feet, required more than ten carloads of cement, and will keep a small part of the people cool for awhile. Twenty carloads of lumber are used in this huge building, and a whole carload of sash and doors are necessary to give light, access and egress. The dancing pavilion takes a solid car of maple lumber for floors alone. Startling Statistics
The
building of a city upon solid
modern lines presents some startling statistical facts. Over 1000 cars
of lumber will be necessary in the construction of buildings in Medford
in 1910. More than 800 cars of cement will be used. Two carloads of
nails arrive each month, and the cost of building hardware and nails in
the construction of residences alone will exceed $200,000. The
transformation of the rough land into lawns of green has already caused
the sale this year of nearly six miles of garden hose. One store alone
will sell over 22,000 feet.It is safe to say that the solidity of Medford, as well as its future prospects, were never more assured than at the present time. The 500,000 acres tributary to Medford of themselves constitute an area capable of supporting a city of 25,000 people. Back of this rich cleared land stand more than 23,000,000,000 feet of fir and pine. A great portion of this timber is on level land, making logging inexpensive and after being cleared will provide hundreds and thousands of acres suitable for all kinds of cultivation. One thousand men working every day for forty years will be insufficient to manufacture this vast amount of timber into lumber. This one great resource will support a city of 6000 people. The timber is within the range of vision from any part of the valley. The Pacific & Eastern [Railroad] building by the Hill interest already pierces the heart of the forests and commands 8,000,000,000 feet. In less than six weeks the road will be in operation, after an expenditure of nearly $40,000 a mile of 32 miles. The empire builders officially announced that the Pacific & Eastern must and will go to a connection with the Oregon Trunk, now building, regardless of cost, and as far as men can do the work down the Deschutes River. The Hill line crossing the state east and west will connect with the Trunk System also, and Medford will be the terminus of two great transcontinental systems and the most important city between Portland and Sacramento along the Southern Pacific. The acquisition of these railroads is of immeasurable benefit to Medford and indelibly stamps its future progress. The Hill people, appreciating its great resources, are already prepared to advertise the Rogue River Valley far and wide. Local products, including the highest quality of apples and pears produced, are being shipped to the Great Northern people at Portland for their Oregon exhibit car, which will cover the entire eastern portion of the United States during the next fall, winter and spring months. The problem of securing equipment for the more than 25,000 cars of fruit that will be shipped in less than 10 years from Medford and vicinity is disposed of by the completion of three powerful railroads. Population Growth.
The fruit
and agricultural
resources of the valley have been fully demonstrated. More than 65,000
acres of apples and pears are now growing, and over 10,000 acres are
being added every year. Two and a half million dollars will be expended
in irrigation purposes, which will cover every acre in the valley and
enable nearly every acre to be placed under cultivation. Upon each 10
acres a family will be supported. Electric lines, now fully capitalized
and financed, will serve all corners of the district, and the great
hand of transportation will be foremost in development.Twelve months ago Medford had an estimated population of 6000 people; 8000 was the advertised population at the first of the year, but the census disclosed 9000. During the past 19 months newcomers have settled in Medford and the immediate vicinity at the rate of one person every hour day and night. Bank deposits, which increased 50 percent in 1909, further increased 40 percent the first six months in 1910. Postal receipts increased 33 percent in 1909, but for 12 months ending July 1, 1910 increased 36 percent. The fluctuation of stocks in Wall Street have no effect here. Confidence is supreme, and utmost faith in the city's growth is evident from the public improvements and building construction. Every accessory to the needs of a modern city is being displayed here. The water system, costing with the city mains nearly $500,000, is second only to Portland's famous Bull Run supply. Pure cold water from the eternal snows of Mt. McLoughlin reaches the city by gravity line 23 miles long, with a pressure of 93 pounds. The system is sufficient to anticipate a population of 30,000 people. The new sewer system is completed. The three miles of asphalt pavement completed in 1909 are being increased by 16 miles more this year. Asphalt will cover every street in the business district and the larger portion of the residence section. The main thoroughfare will be paved for a distance of more than two and a half miles long. More than 200 horses and 250 men are at work on the entire contract, which will be completed by November. A second telephone system will be in operation in a few weeks. A gas plant under construction will serve the city for illumination and cooking purposes. The class of Medford's residences is very artistic. Bungalows generally prevail in the smaller structures. Colonial and many other styles are prominent. More than two score of residences already occupied represent a cost of from $5000 to $12,000 each. Great care and pride is being displayed in the surroundings. Natural groves of great oak trees have been selected in the location for many of the most beautiful residences. Civic pride, following in the wake of construction, predicts a city of unusual beauty. Shade trees [omission] roses that bloom nearly every month in the year are being set out, and the landscape is rapidly being transformed into magnificent footwork of velvet green. Cluster lights are being agitated for the main streets, and the acquisition of parks and beautification in general is the order. Building Progress.
The
business district presents
almost a solid mile of frontage. The structures are new, neat and
modern. Granite and pressed brick prevail. Reinforced concrete is
coming into use. The buildings now under erection will nearly all be of
class A type. The new Medford Hotel, six stories in height, will cover
an area 50 by 120 feet. [Hotel
Medford was built at five stories; another story was added around 1925.]
The four-story hotel will cover 88 by 146 feet, with basement. Both of
these will be equipped with steam heating plants and telephones and
electric lights, elevator system and modern grills. Building structures
now range from four to six stories in height, with one contemplated at
eight stories. Steel, granite, concrete, brick and stone is being used.
The new Southern Pacific depot, costing $50,000, will be the largest
one in the Pacific Northwest outside of Portland and indicates the
confidence of the railroad people in the future of the city.Interest from all parts of the union continues in the great fruit industry in the Rogue River Valley. The type of newcomers are of the highest class. Chicago, New York and other great eastern cities are represented in the wealthy capitalists now taking up orchards. The man of means is apparent on every side, and building improvements in the orchards are keeping stride with those in the city. Every newcomer is a booster, man and woman, and are untiring in their efforts to surround themselves with their own personal friend from their former section. Real estate values in Medford and the orchard districts have been largest on record during the past 12 months, and an immense influx of people is expected after harvest. Carrying out its regular practice, the Rogue River [Valley] again stands prominent in high-class production in 1910. More fruit will be shipped than in any previous year, and the quality this year will be unsurpassed. The pear orchards are laden with fruit of enormous size. Picking is already under way, and many cars have been shipped. Market reports indicate the continued demand for Rogue River fruits and revenues are expected to surpass those of previous years. Not less than 300 cars of pears will go forward in the next few weeks, and about 400 cars of apples, yellow and red, will follow in September and October. All these conditions more than justify what Medford is doing. Medford Mail Tribune, September 11, 1910, page B1 What September Finds in Medford
September finds
Medford maintaining its lead as the banner small city of the Northwest.
Postal receipts show a gain over a year ago of sixty-eight percent.
Bank clearances and deposits are nearly fifty percent greater. More and
costlier buildings are under way than ever in the city's history.
Railroad business has increased in proportion. The heaviest pear crop
in the valley's history is being shipped, realizing the highest prices
of any fruit in the eastern markets. Double the quantity of apples
produced a year ago will soon be on their way east, while the 65,000
acres of young orchard show a most thrifty growth.
September sees grading completed on the Pacific & Eastern to Butte Falls and the grade into Medford nearly completed. Construction gangs are busy laying the rails, while other contractors are rushing the extension of the Oregon Trunk down the Deschutes, across the Klamath country and the Cascades to a junction with it, thus giving Medford two transcontinental railroads and opening up an immense timber district to lumber manufacturing. September finds rival railroad engineers surveying lines from the Rogue River Valley through a rich mining district, and the largest redwood timber belt in the world, to a harbor at Crescent City. September this year for the first time finds Medford with the best municipal water supply of any city in the West, with a gravity system bringing water twenty-five miles from its source in the snow-capped sentinels of the Cascades, with pure water ample for a city of twenty-five thousand people. It finds Medford with a completed distributing system, exceeding twenty-one miles of cast iron mains and with work begun on nine miles of main extensions. September finds Medford with over ten miles of bitulithic and asphalt paved streets. New contracts totaling over 280,000 square yards of pavement, with curbing and guttering, amounting to over a million dollars, the largest contract ever made on the coast, is but forty percent completed. When completed, Medford will be the best-paved city of its size anywhere. September sees phenomenal building activity in the business and residence districts. It sees the finishing touches being put on the palatial new depot of the Southern Pacific, costing $50,000, the largest in Oregon outside of Portland. It sees the grounds around it being graded preparatory to parking. It witnesses the near completion of the $50,000 natatorium and its galaxy of amusements, the finest institution of its kind north of San Francisco. September will witness the completion of the four-story brick block being erected by the Garnett-Corey Hardware Company, of the granite block erected by the Episcopal Church, of the three-story concrete building erected by the Ray brothers [the Electric Building], of the three-story wholesale story erected by the Medford Grocery Company and of the new pressed-brick Davis block. September sees construction well under way on the Howard brothers' four-story reinforced concrete block [i.e., the Medford Furniture & Hardware Co. Building], costing $100,000 occupying a quarter of a block, on the six-story $100,000 Medford Hotel, on the four-story $100,000 Page Hotel [This building was not built.], giving Medford two first-class hotels and the best hotel accommodations of any Oregon city, and the beginning of construction on the Root building [i.e., the Sparta Building], of the two-story 80x100-foot Mail Tribune building, and several other structures, as well as innumerable residences. September will see the selection of a site and construction preparations under way for the new federal building, for which Congress has appropriated $110,000. And now come the Sisters of Providence and offer to erect a $100,000 hospital at Medford, providing a bonus of $10,000, to purchase the site, be raised. Three-fourths of it has been secured. September sees the completion of surveys, under supervision of the government good roads engineer, for an automobile boulevard to Crater Lake National Park, the scenic wonderland of the world, and contracts let for the construction of the most difficult portion of the road; paid for from a fund of $30,000 raised by public subscription by the patriotic citizens of Medford and vicinity. September also sees a survey for park improvements under way by the United States government. Medford is growing by leaps and bounds. Yet rapid as the improvements are, they cannot keep pace with the demands. There is not now and has not been in five years a vacant building or a house to let. And Medford's future is brighter this September than ever. Medford Mail Tribune, September 11, 1910, page B1 GREAT NUMBER OF BUILDINGS ARE
UNDER WAY
Regardless of Weather Conditions Buildings Continues Unabated in Medford-- Much Improvement and Repair Under Way.
That
Medford is rapidly forging to the front regardless of weather
conditions; that here people are unshaken in their confidence of her
future and that unprecedented prosperity has settled down to permanent
business is evidenced by a building census taken Monday morning. In the
parts of the city visited, it was found that crews of workmen were busy
on 98 different buildings, and these buildings range from a modest
bungalow to a skyscraper. Ninety-eight buildings are not all the
buildings under course of construction, as not one-third of the town
was covered, but there are 98 buildings under course of construction
within a radius of eight blocks of the crossing of Front and Main
streets. Farther out in the newer additions there are many new
buildings under course of construction; these, however, have not been
enumerated, but it is a conservative estimate to say they are 50 in
number.
Aside from the new buildings there is an immense amount of repair and improvement work. Houses are being moved to new locations and remodeled; the sound of the hammer and the saw is everywhere to be heard. Not only are new buildings going up, but new streets are being opened, alleys improved, water pipes placed in residences, electric lights and telephones installed and the property in every way improved and modernized. From estimates furnished by different contractors, it is learned that no less than 300 new buildings will be commenced as soon as material can be placed upon the ground. Some few of these are business buildings, but the greater portion of them are cottages, not cottages for rent, but homes for men who have located with their families within the past year. With the advent of good weather there will not be an idle carpenter, painter, plumber, bricklayer or plasterer in the city, as the work already in sight is more than the present number of workmen in the city can do on contract time. On every hand buildings are springing up as if by magic, and although this is the poorest season for building work, the hum of the saw and sound of the hammer is hourly proclaiming that Medford is building into a permanent, progressive, prosperous and modern city. Medford Mail Tribune, December 19, 1910, page 1 Over a Million and a Half Dollars' Worth This Year and Next Year Will Far Exceed That Amount--Architects and Contractors Busier by Far on Projected Work Than Last December Architects and contractors unite in saying that Medford will see in 1911 still greater building development, and that is saying a great deal. The contractors are doing all in their power to get ready for the spring rush, and already they find themselves with contracts for many buildings to be erected next spring. A local gentleman who is prominent in the political life of Jackson County said: "I found in my trip north recently a wonderful spirit and feeling of prosperity. Everyone is acquiring more faith in the Taft administration, and as money is loosening there will be no panic nor hard times. At Portland every contractor and architect is straining his nerves to get ready for the new building era of 1911, and already they are being flooded with orders. The railroads, every business concern, is awakening to the fact that 1911 will bring the greatest period of development work in Oregon history." Just what these statements mean can be shown by the following list of buildings erected in 1910, with their cost as shown: The Natatorium . . . $100,000 Medford Furniture Company . . . 75,000 Garnett-Corey Building . . . 65,000 Southern Pacific Depot . . . 50,000 St. Mark's Block . . . 4,5000 Rogue River Electric Building . . . 25,000 Davis Block . . . 30,000 Medford Grocery Building . . . 30,000 Odd Fellows' Block . . . 20,000 Anderson-Green Garage . . . 30,000 Home Telephone Building . . . 15,000 Mail Tribune Block . . . 20,000 Schmitt & Slewing Building . . . 10,000 Four hundred homes, average cost $2500 . . . 1,000,000 Total . . . $1,555,000 Besides there are the government building, the hospital and two hotels under construction: The Page Hotel . . . $100,000 The Medford Hotel . . . 150,000 Government Building . . . 110,000 Medford Hospital . . . 90,000 Then there are two schools, one in Queen Anne addition and one on Jackson Street, each to cost $35,000-$70,000. The Jackson Boulevard bridge, $15,000. The First National Bank and the Masons will erect buildings also. So that the buildings erected and those under contract for 1910 was $2,090,000. When one takes in the buildings erected and the city improvements for 1910 the total is staggering, and more so when one knows that the supply does not equal the demand. Every architect and contractor in the city reports that he is busier and has more work in prospect for the ensuing season by far than at this time last year. December has been a much busier month in the matter of making preparations for building to be undertaken next year than was December, 1909. Various kinds of contracting work, painting, heating and finishing, is to be had in abundance, for there is more work offering than there are people to do it. In every case the large buildings projected are larger and finer than were those of this time last year. They are going higher into the skies and are more elaborate, costly and bear the marks of permanency in every day. The best talent in the country is being enlisted to see to the planning of these fine buildings and to their superintendence according to the ambitious plans that are being adopted by Medford's up-to-date builders and owners of business lots. The highest grade pressed brick predominates, and for general exterior and interior finish the best in granite and wood that Oregon can produce is being used. Medford Sun, December 30, 1910, page 1 OVER 100 PERCENT GROWTH IN
BUILDING
Manager Thierolf of Big Pines Lumber Company Says Increase During 1910 Was Over 100 Percent When Compared with 1909. With Buildings in Sight for 1911, Business This Year Is Expected to Make Corresponding Great Increase.
Lumber
and building material sales in the city of Medford, according to H. A.
Thierolf, manager of the Big Pines Lumber Company, were 100 percent
greater in 1910 than in the year 1909. Mr. Thierolf bases his statement
on the great increase made by his own company.
The increase in 1909 over the preceding year Mr. Thierolf estimated at about 50 percent. The actual value of the lumber used in building operations and for other purposes during 1910 is not procurable, but the increased consumption is based by the lumber merchants on the relative amount of material handled during the year. The orders for buildings to be erected during 1911 filed so far, together with the estimates for the year based on probable increase in population and business, point to an increase for this year over last almost as great as made in 1910 over 1909. There were more dwellings erected during the past year than ever before in the city's history. These, with the great strides made in the erection of business blocks, caused the great increase. Brick companies also testify to the great gains made by the city in the matter of new houses. One company's business alone increased 135 percent over 1909. The size of the new buildings being erected downtown is shown by the fact that two blocks alone required over 1,200,000 feet of lumber. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1911, page 1 A four-story building [the Liberty Building] was formally opened to the public Saturday. The building, constructed of granite, brick and concrete, was erected by a hardware company [Garnett-Corey], who occupy the first floor and basement; the three upper floors are fitted for offices, and I think all are rented. Another four-story building is rapidly nearing completion in which the Medford Furniture and Hardware Company, now occupying three rooms the size of John W. Anderson's hardware, will have a home. The First National Bank owners bought a site for a new home today, paying $1400 a front foot for it. A four-story building is to be erected by them. Work is soon to begin on two six-story hotels, whose foundations were put in after we came. The Catholics will erect a large new hospital during the year 1911. I am of the opinion that at least three new churches will be erected this year. The schools are crowded and two more large new buildings are to be ready for the opening of school in September. Now [we] have three new buildings. Almost one million dollars have been spent in public improvements during the past two years, as follows: Street paving, nine miles . . . $377,615 Sidewalks . . . 74,006 Sewers . . . 116,412 Water mains . . . 90,159 Macadam roads . . . 1,597 Gravity water system . . . 275,000 Total . . . $934,789 Excerpt, J. E. Fuselman in Martinsville, Indiana Reporter, "How He Happened to Come to Medford," Medford Sun, February 1, 1911, page 5 MEDFORD BUILDING WORK EXCEEDS
$5,000,000
MEDFORD, Or., March
4.--(Special.)--Great strides will be made this year to make Medford a
city of handsome and substantial business buildings, and local
contractors and builders already have enough work guaranteed them to
make certain that the figures for building for 1911 will eclipse the
figures of last year.Sunday Oregon Town Assumes Decidedly Metropolitan Aspect During 1910-- 1911 Is Expected to Surpass Year Just Passed. BY ARTHUR R. MANES. Foremost among the buildings this year is the new federal building. For a consideration of $1 the government recently acquired a site for a new post office building on Sixth Street, and as an appropriation of $110,000 has already been obtained from Congress, work on the building will be delayed only until such time as the Treasury Department's architects are able to complete satisfactory plans. The second in importance among the projected buildings is that already under construction for the Medford Hotel Company. According to the terms of the contract, this building, which is to cost $125,000, must be ready for occupancy by next August. It will, when completed, be the most up-to-date hotel in Southern Oregon, and every effort will be made to have it equal, insofar as possible, the newest hostelries of Portland. Another hotel, the Page Hotel, is promised for this year. This building will cost in the neighborhood of $100,000, and will be four stories high. Hospital to Cost $100,000.
The Sisters of
Providence have already obtained the site for a $100,000 hospital
building, and work will be commenced upon it as soon as the plans are
completed. Fifty thousand dollars will be put into the building of a
Masonic temple by the Masons here, and the Odd Fellows are completing a
$30,000 three-story brick and cement building. About four garages will
be built. The Union Meat Company branch here has received orders from
the headquarters of the company in Portland to commence work upon three
new cold-storage rooms, with a capacity of one car each, so that they
will be ready before the coming of the warm weather.The school board has let the contracts for two new school buildings to cost $33,000 each, and has stipulated that they be completed, with the exception of the interior work on the third stories, by August 5. Andrew Carnegie recently informed the library board that $20,000 had been set aside by him for the library building here, and a site has been obtained in the city park. Other Buildings Promised.
Chief among the other
buildings promised are: The Palm building, on Main Street, $20,000; the
J. M. Root building, $30,000; the Howard building, opposite the present
post office, $25,000; the completion of the building on the Porter J.
Neff property, the cost and style of which has not yet been determined.
It is also probable that a new theater will be built this year to
replace the Medford Opera House.Apart from business blocks, approximately 500 residences are contracted for, and while these will vary greatly in design and cost, one contractor estimated that the average cost of each will be $2000. These figures are based on the average cost of residences so far built in this city. The city last year spent over $900,000 in paving, water mains, sewers and for a gravity water system and, with the exception of the last named, contemplates duplicating this achievement this year. At the close of 1910, the city had 10 miles of bitulithic and asphalt paved streets, and it has already been decided to pave an additional nine miles this year. The cost of paving done last year was $377,615, and there remains yet to be done work on outstanding contracts aggregating almost a million dollars. In sewers and water mains the city will spend more money this year than it did last, and an idea of what that will amount to can be gained best by considering that in sewers alone $116,142 was expended during 1910. Medford Work $5,000,000.
A conservative
estimate places the value of the improvement work done in Medford
during 1910 at $5,000,000. In the course of the 12 months constituting
that year the city assumed a decidedly metropolitan aspect. That year
saw the completion of the first four-story building to be built here
and also the starting of a second. The one completed is the new home of
the Garnett-Corey Hardware Company and, besides being the largest block
in the city, it was the first to be equipped with elevator service.The Home Telephone Company completed a handsome two-story building on Sixth Street; the Medford National Bank almost finished a $30,000 addition to its bank building; the Medford Grocery Company completed and moved into a new two-story brick home on Tenth and Front streets, and the Davis block [i.e., the Sparta Building], of white enamel brick trimmed with granite, was built at a cost of $40,000. The St. Mark's block, at Main and Holly streets, was completed. This building is considered the handsomest in the city. It is two stories high, cost $40,000, and is built of Southern Oregon granite. Nineteen hundred and ten saw the completion of the Natatorium, one of the finest strictly amusement buildings in the state, and also the completion and opening to the public of one of the handsomest passenger stations on the Southern Pacific line. Sunday Oregonian, Portland, March 5, 1911, page 68  July 2, 1911 Medford Mail Tribune Substantial Business Blocks Going
Up
As If by Magic in the Wonder City
In
addition to spending close to a million dollars for paving and other
public improvements, Medford will spend no less than $1,000,000 in
business blocks and residences during the present building season.
January 1, 1912 will find nearly 20 new business blocks erected, while
the number of new homes can only be estimated. No less than 75
buildings for residence purposes are now in course of erection. In
every direction streets are partially blocked by huge piles of building
materials. Lumber and brick dealers have estimated that this year's
record will exceed that of 1910 by 33 percent.
Hotel Medford Is Under Way.
This
season will see among the new
building erected a modern five-story hotel, which is to be the peer of
any hotel outside of Portland in the state. It will contain 100 rooms,
fitted in the most modern style. The hotel, which will be known as the
"Medford," came as the result of a three-year agitation for a
commodious new hotel. Local business men, headed by Dr. E. Barton
Pickel, member of the state board of health, subscribed to the building
fund. The hotel will be opened about September 1.Store's Home To Cost $100,000.
Another of
the large building
blocks being erected this year is to be the home of the Medford
Furniture & Hardware Company and will cost $100,000. This
building
will be four stories in height, of concrete, and be the largest store
building of its kind in southern Oregon. It will be ready for occupancy
in the fall. Finishers are now at work.Hospital Will Have 100 Rooms.
The
Sisters of Providence are
erecting a modern hospital in this city, to be called the "Sacred Heart
Hospital," which will require 1,000,000 bricks and 30 carloads of
lumber. The contract price for its erection was $120,000. It will
contain 100 rooms and will be five stories in height. Business men of
Medford raised $10,000 by popular subscription, purchased a lot and
tendered it to the sisters as a bonus. It is to be completed by January
1. Up to date in every respect, it will be a splendid addition to the
city.In order to accommodate the great growth in numbers of school children, the school board recently let a contract for two new schoolhouses, one on the west and the other on the east side of the city. Each of these buildings will cost $40,000 and will be ready for occupancy by the first of the coming school year. Bank Will Have $50,000 Home.
The First
National Bank, the first
institution of its kind here to pass the million-dollar mark with its
statement, having outgrown its old quarters, has had its old building,
erected some years ago, torn down and has let a contract for a new
building which will have a solid stone front and will cost $50,000. As
this institution stands in the heart of the city, the building will be
a great addition. It will be well finished inside, the marble to be
used costing over $10,000.One of the most handsome buildings erected in the city is the Sparta block, which is just ready for occupancy. It cost $30,000 and is built of white pressed brick. It stands out at the east end of Main Street, owing to a jog in the property line, and has created much comment owing to its rich appearance. Mail Tribune Block.
The Mail Tribune block
has been completed and is a handsome two-story building of reinforced
concrete with a white plaster finish. It is the finest newspaper office
in any of the smaller cities of the Northwest. The building cost
$25,000. Next to it a three-story apartment house is being
erected, at an estimated cost of $40,000.A local Masonic building association has been formed, and local Masons will soon break ground for the erection of a three-story Masonic Temple, which is to cost $50,000. The Davis building at the corner of Central Avenue and Sixth Street is a handsome building of white brick. It is two stories in height and cost $40,000. Many Other Business Blocks.
Many other
business blocks are
being erected, including the following: Business college, $25,000;
garage, $12,000; Slewing, $15,000; Schermerhorn, $15,000; Smith
apartment house, $10,000. In addition to these the government has
appropriated $110,000 with which to erect a federal building in the
city.Aside from these buildings the residences in course of erection range from the $2500 bungalow to the mansion. Medford Mail Tribune, July 2, 1911, page B1 Reprinted in the issue of July 9. VAST AMOUNT OF MATERIALS FOR
BUILDING
Seven Hundred Carloads of Lumber, Forty Thousand Barrels of Cement, $125,000 Worth of Brick, $30,000 in Paint. TOTAL EXCEEDS RECORD OF YEAR AGO BY THIRD Brick Is Made Locally As Are Cement Products-- Stone Supplied by Local Quarries.
