Historic Downtown Oregon City

Saturday Dec. 3rd 2011 4:30 to 6 pm – Liberty Plaza, Downtown Oregon City

Join your friends and family for a holiday evening of music and fun in downtown Oregon City. Plus, the little ones can visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the whole family can visit downtown’s restaurants and retailers.

Liberty Plaza next to the County Courthouse will come alive with lights, music, friends and family on Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 beginning at 4:30 pm. Visitors to Liberty Plaza will also be treated to refreshments from: Coffee Rush, Wrightberry’s Cupcakes and Munos Bakery.

See You Downtown for the Holidays.

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Abernethy Center to Install Historic Bell at Wedding Chapel

On Monday November 21, 2011, F&F Structures, Inc., the general contractor for the Abernethy Center in Oregon City will hoist a 30-foot bell tower to the top of the existing 35-foot tall Abernethy Chapel tower at 1326 John Adams Street.

The 1887 bell is originally from a Midwest church.  “Using an authentic bell from 1887 shows our commitment to reuse and to history,” said Mark Foley of F&F Structures. “We feel it is one more way to fit into Oregon City’s historic McLoughlin neighborhood.”

The scheduled installation time for the bell and tower addition is 12 noon.  The bell tower weights approximately 10,000 pounds; including the 36”, 420 pound, cast iron church bell that was purchased from a Michigan company and shipped more than 1,987 miles to Oregon City for use in the chapel.

The bell will be used by future brides and grooms following their marriage. When completed the Abernethy Chapel will be a classic white ceremony chapel tucked within a grove of trees. It will have a dedicated bridal and groom’s suites, and the capacity to hold 220 guests for ceremonies. The chapel will also have an intimate reception space for parties of up to 70 guests.

In conjunction with the completion of the new Abernethy Chapel, in spring 2012, Abernethy Center and its vendors/sponsors are partnering 9to give one deserving couple Abernethy Center’s Dream Chapel Wedding for up to 150 guests on April 27, 2012. Details are available on the Abernethy Center website.

The Abernethy Center began as a ballroom in 2001 and has expanded services as a meeting center and wedding location. In 2003 and in 2005 Abernethy Center added two different gardens to their downtown Oregon City location in order to offer a greater range of venues that include outdoor and indoor wedding services.

The Abernethy Center has won several awards recognizing the high quality of their service and location including: Oregon Bride Magazine Best of 2011 – Best All-Inclusive Wedding Venue, Oregon Bride Magazine Best of 2010 – Quintessential Oregon Reception Site, Wedding Wire Bride’s Choice Award – 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Posted in News & Press

Get into the holiday spirit with the Winter Market on 8th Street right here in downtown Oregon City this Saturday, November 19th from 10 am to 2 pm. Details can be found on the market’s website http://orcityfarmersmarket.com/ .  This is a great opportunity to prepare for the Thanksgiving Holiday by shopping the Winter Market.

8th Street Saturday Farmers Market - all winter long in Downtown OC.

The Winter Market on 8th Street has grown since last year to showcase 30+ farmers and vendors selling seasonal foods (perfect for Holiday shopping and gifts) including produce from 5 local farms, meats, salami, cheese, pickles, preserve trees and wreaths for the Holidays…..plus hot food , drinks and live music.

So, spread the word to your friends and family about the Winter Market on 8th Street and stop by for a visit.

See You Downtown – for the Holidays,
Lloyd Purdy

Posted in Home

Two-way traffic soon to be restored to downtown marketplace.

Within the next two weeks, downtown Oregon City’s Main Street will convert back to a two-way street. Based upon two years of work that includes a range of downtown revitalization efforts, Federal and ODOT grant funding, as well as recommendations by numerous consultants, the City of Oregon City will stripe a new center line down Main Street in order to return the street to its original circulation flow.

A video animation produced by Funnelbox Production Studios in downtown Oregon City guides visitors through this new circulation pattern.

A two-way Main Street simplifies the circulation system in downtown Oregon City and provides more efficient access to on-street parking and side streets in the downtown core. The biggest change this year will be along Main Street between 6th and 9th Streets, which had been a one-way stretch of road when downtown was host to Clackamas County’s administrative offices.

“A two-way Main Street works in downtown Oregon City because we’re welcoming visitors off of 99E and making driving downtown a more simple and intuitive process,” said Lloyd Purdy, Director of the non-profit downtown revitalization program MSOC.  “Downtown Oregon City is evolving into a retail and restaurant friendly marketplace, not just a center for creative professionals.”

A two-way Main Street circulation system will connect future development on what used to be 1st through 5th Street (currently Willamette Falls Development Site) to the downtown core and to infill development opportunities north of 10th Street. “A two-way Main Street becomes a unifying characteristic of our downtown marketplace,” said Purdy. “It’s a physical connection that benefits all downtown.”

The conversion back into a two-way Main Street wraps up the first phase a multi-phase, multi-year project that could ultimately culminate in more than $4 million in streetscape enhancements downtown from 5th to 15th Streets.  The City of Oregon City working with ODOT and the non-profit downtown revitalization program, Main Street Oregon City, competed for and was awarded nearly $2.4 million in Federal and State funding for streetscape improvement infrastructure projects focused on making downtown Oregon City more pedestrian and visitor friendly.

An animated video illustrating the new circulation system of downtown Oregon City can be seen by clicking here.

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Posted in Home, News & Press

Hometown Hero and Artist Lee Kelly Installs Major Commissioned Public Art in Downtown Oregon City

A monumental scale polished stainless steel sculpture created by internationally recognized artist Lee Kelly is scheduled for installation in downtown Oregon City on November 1st.

Unveiling ceremony on Saturday, November 5th at 10 am on 8th Street in Downtown Oregon City.

Sculptor Lee Kelly is an internationally recognized artist with a career that spans 55 years http://www.leekellysculpture.net/.  Last fall, his work was honored with a career retrospective exhibit at the Portland Art Museum. Based upon a $36,000 fundraising effort by the Rotary Club of Oregon City, Lee Kelly has been commissioned to create a unique piece of public art to be located at the foot of Singer Falls off of 8th Street in downtown Oregon City.

Lee Kelly (center) & Moontrap Intstall Crew on Nov. 1st

“When a downtown attracts a well known artist like Lee for a public art project, it’s a clear sign that good things are happening,” said Lloyd Purdy, director of the downtown revitalization program in Oregon City.  “Public art like Lee’s sculpture ‘moontrap’ welcomes visitors, speaks to residents, memorializes anniversaries, and engages the community.”

Lee Kelly has lived in the area since the 1960’s. According to Clackamas County Arts Alliance Director Cheryl Snow, this will be Kelly’s first significant public artwork in Oregon City.  Lee’s work on moontrap is also unique because of his close collaboration on this piece with his daughter Kassandra. The unveiling of this collaboration will be Saturday November 5th at 10 am at the base of Singer Falls.

Singer Falls in downtown Oregon City is a Works Progress Administration (WPA) era project that serves as a physical reminder of Oregon City’s history and heritage.  As a gateway between “uptown” and “downtown”, Singer Falls is also an important connective corridor for Oregon City. Support for this public art is derived from an Oregon City METRO Enhancement/Beautification grant.

Public Art Project in Downtown Oregon City funded by Rotary and an OC METRO Enhancement grant.

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