The following estimates as to the amount of building materials which
will be used in Medford during 1911 have been furnished by leading
dealers in the various lines:
Lumber, 700 carloads, or 14,000,000 feet, valued at $300,000. Cement, 40,000 barrels, or 120,000 sacks, valued at $150,000. Paint to an amount of $30,000. Brick to an amount of $125,000. Building hardware to an amount of $50,000. ----
For ordinary building materials consisting of lumber, brick, paint,
hardware and cement, Medford with this year expends over $650,000,
according to estimates furnished by leading business firms of the city
dealing in these lines. The money expended for these supplies will
exceed the record of 1910 by one-third or $200,000.It will require approximately 700 carloads of lumber or 14,000,000 feet to supply the demand locally during 1911. This lumber is valued at $20 a thousand or $280,000. Over $40,000 barrels of cement valued at $3.65 a barrel or $146,000 will be used in various improvements. Much brick is being made locally and sold to contractors. A certain amount of brick has been imported. Over $125,000 will be expended for this material alone. Paint will be spread plentifully, over $30,000 going for this. Building hardware will be used on large orders, the total cost being estimated at $50,000. Aside from these estimates, stone and cement blocks will swell the total, as will plaster, wiring, plumbing and the like. Medford Mail Tribune, July 9, 1911, page B1 CITY GROWTH LARGE
MEDFORD, Or., Oct
28.--(Special.)--With the definite announcement of the construction of
a $50,000 powder factory, a $10,000 fruit exchange, and a $10,000
tobacco and cigar jobbing plant, the contemplation of the construction
of an interurban electric system capitalized at $3,000,000 and cement
plant at $360,000, Medford is facing the greatest industrial
development in its history.Medford 1911 Improvements to Reach $4,202,000. NEW INDUSTRIES SECURED Announcement Is Made of Building of $50,000 Powder Factory; $10,000 Fruit Exchange and $10,000 Tobacco Plant. The Imperial Powder Company of Chehalis, Wash., through its representative K. Storer Tice, announces that the construction of its $50,000 plant will begin within 60 days. Pierson and Page will begin before the first of the year the construction of a produce and storage shipping plant and have secured an option on the property near the present wholesale grocery. J. R. Smith will erect an office building and will make Medford the distributing center for tobacco and cigars in Southern Oregon. Although the interurban and cement plants are still in formative state, it is the belief of conservative business men that both of these projects will bear fruit within the next ten days or two weeks. At the annual meeting of the Commercial Club to be held Thursday Secretary Boos will present the following report showing that the buildings which have been constructed and the enterprises contemplated in 1911 will total more than $4,000,000. The complete list follows: Federal building, $110,000; library (Carnegie), $35,000; theater, $65,000; Masonic hall, $60,000; two bridges over Bear Creek in city limits, $45,000; Sacred Heart Hospital, $100,000; Elks Home, $30,000; two hotels, $171,000; First National Bank building, $100,000; cement plant, $360,000; Interurban Electric Railway system, $3,000,000; factories, $126,000; total, $4,202,000. Sunday Oregonian, Portland, October 29, 1911, page 54 Few of those projects came to fruition.  1912 Bungalow Catalog MANY BUILDINGS ARE GOING UP
Considerable
activity in the building line has developed in the past week, and
indications are that by the first of the year a large number of
residences and small buildings will be started. Supt. Garretson of the
Trail Lumber Company has contracts for a 45x75-foot store building to
be erected on North Grape Street, across from the conservatory of
music, and also for a one-story brick structure which W. B. Barnum will
build on North Front. He also has contracts for three bungalows on Rose
Avenue and one fine residence for Mr. Tackstrom on South Oakdale. The
North Grape Street building will have three store rooms and will be
built for the father of W. P. Mealey, the attorney.
Building OutlookMedford Mail Tribune, December 23, 1912, page 2 Many New Business Houses Planned
With splendid progress made during the year 1912, which came to an end
last evening, in all lines of development and business in Medford and
the Rogue River Valley, residents of city and valley are today ready to
take up the work brought to hand by 1913 and with renewed vigor and
courage, based on the past, continue to build a city where a few short
years ago grew chaparral unmolested by the pioneer's ax, and develop
latent resources, so abundant in valley and on hill.
The year 1912 was satisfactory in many respects although it was a year devoted to the completion of "unfinished business." The year saw city streets long blocked with mortar and brick cleared and more attention given to completing work started. In consequence Medford took time to catch her breath and now with the advent of the new year take up with renewed vigor the work of building a city. Building operations totaling more than a quarter of a million dollars are planned for 1913 in the city of Medford. These buildings will include a $100,000 federal building, a $75,000 Elk temple, a $50,000 Masonic temple, a $35,000 theater, a $25,000 bonded warehouse and a number of other business blocks. Work on these buildings will start during the year, most of them in the spring. The outlook for building indicates that Medford's building era which resulted in the expenditure of $5,000,000 for new buildings during the past four years is to continue unabated. A large number of new business houses are planning to invade Medford early in the new year which include a number of jobbing houses. Medford Mail Tribune, January 1, 1913, page 1 MANY BUSINESS STRUCTURES RISE AT
MEDFORD.
MEDFORD, Or., Feb.
8.--(Special.)--If the present building programme is a criterion,
Medford will witness the biggest activity in new construction this year
in its history. Business buildings and dwellings now under way
aggregate a total cost of nearly $200.000.Present Construction Involves Total Cost of $200,000 New Bridge to Cost $35,000. While Medford is making a steady growth the boom in construction is due largely to the low cost of labor as well as of materials, it is said. Many contractors declare that a property owner could build now and leave the building vacant a year and yet make a profit when the former cost of construction is considered. Among the buildings nearing completion are the Page Theater, costing $35,000; the Medford Realty Store House, costing $42,000; Elks' Temple, costing $66,000; Mealy building, costing $6000: Kinsman building, costing $8000; Palm building, costing $8000. The new Medford bridge, which will be completed soon, will cost $35,000. In addition to business buildings, there are several residences under way. Sunday Oregonian, Portland, February 9, 1913, page 56 By Frank C. Clark, Architect
The building outlook for 1915 is very bright, much
brighter than 1914 appeared last January.
FINE STRUCTURES SHOW PROGRESS OF
CITY IN 1915The federal building will be the start, followed by several masonry buildings. The homes that are to be built will be costly. I will mention the Delroy Getchell residence on South Oakdale Avenue, which when completed will be one of the most attractive homes in our city. The Stewart Patterson residence will be started in the latter part of the season. It is the intention to build roads to the hillside and prepare the grounds for all foundations for the home and auxiliary buildings before starting the group of buildings. I have another residence that will undoubtedly be erected in the summer, which will cost about $12,000.00, and these homes are just the beginning of the better class of homes that will be built in this wonderful valley. Medford Mail Tribune, January 1, 1915, page 5
While the year 1915 has been a quiet one in Medford building,
substantial structures have been erected. The most costly structure,
which is now nearing completion, is the new federal building, costing
$110,000. It is a brick structure, three stories in height, with
basement.
The most costly residence erected was that of Delroy Getchell on Oakdale Avenue, costing $15,000. Numerous smaller business blocks and residences have been erected. The year has seen great advance in industrial lines. The Medford flour mills have been remodeled and placed in operation after years of idleness. The Medford cannery has been enlarged, with prospects of greater growth the coming year. The Medford cement brick factory has been opened. Several small factories have been started and are doing a prosperous business. The great enterprise of the year in the valley, however, has been the irrigation enterprise of the Rogue River Canal Co. A storage dam has been built at Fish Lake at a cost of $100,000; a diversion dam has been constructed above Talent on Bear Creek, and a canal to water 2000 acres of bearing orchard is under construction. The main canal is being enlarged and extended to cover the lower end of the valley, placing 10,000 acres under water [i.e., irrigated]. The total cost of improvements under way totals a quarter million dollars. Five thousand acres in Jackson and Josephine counties have been signed up for sugar beet culture, and a factory is expected to be erected this spring at a cost of $600,000. Medford Mail Tribune, December
31, 1915, page 8
NEW BUILDINGS IN MEDFORD 1915
TOTALED $146,415
From
the annual report of Laurin E. Hinman, city electrical inspector, the
fact is gleaned that the total cost of building operations within the
city of Medford during 1915 was $146,415. Three new business buildings
were erected at a cost of $115,500. Nine new residences were built at a
total cost of $18,300. In addition to these items of improvement, the
Barnum Hotel building and the Elks' temple were completed, adding
$60,000 to the above totals. The cost of the buildings erected and
additions made to others during the past year exceeds that of the year
1914 by $80,845.
"During the month of November, 1915," says the report, "a new street lighting contract was entered into by the Excerpt, Medford Mail Tribune, March 8, 1916, page 4 1916 YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT AND
PROGRESS
Impetus Given to Utilization of Natural Resources of Establishment of Industries and Extension of Irrigated Areas--Blue Ledge Mine in Operation--Lumber Development.
The
year 1916 has witnessed the development along many lines in the Rogue
River Valley. It has seen impetus given to the utilization of the
resources of this section, has seen the investment of large sums of
outside capital, whereby development of the valley has been and will
continue to be pushed. New industries have been established and the
irrigated area much extended.
Of prime importance to the Rogue River Valley from the standpoint of work given to men and of payroll money put into circulation is the beginning of operations at the plant of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Co. at Grants Pass and of the Portland Beaver Cement Co. at Gold Hill, each involving an estimate exceeding $600,000. These establishments will distribute considerably over $100,000 annually in payroll, in addition to large sums spent locally for supplies. Promise Well for Future.
These
plants mean the bringing of
more people to the valley, larger sales for the merchants, a better
market for the farmer. These two are the beginning of the large
industries, which, coupled with smaller plants, will bring a true and
lasting prosperity to the section.In Medford and vicinity, several companies are operating industrial plants with profit to themselves and the community. The Rogue River Valley Canning Company, the Knight Packing Co. and the Bagley Canning Co. have had a successful year, employing large forces of workers and distributing large sums of money to the farmers in exchange for their products. Medford yellow label canned goods, Knight's catsup and apple butter and Bagley's apple juice and other products are doing their share in putting Medford on the producing and industrial maps. New Industries.
Another
year will see carried to
completion the sawmill of the Applegate Lumber Co. Stock in this
company was sold entirely through local subscription, and the company
in addition to owning the mill and all equipment has considerable
timber holdings in the hills west of Jacksonville.With the completion of the sawmill, there will be erected in Medford a branch box factory, which will take the entire lumber output of the mill. This plant will be erected by the Ewauna Box Co. of Klamath Falls and ultimately will be the main plant of that company. With the coming of the sawmill, there has also come the extension of the line of the Southern Oregon Traction Co. westward to tap the belts of timber. This line, it is planned, will ultimately extend about thirty miles westward to the mines of the Blue Ledge district. Mining Revival.
The year
has also witnessed a
revival of mining and reopening of the Blue Ledge mine. The first
copper ore from the Blue Ledge mine is now being hauled with wagons and
teams from the mines to Jacksonville, where it is reshipped to Tacoma,
Wash. for smelting. Road funds have been voted with which to improve
the roads to the Blue Ledge so that with the opening of spring hauling
of ore will begin in earnest with a fleet of auto trucks, which are
already on their way from eastern factories.In Medford proper building activities have been confined during the past year largely to the erection of income properties. The exceptions to buildings of this character are the federal building, erected at a cost of $110,000 and St. Mark's Church, which cost, exclusive of lot and furnishings, in the neighborhood of $5,000. New Buildings Erected.
The
appearance of Main Street has
been considerably improved by the addition of new business blocks and
by remodeling of old buildings. On the corner of Main and Fir has been
erected a one-story white porcelain brick finished structure with a
front of a half block. This building has been so constructed that with
the growth of the city, other stories may be added as they are needed.
This modern structure stands on the ground formerly occupied by the
Hotel Moore and a number of one-story frame buildings.DeVoe's grocery is now housed in a one-story brick building on the corner of Main and Oakdale streets. The series of frame and brick rooms adjoining the Medford Hotel, formerly occupied by the store, are now being razed. New marble fronts have been placed in the buildings on the half block on the north side of Main Street at Fir. The building occupied by Nurmi's Bakery, on [Front] Street, off Main, has been entirely remodeled, a front of white porcelain brick and plate glass [is] being installed. Within the building machinery has been installed for the making of bread under modern scientific methods. As an addition to Medford industries during 1916 may be cited the erection of a plant by the Rex Spray Co. This plant replaced the one burned down at Talent several years ago. The canning plant of the Knight Packing Co. was also completed during the past year. Another improvement is the building of the Holland apartments, in connection with the Holland Hotel, which are nearing completion, at a cost of $7,000. John A. Westerlund is owner. Medford Mail Tribune, December 30, 1916, page 1 INVEST $80,000 IN MEDFORD BUSINESS
Three
new business places are rapidly being completed in this city for
occupancy, involving an outlay of $80,000. Mechanics are few, compared
with the number needed, and the work in each instance has been retarded
on that account.
The Woolworth store building is being remodeled at considerable cost for the immense stock of five-and-ten-cent business the company hopes to do here. The sanitarium being erected by Dr. E. H. Porter will be ready by October 1, furnished and fully equipped for business. The walls are now rapidly being completed. Dr. and Mrs. Porter made extensive purchases in San Francisco recently of the most modern equipment in every department of sanitarium work, and that stock will be ready for installation when the structure is completed. The Rialto Theater building, involving a cost of $25,000, including all modern fixtures, machinery and furniture, will soon be ready for use, the work having been delayed somewhat at various times since it was begun by scarcity of mechanical help. Messrs. Moran & Percy, proprietors of the new playhouse, have had a force of from eight to twenty-two men at work on that structure since the 15th of May, affording a considerable payroll. Added to that is the payroll of ten to fifteen on the sanitarium work and several men in the Woolworth building. The extensive cold-storage structure being erected by R. H. Parsons, and under lease to Ralph Bardwell, is being rushed to completion at a cost of $30,000. It will be ready for the first of the pear crop, which will probably be September 1. On this institution is a payroll of from 18 to 25 men, two shifts being worked in order to complete the contract within the prescribed time. Not much display or noise is being made by these enterprises, but practically all of the money they are expending on improvements in Medford is outside coin of the realm. Enterprises that will bring to this city outside money to invest in permanent improvements have not been many lately. That fact makes these instances particularly noteworthy. Medford Sun, August 10, 1917 BUILDING STARTS UP IN MEDFORD
The building fever has struck the town and a number of residences will
be started as soon as the weather breaks, and there are several
business houses in contemplation.
V. J. Emerick is tearing down the old building at 39 South Front Street that was erected 39 years ago, and is building a new brick and concrete building 25 by 100 feet, to be occupied by the Vulcan Welding Works and the Radiator Repair Works about March 1st. D. E. Millard is building a four-room bungalow on one of his lots on Park Street that will be for sale or rent. This is the second house erected by Mr. Millard. He has also rebuilt his own residence. Medford Mail Tribune, February 9, 1921, page 3 REVIVAL OF BUILDING ON IN THE CITY Many New Residences and Buildings Going Up in Various Parts of Medford-- Total New Construction Involves Large Investment.
Spring building operations in the city of Medford total structures
representing a cash outlay of approximately $150,000, according to a
survey made by architect Frank C. Clark. The improvements are mostly
residential, with a large proportion in the west part of the city. The
above does not include a large number of front porches and garages that
are being erected from one end of the city to the other, but buildings
constructed, or in course of construction, since the first of the year.
This is the most substantial era of building since the boom, and
bespeaks much for the future.
C. W. Palm, owner of the site at the corner of Main Street and Fir Street, has asked for figures on the construction of new buildings, but is undecided just what he will build and whether it will be this year or next spring. "I have built a number of brick buildings in this town," said Mr. Palm Friday, "but I have saved that site until I could build a monument. I will have to build there soon, but just what it is going to be I am unable to figure out. I might build a strong two-story building over the entire site, and use the upper floors for an apartment house. Of course, if they strike oil in the valley, there is no telling how high I would get it." Mr. Palm said he did not expect building material to go any lower than at present. The new dining room of the Medford Elks, costing $10,000, will be ready for occupancy early in June. Improvements to the city hall totaling $6000. A one-store flat on North Riverside, built by Mme. Jeffers, was constructed at a cost of $3500. Mrs. Thomas, owner of the West Side Stables on Grape Street gutted by fire last February, and used as an auto storage room, will begin at once improvements aggregating $2500. The Rogue River Canning Company is building a $10,000 structure on South Front Street. They will move their plant from the east end of the Jackson Street bridge, and be in the heart of the warehouse district with increased railroad facilities. Additions to the Cargill Apartment House, Sixth and Ivy streets, are close to completion at a cost of $25,000, Col. Stuart, contractor, Dr. E. H. Porter, builder. They will be ready for occupancy at an early date. On West Main Street and immediate streets the following homes are being built: At West Main and Peach Street, W. C. McCuiston, a recent arrival from eastern Oregon, is building a $5000 home and bungalow. H. W. Snyder, 1416 West Main Street, is remodeling and rebuilding a home at a cost of $2000. Improvements to a building at West Main and Orange Street total $500. The place is owned by A. L. Gall. E. C. Silliman has recently completed a $1000 bungalow near Second and Holly streets. At Third and Holly streets Frank Netherlands is erecting a $500 concrete block house and garage with basement. J. H. Bowman is making alterations to his home at 236 Holly Street that cost in the neighborhood of $1500. Barnes and Moss are building a $3500 bungalow at 48 North Peach Street, and in the same block is the recently completed $5000 home of Sgt. G. Weston. On Ross Court, Robert and William Gray are building a $5000 bungalow and garage, with all modern improvements. South of Main Street, a populous resident section, B. B. Beeson is building a $10,000 home at 608 South Oakdale. Robert S. Bailey has just completed a $2000 home at 408 Park Avenue, and at 412 Park Avenue A. L. Barrell has a $1500 home under construction. E. J. Trowbridge has recently finished a $2800 bungalow on West Eleventh Street. This section boasts the neatest and best-kept back yards in the city at the homes of George T. Collins and Bert Anderson on West Main Street. On West Ninth Street Frank Salter has just finished a $3000 home, and H. G. Goodhue, on West Newtown, is remodeling a home at a cost of $1500. On the East Side, George Porter is building a $500 storeroom. In this section of the city some of the most beautiful homes are being erected. C. A. Knight is building on Geneva Street a $10,000 structure, and on Minnesota Avenue Dr. M. C. Barber is erecting a handsome and modern $6500 home. Adjoining on the same street a $4500 bungalow is being built by Roy Thomas. At 821 Sherman Street, Frank Netherlands has laid the foundation for a $5000 residence. At 1013 West Main W. A. Crary is building a $3500 home, now nearing completion. Medford Mail Tribune, May 30, 1921, page 6 PLANS TO ERECT BUSINESS BLOCK AND
BUNGALOWS
Large Property Owner Announces Plans Involving Extensive Construction-- Predicts Building Boom in Medford.
Charles
W. Palm, one of the largest owners of Medford realty and buildings,
predicts a building boom for this city within the next six weeks, and
heavy building operations next spring.
"There is a need for about 100 more residences in the city right now," says Mr. Palm. "The people have got to have some place to go, and I intend to build a few modern, up-to-date bungalows myself on residential lots, and if the returns justify it I will build more. I am having plans drawn now to see what it will cost me." Mr. Palm plans a remodeling of his property on Fir Street, with a 50-foot front on Main Street, in the spring. He intends to put in new modern fronts on the row of brick buildings with plate glass windows and new floors and roofs. The buildings now occupied by G. L. Davidson, the Success Chop House, and the Medford Chop House will be torn down and a one-story building erected, that, according to Mr. Palm, "will be a credit to the city." "I have built nine brick buildings in this city, and have saved the corner of Main and Fir Street on which to erect a structure that I could get up early in the morning and feel proud to stand in front of. The investor is beginning to see daylight on the cost of labor and material, and if things keep on the way they have, I will build there early next spring. I am going to have my plans all ready, so the work can be rushed to completion." Medford Mail Tribune, September 2, 1921, page 8 NEW
BUILDING BOOM IN CITY IS UNDER WAY
The construction of new buildings, particularly residences, has
received a decided stimulus in the past few weeks, as is evident from
the number of new homes now being erected and from the number of plans
for construction and remodeling now under consideration.
Among the new residences under construction at the present time are the C. I. Hutchison place on the corner of West Main and Ross Court which, when finished, will be one of the finest residences in the city, the bungalows under construction by Carl Bowman and Henry Callahan on South Holly Street, which promise to be very attractive and modern homes, and the new home of Estes Rankin on Kings Highway north of Oak Lodge, now in the process of erection. Plans under consideration and upon which operations will begin soon include the construction by John M. Root on the corner of Orange and West Main streets of two buildings, one to be a combination apartment and store building and the other, which will front on Orange Street, an attractive and up-to-date bungalow. It is also understood that J. F. Hale, who recently purchased the Stewart block, will make over the upper floor into apartments and that plans are now under way for this reconstruction. In addition to these products the Colonial Garage on Sixth Street at the corner of Ivy is now nearing completion. The building is a reinforced concrete structure 80x100 and will be large enough to house a half a hundred cars on its concrete floor. This building is being built by Ira Schuler and "Jerry" Jerome. Medford Mail Tribune, October 24, 1921, page 1 BUILDING BOOM IN CITY CONTINUES, NEW PLANS MADE
The bungalows built by Henry Callaghan and Carl Bowman on South Holly Street and the C. I. Hutchison residence on West Main are nearly complete and ready for occupancy. A. J. Vance is erecting a bungalow on West Main near Orange. C. J. Semon is constructing a modern stucco residence on Crater Lake Avenue. Ben Lindas and family moved the first of the year into a California bungalow situated on Crater Lake Avenue finished recently by R. C. Kinleyside. Frank P. Farrell of the Medford Land and Insurance Company is erecting two strictly modern three-room bungalows on Oakdale near the Washington School. These structures will incorporate every modern convenience. An up-to-date duplex bungalow on South Riverside is just receiving the finishing touches of the painter's brush and tenants are at the present making arrangements to occupy it. This structure has been built by W. H. Merritt. It is understood that other buildings and residences are under construction between this city and Ashland and between here and Central Point and that many other Medford people are contemplating building in the near future. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1922, page 6 SPEND QUARTER MILLION NEW BLDGS.
IN CITY
Revival of building in the home,
business, and industrial fields is now under way, with promises of the
biggest year in the history of the city. To date, costs of homes,
either completed, or for which plans are completed, approximate
$50,000, close to $100,000 for new business buildings or changes in old
ones planned or under way, and close to this amount of $100,000 will be
expended in the construction of a warehouse and storage buildings for
the Oregon-California Power Company, the J. P. Hanson and Son buildings
at Sixth and Bartlett streets, and the buildings for the county fair, a
total $250,000.Medford Now in Midst of the Greatest Building Boom in Its History--$50,000 for New Residences, $100,000 Office Buildings. Work on the Hanson building has begun, and will cost $35,000. The designers of the power company expect to have the plans completed this week, when the cost will be determined, and architect Frank C. Clark will start today to draw the plans for the county fair buildings. The extensive improvement in the Medford National Bank building is now under way. The Trowbridge Cabinet Works is constructing a substantial addition to its plant at the corner of West Eleventh and Grape streets, which when completed will enable the concern to increase its force from 12 to 18 men. In home building, Minnesota Avenue on the East Side leads. On this street four homes will be built this spring, and construction will start soon, the plans being completed and made ready for the contractors by architect Clark. Lewis Ulrich will build a $5,000 home on Minnesota Avenue, the Pennsylvania colonial style of architecture being employed. This home, according to Mr. Clark, will be unique in arrangement, and different from anything the state, the plans being largely the idea of Mrs. Ulrich. Across the street from the Ulrich home, Bert Thierolf will build a $6,000 home following the New England colonial style of architecture, and adjoining the Thierolf residence George Porter will erect a $5,000 home. Roland Hubbard expects to erect a $3,500 bungalow on the same street. Larkin Reynolds plans on building a $3,800 home, following the Pennsylvania Dutch colonial style, and will have French doors instead of windows. The location of this structure has not been decided upon. Ed Miller has plans drawn for a $4,000 home on the Pacific Highway, south near the city limits, and this too will follow the colonial style of architecture, with a 50-foot frontage. The colonial style of architecture has displaced the California bungalow lines in the minds of local homebuilders, according to Mr. Clark, who has the designing and planning of the homes mentioned above. Warren Butler plans to erect a $3,200 home this spring, the location of which is undecided. C. F. Nichols is expending $3,800 in the construction of a home on South Holly Street. It will be of the colonial type. Homes completed recently are those of C. I. Hutchison of West Main Street costing $15,000, and the home of Arthur Tyo on Ross Court costing $2,200. John M. Root has also recently completed the library, living and dining rooms of his residence on West Main. The building revival is attributed partly to lack of homes, and the impetus given by the operation of the bonus law for ex-servicemen, many of whom plan to construct residences as soon as their loans are approved. Medford Mail Tribune, March 9, 1922, page 8 BIGGEST BLDG. BOOM HISTORY OF
MEDFORD
Over a quarter of a million dollars will be spent in Medford for
buildings--homes, business, and industrial--for the first six months of
the present year. This is the largest building boom in the history of
the city.Over Quarter of Million Spent in First Six Months of 1922 on New Buildings in Medford and Vicinity--Fine Residences Now Going Up. For homes, approximately $50,000 was spent, for business buildings or alterations in old ones, $100,000, and the same amount for industrial and community structures. The California-Oregon Power Company has plans for a $50,000 warehouse, the business block at the corner of Sixth and Bartlett streets, to cost $35,000, is nearing completion, and alterations to the Medford National Bank costing $30,000 will be completed by July 1st. Among the homes under construction or completed are the following: E. D. Petch, manager of the Oregon Gas Company, who is constructing a new two-story home on the Pacific Highway between this city and Phoenix to cost approximately $10,000. Lewis Ulrich is building a $5000 home on Minnesota Avenue, the Pennsylvania colonial style of architecture being employed. This home, according to Mr. Clark, is unique in arrangement, and different from anything in the state, the plans being largely the idea of Mrs. Ulrich. Across the street from the Ulrich home, Bert Thierolf has completed a $6000 home following the New England colonial style of architecture, and adjoining the Thierolf residence George Porter has built a $5000 home. Roland Hubbard has plans for a $3500 bungalow on the same street. Dr. M. C. Barber recently completed a $6600 home in this section. Larkin Reynolds is building a $3800 home, following the Pennsylvania Dutch colonial style. Ed Miller has underway a $4000 home on the Pacific Highway, south near the city limits, and this too will follow the colonial style of architecture, with a 650-foot frontage. Among the handsome homes completed this year is that of C. I. Hutchison on West Main Street, costing close to $16,000. C. F. Nichols completed a colonial-type home on South Holly Street costing $3800, Arthur Tyo also constructed a $2200 home on Ross Court. It is not expected that the building boom will lag until winter, as the demand for homes is still strong, and many of the ex-service men plan to build as soon as they receive loans under the state bonus bill, now being issued. Medford Mail Tribune,
June 9, 1922, page 18
PERMITS ISSUED TO BUILD MANY NEW
STRUCTURES HERE
Among the building permits issued by the city council last night were
ones for several substantial new structures. It developed at the
meeting that the school board of the city had failed to ask for a
permit to construct the big new play shed now being erected on the
Washington School play ground directly across the street facing the the
homes on Laurel Street, about which there had been much adverse comment.It was also brought out at this session that the school board had erected the temporary overflow school building in the Washington School yard without having obtained a building permit from the city. There was no discussion of these matters, beyond the fact that the school board had shown discourtesy toward the city council by not asking for such permits, and that in the future when the city planning board gets to functioning, the erection of such structures will be impossible unless referred to the board and sanctioned by it. A permit was issued to the Jackson County Creamery for the construction at a cost of $10,000 of a cold storage plant adjoining the creamery plant on North Fir Street. A permit was also issued for the building of the new parish house of St. Mark's Protestant Episcopal church, 35 by 71 feet and one story in dimension. This permit was issued in the name of Bishop Walter F. Sumner, as owner. Other permits were issued as follows: To W. S. Kee for a frame bungalow of five rooms on the west side of North Central Ave., between Court and Cherry streets, for $2000; to Ed Lundberg, for a frame bungalow of three rooms on the west side of Peach Street, between 11th and 12th streets, for $700: to E. S. Janee, a frame three-room addition to a residence building on the east side of South Laurel Street, between 11th and 13th streets, for $600; to W. A. Hooker, for a garage to cost $75, on the north side of Haven Street, between Grape and Woodstock sts.; to Gaddis & Dixon, for a garage to cost $50, in the rear of the Page Fence Company plant. Medford Mail Tribune,
December 20, 1922, page 5
MANY BUILDINGS TO BE ERECTED HERE
THIS SEASON
There is abundant evidence that Medford will continue the same
healthful growth it experienced last year with probably an additional
impetus before the autumn season is reached. There are numerous large
enterprises now in the embryonic state, too uncertain to mention in
this brief article, which will enumerate only the improvements now
under way or reasonably assured.With the change of contractors, work is resumed in earnest on the big armory building which will be completed and in use before autumn, unless some unforeseen accident occurs. This will be one of the largest structures in Medford and in fact in the southern part of the state. It will cost in the neighborhood of $80,000.00 and will be paid for by the State of Oregon, Jackson County and the City of Medford. Another considerable-sized building now under construction is the concrete store at the corner of Sixth Street and North Central, owned by Porter J. Neff. While it will be but one story, the floor space will be large. The cost, it is estimated, will be in the neighborhood of $20,000. The California Oregon Power Co. is already at work on a large sheet metal warehouse and office building on South Fir Street, one hundred and twenty-five by fifty feet, the cost of which will probably exceed $15,000.00. Snider's Dairy and Produce Co. have about completed an expensive addition to their plant as has also the Jackson County Creamery. The Medford Ice and Storage Co. have definitely decided to construct a prodigious pre-cooling plant as an addendum to their present ice plant. Work will probably be commenced immediately but may not be finished until next year owing to the fact that exceedingly large machinery must be manufactured and brought from the East. This plant will cost at least $100,000.00. It is stated that money has been raised and the contract let to build a Baptist church, on the site of the present church, which is to be removed. This church edifice will cost $40,000.00. The Methodists also plan to erect a fine modern church on their property at the corner of 5th and Bartlett. The plans and specifications have been approved, and the contract will be let as soon as finances have been arranged, it is announced. A number of dwellings, several more or less pretentious, are planned and some of them progressing to completion. Last year, it is estimated, three quarters of a million dollars was spent in building construction in this city and no doubt this year will outdistance last. There is no reason to be downhearted. Medford Clarion, April 6, 1923, page 1 Medford's Prosperity Construction
for 1924
Craters chief digs up statistics demonstrating healthy boom is on. By CAP VANCE.
That Medford is keeping pace with the general growth of the country is
evidenced by the expenditures on new residences and business blocks as
covered by building permits issued since January. The total to date is
$273,040.00, and when it is taken into consideration that this
total is
for but two and a half months, some idea may be gained of the great
increase to be expected over 1923, when building permits were issued to
the value of $388,670.00.
One only needs to take a turn about the city to learn of the present healthy growth disclosed on all sides. Already more than a quarter of a million dollars has been or is being spent in building improvements since the first of the year. The complete list of building permits from January first to date follows: Applications for Building Permits
in 1924
MEDFORD BUILDING ACTIVITY
BREAKS ALL RECORDS FOR TEN YEARS MORE THAN QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS GOES INTO BUILDINGS ALREADY AUTHORIZED BY PERMITS ISSUED SINCE JANUARY 1.
As predicted by the Clarion
at
the beginning of the year, Medford is eclipsing any year in the past
decade in actual building. Several substantial business structures are
under way or nearing completion, and others will be erected before
fall, unless present calculations miscarry.
The new Methodist church edifice is about finished; the fifth story added to the Hotel Medford is now receiving the finishing touches; the new concrete building at the corner of Fir and 6th streets is nearing completion; the basement excavation is made for the new theater at the corner of 8th and Central, and an addition is being added to the Medynski building on South Central near Main Street. Three new expensive service stations are just about completed, and new residences and other structures can be counted by the score. Building permits, aggregating over $270,000.00, have been issued since the first of the year as follows:
LARGE BUILDING PROGRAM IS ON
The largest volume of building construction ever recorded in the
history of the country is rapidly providing structures necessary to
overcome the enormous shortage prevalent, according to the fourth
semi-annual survey of the real estate market, completed June 1 by the
National Association of Real Estate Boards, with headquarters in
Chicago.In November 68 percent of the reports indicated a shortage of single-family dwellings, the report states, This percentage has now shrunk to 66 percent. In apartments and business structures the half-way mark has been passed and the percentage of cities reporting a shortage of apartments has fallen from 54 to 41 percent. It is significant that less than one-third of all the cities reporting indicates any shortage of business structures, that only two-fifths report a shortage of apartments, and slightly over half a shortage of single-family dwellings. The shortage of single-family dwellings is reported most uniformly in the Great Lakes and Pacific sections, where 74 percent and 70 percent, respectively, report shortages. A shortage of business structures is reported in the largest number of cities in the Pacific section. Cities under 25,000 population report more uniformly a shortage in all types of buildings than any other class of cities. The largest existing need continues to be small single-family dwellings. It should be pointed out that the large demand for single-family dwellings at reasonable prices is doubtless one of the factors in maintaining a normal real estate market. If a readjustment comes in the cost of construction it is likely that this latent demand for single-family dwellings at smaller prices will assert itself and will provide employment for the building industry as well as considerable activity in the real estate market for some time to come. In all sections the supply of money in a majority of cities is reported adequate, with money reported scarce in the largest percentage of cities in the Pacific Coast section and the central eastern states. Ninety-three percent of the cities under 25,000 report the supply of labor in the building trades sufficient. Ninety-four percent on the Pacific Coast make the same report. Wages are reported higher in 36 percent of all cities reporting the same in 57 percent and lower in 7 percent. The largest percentage reporting higher wages is found in the central eastern section where the largest shortage is reported. Sixty-three percent of the cities above 250,000 population report wages in the building trades the same; 37 percent report higher. In cities under 25,000, however, 70 percent report the same, 10 percent lower and 30 percent higher. Medford Mail Tribune, July 25, 1924, page B6 BIG BUILDING OPERATIONS IN CITY
STARTED
Building operations in this city, now under way or contemplated, total
an expenditure of $110,000. Holly Street, between Main and Sixth
streets, and Main Street and Riverside Avenue, are the chief
beneficiaries of the autumn activity.Copco Breaks Ground for $12,000 Addition to Main Office Building--New Buildings and Houses to Be Erected. On the St. Marks site on Holly Street, the California Oregon Power Company has started the erection of a $12,000 structure to be used for office work, and includes a new steel-cased vault, fireproof, 20 by 30 feet in dimensions, with a mezzanine floor. It will be used for the storage of records. The structure will be built with a foundation for a four-story building, and will be one story high for the present, constructed of granite and cement. The new building will connect with the present offices. Bert Anderson for the Mason Motor Company proposes to erect a one-story structure at Sixth and Holly streets, to be used as a display room, at a cost of $12,000. The present quarters of the Mason Motor Company will be used for mechanical purposes, and the second floor for storage, a ramp running from the street. Hubert Derricks of Oakland, California will start work soon upon the erection of a one-story concrete structure on Riverside Avenue, near the public market, to cost $7000. It will be 50 by 53 feet in dimensions, and will be divided into storerooms. Walter Bowne of the Busy Corner Motor Company is now erecting a storage garage to cost in the neighborhood of $6000 on the vacant lot, east of the Sparta building, and will remodel the lower floor of the building. Work on the Page Theater remodeling to cost around $50,000, is also scheduled for an early date, the new plans calling for the building of a theater to seat 700 people, the second floor to be used as a lodgeroom by the K. of P.'s, and the third floor to be devoted to the Andrews Brothers' Conservatory of Music. Work is progressing rapidly on the new building and warehouse being erected by Porter J. Neff and J. H. Cooley for the Mason, Ehrman Company of Portland. Larry J. Schade has plans drawn for a new $6000 modern home to be built on South Oakdale. Bids will be let tonight for the erection of a $16,000 addition and auditorium to the school at Rogue River. The plans for all the above work were drawn by Frank C. Clark, local architect. Medford Mail Tribune, September 2, 1924, page 8 START BUILDING 50 HOUSES HERE
R. J. Miller and R. S. Murray have started a building program of 40 or
50 houses in the South Park addition on South Ivy Street. These homes
will be for sale or rent.Streets will be paved and water and sewer will be carried along with the buildings. They intend, after thirty days, to be able to release a house each day. Medford Mail Tribune, September 12, 1924, page B5 Building Activities in Medford
Greater Than for Many Years
Building
activity in Medford for 1925 bids fair to exceed all previous
records--it is not the mushroom growth of a boom, but the substantial
growth of expansion and prosperity.
The total amount of building permits issued in 1924 totaled $558,514, according to the city records, and for the first quarter of 1925 they reached about half that amount, with the building season just beginning. There is more building now being done in the business district than for several years, with prospects of a number of other structures this summer. H. U. Lumsden is erecting a one-story concrete structure with 100 feet on Sixth Street and 200 feet on Bartlett to be occupied partly by Gates and Lydiard and an auto sales room. John W. Johnson is building a one-story concrete structure on South Bartlett which has been leased to Huggins & Robinson, Inc., Oldsmobile distributors. Eads Brothers are clearing the lot on the first block of South Front and will erect a two-story concrete building to be occupied by the Eads Brothers Transfer & Storage Co., and Eads Second-Hand Store. E. C. (Jerry) Jerome is building a store room on one of the lots on the Page corner at Main and South Riverside to be occupied by the Auto Supply and Parts Co. Walter Bowne has started work on another store room fronting on Main Street just east of the Sparta Building, also owned by him. Cooley & Neff will begin soon on a concrete building on the corner of Sixth and North Bartlett, that will be arranged in four store rooms. A new concrete building is being erected just south of the Russ mill on South Riverside to be occupied by R. A. Skinner, who now operates the Buick Service Garage on North Holly Street. Ground has been broken for a one-story building, 55 by 110 feet, just north of the Russ mill to be erected by John Billings for an auto sales room. Work has commenced on the Morton Flour and Grist Mill, which will be built on the corner of Jackson and Front streets on the Southern Pacific track. The $50,000 ice storage building for the Medford Ice & Storage Co. is nearing completion, and this company is erecting additional platforms to enable them to ice a train of cars. The Medford Pre-Cooling & Storage Co. are rebuilding and rearranging the Archie Ash building in the south Medford factory district which will be done in time for the fruit crop this year. The building of the Owen-Oregon Lumber Company's new mill is progressing rapidly. There is much building in the residence district of the city, and many new homes are being erected, and architects report many more [are] being planned. Since the road to Jacksonville has been paved a half-dozen new homes are being erected in that section. The Siskiyou Heights district, and other territory, the annexation of which will be decided at a special election soon, is also feeling the impetus of building progress. Among the homes planned for construction this summer are by Dr. Bert R. Elliott and John Moffatt, both planning on building on the east side. According to architect Frank C. Clark, the building permits for the year will total close to three-quarters of a million dollars, counting the construction of the proposed new high school. "I look for a steady building period in the fall," said architect Clark, "due to the fruit crop. When this is assured people start planning homes, and want them built before winter sets in. There will be considerable building going on all summer, however. A big crop and good prices will bring new life. I know of several who are contemplating new structures and changes in their homes contingent upon this." On every hand is to be seen repairing of homes, additions to business houses and residences, painting and a general improvement condition throughout the city and county. Medford Sun, May 10, 1925, page C2 $25,000 WORTH NEW BUILDINGS
STARTED IN CITY
During the first six days of August $25,000 worth of building permits
have been granted by the city. These include two business structures,
four residences and countless permits for repairs and improvements on
houses already erected.J. H. Cooley and Porter J. Neff were granted a permit by the city building department today to erect a $11,000 reinforced one-story concrete business structure at the corner of Sixth Street and Central Avenue. The building will have four storerooms and will be 40 by 75 feet in dimension with a 10-foot basement. R. I. Stuart is the builder and has already commenced operations. Laura M. Knight of Los Angeles, through Dr. Frederick Page, was granted a permit yesterday to erect a $3500 concrete business structure at the corner of West Main street and South Riverside. This marks the fourth building to be built on the corner during the past six months, two of which were built by E. C. Jerome and one by I. O. Cornwall. Of the residences, Cecil Wisely will build one at a cost of $2000 on Edwards Street; Hob Deuel, a dwelling at a cost of $1500 on South Oakdale; George Iverson, a cottage at a cost of $1500 on North Central, and L. E. Cartwright, a $4000 home on Siskiyou Heights. Medford Mail Tribune, August
6, 1925, page 5
TO BUILD NEW
APART. HOUSE ON OAKDALE AVENUE
Medford is to have a $60,000 apartment
house, a permit for its erection being applied for this morning at the
city building department by I. E. Schuler, proprietor of the Colonial
Garage. Beside this permit, one of the largest of the year thus far,
$12,150 worth of additional permits were also granted today.The new apartment house will be located on Oakdale Avenue between Sixth and Seventh streets, will be three stories in height and will be 45½ by 132 feet in dimensions. Plans call for a reinforced concrete structure with stucco without. When completed, the building will be equipped with an elevator and will be modern in every way. A radio is planned to be installed in each of the 24 apartments it will contain. The erection of an apartment house has been under the consideration of Mr. Schuler for some time past but did not come to a head until today. There will be no contractor, the erection of the building being under the supervision of Larkin Reynolds, who will commence the work immediately with the expectation of completing it in as short time as possible to take care of the overcrowded condition of the city. Mrs. L. E. Warner applied for a permit to erect a reinforced concrete one-story business structure at the corner of Main and Bartlett streets, erection of which has already commenced. The building, planned to contain two store rooms, will be 25 by 47½ feet in dimensions and will be erected by Larkin Reynolds at a cost of $4000. The structure, to be tenanted by James Bedingfield, proprietor of a confectionery, and Dr. E. D. Elwood, optometrist, will take the place of the last wooden business building to stand on Main Street, which was recently razed to make way for the present one. A permit to erect a $4000 residence on West Main Street between Kenwood and Columbus Streets was granted to C. S. Bertleson, erection to start immediately. Other permits granted include a $2000 dwelling being built by O.P. Jones on West Second Street; an $1800 cottage to be erected by H. W. Hall on Oak Street near Clark; and a one-room house being built by Mrs. Mary B. Griffin on South Laurel Street. The building permits for today totaled more than the total for the entire month of August, which amounted to approximately $48,000. With the granting of the permit later this month for the erection of the $130,000 city high school, September will probably be the banner building month of the entire year. Medford Mail Tribune, September 15, 1925, page 8 SEPTEMBER BLDG. PERMITS BREAK
CITY'S RECORD
September had the largest total of building permits in the history of
Medford, $229,090 worth of permits having been applied for and granted,
according to the city building department.
Last month's total exceeds the entire amount for the first six months of 1925 by $58,802. It is approximately $50,000 larger than the total for the [entire] ear of 1921, and but $25,000 smaller than 1922. It is over half as much as 1923, and is over half as much as 1923, and is over one-third of the entire total of 1924, which was $617,304. Two of the largest permits applied for last month were the $116,000 high school on Holly Street and the $60,000 apartment house being built on North Oakdale by I. E. Schuler of the Colonial Garage. Other permits include the Warner building on East Main Street and the Palm and Niedermeyer building on Front Street at the corner of 8th. Numerous permits for the erection of residences, for repairing and for remodeling were also granted. Medford Mail Tribune, October
1, 1925, page 1
START
NEW BUILDING PAGE THEATRE CORNER
Two building permits involving $5300 were granted by the city building
department today to E. L. and Elmer Childers for the erection of a
concrete business structure on East Main Street on the old Page Theatre
corner and to E. A. Wait for the remodeling and addition to a house,
formerly owned by Mrs. Sarah Meeker on East 9th Street and recently
gutted by an early morning fire.
The Childers building will be built of reinforced concrete immediately adjoining the Modern Plumbing and Sheet Metal Works building and will have one storeroom 87 feet long and 40 feet wide. With this building in the course of construction, but one building lot is left unoccupied in the Page corner and upon this, it is understood, plans are now under way to erect another concrete structure. Medford Mail Tribune, November 12, 1925, page 6 OVER A MILLION SPENT IN NEW
BUILDINGS, 1925
The most extensive building program in the history of the city
of
Medford was completed in 1925 with an estimated total of $1,225,000, an
amount over $700,000 greater than the 1924 figure. Homebuilding was a
feature of the year as 156 new homes at an average cost of $2500 each
were constructed. Improvements in the mill district totaled $500,000,
residences over $450,000, business structures; public buildings and
miscellaneous expenditures along building lines comprise the remainder,
according to estimates.Best Previous Record More Than Quadrupled During the Past 12 Months-- 165 New Residences Put Up, 38 New Business Blocks. In the city 375 building permits were granted, made up of 156 for residences, 38 for business structures and 181 for remodeling, additions and repairing. In 1915, figures show, permits totaled $146,415, with three business and nine residence structures erected. That year witnessed the completion of the Elks building and the Barnum apartment house, together at a cost of $60,000. This year witnessed the erection of Medford's new high school, to be completed May 1, 1926, at a cost of $185,000, the Seventh Day Adventist church, a new city warehouse, and among other things, the disappearance of the last wooden building on Main Street, now replaced by a modern concrete structure. A new $60,000 apartment house was started last fall and will be completed in February, according to present plans. The Page Theatre corner, Riverside Avenue and Main Street, where a hotel was once planned, was entirely built up with modern concrete structures, all of which are now tenanted, with the exception of two in the course of construction. Carpenters look forward optimistically to 1926 as being better than 1925, as they claim much more building operations to be in sight. As a matter of fact, several business structures are slated for erection in the early spring. Business and other structures erected in the city for the first half year include: O. O. Morton, mill, West Jackson Street, $5000; Wallace Woods, lumber shed, South Fir, $2000; Medford Ice and Storage Company, addition, South Front, $50,000; E.P. Power, garage, South Riverside, $4250; Jerry (E. C.) Jerome, store, South Riverside, $4000; H. U. Lumsden, concrete structure, North Bartlett Street, $5000; Earl H. Fehl, concrete building, Sixth Street, $4000; J. W. Johnson, garage, South Bartlett, $8500; Walter Bowne, garage, East Main, $4000; John Billings, garage, South Riverside, $6500; Medford Concrete Company, North Riverside, office, $500; O. L. Cornwall, store, South Riverside, $7000 and Rogue River Valley Canning Company, storage plant, South Front, $6000. Second half includes these: Jerry Jerome, store, East Main, $6000; Guy Conner, packing house, $800; Oregon Granite Company, plant, 4th Street, $9000; Puccinelli Dehydrator, plant, North Central, $10,000; Laura M. Knight, store, East Main, $3500; Cooley and Neff, store, North Central, $11,000; H. U. Mitchell, North Riverside, $1000; I. E. Schuler, apartment house, North Oakdale, $60,000; School District No. 49, high school building, West Second Street, $116,000; Palm and Niedermeyer, store, South Front, $2500; Elmer Childers, store, East Main, $4500; Seventh Day Adventists, church, Beatty Street, $4000; Emil Mohr, store, East Main, $3500; J. A. Heston, service station, West Sixth Street, $2500; Mrs. Julia Larsen, storage garage and battery factory, South Riverside, $21,000 and the City of Medford, warehouse, West Jackson, $8000. Building permits by the month for the year are as follows: January, $12,175; February, $17,295; March, $93,320; April, $46,958; May, $58,255; June, $45,830; July, $62,705; August, $48,214; September, $229,540; October, $47,405; November, $57,780; December, $55,135. The exact total is $774,612. The residence permits follow: January.
Robert
S. Barley, $4000, duplex, Ivy Street; C. C. Cartwright, $1400, East
11th; C. F. McKibben, $1500, Myrtle Street; H. W. Morran, $1800,
Bartlett; L. O. Cornwall, $2000, Quince and Dexter Hale, $2000, South
Central.February and March.
R. I. Stuart, $2000, Cedar; H. R. Turpin, $1500, South Central; F. A.
Pefley, $2000, Quince; J. J. Osenbrugge, $1000, Talent Court; N. S.
Young, $1000, Pine Street; A. B. Cunningham, $5500, Oakdale; C. D.
Wolverton, $4000, duplex, West Main; E. Wetherow, $400, Oak
Street;
Otto Giddatt, $2000, Orange Street; F. E. Jenkins, $2200, Kenwood;
T. B. Morris, $4000, West 11th; C. W. Conklin, $3250, duplex,
Bartlett;
Charles Campbell, $2000, King and R. I. Stuart, $4000, two dwellings,
Clark Street.April.
C. J. Frey, $2500, Dakota; Max GeBauer, $3500, Cottage; Louie Vimont,
$1000, Peach Street; F. B. Baer, $1800, Peach; J. H.
Newton, $1200,
Pine; Mrs. Elsie Olson, $3500, Peach; W. A. Gates, $4000, two stucco,
East Main; J. B. Watson, $1000, Riverside; P. J. Schoppert,
$300,
Columbus, and F. J. Wilmot, $3000, Jackson.May.
John Robins, $600, Willamette; C. E. Blaess, $950, West 9th;
W. D.
Hazle, $1500, West 9th; J. P. Moffat, $3000, Florence; C. M. Houston,
$2000, Pennsylvania Avenue; Thomas Gentry and J. Hayland, $2000,
Liberty; W. E. Buchanan, $400, Cedar; W. E. Buchanan, $1000, Court;
Miles Gammell, $6500, duplex, East Main Street; J. J. Clark and A. J.
Sharp, $1000, South Peach; O. L. Cornwall, two dwellings, Quince; E. J.
Feldman, $3500, Central and Charles Gentry, $2600, Liberty.June.
W. E. Rowley, $2150, North Ivy; C. S. Bertelson, $3500, West Main; C.
S. Bertelson, $3500, Kenwood; O. McDonald, $2500, Tripp; V. C. Sether,
$3000, Queen Anne; F. J. Patterson, $1000, Peach; H. C.
Glasscock,
$1500, Beatty; W. E. Thomas, $3000, Grape; R. R. Sherwood,
$3500,
Vancouver; Mrs. F. S. Wahl, $2000, Reddy; R. A. Atwood, $3200,
Cottage;
L. Young, $2300, Lincoln, and Donald McKee, $5000, Geneva.July.
George Iverson, $1500, West 9th; C. A. Wing, $1500, South Central; P.
H. McCurley, $4000, Reddy; H. H. Pringle, $4000, Reddy; Dr. B. R.
Elliott, $5000, Corning Court; Walter Leper, $3100, 8th; Clyde Smith,
$3000, Hillcrest Road; C. D. Wolverton. $8000, two duplex,
Newtown;
Elliott Connell, $1800, Central; R. A. Newland, $2000, Taylor and H. S.
Deuel, $1550, Oakdale.August.
Cecil Wisely, $2000, Edwards; George Iverson, $1500, North Central;
W. F. Cartwright, $2500, Grape Street; F. H.
Dressler, $5000, Ashland
Avenue; A. Delaire, 33000, Ivy; Frank Salsby, $2000, Ivy; J. J. Clark
and A. J. Sharp, $1000, West 13th; James Beacon, $800, Grant; Arthur
Reed, $1000, Hamilton; Ralph Pollock, $6000, two dwellings, Vancouver;
C. L. Horling, $85; Elm; G. H. Schreble, $2000, South Newtown;
Charles
Campbell, $2000, King; Cecil Wisely, $2000, Edwards; F. W.
Green,
$1500, Quince and G. E. Harris, $5000, Elm.September.
S. H. Hawk, $2000, West 4th; R. R. Schreve, $3000, Reddy; Samuel
Jennings, $2500, Reddy; M. B. Bunnell, $1500, 11th; J. A.
Bedingfield,
$2500, Genessee; O. P. Janes, $2000, West 2nd; C. S.
Bertelson, $4000,
West Main; H. S. Hall, $18,000, Oak; Clarence Cartwright, $1800,
Vancouver; Virgil Strang, $3500, Florence; H. Pace, $1000, Queen Anne;
J. H. McIntyre, $3200, Kenwood; Charles Marshall, $1800, Vancouver; O.
L. Cornwall, $3500, Queen Anne; A. L. Smith, $5000, Ashland Avenue; A.
G. Filer, $3000, Quince; Mrs. G. L. Pankey, $1000, Apple; E. J.
Schackle. $1800, Edwards; W. H. Hall, $1600, Vancouver; M.
Paulson,
$1900, Beatty; A. Travis, $225, Oak Street, and E. Schollers,
$700,
Dakota.October.
O. P. Janes, $200, West 2nd; Peter Dietrick, $1800, Court Street; C. S.
Bertelson, $4000, Kenwood; C. N. Evans, $2000, Summit; R. C.
Young,
$4500, Oakdale; U. S. Armstrong, $4000, East Main; J. Hayland and
Halpenny, $27000, 13th Street; P. E. Wynkoop, $2700, Newtown;
J. J.
Clark and A. J. Sharp, $1000, West 13th; J. J. Clark and A. J. Sharp,
$2000, South Oakdale; George Denny, $1700, West 10th; J. Hyland and H.
Halpenny, $3800, Columbus; H. O. Cooksey, $550, Cedar; J. M. Newton,
$2000, Jackson; M. B. Bunnell, $1800, West 11th; R. M. Price, $1800,
Tripp and C. C. Cartwright, $1900, two dwellings, East 11th.November.
Cecil Clemens, $3000, Vancouver; John Conlon, $700, Palm Street; George
Iverson, $1800, North Central; G. W. Tucker, $1500, Palm; Fred Brandt,
$3500, Tripp; Lester Lord, $1500, West 11th; Joe Daniels, $2800,
Edwards; George Sturgil, $4200, Narregan; E. J. Trowbridge, Jr. $9000,
six residences, West 11th; I. Abram, $1700, West 11th; M. R. Hannah,
$1900, Bennett; Mrs. Ella Peters, $2300, East Jackson; Mrs. C. L.
Beers, $1250, South Ivy; Ralph Pollock, $3000, Vancouver; J.C. Collins,
$5500, Hillcrest Road, and M. Hepler, $3000, Narregan.December.
C. S. Bertelson, $4000, Western; George Iverson, $1800, North Central;
C. H. Mosher, $500, Peach; O. L. Cornwall, $2500, Lincoln;
O. L.
Cornwall, $2500, Clark; B. J. Palmer, $3800, Palm, and Mrs. Walter
Steele Jr., $600, Clark.The 181 permits granted range from $10 to several hundred in amount for repairing, remodeling and additions and are too numerous to mention, but however include a $450 addition to the Catholic Parish on Oakdale and a $700 addition to the Y.W.C.A. building on North Bartlett Street. One exception to the average was the permit issued to E. G. Trowbridge, Jr., for a $2500 addition to the planing mill plant on South Grape Street. It also included repairs to the roof. The improvements and buildings in the mill district was largely limited to the Owen-Oregon Lumber Company sawmill and plant. During the year dry kilns were built as part of the improvement program, but a greater stride was the erection of a new and additional planing mill and two large lumber sheds with car loading facilities. The program for 1925 cost the Owen-Oregon interests approximately $500,000 and they plan to spend a like amount next year for further improvements. In fact building promises to continue there steadily. Although 1925 was a record-breaking year, building experts look forward to 1926 as being as good if not better.Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1925, page 6 OVER A MILLION SPENT IN NEW
BUILDINGS, 1925
Best Previous Record More Than Quadrupled During the Past 12 Months-- 165 New Residences Put Up, 38 New Business Blocks
The most extensive building program in the history of the city of
Medford was completed in 1925 with an estimated total of $1,225,000, an
amount over $700,000 greater than the 1924 figure. Homebuilding was a
feature of the year as 156 new homes at an average cost of $2500 each
were constructed. Improvements in the mill district totaled $500,000;
residences over $450,000, business structures, public buildings and
miscellaneous expenditures along building lines comprise the remainder,
according to estimates.
In the city 375 building permits were granted, made up of 156 for residences, 28 for business structures and 181 for remodeling, additions and repairing. In 1915, figures show, permits totaled $146,415, with three business and nine residence structures erected. That year witnessed the completion of the Ellis building and the Barnum apartment house, together at a cost of $60,000. This year witnessed the erection of Medford's new high school, to be completed May 1, 1926, at a cost of $185,000, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, a new city warehouse, and among other things, the disappearance of the last wooden building on Main Street, now replaced by a modern concrete structure. A new $60,000 apartment house was started last fall and will be completed in February, according to present plans. The Page Theater corner, Riverside Avenue and Main Street, where a hotel was once planned, was entirely built up with modern concrete structures, all of which are now tenanted, with the exception of two in the course of construction. Carpenters look forward optimistically to 1926 as being better than 1925, as they claim much more building operations to be in sight. As a matter of fact, several business structures are slated for erection in the early spring. Business and other structures erected in the city for the first half year include: O. O. Morton, mill, West Jackson Street, $5000; Wallace Woods, lumber shed, South Fir, $2000; Medford Ice and Storage Company, addition, South Front, $50,000; E. F. Power, garage, South Riverside, $4250; Jerry (E. C.) Jerome, store, South Riverside, $4000; H. U. Lumsden, concrete structure, North Bartlett Street, $5000; Earl H. Fehl, concrete building, Sixth Street, $4000; J. W. Johnson, garage, South Bartlett, $8500; Walter Bowne, garage, East Main, $4000; John Billings, garage, South Riverside, $6500; Medford Concrete Company, North Riverside, office, $500; O. L. Cornwall, store, South Riverside, $7000; and Rogue River Valley Canning Company, storage plant, South Front, $6000. Second half includes these: Jerry Jerome, store, East Main, $6000; Guy Conner, packing house, $800; Oregon Granite Company, plant, 4th Street, $9000; Puccinelli Dehydrator, plant, North Central, $10,000; Laura M. Knight, store, East Main, $3500; Cooley and Neff, store, North Central, $11,000; H. U. Mitchell, North Riverside, $1000; I. E. Schuler, apartment house, North Oakdale, $60,000; School District No. 49, high school building, West Second Street, $116,000; Palm and Niedermeyer, store, South Front, $2500; Elmer Childers, store, East Main, $4500; Seventh Day Adventists, church, Beatty Street, $4000; Emil Mohr, store, East Main, $3500; J. A. Heston, service station, West Sixth Street, $2500; Mrs. Julia Larsen, storage garage and battery factory, South Riverside, $21,000 and the City of Medford, warehouse, West Jackson, $8000. Building permits by the month for the year are as follows: January, $12,175; February, $17,295; March, $93,320; April, $46,958; May, $58,255; June, $45,830; July, $72,705; August, $48,214; September, $229,540; October, $47,405; November, $57,780; December, $55,135. The exact total is $774,642. The residence permits follow: [not transcribed]
The
181 permits granted range from $10 to several hundred in amount for
repairing, remodeling and additions and are too numerous to mention,
but however include a $450 addition to the Catholic Parish on Oakdale
and a $700 addition to the Y.W.C.A. building on North Bartlett Street.
One exception to the average was the permit issued to E. G. Trowbridge
Jr. for a $2500 addition to the planing mill plant on South Grape
Street. It also included repairs to the roof.
The improvements and buildings in the mill district was largely limited to the Owen-Oregon Lumber Company, sawmill and plant. During the year dry kilns were built as part of the improvement program, but a greater stride was the erection of a new and additional planing mill and a large lumber shed with car-loading facilities. The program for 1925 cost the Owen-Oregon interests approximately $500,000, and they plan to spend a like amount next year for further improvements. In fact, building promises to continue there steadily. Although 1925 was a record-breaking year, building experts look forward to 1926 as being as good, if not better. Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1925, page 6 Building Under Way Index to Medford's Prosperity
The first three months of 1926 shows big gains in the building program
in Medford, and at the present time there is in the neighborhood of a
million dollars of building in progress.
The largest project is that of the Owen-Oregon Lumber Company's new mill improvements, on which a half million dollars was recently ordered expended. Next comes the new $185,000 high school building, [and] the $100,000 stage terminal hotel. The Rogue River Properties Company is spending $30,000 on improving their cold storage plant. Added to this is the number of new houses, probably 60 to 75, now being erected, while many improvements are being made to others, and several new business structures are being erected. Building activities, encouraged by a miniature army of carpenters, masons, plumbers and numerous other artisans allied to the structural trades, are progressing rapidly in every party of the city. The busy pounding of a score of hammers and the unceasing song of many saws as nails are driven and boards are cut can be heard with ease in any part of the residential sections as homes for the thrifty and the ambitious are being built. A brief resume of the local situation shows that at the new high school, under construction on West Second Street, electricians are now busy wiring the massive structures. Ornamental work of cast stone is being painstakingly placed in decorative positions about its entrance, while inside plasterers are sedulously at work. The roof was completed long ago, and window frames are now being put in the countless windows, installed at advantageous positions for proper lighting. As yet, activities in the building of the manual arts structure, to be located immediately in the rear of the school, have not commenced, but nevertheless will be completed by the next school term. It will be only partially constructed--only the walls, the roof and the floor--the remainder to be finished as a project by the manual arts class. Already beams are being laid for the third floor of the four-story stage terminal hotel at the corner of South Central Avenue and Eighth Street, following the pouring of concrete in the first and second story forms. Forms for the third story are now practically erected and into them concrete will soon be poured. The large structure, which has a 100-foot frontage on each of the two streets, is expected to be completed by September 1. On North Fir Street, where three new store rooms are being built for Charles Palm, activities are also being rushed and at present the rough work is practically completed. Early last week the pouring of concrete was commenced for a new $7,000 residence on Vancouver Street for Mrs. Margaret Anderson. It is one of the best and most expensive homes under construction, but is closely rivaled by several other homes being built or in the last stages of completion in various parts of the city. Although the home building, as it always does through the winter and early spring months, has slackened somewhat from the hectic pace it had set last fall, is still going strong with indications that a large additional number will be constructed during the approaching months of agreeable building weather. Through authentic information furnished by Harry Rinabarger, city building inspector, the following have homes under construction, with the location of the buildings also given: W. P. Andrews, Vancouver Street; Edward Ames, Alder Street; Mrs. Margaret Anderson, Vancouver; J. V. Bradley, East Jackson; Charles Boyce, Queen Anne; Carroll Bertelson, two houses on West Main Street; F. F. Burk, Palm; Carl Bowman, duplex on Ivy; O. L. Cornwall, Peach; Charles Campbell, two houses on Newtown Street; E. Childers, Vancouver; Charles E. Conley, Myrtle; O. H. Dalkey, East Jackson; I. W. Derr, South Ivy; Mrs. Delia Dallair, two houses on Elm Street; Fred Fredenburg, Edmunds; E. C. Ferguson, Tripp; Howard Glascock, Beatty; R. Hollopeter, West Second; George Hutchins, West Ninth; H. G. King, Crater Lake Avenue; Lockwood and Meehan, Hamilton; Carrol Maddox, Portland Avenue; G. H. Maasden, South Central; E. Daniel, Boardman Street; H. J. Newton, South Central; Kay Iohi Nakagiri, Jackson; C. S. Nelson, two houses on Jackson. R. N. Price, Genessee; Larkin Reynolds, Portland; Arthur Short, West Second; E. C. Silliman, West Second; H. H. Taylor, Reddy Avenue; George Tucker, Palm Street; Tucker Brothers, Tripp; Ivan Weddel, Myrtle; Charles Wisely, West Jackson; Cyril Williamson, Reddy; Gustave Weston, North Peach; Mrs. Della Wilkinson, South Riverside; J. C. Woodcock, South King; Vanis Walker, Jackson; Welden Zundel, Vancouver. In addition to the above alphabetically arranged list, the following are also building: Claren Jaque, Jackson; H. Johnston, Jackson near Oak; Clarence Cartwright, two houses on Vancouver Street, and A. Connell, two houses on Alice Street. Numerous small garages, woodsheds and smaller buildings are also under construction, but are too numerous to mention. At present the Eads Transfer Company has two warehouses under erection near railroad right-of-way off North Central Avenue, and another is being built by F. Osenbrugge on North Front. The city warehouse recently completed at the corner of West Jackson and Fir Street is having its storage capacity increased by the addition of two large tin sheds. The outlook for the future is bright, according to Mr. Rinabarger, the building expert, who stated that he expects the erection of several large buildings within the next months. One will probably be the new Pacific Telephone Company structure at the corner of Bartlett and Fifth, to be built at an approximate cost of $45,000, in addition to the $135,000 that will be spent for equipment. Various other buildings are also said to be under contemplation but as yet no definite announcements have been made. With today inaugurating Better Homes Week, a concerted campaign along this line is also marked, with various organizations taking part. The movement is not only confined to Medford, but also includes Jacksonville, Central Point, Talent and other smaller towns and cities of the valley. Extensive preparations have been made for the week, and it is a general expectation that the purpose desired in the campaign will be accomplished by the general cooperation thus far shown. MODEL HOUSE HAS COZY LIVING ROOM
Given $310.00 to use in furnishing a living room 13x20, and twenty
people would furnish it in twenty different ways. The house furnishing
committee, which includes Mrs. Lynn Smith, Mrs. M. C. Page, Mrs. O. H.
Cornwall, Miss Jane Snedicor, Miss Maurine Carroll, Miss Virginia
Smith, Mrs. Lee Brown, and Mr. E. E. Wilson have combined their several
ideas, and have produced a living room which is nearly ideal in looks,
ease of cleaning, and durability.
The living room is a room for all the family; there is a large arm chair with a high back for Father, an attractive overstuffed chair just for Mother, both from the Medford Furniture & Hardware, and a little Windsor for the young daughter from Mordoff and Woolf. For callers there is the wicker davenport, also from Mordoff & Woolf, and when necessary the dining room chair may be pressed into service. The woodwork is gray and the walls cream, and rugs from Mordoff & Woolf are taupe, the curtains from Russell's, Inc., are figured satin, which is the very latest draper's material. The Medford Furniture & Hardware Company are furnishing both the davenport table and little table; the desk is from Mordoff & Woolf. From the Snedicor Shop come the two lamps, and from Swem's the mirror over the mantle and the pictures. No budget of $310 can include a piano, but Mr. Palmer is adding one as an extra. Since no home is complete without books, the public library furnishes books for the five-foot book shelf. Medford Mail Tribune, April 25, 1926, page C5 The model home still stands at 30 North Peach. ARCHITECT SEES MUCH BUILDING
ACTIVITY LOCALLY
Medford Mail Tribune, May
23, 1926, page 7
That much building activity still continues in Medford and vicinity was
gleaned in conversation last night with Frank C. Clark, local
architect, who has just completed drawings for a new $18,000 home,
which the Driver family, who some time ago came from Santa Barbara,
Calif., and purchased the Manning ranch on Millionaire Road near
Central Point, will build on that location, the construction work to
start this week.
Mr. Clark, who discussed with the directors of the Eagle Point school district last week plans for building a $15,000 school house, also announced working on plans for the remodeling of the homes of Dr. J. J. Emmens and Dr. Frederick Johnson of this city, for remodeling the main dwelling house at the Suncrest orchard, and for remodeling Major A. L. Livingston's home at Jacksonville. The work of constructing a $6,500 house in the Siskiyou Heights section for E. W. Janney will be begun tomorrow. BUILDING HERE IS ON UP GRADE
$95,365 Total Set in Month by Permits Issued for Construction
Reaching
a total of $95,365 on May 27, building permits this month set an
unusually high mark, with two business days left in which more permits
will probably be issued.
Included in the permits were two for the erection of new business structures in Medford, and one for an expensive addition. At a cost of $45,000, the Home Telephone Company of southern Oregon will construct a new home 54x55 feet in size, of one story and basement, on Bartlett Street between Fifth and Sixth. Excavation work on the structure is now under way. Costing $3000, W. H. Fisher is building a garage on Riverside, which when completed will be the home of the Treichler-Child Motor Co. Concrete walls are complete for the building now. [This is likely the Crater Lake Auto building, 103 S. Riverside. Treichler Motors opened at 30 N. Holly.] A permit for $6000 was issued the F. W. Woolworth Company to make their building on [125 East] Main Street two stories in height. The front end is now that high, and the back is being made another story high. Permits totaling $2500 were issued the Rogue River Company, which is building new fruit sheds. Nine permits for new homes were issued, the average cost being $3350. A total of 42 permits were issued, most of them for alterations or repairs. Jackson County News, May 28, 1926, page 1 HIGH MARK IS MADE IN JUNE BY
BUILDING
Growth of Commercial Section Outstanding Feature of Month $141,050 FOR MONTH May Record Beaten by Big Sum; Many New Homes Now Going Up
Besting
last month's total by $45,695, building permits for the month of June
reached a total of $141,050, it was found when the building inspector's
office closed Wednesday afternoon. A total of 49 permits were issued,
of which 18 were for new structures and the balance for repairs and
alterations to existing structures.
Of the permits, eight were for commercial projects, and included two large garages, remodeling the upper story of a business house into apartments, adding a story to a large Medford building, building a cold storage plant, constructing a warehouse and building a basement beneath a business house. New Warehouse
At a cost
of $8,000, Leo J.
Miksche, proprietor of the Monarch Seed & Feed Company, is
building
a new warehouse. Wm. Henry Fluhrer, at a cost of $2,000, is putting a
basement beneath his building on East Main Street. The Hotel Medford,
at a cost of $900, is making improvements designed to furnish more
floor space.The Medford Ice & Cold Storage Company is building a cold storage plant costing $25,000. Costing $9,000, a large garage is being constructed on North Central between Maple and Beatty streets. Ed. Brown, at a cost of $25,000, is making an apartment above his building on Main Street. Garage Permit
E. M.
Tucker is building a
concrete garage, costing $7,500, at Merrick's Motor Inn. The Medford
Pre-Cooling & Storage Co. built a new warehouse at a cost of
$5,000.Notable among permits issued this month were two which together totaled $45,000. One was given to Medford Lodge No. 103, A.F.&A.M. for $25,000 to complete the second story on their building on West Main, and add a third story. Greatly enlarged and improved club and lodge facilities will be afforded when the work is complete. New Hospital
The other
permit, for $20,000, was
issued the Community Hospital, which will build a three-story concrete
hospital, 48x60 feet, on East Main Street between Crater Lake and
Geneva.Among permits for new homes were the following: G. L. Hoffman, $3,000; E. L. Childers, $3,000; Albert Jones, $2,000; R. B. Strang, $3,500; W. R. Turner, $2,100; E. P. Shirley, $2,900; George Iverson, $2,000; Ivan M. Gaines, $4,500; Bert Newman, $2,500. Last year at this time Medford was experiencing the greatest period of solid expansion in its history, when many commercial houses went up, in addition to many retail stores and garages. This season continued expansion of commercial houses is notable, although building retail shops last year evidently filled the present demand Jackson County News, July 2, 1926, page 1 TOP RECORD IN BUILDING PAST YEAR
Nearly 500 New Buildings Erected in Medford Past 12 Months at Total Cost of $1,335,000-- 1925 Total Is Exceeded by $110,000--List of New Structures Given. RECORD BUILDING PERMITS Year Permits 1913
. . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 46,700.00
In
spite of the fact that the record-breaking building program of Medford
in 1925 with a grand total of $1,225,000 was not generally expected to
be equaled in 1926, that total was eclipsed by more than $110,000 this
last year, according to carefully prepared estimates. The construction
of business, industrial, lodge and church buildings predominated, with
home building a close second in the number constructed. The erection of
numerous family garages indicated that Medford's car-using citizenry
also increased during the past 12 months.1914 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37,435.00 1915 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,435.00 1916 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,335.00 1917 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,400.00 1918 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,900.00 1919 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,330.00 1920 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,000.00 1921 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133,410.00 1922 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250,835.00 1923 (Oct. 1) . . . . . . 332,335.00 1924 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617,304.00 1925 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,225,000.00 1926 (Nov. 23) . . . . 1,335,000.00 Of the industrial type of building, the warehouse was particularly conspicuous, with 14 structures erected in various sections of the city. Representing the largest single investment of the year was the Stage Terminal Hotel at the corner of South Central Avenue and Eighth Street, completed at at cost said to exceed $125,000. This amount materially aided in totaling up the $885,207 building expenditures in the city itself, exclusive of the mill section, where well over $400,000 was expended for construction work at the Owen-Oregon mill and a large amount at the Tomlin box factory, both at the end of North Central Avenue, just outside the city limits. A total of 486 building permits were issued in the city, including 140 for residences, 14 for warehouses, 36 for business houses, lodge and church buildings and the remainder for small garages, additions, repairs and remodelings. Only 375 were issued in 1925.
New Hotel Big Feature
The completion of the Stage Terminal
Hotel was the
outstanding accomplishment of the year. Constructed of reinforced
concrete, it is four stories high and contains approximately 72 rooms,
in addition to a dining room and a stage waiting room.The new Presbyterian Church, now under construction on South Holly Street, at a cost of $60,000 is one of the other important building projects to have been launched. A $25,000 cold storage plant on South Fir Street was added to the Medford Ice and Storage Company's plant and was in operation to take care of a large share of the 1926 fruit crop. Over $46,000 was expended on the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company building on North Bartlett Street, where it was completed last fall. The building is one of the newest types on the coast, and equipment valued at $150,000 is now being installed in order that the plant may be ready for operation by April 4. The Rogue River Company remodeled their pre-cooling plant in North Medford, added up-to-date machinery and doubled the capacity of the plant. They also put in a new dipping plant and grading machinery, and improved the dehydrating plant at an expense of $35,000. This plant is operated by the Southern Oregon Sales, Inc. New Lodge Buildings
A third story was added to the Masonic
building on
West Main Street at a cost of $25,000 giving the local Mason lodge one
of the finest lodge and club rooms in Oregon.The Woodmen of the World completed a $12,000 lodge structure on North Grape Street which was dedicated last fall with Governor Walter M. Pierce in attendance. New Lumber Mills
In the neighborhood of $400,000 was
invested last
year by the Oregon-Oregon Lumber Company in mill construction and
installation of new equipment for what is one of the largest mills in
the state, which will be in operation early in March.A large amount was also expended for the construction of a new sawmill by the Tomlin box factory to take the place of one destroyed by fire last year. The expenditures there also include a large amount for additional equipment. Other Business Structures
Other large structures erected during
the past year
for business and other purposes include: C. A. Palm, $3000, Fir Street;
F. W. Woolworth & Co., one-story extension, $6000, East Main
Street; W. H. Fisher, garage on North Riverside, $3000; H. W. Conger,
garage, $1200, North Grape; Shell Oil restroom, $600, South Riverside;
W. A. Farmer, $9000, garage on North Central; E. G. Brown, $2500 for
remodeling of business structure on East Main; Walter Severins, $450,
electric shop on Riverside; Community Hospital, $40,000 on East Main;
E. M. Tucker, $7500, garage, Riverside; Sacred Heart Hospital, $4000;
John Denison, $6500, garage on Riverside; Crater Lake Hardware Company,
business structure on Front, $5330; J. T. Brewer, $7000, machine shop
on South Riverside; Jackson County Creamery, $5000 warehouse on Central.Service station, J. H. Hight, $500, Central; A. C. Hubbard, basement construction on East Main, $1000; George Iverson, $15,000, apartment house on South Holly; W. E. Thomas, double store $10,000, South Grape; William Brewer, $2000 garage, on East Main; J. C. Collins, $1000 store on North Riverside; Rogue Valley Floral Company, $800 greenhouses on Franquette; Gates Auto Company, $15,000 addition on North Riverside; Advent Christian Church, new building on Jackson, $700; service station, $2000, E. A. Alcock, Riverside; garage and service station, $16,000 on South Front, by W. L. Lewis; W. Berrian, $2000, service station on Tripp Street. The $40,000 Community Hospital annex on East Main Street is rapidly nearing completion and will triple the capacity of the institution which was established here some time ago. The greater part of the cement has been poured for the W. L. Lewis garage on Front. The Iverson apartment house was completed some time ago, and the Gates Auto Company addition is nearly completed. Warehouses Erected
The following warehouses were
constructed during the
past year: J. J. Osenbrugge, $2700, South Front; Eads Transfer, $3000,
Clark and Cherry; Eads Transfer, $1000, Clark and Cherry; Boyden
Trowbridge, $900, Bartlett; C. A. Whillock, $1500, South Orange, Leo J.
Miksche, $8000, South Front; Medford Pre-Cooling Plant, $5000, West
Eleventh; J. J. Osenbrugge, $2000, Tenth Street; J. J. Osenbrugge,
$2000, North Fir; Wallace Woods, $4000, East Jackson; J. T. Davis,
$2000, Grape.Permits by the Month
Amounts of building permits for the past
year by the
month are: January, $53,435; February, $48,955; March, $176,345; April,
$32,410; May, $110,115; June, $141,060; July, $42,185; August, $27,905;
September, $45,990; October, $96,100; November, $56,400; December,
$19,305.March was the heaviest building month of the year, as that month marked the beginning of the Terminal Hotel construction. Being outside of the city proper, no permits were needed for the mill construction, entailing its huge amounts, which are not included in the month-by-month tabulation. New Residences
Homes that were constructed last year
were nearly
all of a high type of construction. The greater share of them were
equipped with the latest in electrical appliances and all other
household conveniences. The construction was so widely scattered that
all parts of the city enjoyed additions of new houses. Following are
the houses that were constructed, showing the location and cost and
giving the name of the builders:January
Joseph Wochnie, $1500, West Twelfth
Street; W. G.
Miksche, $2800, Taylor; J. L. Woodcock, $2000, King; J. V. Bradley,
$500, East Jackson; Raymond Price, $2000, Genesee; Harry Markley,
$1750, Jackson; G. D. Hoffman, $2000, Pennsylvania Avenue; J. H.
Newton, $2000, Sherman; Carol Maddox, $7000, Portland Avenue; F. C.
Dillard, $3800, Summit; C. A. Marshall, $2000, Vancouver; F. M.
Eastman, $2800, West Thirteenth; R. J. Rinabarger, $3000, Vancouver;
Carrol Bertelson, $3000, Kenwood; Charles Boyce, $5000, Queen Anne
Avenue; Rogue River Company, pre-cooling packing plant, $35,000.February
G. H. Maasdam, $2000, South Central; A.
C. Walker,
$2400, King; O. L. Cornwall, $2000, Peach; O. H. Dalkey, $1000,
Jackson; W. P. Anderson, $2000, Vancouver; T. W. Derr, $2500, South
Ivy; G. W. Nullsaps, $200, South Peach; C. S. Nelson, $1800, Jackson;
Frank Howell, $2500, Jackson; Lin Clemens, $500, Capital Avenue; Kate
Stine, $2500, Quince; J. A. Meehan, $1800, Hamilton; E. J. Ahern,
$1500, Jackson; Charles Campbell, $2000, Newtown; A. Connell, $1600;
Alice A. Connell, $1650; Arthur Short, $2000, West Second; Ivan
Waddell, $3500, Myrtle; H. H. Taylor, $1800, Reddy; Fred Fredenburg,
$2500, Edwards.March
Delia Dallaire, $900, Elm; Delia
Dallaire, $1000,
Elm; J. E. Sowell, $1400, Beatty; F. F. Burke, $1850, Palm; Carl
Bowman, $500, Ivy; Charles Wisely, $2500, West Jackson; D. M.
McDaniels, $2500, Boardman; J. O. Stinson, $100, Stark; Clarence
Cartwright, $1000, Crater Lake; Clarence Cartwright, $1900, Vancouver;
E. C. Ferguson, $2000, Tripp; Mrs. Sarah Williams, $2000, Reddy; Welden
Zundel, $2350, Vancouver; J. H. Newton, $3000, South Central; Gustave
Weston, $2000, Peach; Tucker Brothers, $1150, Tripp; Carrol S.
Bertelson, $3000, Western Avenue; Louis Knips, $800, Holly; M.
Childers, $2750, Vancouver; Adam Wilkinson, $1500, Riverside;
J.
L. Woodcock, $2500, King; Robert Stillman, $4000, Willamette.April
Howard Glascock, $1000, Beatty; Carrol
S. Bertelson,
$3000, Main; Charles Campbell, $3000, South Newtown, E. C. Silliman,
$2500, West Second; Margaret Anderson, $7000, Vancouver; Mrs. Vanie
Walker, $2000, Jackson.May
Bernard Roberts, $2500, Reddy; L. R.
Sattler, $6000,
East Main; H. G. King, $2000, East Jackson; K. V. Blunkall, $3500,
Palm; Fred Johnson, $2000, East Main; J. J. Clark, $3000, West Twelfth;
F. H. Dressler, $6000, Willamette; Roy Elliott, $3000, Myrtle; H. E.
Rinabarger, $3000, East Ninth; C. H. Martin, $3000, Sherman; E. H.
Janney, $6000, East Main; E. M. Cooksey, $350, Almond; O. N. Wilson,
$5000, King.June
G. D. Hoffman, $3000, North Orange; H.
Wattell,
$200, Chestnut; S. Copples, $500, Mae Street; E. L. Childers, $3000,
Arcadia; Albert Jones, $3000, Union; R. B. Strong, $3800, East Main; W.
R. Turner, $2100, Rose Avenue; P. Shirley, $2900, East Main; George
Iverson, $2000, North Central; Ivan Gainer, $1500, Park Street; Bert
Newman, $2500, East Jackson.July
J. S.Glenn, $75, Portland Avenue; C. H.
Shuette,
$2000, Mary Street; Howard Graves, $2000, Reddy; Wallace Hannah, $75,
Oak; Louis Knips, $3000, Holly; O. E. Childreth, $1000, East Ninth; A.
Forden, $1950, West Jackson.August
C. H. Herman, $2000, Jackson; Delia
Dallaire, $3000,
Ivy; J. J. Emmens, $3500, East Main; J. T. Storm, $600, Columbus; Louis
Vimont, $1000, Peach; W. H. Albert, $2000, Holly.September
Josie Offenbacher, $800, Manzanita;
Harold Runnels,
$950, Murray; Mary L. Mathews, $180, Almond; W. D. Wiley, $1000,
Mistletoe; J. H. Newton, $2000, East Jackson; J. C. Barnes, $1500,
North Riverside; Mrs. W. A. Todd, $1000, East Ninth Street; R.
Birchaird, $75, Murray; C. R. Braley, $6500, Hillcrest Road; Harold
Wiley, $4000, Ross Court; Frank Howell, $3000, Helen Butler, $4000,
Florence; Thomas Merriman, $5000, Jackson; Val J. Fischer, $4500,
Summit.October
D. L. Myers, $2000, East Jackson; H. G.
King, $2000,
East Jackson; J. H. Newton, $2000, East Jackson; S. Childers, $2000,
Mayette; N. Maude Evans, $6500, East Main; C. D. Hofbeck, $800, South
Grape.November
H. G. King, $2000, East Jackson; Mrs.
George Hoover,
$300, Cedar; Kenneth Phillips, $4000, Portland Avenue; C. W. Newcomb,
$700, Court; H. G. Wortman, $3000, North Orange; W. H. Jarmin, $3000,
Sherman; Mrs. E. Casebeer, $975, Beatty.December
L. N. Foy, $1600, South Central; Cecil
Jennings,
$3500, Queen Anne; Emerson Merrick, $4000, East Main; J. H. Newton,
$2000, South Ivy; R. V. Williams, $2000, Twelfth Street; J. H. Newton,
$2000.Medford Mail Tribune, January
2, 1927, page D2
BUILDINGS FOR FEBRUARY SHOW
$42,800 TOTAL
Medford Mail Tribune, March
1, 1927, page 1$15,000 for Additions to Business Houses--Permits Issued for 13 Residences--Construction of Bakery at Berrydale Before Planning Board.
The official report of the city building department, completed late
yesterday afternoon, showed that February had a better building program
than was at first anticipated, with a total of $42,800 and 31 permits,
13 of which were for residences in all sections of the city. Additions
to business buildings totaled over $15,000, but construction of new
business structures was held to a lower figure than last month.
Permits issued yesterday, the last day of the month, included one to Rankin Estes for an addition to his cigar store and card room building on South Front Street upon which he plans to spend $3000 to provide more space for trade. The addition will be of concrete, and construction is scheduled to commence immediately. J. J. Osenbrugge applied for a permit last evening to build a 40x80-foot concrete building on North Riverside, directly south of the Camp-with-Us auto camp, to cost $2000. However, the matter is now being referred to the planning commission as to the privilege of building such a structure in a residential section. The building, which is to be constructed of concrete, would be used as a bakery, which would be the first establishment of its kind in the rapidly growing Berrydale district, where a number of new buildings have been erected during the past year and where another, to be used for a barber shop, confectionery and pool hall, is now under construction in an unrestricted area some distance north of the site of the proposed bakery. One permit was issued to C. W. Davis yesterday for the remodeling of a house on South Central Avenue at a cost of $600. MARCH PERMITS FOR BUILDING TOTAL
$80,683
Medford Mail Tribune, April
1, 1927, page 1Work Started on 26 Homes with Average Cost of $2000--All Have Garages--One Business Structure Started and Two Additions Under Way
With 65 permits issued for the month, but only one for the construction
of a business building, Medford's building program for the month of
March has a total of $80,683, according to the official report of the
city building department completed yesterday. This amount, however, is
somewhat less than the total of March last year, when construction
commenced on the $125,000 Stage Terminal Hotel on South Central Avenue.
Work started last month on 26 dwellings, with the cost of construction running from $75 to $5,000, with average in neighborhood of $2000. With the exception of very few small buildings, the majority of the houses are of good construction and are being built in various sections of the city. A garage is included with nearly all of the dwellings. The only business structure of the month is the Johnson Produce Company building on West Sixth Street at the intersection of Grape, where construction is well under way. This building, which is of concrete, will cost approximately $11,000 and will be used as a market place by the company, which now has its headquarters on North Fir Street. Two other permits were issued during the month for business additions. A $3,000 concrete addition is now being made to the Rankin Estes card room on South Front, while $2,000 is being expended for the remodeling and an addition to the Walter Bowne building on East Main Street. Yesterday a permit was issued to J. L. Woodcock and C. J. Frey for a $3,500 residence of five rooms, on the corner of Dakota and King streets. Permits were also issued to M. L. Daily for an $80 garage on Ivy and to Clarence Wheeler for repair work to a dwelling roof on South Riverside Avenue. SUMMER BUILDING IN CITY AND
VALLEY NOW UNDER WAY; CHURCH, SCHOOL AND BUSINESS BUILDINGS AND NEW
HOMES ARE PLANNED
Medford Mail Tribune, May
22, 1927, page 3
Building prospects in the city and valley for the summer season are now
in full swing, with indications for the biggest construction year in
the history of the city and county. Many new homes are being planned.
There are also signs of new structures in the business district, in
keeping with the steady and substantial growth the past year in the
residential areas.
Architect Frank Clark is busy now finishing drawings for new buildings for the Josephine County Fair Association at Grants Pass, a new stock building, new exhibit building and dance hall to cost in the neighborhood of $17,000. Work will also start in a few days on a new Lutheran church on West Fourth Street, Medford, the plans of which Mr. Clark drew, the new edifice to be an attractive modern structure to cost $16,000. Another fine school for the Medford district will be the country school on the Pacific Highway near the Owen-Oregon mill [Howard School], which will be enlarged and remodeled at a cost of $11,000. Work is to start in the immediate future and the building when completed will be one of the best rural schools in Jackson County. June Earhart's handsome new home on the Pacific Highway just beyond the southern limits of the city now practically completed and represents an investment of about $10,000. Yesterday Mr. Clark completed plans for a new home for Victor Mills, president of the Ashland Chamber of Commerce, which will be built at once in that city. JULY BUILDING RECORD BROKEN
Medford Mail Tribune, July
30, 1927, page 2
Nearly triple the total for July of 1926, with $42,185, figures for
this month show that Medford has enjoyed a building program of
$106,335, with the $53,000 permit for the construction of the new city
hall on North Central Avenue, the largest of the month. Thirty-seven
permits were issued, with 16 for new buildings and 21 for alterations
and repairs. The former has a total of $92,620, while the latter has a
total of $13,735.
During the month, 14 permits were issued for the installation of plumbing, 16 for the installation of electrical fixtures and 10 for sidewalks. AUGUST HOME BUILDING NOW TOTAL
$17,350
Medford Mail Tribune, August
16, 1927, page 6Total for All Variety of Permits $19,915--Vancouver Ave. to Have New Homes--No Large Buildings on List.
A total of $19,915 in building permits had been issued in Medford so
far this month, according to records at the city building department
late this afternoon. Attention is called to the fact that during this
time no permits have been issued for any large buildings. This sum
includes only residences and other construction work that go with
steady growth.
Seventeen thousand three hundred and fifty dollars of this total is for the building of homes. Ten of these residence permits have been taken out this month so far, which is more than one for every other day. Locations of the residence permits are quite evenly divided on the east side and the west side. Vancouver Avenue, which runs into East Main Street, is to have several new homes built. The remainder of the amount goes into remodeling principally. New garages, screen porches, wood sheds and the such are quite in order, however, as is reshingling of roofs at this time of the year. Among the permits issued today one was taken out by Harry E. Hawk for the construction of a $2500 residence on Myers Street. W. F. Isaacs was granted permission to construct a skylight in the Toggery at a cost of $600. George S. Hutchins will build a home on Washington Street which will cost $1800. BUILDING PERMIT TOTAL FOR FIVE
MONTHS $295,077
Medford Mail Tribune, September
1, 1927, page 5
Medford building permits for the summer months' building season total
$295,077, it is shown by the records of the city building department.
Five months' permits from April 1 to August 31 are figured in this sum.
It is pointed out that no large permits are considered in this total
with the exception of the one for the new county court house for
$60,000, taken out in July. The other permits are mostly all for homes,
which is an indication of the steady growth and prosperity of Medford.
July has the highest figure of any of the five months. The total is $106,335. This, as previously mentioned, includes the permit for the Jackson County court house now being erected at the corner of North Central and Fifth Street. The second highest figure for the season is that of April, $65,962. This was the season when the first building was getting under way. Many permits for homes to be erected throughout the city were granted. June comes next on the list with a total of $48,435, followed by May with $38,745. August permits totaled $35,650 this year as compared with $27,905 for the same month in 1926. Permits were issued for 16 new homes during the month which ended last night. CITY ACTIVE IN BUILDING DURING
1927
Half Million Dollars Spent Already this Year--Many Business Structures Rise-- Activity in Home Building Noted.
That
Medford is enjoying a continued steady growth is shown by the figures
from the building department of the city records which gives a total of
$470,775 as the building program for the city since the first of the
year. At the present rate, this year's total in the city will exceed
the high mark of 1926, which was $789,330, exclusive of sawmill
construction and other large building programs just outside the city.
During the past seventh months, 335 permits have been issued, including dwellings for the greater part, in addition to public buildings, business structures, repairs and remodeling. By months, the figures are as follows: January, $54,240; February, $42,800; March, $80,683; April, $65,962; Mary, $38,747; June, $48,435; July, $106,335; August, $35,757. Among the outstanding buildings of the year is the new city hall and temporary courthouse on North Central Avenue, which is now under construction at [a] cost exceeding $75,000. It is expected to be ready for occupancy during November, when the county offices will be moved from temporary quarters in the Armory building, where they have been located since last July following the county election which changed the seat of county government from Jacksonville to this city. The Pantorium building on West Sixth Street is an outstanding business structure of the past seven months and gives the Pantorium Cleaning and Dyeing Works greatly added floor space and a basement, which the company did not have at their former quarters on North Fir Street. The cleaning plant was moved to its new location early this month. A new English Lutheran church on West Fourth Street is at present under construction at a cost of $15,000 and is expected to be completed within two months. It takes the place of a wooden structure, which served the local congregation for many years. The completion of the Cornwall Davis garage building on South Riverside Avenue took place several months ago and is now occupied by Fitch Motor Co. To provide more space for increased business, this year numerous fruit packing houses built additions to plants amounting to several thousands of dollars. Some of the additions double the fruit packing capacity. The construction of dwellings is keeping up with the average of other years, which is about 150 annually, 148 being constructed in 1925, 155 in 1925 and 140 in 1926. A total of 41 public and business buildings were constructed in 1925 and 46 in 1926. The Halley building on South Central Avenue is a new structure of brick, occupies the former site of a one-story brick building and is two stories high. It was recently completed and is now occupied by Shield's dry goods store and Taylor Millinery Shop. Stage Terminal Hotel.
Since
September 1, 1926, numerous
large business structures have been completed in Medford, including the
Stage Terminal Hotel, which was completed at a cost of $125,000. The
hotel was opened one year ago today, September 14. It is one of a chain
which operates in Salem, Eugene, Roseburg and this city, where, at the
latter place, the largest hotel is located.The Lewis Super Service Station, which was completed this year by W. L. Lewis at an approximate cost of $25,000, gives Medford one of the largest and [most] up-to-date service stations in Oregon. A garage is also operated in connection with the station, which is located directly west of the Terminal Hotel on East Eighth Street. The Presbyterian Church, constructed at a cost of $75,000, was also dedicated this year on South Holly Street. A new pipe organ, one of the largest church organs in southern Oregon, was dedicated last Sunday with befitting ceremonies. It is of a new and pleasing type of church architecture and will have an attractively landscaped yard. The Pacific Telephone Company moved into its new quarters during the past year on North Bartlett Street, where an attractive brick building was constructed at a cost of nearly $60,000. Entirely new equipment was installed in the building at a cost which exceeded $150,000 in keeping with the importance of the station, which is one of the few that the company maintains on the Pacific coast. One of the most important new business structures on Sixth Street, the railroad crossing of which was recently opened, is the Johnson Market building, constructed by Edgar Johnson at an approximate cost of $20,000. It is located on the corner of Sixth and Grape streets and was constructed of reinforced concrete. It houses eight different business establishments, including the Johnson fruit and vegetable market, Alexander's Reliable Grocery, People's Meat Market, Franklin Bakery, E. C. Silliman Candy Shop, Lovicia Waymack lunch counter, Ruth G. Tetherow's Easy Washer Shop salesroom and the Malone Fish and Poultry Market. During the past year, the Monarch Seed and Feed Company constructed a new warehouse of reinforced concrete on South Fir Street. In it, the company operates considerable mill machinery for the manufacture of feeds, etc., and in addition has a great amount of storage floor space. It is one of the largest warehouses in the city. A warehouse was also constructed by the Crater Lake Hardware Company on South Front Street to provide added stock storage space and two by the Eads Transfer Company on North Central. A business building was erected on South Grape Street by W. E. Thomas at a cost of $15,000, showing that the continued growth of the city was reaching all parts of Medford's business section. A second story was added onto the C. E. Gates Auto Co. building during the past year in order to provide added floor space for storage and repair work. This addition did much to improve the metropolitan appearance of North Riverside Avenue. Garage buildings were completed during the past year for the Medford Auto Company, Tucker Garage, Armstrong Motor Company and Crater Lake Automotive Company, all of which are located on Riverside Avenue. Each building is constructed of concrete and is modern in every way. Work is in progress at the present time on the remodeling of the Palmer Music House, giving it greater show window display space and more floor space. Display windows will be installed on the Bartlett Street side of the building, taking the place of a bare brick wall. Representing an outlay of approximately $20,000, the Sunrise Super-Service Station was completed last February on South Riverside Avenue. In addition to the service station, there are also five three-room tourist apartments operated in connection with the station under the proprietorship of A. M. Alcock and J. A. Rowe. During the last year, the Woodmen of the World hall on North Grape Street was completed, with dedicatory exercises held last autumn, ex-Governor Walter Pierce being the main speaker of the day. The building was constructed of concrete at a cost of $12,000. At a cost of $25,000 a third-story addition to the Masonic temple on West Main Street was completed in the past year, giving the local Masonic lodges better and larger quarters. The building department compiled a table recently to show improvements in Medford covering a three-year period, including work done by irrigation districts. It also includes street and sewer work and is divided into three classifications. 1925.
Medford
Mail Tribune, September 14, 1927, page C3Talent Irrigation District (Emigrant Dam) . . . $450,000 Talent Irrigation District (Imp.) . . . 40,000 Medford Irrigation District . . . 1,250,000 Medford Building Program . . . 779,002 1926. Medford Irrigation District (Imp.) . . . $40,000 City of Medford Water Works . . . 1,000,000 City of Medford Street Work . . . 50,000 Owen-Oregon Sawmill . . . 3,000,000 City of Medford Building Permits . . . 789,000 1927. Medford City Hall . . . $75,000 Medford Street Paving . . . 110,000 City of Medford Sewer Work . . . 75,000 City of Medford Street Work . . . 40,000 Talent Irrigation District (Imp.) . . . 30,000 Medford Building Program . . . 470,775 Copco Power Plant (not including power line) . . . 3,000,000 NEW HOMES TO BE BUILT UPON W.
MAIN STREET
Medford Mail Tribune, September
26, 1927, page 3
A big improvement is under way which when completed next spring may
result in the north side of West Main Street being built up solid with
new home between Quince Street and Rose Avenue.
Gus Guddat, local builder who located in this city about a year ago and purchased the Nye apartments on West Main Street, recently took out city building permits to construct two modern stucco dwellings on the large vacant lot, 150x140, corner of Rose Avenue and West Main Street, just west of the alley between another large vacant lot and the Ray residence. Work on these two houses, which will front on Main Street, is already under way, and soon a third new stucco house, at the corner of West Main and Rose Avenue, will be built by Mr. Guddat, paralleling them. When these three homes are completed a fourth new modern home will be built in their rear and facing Rose Avenue. The building of this last house on the plot will probably not be started until next spring. Not only that, but it is understood that Mr. Guddat has negotiations under way to obtain possession of the big lot extending east from where he is building the present houses to the Ray property, on which he plans to build several more modern houses. Two new houses, just across West Main Street from where the building operations are now on, have been erected the past two months and are now in the interior finishing stage. The large lot on the northwest corner of Rose Avenue and West Main Street is still vacant. $608,450 SPENT FOR BUILDING IN
PAST YEAR
Building operations in Medford in 1927
entailed an expenditure of
$608,450.00, slightly less than the three previous years, but in
keeping with the steady and substantial growth that has characterized
the city since the war.1927 Total Less Than Year Preceding but Shows a Steady Progress and Consistent Growth--Many Fine New Residences. The coming year bids fair to exceed all previous marks, with the construction of three or four business blocks contemplated. Structures in the business district contemplated include a combination store and theater building at Sixth and Holly streets by L. Niedermeyer and associates, and the erection of a modern building at Main and Holly streets, where stood for years the Presbyterian church. During 1927, the Johnson Market, the Pantorium, erected by D. R. Terrett, and the Thomas apartment house were built. The new city hall, built at a cost of $63,000, and used as a temporary courthouse, was also constructed. The new Presbyterian church on Holly Street, an imposing and beautiful edifice costing over $50,000, was also completed in 1927. 1928 will probably see the remodeling of the Fichtner Garage at Sixth and Fir streets into a modern store building by the Knights of Pythias lodge with a commodious second story for lodge and club purposes. This change has been under consideration for some time. The building permits issued during the past year, and the amounts expended by months, are as follows:
(The building permits in December, up to the 14th, totaled $14,825.00.) There was continuous building activity throughout the entire year, which reached its height in March and July, reaching its lowest point in December. Up to this month 469 permits had been issued. Most of the construction was centered in home building. This was not confined to the city limits, but many beautiful homes were built in the areas adjacent to Medford. The yearly record of building valuations for the last 14 years, for this city, is as follows:
Predicts Record Building Year
"Medford
will experience a record year for building in 1928. We are figuring on
several important contracts, and there is assurance more are soon to
come. Several big projects are under consideration for the business
district." This is the optimistic outlook of Elmer N. Childers, who has
been contracting and building for many years in Medford.
Mr. Childers has two properties of his own, comparatively new, on East Main Street, and is planning more building early in 1928. Mr. Childers has erected many buildings, among them the new English Lutheran Church at West Fourth and North Oakdale, the second church in the city, having had the concrete contract for the new First Methodist Episcopal Church. Other recent contracts were Johnson's Market, the Pantorium, Fichtner's Garage. Mr. Childers' foreman is R. A. Hollopeter. Medford Mail Tribune, January 1, 1928, page G3 MARCH BUILDING GAINS OVER 1927
Building
permits in Medford for the month of March have a total of $103,060,
with 52 permits issued, according to figures which were compiled today
by the city building department. This total reveals a decided increase
over the total of March in 1927, which was $80,683, with 85 permits.
Among the buildings which aided in making the month's program so large
is the Conger funeral home on West Main Street, the addition of the
Pinnacle packing house on South Fir and the Finley apartment house.
Medford Mail Tribune, March 31, 1928, page 2 MANY REPORTS OF FUTURE BUILDING
ACTIVITY HERE
Several important realty deals and building projects are now pending in
this city, one being of sufficient size to radically change the skyline
of Medford.
The past week an option was taken on the Maule estate property at the corner of Ninth Street and Riverside Avenue. It is said that the Firestone Tire Company plans the erection of a tire station there. Members of the Medford Realty Board appraised the property Tuesday. It is also understood that Union Oil Company has taken an option on the lot across the street, belonging to E. J. Emerick, with the intention of erecting a super-service station there. Mr. Emerick is now in the Middle West at the Astor estate conference for possession of property in the heart of New York. For some time past negotiations have been under way for the purchase of the C. E. Gates building at Riverside and Sixth Street, now the home of the Ford agency. According to C. E. Gates, three or four parties are negotiating for the property. He recently purchased the Jane Kent property at Fifth and Riverside Avenue as a home for the agency, if the present property be sold. For three months there has been talk of the erection of a ten-story office building in this city, and an auto finance company is now reported as interested in the proposition. It is now said to be marking time owing to this being "an election year." Two sites have been considered for this structure. One is the lot on Front Street, across from the old city hall. The other is the corner of Main and Fir Street, owned and occupied by a one-story building belonging to Charles W. Palm. It has long been one of Mr. Palm's ambitions when returns would justify a heavy investment to erect a modern business structures in his home town. A plan to place another story on the Medynski building at the corner of main Street and Central Avenue, now undergoing renovations preparatory to occupancy by Jarmin and Woods, has been abandoned. The fall and spring building operations in this city, from the preliminary talk, promise to be the largest in history. Medford Mail Tribune, August 12, 1928, page 2 Building permits during the past four years [have] held up remarkably well, showing practically no decrease for 1926 over 1925 when they were $779,000, and only an approximate $100,000 decrease for each of the years 1927-1928, running well over a half million dollars for the year just passed. "Outgoing City Officials Have Good Records," Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1928, page 3 OVER $500,000 SPENT FOR NEW
BUILDINGS HERE
386 New Structures Erected in Medford Past 12 Months-- New Catholic Church and Montgomery Ward Building Among Largest Projects-- March Construction Greatest.
Only 10 percent less than the total of the preceding year, the building
program in Medford, 1928, reached $535,246, with 386 permits issued
during the year, including a large number for the construction of
dwellings, maintaining the record Medford has made for being a
homebuilding city.
Included among the larger structures completed this last year was the new Catholic Church on the corner of Tenth Street and Oakdale Avenue, constructed at an approximate cost of $45,000. Another large building constructed last year was the Walter Leverette business structure on South Central Avenue, completed at a cost of over $20,000, and now occupied by the Montgomery Ward, Burelson's and State Theater establishments, also the new Childers Building across from the old Page Theater. Plans are being made for several large buildings next year, and the usual number of new homes, many of which are planned to be constructed by comparatively new arrivals in Medford from out-of-state points. Excerpt, Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1928, page C7 BUILDING PROGRAM GOOD LAST MONTH
The month of February had a building program twice that of January,
according to figures compiled at the city building office yesterday
afternoon, revealing the sum of $65,825 spent here for new buildings
and for repairing old structures. Thirty-one permits were issued, and
of this number 16 were for new construction, including the new city
fire hall and a $15,000 home under construction for Hamilton Patton.Permits were issued yesterday afternoon to the Southern Oregon Construction Company to build a residence on Glen Oak Court at a cost of $6500 and to Laura Burson to build a dwelling on Genessee Street at a cost of $2500. Medford Mail Tribune, March 1, 1929, page CONSTRUCTION IN CITY WELL UNDER WAY FOR SEASON
The work of laying the cement floor in the new city fire hall at Front and Fifth [sic]
streets has been finished and, according to Frank C. Clark, architect,
the building will be completed and ready for occupancy by May 1--a
month ahead of time.
With the completion of the roof laying, the exterior work on the Kimball Fruit Company packing plant on North Grape Street will be finished and work on the interior started. The plant will be ready for operation the coming fruit season. The laying of the foundations of the new plant of the Southern Oregon Sales, Inc., at Stewart Avenue and Pacific Highway, will be completed and work started on the main structure. Plans have been completed for the erection of a home on Crown Hill just west of Dr. Mulholland's. It will be a two-story, six-room house, and work is expected to start about May 1. The work of raising and superstructure of the new home for attorney G. M. Roberts on Crown Hill is under way and the excavation for the swimming pool completed. Preliminary work for the erection of a new front and extending the same to the street line of the I.O.O.F. building on Sixth Street has been completed. The work of laying a brick wall will start within a week. Medford Mail Tribune, March 27, 1929, page 4 LOCAL BUILDING TO DATE $30,000 OVER LAST YEAR
The building program of Medford for the first four months of 1929 were
larger by over $30,000 than the program for the corresponding time in
1928, figures at the city building department revealed yesterday. The
program this year so far has a total of $294,545, as compared to
$260,610 for last year. The preceding year, which was one of the
largest in the history of Medford, had a total of $243,685.
The biggest month of 1929 to date was March with $174,730, which included the new large Southern Oregon Sales company packing house and a new ice and cold storage building on South Fir Street at a cost of $50,000. The total from March fell to $20,655 for April. March, apparently the best month to begin construction, was also a big month in 1929, with total construction of $103,060. In 1927 the total was $80,683. In addition to several large buildings, construction has been begun this year on several large dwellings, including one for Hamilton Patton on Crown Heights at a cost of $15,000, and one for George M. Roberts at $18,000. Others are slated for construction soon. Medford Mail Tribune, May 5, 1929, page 6 LOCAL BUILDING ACTIVITY SHOWS GOOD INCREASE
Status Survey Reports $44,405 Increase in July Over Same Month Last Year--Entire Coast Area Has Slight Gain.
That Medford has made a substantial increase in building in the last
year is shown by the national monthly building survey prepared by S. W.
Straus and Company. Permits for building or alteration for July of this
year were issued to the value of $58,700, which is an increase of
$44,404 over July, 1928. The report states 50 percent should be added
to these figures to arrive at the real cost because of undervaluation.
In nine cities in Oregon permits were issued for building to the value
of $2,273,490 for July of this year.
Building construction, according to the report, based on plans filed or permits issued for 577 cities in 48 states and the District of Columbia, shows a loss of 12 percent compared to July 1928, but an increase of 9 percent over June of this year. Conditions on the Pacific Coast indicated a slight gain in building over last year, but a loss of 10 percent in July from June of this year. The total for July of 64 California cities showed a four percent gain over last year. Little changes were noted in the building material markets from the preceding month and prices remained stable. Most of the fluctuations reported were local in character. The brick and lumber outlook showed a tendency for weakness, but other materials are holding their own. Medford Mail Tribune, August 20, 1929, page 4 1929 NEAR THE TOP IN TOTAL BLD'G.
PERMITS
1928 Exceeded by Over $100,000--Only 2 Years, 1925 and 1926, Show Greater Activity--New $100,000 Movie Theater Started
The building program for 1930 is promising, and while no announcement of big construction during the year has been announced, the total is expected to be just as large by Building Inspector Harry Rinabarger.MT12/31/1929pB4 The new city fire hall was completed last year at a cost exceeding $15,000 and a $9,000 home for Mrs. Margaret Peasley was constructed. Another $25,000 addition to the Medford Ice and Storage Company was also completed, as well as a $10,000 packing house for the Kimball Fruit Company. The Firestone Tire Company spent $25,000 for a new service station on Riverside Avenue, and the Shell Oil Company constructed a service station on Sixth Street at a cost of $8500. The administration building of the new Medford airport was constructed at a cost of $30,000, and work was begun in December on the new Niedermeyer theater-store building [the Holly Theater] to cost approximately $80,000. L. J. Adams also completed an apartment house on Holly Street at $12,000. By months, the total of the year is as follows: January, $33,335; February $65,825; March, $174,730; April, $20,655; May, $61,645; June, $62,775; July, $58,200; August, $40,775; September, $15,245; October, $22,785; November, $39,760; December (incomplete), $60,200. (These permits never represent the market value of the various buildings, the permit ranging from 20 to 50 percent below the cash investment.) Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1929, page B5 MARCH BUILDING TOTALED $34,793
Last month had a building program of
$34,793, including permits for 11 new buildings and 27 alterations,
according to figures completed today by the city building department.
The last building application of the month was received from G. E. Fox for a porch on a North Peach Street dwelling at a cost of $80. The first application in April was made this forenoon by Mrs. T. W. Daily to reshingle a house on Vancouver Avenue at a cost of $100. Medford Mail Tribune, April 1, 1930, page 3 BUILDING IN CITY BELIES DEPRESSION
Planned and Completed Projects Will Exceed Average Outlay-- Substantial Residences Add to Total--New Homes Planned.
Building
operations in this city and valley, despite pessimistic campaign
chatter and economic readjustment, have kept pace with the record of
the past five years, according to Frank Clark, architect, who says,
with planned and completed projects, "the year will be above the
average."
Major building projects in the city this year include the new $150,000 Holly Theater, at Sixth and Holly streets, and the $120,000 airport, both designed by architect Clark. Fall building is now under way and consists of both residential and industrial work. Plans have been completed for the new machine shops at the Jackson County fairgrounds, and work has been started. The structure, built of steel and concrete, will cost approximately $12,000. Its dimensions will be 100 by 125 feet and will house a 12-ton traveling crane. The building will contain two huge steel doors and will be fireproof. The building will be completed this fall, and as the road program is completed the machinery will be moved to the new shops. Residences Planned
Plans have
been completed for a
residence to be built by W. H. Fluhrer, Sr., on what is known as the
Scheffel tract, in a section that has seen the erection of so many
attractive homes the past three years. The Fluhrer home will be of the
English type, finished in half-timbers. There will be 12 rooms, with
all modern conveniences, commanding a rare view of the valley. The cost
will be close to $8000.The residence of C. M. Brewer, general manager of the California Oregon Power Company, in the Siskiyou Heights district, is nearing completion, and work is progressing on the country home of F. S. Townsend, located on the Dr. Conroy tract in the West Side district. This home is built in the Norman type of architecture, and will be one of the uniquely attractive homes of the valley. On Rogue River, Captain Black and Frank M. Madison, both of San Francisco, have erected summer homes this year. Many residents of this city are planning on building homes, the list including Gilbert Stewart. Medford Mail Tribune, August 29, 1930, page C1 LOCAL BUILDING SHOWS INCREASE
An increase in the building program for Medford during the month of
September over August was reported by the city building department with
a total of $41,144 for the past month. Of this amount $32,458 was for
new construction, including the application of Elmer Childers to spend
$14,144 to convert the old Page Theater into a store building with four
store rooms. The ruins of the old theater were recently torn down
sufficiently to leave a portion of the remains to serve as walls for
the new building. The month of August had a total of $19,801 in
permits.
Medford Mail Tribune, October 1, 1930, page 5 CITY ON EVE OF BIG BOOM IN BUILDING
Coming Year Will See Near Million Spent--Schools, Court House, Projected Office Building and a Tourist Hotel Listed.
While the building program for 1930 was substantial, the anticipated
program for Medford in 1931 is expected to reach the million-dollar
mark and will include the construction of several public buildings.
Last year witnessed the issuance of 387 permits with a valuation of
$315,569.
Permits for new construction totaled $256,618, for which 177 were issued. The sum of $42,893 was spent for alterations with 120 permits, while 82 permits were issued for repair work, representing an expenditure of $12,208. Eight houses were moved during the course of the year at a cost of $2850. The tearing down of the old Page Theater ruins on East Main Street and their transformation into a modern business building for George Hunt and Julius Wolfe was one the bright lights of the year. Court Is Built.
The construction of a new court on Taylor Street by George Iversen
continues underway and is modern in every respect. The completion of
Judge H. D. Norton's new home on Oakdale Avenue is a 1930 note, as is
construction of several fine homes in the Wellington Heights addition
under development by Fred Scheffel. Four or five new homes have been
constructed there, including a large one by W. H. Fluhrer. The C. M.
Brewer home is another outstanding dwelling.The past year also witnessed the beginning of construction of the first church on the east side. The St. Peter's Lutheran church will ultimately be completed not far from Main Street, but at the present time it consists only of the parsonage, with a chapel inside. The church buildings project is to be constructed later. Plan Public Buildings.
Frank Rodgers, city building inspector, in looking forward to 1931 sees
the construction of the new county court house at a cost of
approximately $250,000 and the construction of new school buildings
with an expenditure hovering around the same figure. The construction
of a new tourist hotel off the end of South Riverside Avenue is
expected to add another $100,000 to the total, and the possibility of a
new office building in Medford is to increase the total to $800,000.
The remaining amount is expected to be made up of routine
construction--such as new homes, smaller business structures,
alterations, repairs and other improvements.Medford Mail Tribune, December 31, 1930, page B1 BUILDING PERMITS IN CITY SHOW INCREASE
Showing a big increase over January, the building total for Medford
during February represented an expenditure of $61,150, including
$40,000 for the new Washington School now in the early stages of
construction. For the same month last year the total was $16,330. Work
was started on several new dwellings during February, and the outlook
for March is even better.Medford Mail Tribune, February 28, 1931, page 2 MEDFORD GAINS NEW HOMES BY REDUCED COST
Building Conditions Now On Par with Past Years--
Building conditions in this city are on a par at present with previous
years, according to architects, dealers in building materials and
officials of the building and loan association, who necessarily keeps a
finger on construction conditions.30 to 35 New Residences Under Construction. O. C. Boggs, president of the Jackson County Loan Association, says that at the present time, between 30 and 35 homes are building and that with the school program, construction for the year will be up to normal. Present costs of building materials is regarded as the chief reason for the accentuation of local home construction. Fine Homes Go Up.
The operations are confined chiefly to southeast and southwest Medford
areas. It is estimated that the average cost of the homes under
construction in southeast Medford is $5000 and in the southwest Medford
district $2500 to $3000.Building of new school structures in this section has spurred building there. The southeast Medford building is attributed to the choiceness of the sites and the tendency of people to "get up on a hill." Ten or 15 more homes are under consideration for building the coming summer and fall. Erection of at least two pretentious summer homes on Rogue River are contemplated by California people owning summer sites. To date, there has been less building than in the past five years in west and northwest Medford, which enjoyed a building spurt. Building operations to date have been confined solely to the residential areas. Medford Mail Tribune, March 24, 1931, page 12 MARCH BUILDING TOTAL $125,000
March had a building total of $125,800, according to figures at the
city building department today. Of this amount, $108,000 represents the
cost of the new senior high school. There were 28 permits, of which 11
were for new construction, having a total of $121,200. A total of 17
permits were for remodeling and additions. March of last year had a
total of $34,793 with 48 permits.Medford Mail Tribune, April 1, 1931, page 3 APRIL BUILDING PERMITS $15,750
Medford last month had a building program of $15,750, of which the sum
of $12,145 was spent for new construction and the remainder for repairs
and alterations. The new construction included nine of the 29 total
number of permits issued for the month.Applications for permits received yesterday came from S. C. Godlove to reshingle a house on Woodcock Street at a cost of $125 and from C. A. Knight to remodel a dwelling on East Main Street at a cost of $500. Medford Mail Tribune, May 1, 1931, page 4
BUILDING PERMITS IN MEDFORD SHOW DECIDED INCREASE
Four building permits, the largest number issued in one day for
some time, were made out at the city building department this morning,
totaling $18,295. The largest, $15,000, was issued to School District
49 for the construction of an addition on the Roosevelt School in the
Queen Anne Addition.A permit was let to L. S. Hicks for the construction of a residence at 120 South Newtown, to cost $3,000. D. T. Lawton will build an addition to the residence at 315 Apple Street, at a cost of $250, and $45 will be expended by Carl Ludwig to reshingle a house at 511 Austin Street. Medford Mail Tribune, July 7, 1931, page 5 SIX BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED AT CITY HALL
Six building permits were issued by the city department late
yesterday and today, amounting to $1565. This is the largest number
issued over such a short period of time for several weeks.The permits included the following: S. S. Smith, to remodel residence at 723 West Eleventh Street, to cost $500; Almus Pruitt, 10-12 South Central, new front, to cost $90; C. C. Sullivan, 1112 Niantic, reshingle, $25; Carold J. Parker, 1207 West Main, remodel, $500; Harry Hansen, 508 South Front, coal shed, $300, and Perl Davis, 145 South Grape, remodel, $150. Medford Mail Tribune, September 15, 1931, page 5 BUILDING PERMITS ON INCREASE IN MEDFORD
Three more building permits were issued today, bringing the total
so far this month up to 19. Mina E. Hoffman received permission to make
alterations and additions at 425 Benson Street, to cost $200; C. A.
Flury was permitted to alter his residence at 825 West Thirteenth
Street, at a cost of $700, and a permit was issued to E. W. Davis, 200
West Jackson, for reroofing, the cost of which is $90.Although the records for September total only $3813 up to date, that amount surpasses May, June and August of this year. Medford Mail Tribune, September 17, 1931, page 2 BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED ARE MANY
Fifteen building permits issued at the city hall during the month
of October, to date, have amounted to $5845, according to records of
the building department. The Eugene Neon Sign Company today received a
permit to erect a sign at the Toggery, at a cost of $1200.Included among yesterday's permits were Skaggs Safeway, Main and Holly, alterations, $1000; P. L. Andrews, 134 Portland Avenue, residence and garage, $2000; Herb Grey, 714 South Oakdale, addition to residence, $200; W. I. Kee, 433 South Fir, reshingle, $45. Medford Mail Tribune, October 20, 1931, page 8 BUILDING PERMITS IN NOVEMBER TOTAL 15
A total of 15 building permits, amounting to $12,175, were issued
by the city during the month of November, records show, with 10 for
repairs, alterations and tearing down. The cost of this group totaled
$1840.For new structures, the permits amounted to $10,335. During November 1930, 25 permits were allowed by the building department, totaling $33,110. Medford Mail Tribune, December 1, 1931, page 5 DECEMBER BUILDING TOTAL NOW $14,620
Building permits amounting to $14,620, have been issued by the city
this month, a total of nine applications having been made. L. H.
Milhorn yesterday received a permit to reroof a garage at 104 South
Bartlett Street, to cost $125.The largest permit made out this month was that to the Medford Ice & Storage Company for an ice storage room, costing $13,000. Medford Mail Tribune, December 10, 1931, page 2 BUILDING REVIVAL HAILED AS THREE FINE HOMES GO UP
A. C. Abrams strolled out Sunday on East Main Street as far as the
Highcroft addition on Siskiyou Heights and says he noted on the way a
substantial modern dwelling to be built of stone, in course of erection
at the intersection of Main and Willamette streets for Dr. Robert E.
Lee, optician here."Diagonally across the street," continued Mr. Abrams, "a fine modern home has started for S. A. Kroschel, former owned of the Jackson County Creamery. "Farther out on Main Street on a portion of the James Owen tract, another substantial residence is under construction for Dr. Jane Rochelle, a newcomer from Portland. "Thus we perceive," concluded the well-known local resident, "the start, on this street alone, of a genuine building revival that testifies to the confidence of investors in the future growth of greater Medford." Medford Mail Tribune, February 5, 1934, page 9 The Lee house is at 1202 East Main, today's 3 Willamette Avenue. BUILDING IN CITY HITS NEW STRIDE
Building
in the city of Medford this year is 75 percent ahead of the total for
the fiscal year ending September 1, 1933, Frank Rogers, building
inspector, announces. During the year ending Saturday, September 1, a
total expenditure of $73,722 has been filed at the building department.
In the same period during 1933, the sum amounted to $40,849. For the
entire year of 1933, the total reached $68,939.
Electrical permits and plumbing work done so far in 1934 is double that of the same 1933 period, Mr. Rogers stated. Fifty percent of electrical work has been for range wiring, and considerable additional money has been spent for new equipment. While the building figures listed are the actual expense, the total value of the work is near $90,000, Mr. Rogers said. Medford Mail Tribune, September 3, 1934, page 6 BUILDING IN CITY SHOWING UPSWING
That building in the city of the Medford is on the uptrend is shown by
the fact that four permits were issued by the building department at
the city hall on one day, Monday, September 10.
Mrs. S. E. Edmondson of 852 West Second Street will construct an addition to her residence, at a cost of $35; Vern Marshall of 938 South Holly will reshingle his residence at a cost of $100; Roland Birkholtz of 103 South Orange will move a garage and woodshed at a cost of $50, and Don Newbury of 5 Eastwood Drive will remodel his residence at a cost of $700. Permits during the past several months have seldom been issued at a rate of more than this number during an entire week. Medford Mail Tribune, September 11, 1934, page 1 MEDFORD BUILDING SHOWS LARGE GAIN
DURING PAST YEAR New Buildings and Repair Permits Total $116,713-- Remodeling of Downtown Buildings Big Factor
Building
in Medford took a decided leap in 1935, as compared to 1934. A total of
181 permits representing an expenditure for new buildings and repairs
in the amount of $116,713 was a jump of $17,661 over the $99,052
represented by the 156 permits issued the year before.
A check of the records in the city building department shows that much of the money spent was for the renovation of office and store buildings in the business district, with an almost equal amount spent on industrial improvements and expansions. The largest single project was the remodeling of the building on Front Street between Eleventh and Twelfth streets into a modern cold storage unit of the Pinnacle Packing Company, with a permit of $25,000. Other industrial permits included an addition to the Southern Oregon Brewery at a cost of $2,500, and an addition to Beck's Bakery at a cost of $2,400. The largest single business expansion was made by Mann's Department Store, which was completely remodeled inside and out at a building cost of $12,000. Remodeling of the old Jackson County Bank building by Littrell-Moty, Inc., at a cost of $3,000, with the work on the Will Hansen building at Main and Bartlett streets following closely at $2,500. The Jackson County Building and Loan Company remodeled the second floor of their office building at a cost of $2,000, the Osteopathic Clinic hospital was remodeled at a cost of $2,000, and the Rose Grocery store was constructed at a cost of $2,000. Medford Mail Tribune, January 3, 1936, page 1 BUILDING PERMITS UP 400 PERCENT
Building permits during the month of July, always a dull month, jumped
nearly 400 percent over those of the same month last year, according to
incomplete records reported by the city building department today. So
far this month permits in the amount of $8170 have been issued, as
compared with only $2590 for July of 1935.
The largest single permit for the month so far was issued to Mrs. Frank Gerdes of 123 Vancouver Avenue, covering the construction of an addition to the residence there. There were several small remodeling permits, most of them covering the cost of reshingling or rebuilding porches in amounts ranging from $35 to $150. Only one new residence was listed during the month, the permit going to M. C. Wright, 833 East Jackson Street, for a home and garage at a cost of $2200. Henrietta Moss, 316 North Central Avenue, was granted a permit to construct a three-car garage with storage space overhead at a cost of $1800. Fourteen permits were issued this month as compared to 10 issued in July 1935. The monthly total was expected to be swelled by permits granted this afternoon and tomorrow morning. Medford Mail Tribune, July 31, 1936, page 1 MARCH BUILDING BEST IN MEDFORD
FOR MANY YEARS
Building in the city of Medford last month reached a new March peak
since 1931, with permits totaling $14,685 issued. During the same
period last year a total of only $3,775 was reached, and in 1934 the
total was even lower, being $2,030. In 1931 the total permits came to
$15,170.
While the record of last month is impressive, it in no way compared with the 1928 record, when the total for March was $103,060. Construction includes seven new homes, most of them on the east side of the city. The largest single permit of the month was granted Etta Moss for the construction of a laundry at 816 North Central, at a cost of $4,000. A permit was granted D. D. Kay, 1206 East Main Street, for construction of a residence and garage at a cost of $3,000; E. G. Dow, 709 Park Avenue, also took out a permit for a new residence and garage, at a cost of $2,000; H. C. Goldsmith was granted a permit to build a $2,000 residence at 1616 East Main Street. Sam Goldstine was another to take out a permit to build a residence at 1210 East Main Street, at a cost of $1,800; W. Bergman received a permit to build a residence at 816 South Riverside Avenue, at a cost of $1,000; P. L. Andrews received a permit to build a new house at 1413 Euclid Avenue, to cost $2,000. Mattie Combs took out a permit to construct a small residence at 921 Narregan Street, at a cost of $600. Industrial permits went to G. Kelland to repair the "Brass Rail" roadhouse, at a cost of $300, and the Morton Milling Company was granted a permit to build a new office and garage at a cost of $1,000. The remainder of the permits granted were mainly to cover repairs and minor remodeling. Medford Mail Tribune, April 1, 1936, page 2 Important Modernization and
Expansion Projects
Carried Out During Year
The
year 1937 witnessed many important changes in Medford's attractive
business district, with several new construction projects and a number
of buildings undergoing complete modernization and "face-lifting." One
of the outstanding projects was the rebuilding of the old building at
Main and Central streets by William H. Fluhrer, completed last fall.
Modern in every detail, the new Fluhrer Building is occupied on the ground floor by Reinhart and Barker's men's store, the Medford Pharmacy, Piggly Wiggly, Larry Schade's jewelry establishment, Mode O'Day women's ready-to-wear store, Buster Brown shoe store, Lewis ready-to-wear store and Biden's shoe shop. Included among the professional men with offices in this attractive building are Clark & Keeney, architects, who handled the remodeling details; Frank P. Farrell, attorney; L. Clifton Culp, accountant, and the following doctors and dentists: Dr. A. E. Dodson, Dr. C. I. Drummond, Dr. E. R. Durno, Dr. Dwight H. Findley, Dr. C. C. Goldsberry, Dr. J. S. Johnson, Dr. Burt Lageson and Dr. Jud Rickert. Standard Oil Occupants
On
December 30, the Standard Oil
Company district offices on the third floor of the new Fluhrer Building
were opened to the public.With 2117 square feet of office space, nearly double that of the former location, the new home of the Standard Oil Company is up to the minute in every detail. Offices for officials and staff are fully air conditioned, and the newest type of lighting has been employed. The modern equipment, general layout of the offices and scheme of decorations make Standard Oil's new home one of the finest office suites between Portland and San Francisco. In these fine offices the Standard Oil Company's business will be transacted for the large southern Oregon-northern California district, of which Medford is headquarters. Ward Expands
Early in
1937, Montgomery Ward completed the fine Ward store at Eighth and
Bartlett [sic],
one of the finest of its kind on the Pacific coast. Floor space of the
former store was doubled by this expansion program, many new
departments and lines of merchandise added and new facilities provided
to make this a complete shopping center under one roof.The store features three great stores under one roof. On the main floor is the dry goods, fashion and accessories department. There are found yard goods, notions, shoes, dresses, coats and furnishings for every member of the family. In all, there are 18 complete departments on the main floor. Store No. 2, on the second floor, is complete with rugs, radios, curtains, electrical appliances and furniture for every room in the house. It is Ward's complete home furnishings store. In the basement, called store No. 3, is the hardware department, consisting of auto accessories, heating and plumbing supplies, paints and roofing, a complete hardware assortment, and poultry and farm supplies. Many Items Stocked
All told,
Montgomery Ward have on
sale over 10,000 items in 29 complete departments. Wider aisles and new
Daylight lamps enable buyers to discover at the counter what articles
will look like in the daylight. Modern fixtures and displays will make
it easier to find articles desired.The new store has an enlarged balcony to take care of the larger office and budget departments. Among other improvements in the store was the installation of an electric freight elevator and the building of new safety stair steps to the basement and the second floor. Also, the tire, battery and oil service shop. Public acceptance of this new store is reflected in a 25-percent increase in 1937 business over that of the previous year. H. L. Brown, store manager, said Friday, "It has been necessary to secure additional warehouse space in a building adjoining the Craterian Theatre and in another location on South Bartlett Street to accommodate the volume of merchandise handled for our southern Oregon trade. It is most gratifying to officials of our company to note the enthusiasm in which our enlarged store has been received in this community," Brown said. New M.M. Store
On
September 21st, 1937, the new
M.M. Department Store at 220-222 East Main Street was opened to
southern Oregon shoppers by Charles S. Adair and Bernie H. Williams,
owners.With modern fixtures and equipment inside and an up-to-date display front on the exterior, this store is considered one of the most beautifully appointed in the state. The front is especially modern, there being less than 20 of these designs in the United States, it is said. Two large glass windows enable the customer to see merchandise clearly from all sides. The back island display window also lets more light into the interior. A feature of the store itself is the excellent lighting system. Many skylights make it practically a "daylight" store, the ready-to-wear and men's clothing departments being especially light, making artificial illumination entirely unnecessary. Fixtures, newly purchased and installed, are all of gum wood and mahogany made locally by the Trowbridge Cabinet works. At the rear of the store is a modern mezzanine floor, with davenports, writing desks and a restroom where the lady customer may relax while shopping. All aisles are wide and spacious, and display counters and cases are conveniently located so as to make shopping a pleasure. Departments are segregated with simplicity and may be easily reached. Abbey Erects Building
During June 1937, work was commenced on
the $35,000
structure housing Walter W. Abbey, Inc., Nash-LaFayette dealers, at
Bartlett and Ninth streets.Constructed entirely of white concrete, the new building is 100 by 100 feet in dimension, one story tall, and one of the most beautiful structures in southern Oregon. One-half the total space is given over to an elaborately equipped shop and service department, while the show room, offices and parts department take up the remainder. Especially beautiful is the spacious sales and show room fronting Ninth Street. Concrete floor space, 100 by 35 feet, is blocked off with huge orange and black checks. Walls and ceiling are of a cream tan finish. Lighting is furnished by four huge plate glass windows the length of the building by nine 500-watt globes of the most modern diffused indirect illumination behind opalescent glass fixtures. A giant red fireplace dominates this attractive display room. There are two automobile entrances to the Nash-LaFayette show room, one each on Bartlett and Ninth streets and two pedestrian doors located likewise. The parts department is located near the Bartlett Street entrance and gives directly off the show room floor, as do all offices. Men's and women's restrooms are located conveniently off the show room. The completely equipped shop and service department, 100 by 50 feet, has one entrance--on Bartlett Street--and a rear exit. Kidd's Modernized
Another 1937 major remodeling was
undertaken by C.
M. Kidd & Company, pioneer shoe concern, located at 221 East
Main
Street. With a smart new front, trimmed with lustrous, black Carrara
glass, and completely remodeled interior and fixtures, Kidd's store is
considered one of this city's most beautiful business establishments.
The opening of this firm's new store was observed April 16th.Following a fire which completely destroyed the Domestic Laundry and Zoric Cleaners, located on North Riverside, a new, modern building was erected late in 1937 with an opening celebration December 13th. The homes of Cupp's Furniture Exchange and other business firms were likewise destroyed in this fire and reconstructed during the fall season. The Sparta Building, affected in the fire, was fully redecorated. Woolworth Moves
Other important 1937 construction
projects included
the new, enlarged home of F. W. Woolworth Company at Sixth and Central
streets, the extensive modernization of the Hotel Allen at Main and
Front streets, and the remodeling of the Hansen building at Sixth and
Bartlett sts., marking an expansion of Hansen Hardware. Work is now
underway on the new, modern food market building on North Central
Avenue, which will be occupied by J. Farrell Haws within the near
future. [Haws was
manager of Safeway; the market was apparently not built.]Construction and modernization of a number of Medford service stations and apartment houses was also witnessed during the past year. Medford Mail Tribune, January 2, 1938, page 6 PLUMBING LACK MAIN STONE IN
BUILDING PATH
Representatives of Labor, Management and Builders Seek Solution of Problem.
Shortages
of building materials, principally plumbing fixtures, soil pipe and
electrical supplies, were held accountable for the existing housing
crisis here by representatives of organized labor, management and
builders at a meeting Tuesday noon at the Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce. The group was assembled by the chamber to seek a solution to
the problem of immediate housing for veterans. Diamond Flynn, director
of the chamber and local electrical dealer, conducted the round table
discussion.
A program of construction of modest-size homes on vacant lots in this city was suggested by Flynn and, after deliberation by those attending the meeting, a committee will be appointed at once to consider all phases and put the plan into effect if advisable. The program calls for a model home to be erected as a pattern for future construction. [The "yardstick house" at 721 Dakota was built in 24 hours on March 16.] Pressure will also be exerted in Washington at once to relieve material shortages. City Offers Help
The city
of Medford, with City
Superintendent Frank Rogers as spokesman, offered grading and
installation of sewer and water if the model home plan materializes.
Paul Timm, speaking for the retail merchants group of the chamber,
assured fullest cooperation of local businessmen, while Trowbridge and
Flynn will assist in the electrical wiring. George Beltz, speaking for
the plumbers' union, pledges the cooperation of his group, and Henry
Feller, business representative of the painters' local union 1124
promised the painting of the model home.Cooperation of local electrical workers was offered by Charles Crary, business manager for this group. Food for model home workers has been offered by the Medford Elks Club. As it is the plan to have the lawn and shrubbery installed immediately, the seed and plants were offered by Ray Miksche of the Monarch Seed and Feed Company. The roofing of the model home was assured by Wilbur D. Schmidt of roofers' local 140 of this city. The pitfalls and material bottlenecks which are blocking building here were cited by Harry Hawk, local plumber, and Marshall Bessonette, Medford contractor. Delay in processing GI applications and shortages of needed materials were held responsible for failure to complete 150 homes now under construction in this city. Inequities in the price control setup nationally has curbed production of some of these vitally necessary materials, it was stated. FHA Accused
Ed Niles,
Medford lumber dealer,
reminded the meeting that "FHA bungling is also a factor in the delay
in solving the current housing problem here and elsewhere." Hilding
Bengtson and Eugene Thorndike spoke briefly in behalf of local
financial institutions, emphasizing the fact that financing of GI homes
will be forthcoming when other problems are solved.To emphasize the urgency of the housing need by returning veterans, Mark Goldy told the group that 125 names appear upon the waiting list of the local federal housing project, and inquiries range from five to 10 daily. Ernest Scott, selective service official, said that 2,500 veterans have returned, and of this number 1,100 are family men and 500 need homes. Medford Mail Tribune, February 13, 1946, page 4 834 Building Permits Issued Here
in 1947
with Estimated Value Placed at $2,743,463
Total of 834
building permits with an estimated value of $2,743,463 were issued in
Medford during 1947, a rise of $862,619 over similar valuations for
1946 when 821 permits were issued, according to statistics obtained at
the city superintendent's office today. Biggest month of 1947 was
February, when permits totaled $418,860 and included construction of
two of the packing plants destroyed in the $1,000,000 fire of the
previous summer. Second biggest month was November, when the total was
$331,228.
May provided the smallest amount in building permits, when the sum was $54,823 for 12 houses, two garages and two business buildings. Largest single permit was valued at $10,000 for construction of a residence for Milo G. Burnes at 37 Valley View Drive. Second smallest amount was $94,313 in April. Largest and most valuable construction permit in January, 1947, was for the Reter Fruit Company plant, 327 South Fir Street, at a cost of $100,000. Remodeling Planned
February's largest permits were for the
Pacific-Gamble Robinson Company plant at 706 South Central Avenue at
$100,000; American Fruit, Inc., 213 South Fir Street, $132,500, and
Crystal Springs Packing Company, 139 South Fir Street, $85,000.Nu-Way Cleaners' new structure at 605 East Main Street was the biggest one in March with an $18,000 valuation. Remodeling of a building at 121 North Bartlett for which Bessie Lumsden applied for the permit in April gave the month's largest single application, for $9,000. A. B. Barnes applied for permission to erect an apartment house at 224 King Street at a cost of $70,000 for top price in June. July saw the U.S. National Bank get a $102,000 valuation permit to remodel a building at Main Street and Central Avenue. California Oregon Power Company's permit to remodel its building at 26 North Holly Street at a cost of $45,000 was tops for August. An addition to the Medford junior high school at a cost of $21,500 as asked by School District No. 49 was high for September's permits. Penney Structure
October's record of permits showed the
J.C. Penney
petition for building its new structure at 106 North Central Avenue for
$190,000 as the highest for that month.In November George W. Porter asked for permission to repair the fire-damaged structure at 204 South Fir Street at a cost of $15,000 and this was tops for this month. December, 1947, records showed that 22 residences permits were asked at an estimated cost of $72,000; 10 non-residential buildings at an estimated cost of $197,600 and 11 alterings at $16,075. The total of $285,675 for the month includes 22 homes, six business buildings, three garages and one moving of building. Most costly of the December permits was for a cold storage building at McAndrews Road and North Central Avenue at an estimated cost of $97,000 and was issued to Harvey S. Mudd. Medford Mail Tribune, January 7, 1948, page 3  Medford Mail Tribune, March 14, 1948, page 13 BUILDING PERMITS UP 98 PERCENT
Medford Mail Tribune, April
28, 1948, page 4
Construction
permits in Medford in March increased 98 percent over February of this
year and 76 percent over March of 1947, according to statistics from
the statistical department of the Equitable Savings & Loan
Association of Portland.
March volume in dollars for last month was $384,465 compared with $193,200 in February, 1948, and $217,827 in March of last year, the statement said. The local volume was fourth highest in Oregon, being preceded by Eugene, Baker and Portland, figured on the basis of increase over February, 1948. Listed among the highlights of the month in the statistical bulletin was the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph building now being constructed on North Central Avenue at a cost of $225,000. BUILDING PERMITS DECLINE IN VALUE
A drop in the value of Medford building permits during April 1948
compared with March of this year but a gain of about $260,000 over
April of last year was reported at the city superintendent's office
today after totals for last month had been added up.Fifty-seven permits were given out in April this year for construction, repairs and remodeling estimated to cost $355,903. These included 19 new homes for $98,300; six new business buildings, $43,000; four new private garages, $1,650, and one public building (Medford Y.M.C.A.), $150,000. In the same month of 1947 there were 57 permits given out for a total of $94,313, while in March of this year permits totaled 47 for an aggregate total of $384,465. The biggest building last month was the new Pacific Telephone and Telegraph structure for $225,000. The largest in April 1947 was for remodeling a business structure at 121 North Bartlett Street for $15,000. Medford Mail Tribune, May 5, 1948, page 12
Total building
permits issued in Medford during the first six months of 1950 were up
almost $300,000 in value over the same period in 1949. This was an
increase of 18 percent over last year. Building permits for apartment
houses, homes and other dwelling units increased over $400,000 during
the first half of 1950. Total permits issued for Medford construction
to July 1 were valued at nearly $2 million.
"Medford Building Permits Up in First Half of 1950," Medford Mail Tribune, August 23, 1950, page 4 Many New Public Buildings Now
Rising in Medford
The valuation of new construction of churches and public and commercial
buildings, one of the surest guides to the continued growth of any
city, is at a high peak in Medford. A recent survey indicates that 10
buildings ranging from those nearing completion to those just announced
are valued at a total of $1,564,000.$1,564,000 in New Construction for Public Structures Churches, Schools, Firms New Building Heading the list of new buildings are the St. Mary's School, slated to cost approximately $375,000, and the Plaza Apartments, which will cost about $550,000. The school building, which will replace a structure erected in 1908, is to be completed in time for the start of school next fall, and construction is running a little ahead of schedule at present. There are now 392 students attending the school, and the new building will allow for a substantial increase in enrollment expected within the next few years. The Plaza Apartments, at the corner of West 10th Street and Oakdale Avenue, are nearly completed, with only interior work yet to be done. The multi-storied building is one of the tallest in Medford and Jackson County. Municipal construction includes a $50,000 fire department substation at Eighth and Lincoln streets, and the Medford public schools administration building, to cost $50,000, at 700 Monroe Street. Near Completion The fire department substation, part of an enlargement program now under way for the department, will be completed sometime within the next two weeks, according to city officials. Men have been in training for the past two months to man the station and the department will take over the building as soon as possible, Fire Chief Gordon Barker reports. The schools administration office, a one-story concrete structure, will be completed next spring, according to Superintendent of Schools E. H. Hedrick. The building will house the offices of the superintendent, assistant superintendent, secretary-clerk, the school board, secretaries and the supervisory force. Four Churches Expand Four Medford churches are now at work on new buildings or additions. They are the First Methodist church, Main and Laurel streets, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 648 South Ivy Street, and the Assembly of God church, 11 Newtown Street. The Latter-day Saints church building, a $90,000 structure which will seat approximately 500 people, will be completed early next year. Constructed in large part by donated labor, it contains a chapel, recreation room, a stage with modern equipment and eight classrooms. An auditorium, the first unit of the new Assembly of God church, 1108 West Main Street, is expected to be completed by early spring. The building, to be equipped with all new furnishings, will cost about $150,000 and will seat 1,000 persons. Following completion of the auditorium, plans call for construction of a roman brick wing in the form of a court, a project which will cost another $180,000, according to church officials. School Quarters The addition to the First Methodist church will be used for church school quarters. The addition, including a basement and two floors, will add about one-third to the church's floor space and will cost $75,000. Church officials expect to be able to use the addition shortly after the first of the year. The Presbyterian church addition, to cost approximately $94,000, will also be used for church school purposes, a recreation room and for additional office space. It will alleviate overcrowded conditions under which the church has been forced to conduct classes in space donated by California-Pacific Utilities Company and the Medford Labor Temple. Target date for completion of the structure is February 18. Commercial Ventures Plans for construction of two large commercial developments have been announced recently. They are a $70,000 reconstruction and modernization of the Union Oil Company marketing station, and a $60,000 enlargement and improvement of the Consolidated Freightways motor terminal. Work at the Union Oil Company plant will include larger and faster pumping and loading facilities, a new garage, new warehouse and a new and modern office building to house local and district office staffs. The Consolidated project, started November 12, is a modern dock addition which will give increased loading and unloading space and will accommodate city trucks within the building. The firm is also constructing a fueling island and a truck scales installation and will pave the terminal yard. Medford Mail
Tribune, December 2, 1951,
page 12
 Medford Mail Tribune, October 18, 1953, page 12 Slump in Medford Building Appears
to Be Slacking Off;
Survey of Permits Shows 1950 Record Year in Construction of Homes, Businesses
With
three months yet to go in 1953, it appears that the decline in Medford
building since the peak postwar year of 1950 is slacking off on a
year-to-year basis, according to city business permit records.
Building Activity in Medford Sets
RecordThe top year of 1950 saw the $3,551,442 total decrease by $870,833 in 1951, and drop still farther ($973,766) by the end of 1952 to a total of only $1,706,838. With three months still to go, the 1953 total has reached $1,213,291--only $493,547 less than all of last year. Months Compared Taken on a monthly basis, the drop for 1953 over 1952 from January through September amounts to only $236,669. The comparison is as follows, giving 1953 figures with the decrease or increase: January, $45,724, down $56,189; February, $131,347, down $85,410; March, $209,431, down $10,362; April, $152,455, down $28,405; May, $146,314, down $4,409; June, $149,410, up $23,631; July, $187,759, down $3,241; August, $76,455, down $91,445; and September, $114,396, up $18,961. These total figures include both residential and business new building and remodeling, as well as minor cost items such as signs and repairs. Breaking these totals down, a comparison can be made between new houses alone and new businesses. In the residential category, 1950 is still the biggest year with 295 new residences started at a cost of $2,183,665. In 1952, this dropped to 122 residences at $1,045,000. So far this year, 73 residences have been started at a cost of $660,750. Costs Up As an aid in interpreting the cost of residential construction, a look at construction costs over a 13-year period [is] interesting. In 1940, the average cost of a new house was $2,300. This jumped to $4,400 in 1947--or almost double. By 1950 the cost was $7,400. Last year it was $8,500, and this year it's $9,000. With such a progression--almost four times in 13 years--it is rather startling to find 54 new houses being built in 1940 at a cost of $125,750, whereas only 26 percent more permits this year has cost 500 percent more. Although fewer new residences are being constructed this year, new business construction has increased over 1952 (excluding remodeling) and is a larger percentage of the total. To the end of September this year a total of 20 new business permits were issued for a valuation of $166,505. This was a jump of $97,605 over 1952, an increase of five new businesses. In two months of this year, remodeling amounted to more than new business. In April, the total was $43,995, and in July $85,000. 1947 Big Postwar Year The year 1947 has been the biggest postwar construction period for new businesses, despite the fact that 1950 has the largest overall total. In 1947, a total of 55 permits were issued for a $1,065,150 valuation. This dropped steadily through 1950. The latter year, 25 permits were issued for $280,000. Added to this was the Medford Plaza apartment building construction of $295,000. It can readily be seen that a single project such as an apartment house can make a single month's total soar over a previous comparison only to settle down the next month to the average or below average. With this in mind, a one-month's comparison of August 1953 building valuation with Medford and three other southern Oregon communities will be given from the September issue of the Oregon Business Review. The amount above or below the August 1952 figure is given with last August's total: Medford, $76,445, down $91,445; Grants Pass, $128,500, up $24,585; Coos Bay, $52,850, down $56,325; and Klamath Falls, $262,510, up $170,768. Bank Debits Another indicator to compare regional growth [is] bank debits, which represent the dollar value of checks drawn against the individual's deposits. According to the Oregon Business Review, about 90 percent of all goods, property and services are paid by check. The Review gives the following August statistics: southern Oregon area (six banks in Medford, Ashland and Grants Pass), $56,126,649, down 8.5 percent over August 1952, Klamath Falls-Lakeview area, five banks reporting, $29,053,768, up 5 percent, and Douglas, Coos and Curry counties, eight banks, $47,491,355, down 8 percent. On the national scale, U.S. News and World Report's edition of Oct. 9 reported that the "building industry . . . is becoming a bit less active. New construction in August was about 6 percent below last spring. Housing starts dipped from 96,000 in July to 94,000 in August. A year ago in August, 99,000 new dwelling units were started." As for what lies in the future, an interesting factor is the construction cost analysis by the Engineering Record publication in an Oct. 8th edition. It points out that the rate of rise in construction costs has been running down all year, with 1954's cost rise predicted to hold at 2 percent or less over the present index. At the present time, the magazine reported, "the cost rise is taking a breather." However, it noted that the present status is a temporary one, at the best, and would probably stay stabilized until next spring, when possible new wage contracts will be reflected in costs. Medford Mail Tribune, October 18, 1953, page 12 Eight Building Permits Issued
A total of eight building permits for projects valued
at $1,000 or more were issued at Medford city hall Monday.
Among them was a permit for $1,000 in remodeling issued to Ira T. Burns for the house at 433 Fairmont St. J. L. Griffith was issued a permit for erecting a $10,000 residence at 856 Murphy Rd. Walt Young was issued one for a $4,000 project involving remodeling of a structure at 521 South Riverside Ave. for office use. C. W. Brooks was issued a permit for remodeling a storage building at 842 North Riverside Ave. into an apartment for $2,000. Ralph Moore received a permit for adding a $1,000 storeroom to a store at 816 South Riverside Ave., and Robert Spencer one for a $1,800 addition at 294 DeBarr Ave. Two permits for repairing residences were issued yesterday, one to Leota Tuttle for a $1,400 job at 712 West Fourth St., and one to Herbert Lingren for a $1,000 project at 42 Ross Ct. Medford Mail Tribune, March 4, 1959, page B2 Area Construction Reflects
Economic Health
Big Projects Noted
Construction is an indication of a healthy economic condition, and the
Rogue Valley is not without its major construction projects.
Throughout the valley there are now homes, businesses and roads being constructed. There are under construction, or recently opened, new motels, new service stations, and other facilities which will handle tourists, who bring in many thousands of dollars to this area. And from present plans, the valley's construction will continue a few more years. Manor Construction Work recently started on the valley's largest construction projects--the Rogue Valley Manor, a 10-story $5½-million retirement home on Barneburg Hill south of Medford. Some time this fall, the Medford Shopping Center at the corner of East Jackson St. and Biddle Rd. is expected to open. The Sears, Roebuck and company store, along with Safeway, and other shops is expected to draw hundreds of out-of-town shoppers each week. Within the next year, an addition will be constructed to Rogue Valley Memorial Hospital, an addition estimated to cost about $1.5 million. Talent Project The House appropriations committee in Washington, D.C., earlier this month approved $2,747,788 for the Talent project, an item which will assure this area of continued heavy construction. In the next few years, too, the Highway 99 freeway will be in various phases of construction. An initial phase of the four-lane divided highway is now under construction between the Seven Oaks area north of Central Point to a point south of Central Point. Those are a few of the large major construction projects started or planned in this area within the near future. There are many other projects which are under construction, or expect to start soon. Construction Consistent Within the city of Medford, construction has been consistent. Buildings which have been remodeled or built, or are now under construction, include: The Army reserve center on West Jackson St., estimated to cost about $229,000: Cedar Lodge Motel on North Riverside Ave., $104,000: the new bureau of land management office on South Riverside, $59,000; an addition to the Lutheran church on Fourth St., $82,183; addition to Medford Bowling Lanes, $59,000; Century building remodeling, $25,000; Morton Milling Company feed mill, $25,000; 1005 East Main St., mall, $65,000; Rogue Valley State Bank, East Jackson St., $40,000; foundation for Nye and Naumes cold storage plant, $35,000; Westminster Presbyterian church, $95,000; Myron Root cold storage plant, $29,000; Lumberman's Realty office building on West Main St., $73,000; and the Keith Babcock store on North Riverside, $38,000. These, of course, do not include buildings being constructed outside the Medford city limits. Nor does it include new homes within Medford. During the first five months this year, 81 permits have been issued by the city for new home construction. Estimated value of the new homes is $1,040,400, with the average home costing about $12,844. The highest costing home for which a permit was issued was estimated to cost $25,000. Outside the Medford area, new motels, a new recreation center south of town, a new packing plant, other new businesses and many new homes are under construction. In Ashland, Southern Oregon college is building several new structures to handle the increased enrollment and new demands for students. On this page today are pictures of some of the construction in the Rogue Valley, construction which indicates that the valley's economy is healthy. Medford Mail Tribune, June 28, 1959, page 14 Area's Growth
Reflected in New Building
One of the ways to judge the growth of
an area is by the building activity.Permits Issued in City Almost $2 Million in '60 And a drive around the Rogue Valley substantiates this. Almost everywhere one can see new construction or remodeling projects under way. Many new homes are being constructed, some in complete subdivisions, and new subdivisions themselves appear regularly. New business and professional buildings are going up; other business firms are remodeling, or remodeled recently. Some major construction work is yet to start, among the more notable Medford Corporation's planned plywood plant south of its present office building. New homes will continue to be built, and additions and new classrooms will be constructed in most school districts in the county. Building Activity The present building activity in the county reflects the recent census for Jackson County. The census bureau in Eugene said the official population of Jackson County is 73,316, some 1,000 more people than original estimates. Although building permits are issued only within city limits, there are many new homes, and businesses, under construction outside city limits. So far this year, the Medford building department has issued building permits valued at $1,983,787 with some $817,060 of that in new home construction, including duplex building. In Ashland, 58 building permits have been issued to date with a total valuation of $433,690, of which some $274,000 is for new home construction, including multiple-unit dwellings. Other New Homes There are probably as many, if not more, new homes being constructed outside city limits for which no permits are issued. The value of these homes is hard to determine, but probably exceeds that of the Medford new home valuation listed when permits are issued. Taking the spotlight in major construction is, of course, the 10-story Rogue Valley Manor on top of Barneburg Hill southeast of the Medford city limits. The multi-million-dollar structure can be seen from almost any location in the valley. The building permit for the Manor, however, was issued last year, and docs not show on the almost $2 million worth of permits issued in Medford since Jan. 1 this year. Among those since Jan. 1 were permits for some of the California Oregon Power Company's shop facility construction at the corner of Grape St. and Stewart Ave. in Medford. The development was started last year with construction of a shop and storage space. Future Office Building Space is provided at the site for a future office building, but just when it will be constructed is uncertain, it is understood. Among other major building permits this year has been one for the Standard Insurance Company two-story all-wood structure at the corner of East Main and Genessee sts. Standard Insurance plans use of some of the building, but the second story will be rental space. Another important construction item is additions to present schools or new schools, and the largest of these projects in the valley now is construction of Ashland Junior High School. Construction on that structure was started after district patrons approved a bond issue to finance the building. A new junior high school was deemed necessary there when the old structure was condemned as a fire hazard. New School Recently a new school was completed in Rogue River when the old building was condemned as a fire hazard. In most other districts, construction has started, or will start, on additions to present plants to provide space for the increased number of children. Medford district's two-year building is under way with work starting on the Hoover School addition, bids opened on additions to West Side and Ruch schools, and bids planned to be opened on other work in the near future. In District 6C, which includes Central Point, Gold Hill and Sams Valley, work is starting on additions to schools to relieve crowded conditions. Planned are additions in Gold Hill, an addition to Jewett School, work on which already has started, and at Central Point Junior High. Addition Planned An addition to Phoenix High School is planned to help accommodate the additional students attending Phoenix High through consolidation with Talent. An addition also is planned at Butte Falls, for which voters recently approved a bond issue to finance it. But perhaps the most important construction, additions or other remodeling to the individual resident is his home. New homes are being built almost everywhere in the valley, and many of the older residences are being remodeled to accommodate the increased number in the family. The pictures on this page today illustrate some of the construction projects now under way in the valley, including new homes. Medford Mail Tribune, May
29, 1960, page 10
Building
activity in the city of Medford apparently set a new record for the
month of December, with building permits valued at nearly $1 million
being issued.
A total of 92 permits, valued at $963,910, were issued during December. A building department official called the figure "truly remarkable, since building activity normally falls off during December." Last month's total was an increase of more than $250,000 over the December 1959 total of $702,203. That month was also considered to be an exceptionally good building month. Last month's figure was substantially higher than the December 1958 total, when $233,660 worth of permits were issued, and the December 1957 total, when only $99,765 worth of permits were issued. Pacing last month's total was new building construction. The new buildings for which permits were taken out during December include the $533,000 J. J. Newberry department store; a $57,990 state office building addition; the $22,000 Nye and Naumes company warehouse, and a $52,000 Cedar Lodge motel restaurant. Starts were made on 14 new residences during the month, having a combined value of $148,650. Permits to remodel or repair existing buildings totaled $84,155. A building department official said today that the total building activity for the 1960 year should also be substantial. A year-end report will be issued within a few days. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1961, page 1 Building in City Good During 1960
A
total of $5,163,951 worth of building permits were issued in the city
of Medford during 1960, in what building department officials consider
to be "an exceptionally good building year in Medford."
The total is not a record. It is exceeded by both 1959's record total of $10,994,944 and 1958's total of $5,778.527. City Building Director O. R. McNeel said, however, that 1960 probably would have been a record year had it not been for the Rogue Valley Manor permit which was issued in 1959, and the Medford Shopping Center permit which was issued in 1958. New residence construction led all other building activities in the city during the year, with starts made on 127 homes having a total value of $1,518,200. New business building construction was close behind with starts made on 23 new businesses having a total value of $1,493,600. Other Categories Construction in other building categories during the year include six new duplexes valued at $84,500; three new apartments valued at $102,000; three new churches valued at $175,400; two new motels valued at $271,656; three new institutions valued at $252,573; and three new public buildings valued at $206,051. Also issued were 141 sign permits; 188 electrical permits; 333 plumbing permits; 36 patio permits and 11 swimming pool permits. The total number of permits issued during the year was 1,436. A total of $27,814 was collected in fees and 15,301 inspections were made. In addition there were 97 electrical dealer's certificates issued. Medford Mail Tribune, January 8, 1961, page 1 Medford Growth Believed Nearing
Boom Proportions
Others Call It 'Accelerating' By GREG NOKES Mail Tribune Staff Writer
Medford
is growing--of this there can be little doubt. The problem is whether
to classify the growth as a boom, or, more conservatively, a period of
increased expansion.
There is disagreement on this point. The manager of the Medford Chamber of Commerce cautions against thinking there will be a boom, and says the pace of growth is merely "accelerating." Others, including the local director of the state employment agency, feel the city may be on the threshold of a boom. Whatever it is--it is already here. Industries Not Included Construction in Medford alone--now under under way or soon to get started--totals approximately $7,200,000. And this figure does not include several new industries in the area, which have chosen not to make public the cost of construction. Nor does it include three Highway 99 freeway projects, for which bids will be opened Tuesday in Salem by the state highway commission. The three projects, which will take the freeway to the north Ashland interchange from Jackson St. in Medford, have an estimated value of more than $3½ million. The total valuation of building permits issued in Medford during the first three months of 1964 is $2,069,012. City Building Superintendent O. R. McNeel says that "from all indications" he thinks the city will beat its record construction year set in 1959, when $10,248,720 worth of building permits were issued. Effects Wide-Felt Nearly all aspects of the valley's economy seem to be feeling the effects of the stimulated growth. But this is particularly true with the tourist and plywood industries. Four new motel developments having a cumulative valuation of $2,200,000 are under construction or soon will be. They are the Alpine Village, the Thunderbird Motel, the Imperial "400" Motel and the Medford Hotel addition. When completed they will increase the total number of motel units in the city from 303 to 535. Two new plywood mills are under construction--the Medford Corporation mill and the Elk Lumber Company mill. These will create an estimated 400 new jobs in the area. Other smaller industries now under construction in the area include a potato byproduct manufacturing plant in Central Point, which will employ 10 persons, and a cooperative warehouse in the Mason-Ehrman tract north of Medford which also will employ 10 persons. Other new and sizable industries are being rumored for the Medford area, and at least one of them appears it will locate here in the near future. New home building is keeping pace with the rest of the growth. Since Jan. 1, the city building department has issued 30 permits having a total valuation of about $360,000 for new residences--both single-family and duplexes. Apartment Developments Also two apartment developments are proposed for the shopping center area, one of them having 43 units. A complete list of the other announced projects in the Medford area would take considerable space. But some of the major ones are: --A $1,200,000 addition to Rogue Valley hospital. --A $250,000 medical center building to be erected near the hospital. --A convalescent hospital near the shopping center. --A new Newberry's department store at the shopping center. --A new First Federal Savings and Loan building, costing about $100,000. --The new St. Mary's High School near Barneburg Hill. Federal Building --The $2 million federal building, now proposed for property south of 10th St. --Matlack's new shopping center on West Main St., representing an initial investment of $150,000. --The addition to the Pacific Telephone-Northwest building. (The building addition will cost $117,000, and the investment in new equipment will be more than $1 million.) --The Jackson County Extension Service building on Stewart Ave., costing approximately $120,000. Other Construction Other recent announcements which are indicative of the overall growth in the area are a proposed new golf course, a proposed private tennis club and the construction by the city of a new bridge across Bear Creek at Fourth St. Some of the new buildings and businesses in Medford that have already been completed should be mentioned, because they too are a part of the city's growth. These would include the Rogue Valley Manor, the new Jackson County Federal Savings and Loan Association building, a roller skating rink south of Medford, the new Standard Insurance Company building, the recent addition to The Mall building, the new Army and Navy Reserve building, the new city swimming pool and the new Thunderbird Market. Incidental to Growth Then there is the freeway. The multi-million-dollar highway is actually incidental to the growth of Medford, since it would have been built here whether or not the area was growing. But it will nevertheless benefit the local economy considerably, since local labor will be used, and much of the vast amount of highway materials will be purchased locally. And, it should prove an inducement for the location of new business here, particularly those businesses connected with the tourist industry. This would be an impressive list for any city. For Medford (pop. 24,456) it represents probably one of the greatest construction booms since the infamous years of 1909-1912. Won't Continue Chamber of Commerce Manager Don McNeil does not think the present pace of construction will continue. He feels that the great amount of construction that is currently going [on] came about by coincidence and that it will level off in the near future. McNeil does believe that Medford is one of the fastest-growing spots in the Pacific Northwest, and he said that Medford is gaining a reputation as being a boom city throughout Oregon and Washington. This reputation alone could conceivably attract other new businesses here which think there is a boom and want to get in on it. If this did happen, McNeil was not sure that it would be a good thing. Enthusiastic About Medford McNeil's note of caution should not be interpreted as pessimism, for he is as enthusiastic about Medford and its future as anyone. He thinks, however, that industrial growth will come from within, rather than without. Jobs in the valley have been increasing at an average of 350 per year during the last 10 years, and McNeil said 90 percent of these jobs are from the expansion and diversification of local industry. He cited Bear Creek Orchards' entrance into the fiberglass trailer business and the expansion of the Jeddeloh Bros. Sweed Mills at Gold Hill as examples of this. "On the Threshold" On the subject of population, McNeil believes that Medford and the Rogue Valley "are on the threshold of the greatest influx of population we've ever known," with much of this influx coming from the Los Angeles area. He gained this belief while working for Oregon at a recent vacation travel show in Los Angeles. He said these persons are not only seeking the area as a place for a vacation, but also as a place to relocate. Many of them should be job-producers rather than job-seekers, he said. While noting that some persons are predicting that Medford will have a population of 50,000 by 1970, McNeil said his own "conservative guess" would fix the population of Medford "and the suburban area" at about 53,000 by 1970. Unemployment in Area Unemployment still runs rampant in the valley, but there are indications that it is going down. John Patton, state employment director for this area, said that 14 percent of the 60 percent of the workers who are covered by unemployment compensation are now out of work. However, this represents a slight decrease from the 14 to 16 percent unemployed averaging for the preceding months. It would be virtually impossible to arrive at an exact count of the total available labor force in the county, but Patton said he would estimate it [at] about 25,000. All in all, Patton forecast what looks like a reasonable year, "maybe a very good one." He is one of those who is predicting a possible boom in the valley. Not everyone is in agreement that the city is pushing ahead. Some persons will say that what Medford is getting now it has needed for a long time, and that we are merely "catching up." But anybody and everybody knows that something is going on, and they will be watching the next few months with considerable interest. Medford Mail Tribune, April 9, 1961, page 1 Building Permits Show Decrease
Building permits in the Medford area decreased in December, 1961,
compared to December, 1960, according to the University of Oregon
bureau of business research.December building permits were valued at $684,387. In December, 1960, the total value was $962,795. Last month nine permits were issued for new buildings with a value of $631,687; in November, 19 permits for new buildings were issued valued at $181,000; and in December, 1960, permits for new buildings totaled 18, valued at $175,650. Building permits from 147 reporting centers totaled $13,185,960 last month, a 20.5 percent increase over December, 1960, when the value of permits issued totaled $10,943,079. Medford Mail Tribune, January 24, 1962, page 5 1963 Construction in Medford Was
2nd Highest Ever
Construction in the city of Medford last year reached its second
highest valuation in history at $7,076,148, Director of Building Safety
John T. Holmer has reported.
The year 1959 was highest at $10,994,944. Construction of Rogue Valley Manor boosted that year's total by $4,693,616, Holmer said. Compared to 1962, last year experienced a total increase of $2,084,953. The total number of permits increased from 1,486 in 1962 to 1,783 in 1963, according to Holmer. The greatest increase was in new duplex construction, which more than doubled, with a valuation of $76,900 in 1962 and $166,000 in 1963. There also was a marked increase in new business construction last year. Twenty-six business buildings were built at a valuation of $1,255,010 in 1963, compared to 15 business buildings in 1962 at a valuation of $803,475, Holmer said. Generally, there was an increase in all areas of construction, repair and remodeling. The increase is gradual over past years and appears to be the result of steady growth in the city, Holmer said. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1964, page 9 Medford Building Has Biggest Year
The Medford Building Department closed out its biggest year in history,
1964, by issuing 1,974 permits for construction valued at $11,417,121,
according to John T. Holmer, director. The department received
$45,735.41 in fees.
The year 1959 came nearest with its $10 million, the year in which the Rogue Valley Manor was constructed, he said, which accounted for $4 million itself. The month of December 1964 also established a record, with a total valuation of $2,626,255, Holmer said. Permits were issued Thursday to Jack Dumas to erect a dwelling at 321 Hillhouse Ave. at an estimated cost of $26,000; to F. E. Samson to erect a sign at 711 E. Jackson St. at an estimated cost of $7,000 and to install a sprinkler system at 235 N. Front St. at an estimated cost of $1,200, and to the W. L. Moore Construction Co. to build a residence at 1501 Johnson St., at an estimated cost of $13,000. Medford Mail Tribune, January 1, 1965, page B4 Building Permits at New April High
Issuance
of a permit for the construction of the Hawaiian Apartments at 224 N.
Ivy St., at an estimated cost of $123,000, this morning brought the
total building permit valuation to $1,002,430 for the month of April,
according to John T. Holmer, building safety director.
Fees collected this month, Holmer stated, amount to $3,768.75, and the number of permits issued totaled 150. "This is the highest April total in history," Holmer related. It is the first time $1 million has been reached or surpassed during the month of April. Last year, 152 permits were issued in April, and the valuation totaled $818,815. The previous year 170 permits were issued, and the valuation was $465,726. In 1961, permit valuation amounted to $597.410 on 132 permits, Holmer commented. Medford Mail Tribune, April 30, 1965, page 1 1965 Construction in Medford Tops
$10.7 Million
The
Medford Building Department issued 1,936 permits during 1965 for
$10,764,031 worth of construction, according to the annual report
issued by John T. Holmer, director of building safety.
The city collected $58,232.26 in fees. The valuation for 1965 was less than what it was in 1964, Holmer said, which was $11,417,121 on 1,976 permits. For 1963, 1,783 permits were issued with a valuation of $7,076,148, and the previous year's total was 1,486 permits issued and a building valuation of $5,991,195. Several permits were issued last year for buildings valued over $100,000. They included: U.S. National Bank building $887,430; addition to Rogue Valley Hospital $772,000; Witham Parts Service Station and Restaurant $386,000; 24-unit apartment building on Royal Avenue $223,000; 16-unit apartment building on North Ivy Street $123,000; city water department reservoir $480,000; addition to Medford Clinic $134,000; Eagles Lodge $102,000 and American Linen Company building on Ellen Avenue $175,000. 202 New Homes
The
department issued 202 permits
for new single-family dwellings at a total valuation of $3,457,474, and
20 new apartment buildings with 157 units, at a total valuation of
$1,149,625.Remodeling permits numbered 227 for single family, at $343,219, and for professional buildings, 35 were issued at a valuation of $234,370. Sixty-two permits were issued for stores and mercantile buildings at a valuation of $193,157. The report indicated that 63 dwellings were demolished and one triplex and eight dwellings within the city were moved. A permit was issued for a 59-unit trailer park at a valuation of $89,000 and two antennas, a park fountain and an elevator were constructed and installed. Swimming pool permits totaled seven, valued at $27,550, 244 permits were issued for fence construction at a valuation of $42,091, and 137 permits for signs were issued valued at $14,350, Holmer explained. Medford Mail Tribune, January 5, 1966, page 12 Building Permits Top $14 Million
The
City of Medford issued 1,994 building permits at a total valuation of
$14,082,917 during the 1965-66 fiscal year, it was announced today.
This is an increase of more than $2.3 million over last year, and an increase of 96 permits issued, according to the building department's report. Major permits taken out were for: an addition to Providence Hospital, $161,773; the Pacific Northwest Bell Building, $374,000; a Volkswagen agency garage and office on Biddle Road, $175,000; the new city hall building, $1,346,700; a new wing at Rogue Valley Hospital, $772,000; the new high school, $3,289,960; a store building at Crater Lake Avenue and Roberts Road, $147,000; a 12-unit apartment building on Bennett Avenue, $102,000; the American Linen Company building, $175,000; and a restaurant and service station at $146,000. Permits for new single family dwellings totaled 201. Building permit fees collected by the city during the fiscal year totaled $64,120.65. Medford Mail Tribune, July 6, 1966, page 1 Look into First Building Permits
of City Shows Cost Differences
By EVA HAMILTON Mail Tribune Staff Writer
Anyone
want to take a trip backward--into Medford's building history? If so,
there is a simple means of travel available at City Hall. It isn't a
time machine of science fiction variety. Just a simple little book. It
contains the first building permits issued by the City of Medford.
Building began in advance of the permits, as is usually the case in cities, just as zoning usually follows development of the countryside. Book 1 of Medford building permits is labeled "Oct. 27, 1913 to Feb. 16, 1921." The first permit in the book was issued to a former Medford mayor, George W. Porter, 826 Minnesota Ave. The permit called for construction of a frame store building at a cost of approximately $600. The location was on the south side of East Main Street between Almond and Tripp streets. It housed a bakery, originally, Porter, who served as mayor during the 1930s, recalls. Buildings Added
Three more
buildings were added to
it to form a complex occupied by a grocery, a cleaning establishment
and a shoe shop. All were later demolished, and what is now the East
Side Market building was constructed in their place.E. T. Foss, then city recorder, issued the permits in the early 1900s. The process was much the same as it is today in the Building Safety Department. The real difference is in the price. Buildings which still stand as some of the city's largest business establishments and clubs were estimated to cost less than a moderately priced home today, according to the original permits. The Elks Temple, for instance, was listed at a cost of $35,000 in the permit issued Dec. 17, 1913. The construction at that time was to include 12 rooms. Frank C. Clark was the architect. Permit for construction of a residence on the east side of Beatty Street was issued to Mr. and Mrs. William Stine. It was to be a five-room house, and the estimated cost was $800. Gain in Popularity
The
automobile was gaining in
popularity, but there was still a need for livery stables in Medford,
the book of permits revealed. On Nov. 19, 1913 a permit was issued to
F. and A. C. Hubbard for construction of a livery stable on the east
side of South Riverside between Eighth and Ninth streets at a cost of
$6,000.A few days later, however, C. W. Palm received a permit to build a garage on South Fir Street between Main and Eighth streets at a cost of $3,000. More permits for garage construction appeared the following year. The estimated costs varied from $75 to $4,000. Popular prices for residences continued to be $1,000 and $1,600. Some were estimated to cost as little as $500. In June 1914, W. S. Barnum, whose name appeared frequently in the book as building increased in the city, was granted permission to build a brick hotel of 42 rooms on North Front Street, estimated cost $20,000. It is known today as the Grand Hotel. In the permit for the hotel this statement appeared for the first time in the book: "Subject to approval of the building and fire committee." May 1915, Eli Dahack was recipient of a permit to construct a garage on North Riverside between Fifth and Sixth streets at a cost of $4,000. Medford was definitely growing up and moving into the machine age, but the rural atmosphere still endured. Wolff Brothers received permission July 1, 1915 to construct a barn on the north side of West 11th Street between Orange and Hamilton. The application was signed by Fred Wolff. That same year one of the city's most attractive residences was licensed for construction. Delroy Getchell gave $6,000 as the "approximately correct" estimated cost of an 11-room two-story house on South Oakdale at Stewart Avenue. The resulting structure was for many years the Getchell home and is today home to Dr. and Mrs. Leroy C. Jensen and family. History Revived
Interesting history for a few who
still remember the days of gaiety which accompanied the westward
migration of many young blades, attracted by the fruit boom, is revived
by another permit issued to the late Delroy Getchell, Medford banker.
It was for construction of a cement business building on the south side
of West Main Street between Fir and Grape. The $10,000 cost included
the wrecking of two upper stories of the Moore Hotel building where
social life had centered.To 1967 boards of numerous churches struggling with building budgets today the price listed in 1916 for construction of St. Mark's Episcopal Church on North Oakdale probably seems ludicrous. The brick structure, according to the authentic permit in the little book, was to cost $5,000. But this was an enormous sum compared to the cost of a packing plant construction, for which a permit was issued to Knight Packing Company. The total was $1,500 for the building to be located on South Front Street between 13th and Boyd streets. The name of A. S. Rosenbaum, for many years district freight and passenger agent for the Southern Pacific in Medford, also appears in the list of recipients of 1916 permits. His called for construction of a brick store building on the north side of West Main Street between Ivy and Oakdale. Familiar Name
Another
familiar name in the list
of permits is that of C. E. Gates, a former Medford mayor. In 1916 he
was granted a permit to construct brick shops on North Riverside
between East Main and Sixth streets. In 1920, he received permits to
construct a concrete building on Riverside Avenue between East
Main and Sixth streets at
an approximate cost of $25,000, and for a seven-room, two-story
residence at the corner of Queen Anne Avenue and Academy Place for an
estimated total of $10,000.In 1917, permits were issued for two large constructions, one to Dr. E. H. Porter for construction of a four-story brick building of 20 rooms on West Sixth Street, at an estimated cost of $15,000; the other to Hillcrest Orchard Company for a concrete warehouse and basement between 11th and 12th streets, estimated cost $20,000. In 1921, E. H. Porter's name appeared again as an applicant for more building at the West Sixth Street location. The permit called for addition of 24 rooms at a cost of $12,000. The construction is now known as Cargill Court Apartments. Show Upward Trend
Another
permit was also issued in
1921 to the Medford Elks Lodge, calling for additional construction on
North Central at a cost of $10,000. Prices were beginning to show the
upward trend.The first permit signed by M. L. Alford as city recorder was issued Aug. 2, 1917. It was to the F. W. Woolworth Company and provided for the remodeling of a store building on the north side of East Main Street between Front and Central at a cost of $1,000. J. F. Morrill was named as the building owner. The last permit in the book was issued to Rogue River Valley Canning Company, S. S. Bullis, president. It was for construction of a two-story building between 11th and 13th streets. The six-room construction was estimated to cost $15,000. The permit was numbered 94, representing the total number of buildings constructed in Medford in the span of years from Oct. 27, 1913 to Feb. 16, 1921. Medford Mail Tribune, March 26, 1967, page D1 Optimism Expressed by Region's
Builders
By Fred Youmans Mail Tribune Staff Writer
A
guarded optimism concerning future construction activities in the Rogue
Valley has been expressed by a number of building officials and area
contractors.
The words are tempered by the realization that the economy is still feeling the effects of a two-year building slump, triggered by "tight" money, which produced a sharp decline in new privately financed construction. In the meantime, tax-supported projects--in Medford, primarily, the new $3.5 million senior high school, a $2.7 million supplemental water supply system, and the $1.3 million city hall building--have more than filled the vacuum and kept many builders and tradesmen working almost continuously. But a renaissance of private-funded building is now being evidenced, with plans for new lumber-related industries at White City and huge motel-convention center complexes at Medford among the highlights. Blueprints are again spiraling off the boards of architects, and home building--an important gauge to the local economy--is in the midst of a strong comeback. Indicate Rebound
In
Medford, projects now under way
or on the drawing board indicate a possible healthy rebound from two
seasons of much inactivity. The nadir was expressed when the city
building department reported a four-year low in valuation of building
permits during 1967.School and city projects (except for a $1.5 million development of the Medford-Jackson County Airport) have been accomplished for the present. But witness the spate of private enterprise. A nursing and convalescent home, a downtown two-story office building, a pediatric clinic, two multi-unit apartment complexes, new churches, and an array of service stations have been built or are now being built in the city. Prominent on the drawing boards are plans for two huge motel complexes--the 130-unit Red Lion in the downtown area and the 128-unit Holiday Inn near the north freeway interchange--each representing total investments well over $1 million. Others Planned
Also
ticketed for the future are a
soft drink bottling plant, two downtown area restaurants, several
neighborhood convenience markets, a plywood testing plant, and more
service stations. Held up for various reasons, but always likely to
burst into full reality, are two proposed multi-million-dollar shopping
centers--the Rogue Center near the north freeway interchange and the
Grandview Mall near the new high school.Remodeling and additions of existing businesses, including banks and motels, plus continued activity by subdividers have further brightened the picture. Delbert C. Bates, acting director of the Medford Building Department, expects "no big jobs" (excluding the motels) during the year, "but I'm not too discouraged." The key, Bates feels, "is whether money to build is available or not." If funds are handy, "the building trend should move upward," he said. "We should nonetheless have at least as good a year as last year." Earle Chamberlain, superintendent of the Ashland Building Division, reports "not much going on presently, exclusive of residential building or remodeling" in Ashland. Chamberlain, however, like Bates, foresees improvement. "As an example, we used to get from zero to one permit per month for residential building; now we get about four to five permits monthly," the Ashland building official said. Chamberlain did admit, however, the yearly total of permits, including commercial building, "was half again now as that of two years ago." Prime construction projects during the past year at Ashland, except for the continuing building boom at Southern Oregon College, have been a specialty printing company and a 24-unit apartment structure. "The schools, both city and SOC, have kept many builders busy, but private finance may look more favorable to Ashland in the future," Chamberlain hoped. Like Medford, valuation of building permits nosedived in Ashland during the past year--resulting a 24 percent decline from the 1966 figure. The same situation was reported in Central Point. At White City, however, it appears to be a different story. A major recent addition to the center of the area's industry, White City Industrial Park, was the Tomkins-Johnson Co., manufacturers of hydraulic cylinders. Plant additions for growth were erected at both Rogue Valley Plywood, Inc., and Forest Industries. Three firms are now building at White City: companies dealing with manufacture of corrugated wood byproducts, laminated plywood, and cut stock and molding. All are expected to be at least in partial operation by the year's end. David M. Irving, vice president and general manager of White City Corporation, predicts construction activities amounting from $750,000 to $1 million each year for the next few years at White City. Such an estimated valuation of new or extended operations was reached during 1967, a slow year elsewhere. "The unknown factor seems to be what the government is going to do regarding the proposed surtax--and also to what point interest rates will level off," Irving said. White City, nonetheless, appears vigorously to continue to prepare for the future. "A new distribution system, coupled with Medford's water treatment plant and its potential of 65 million gallons daily, will soon provide White City with a new source of water, one which will ease the way for location of firms dealing with plastics and chemicals," Irving said. "Also, a decision is expected by the U.S. Supreme Court on the legality of forming port authorities for industrial parks," he added. (Such an authority could issue industrial revenue bonds for financing, certain to lure potential tenants.) Long-Range Program
"Things
are not strictly happening
overnight at White City," Irving stressed. "We're looking at a
long-range program with expectations of very substantial growth
involving both separation of light and heavy industry and further
diversification in the lumber industry."Optimism by the White City Corporation officials was matched in part by the men most directly affected by the future of construction, the area's builders. William B. Breeden, vice president of Rogue Valley Construction Co., said 1967 was a good year for his firm. "It could have been a lot better year, true, but I'm always optimistic about the area," he added. "As for the future, there seems to be business here or business waiting." Walter A. Graff Jr., of Graff & James Contractors, admitted a recent personal change of opinion. "Three months ago, I was really pessimistic, especially after the closure of Timber Products," Graff said. "I'm a little more optimistic now. The general picture looks better." Construction Shifts
School
construction has shifted
from Medford to Ashland and Central Point now, Graff added. "There
appears to be still a lot of work involving education, but it seems
like we're building every place but Medford."Jack R. Batzer, of Batzer Construction, although admitting adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude concerning the government and the surtax, was otherwise optimistic. "There seems to be lots of money around now, but no takers," Batzer admitted. "This is because there is a lot of frankly 'scare talk,' too, which causes a holding pattern to construction. "But we just mustn't think negative," he continued. "There is a most amazing gung-ho business attitude from Eugene northward, while the recession area from Roseburg to Redding is limping along on a restrictive basis. "Remember, though, that this valley has never had a depression," Batzer said. "We've had our problems, sure, but the laws of supply and demand are certain to even out. This old valley has always hung in there." Something Going On
A growing
potential and demand for
construction was mentioned by Fred Morlan of Medford Builders Exchange,
who keeps abreast of continuing architectural developments. "Basically,
the general construction trades should find something going on every
day, according to a trend during the past three to six months," Morlan
said.Winter traditionally is a slow period, but Morlan, on the basis of architects' work, foresaw a breakthrough in the spring. "If inquiries develop--and it looks real good--this spring could present the best growth seen during the past two years," he said. "A year ago, people were hesitant, holding back," declared Morlan, echoing Batzer. "But they found out one can't stand still in this day and age. There seems to be a progressiveness in the construction field now. On the commercial side, there is the same amount of volume of activity, but it concerns diversified industry." That progressiveness, coupled with Batzer's fundamental faith in "the old valley"--plus the hard realities of developing projects--should be reason enough for an optimistic outlook. Medford Mail Tribune, January 14, 1968, page B1 Medford Building Activity in 1980
Lowest in 5 Years
By ALLEN HALLMARK Mail Tribune Staff Writer
Building activity in Medford during 1980 dipped to its lowest level
since 1975, says city Building Safety Director David Bassett.
His department issued only 267 permits for single family houses in 1980. That means 78 fewer houses were built in Medford in 1980 than in 1979, and 381 fewer than were built during the boom year of 1977. Another indication of the depth of the 1980 building slump is the dip in total valuation of building and remodeling work compared with previous years. The Building Safety Department issued 1,958 permits for work valued at $33.7 million during 1980. "The total valuation was $6.5 million less than in '79, and '79 was less than '78 by about $6.5 million," Bassett says. "So in two years, we're down about $13 million." Building activity hasn't stopped completely. The figures for December show 22 single family house permits issued and 118 total permits with a total valuation of a little more than $3 million. Bassett says he is a little surprised that activity has remained as high as it has with the rapid increase in interest rates at the end of the year. He notes that the department issued 87 permits for swimming pools in 1980, the most since 1977. He also notes that interest in remodeling and retrofitting houses with solar and other alternative energy devices increased last year. The department issued 279 house remodeling permits for projects valued at $1.4 million in 1980--31 more permits than in 1979. Bassett predicts that builders will show more interest in apartment and commercial construction and less interest in single family houses in 1981. Construction of the Rogue Valley Mall regional shopping center, scheduled to begin in the spring, should provide a welcome boost to the local economy, he says. But with interest rates high and likely to remain that way for at least the first half of 1981, prospects for an overall recovery of the Medford building industry do not appear that bright in the short haul. "We will probably see a very slow housing market through 1981," says Dick McLaughlin, president of Jackson County Federal Savings and Loan. McLaughlin says he hopes President Ronald Reagan will be able to reverse the policy of the Federal Reserve Board. The board has kept interest rates high. That policy "obviously has not been successful," McLaughlin says. Whenever interest rates go down below 10 percent, people flock in for mortgage loans, he says. "We had two of the biggest months we've ever had in August and September," he says. Jackson County Federal loaned out $7 million in August and $8 million in September when interest rates dipped below 19 percent for two months, he adds. "Overall, our mortgage loan portfolio increased by 12.5 percent for the year, but we're back to zero in our lending now with interest rates so high," McLaughlin says. Medford Mail Tribune, January 22, 1981, page 3 Last revised April 11, 2024 |
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