Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse

Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse
Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse
	Hatfield Courthouse
	Location within Portland, Oregon
General information
Type	courthouse
Location	Portland, Oregon
Coordinates	45°30′57″N122°40′35″W / 45.51583°N 122.67639°W
Completed	1997
Owner	United States government
Height	318 feet (97 m)
Technical details
Floor count	16
Floor area	563,000 square feet (52,300 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Bora Architects (formerly BOORA and Broome, Oringdulph, O'Toole, Rudolph & Associates)
Main contractor	Hoffman Construction Company

Last updated December 28, 2023

The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse is a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon. It is named in honor of former U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield.^[2] It is used by the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

The federal government originally planned to increase courtroom space in Portland by building a 13-story annex adjacent to the Gus J. Solomon United States Courthouse.^[3] In 1992, the government shifted to the construction of a new building across the street from the Multnomah County Justice Center, where federal prisoners are held for trial.^[3] The General Services Administration chose what was then known as the Hamilton Hotel block between Second and Third avenues and Salmon and Main streets for the courthouse.^[3]

With 16 stories, the courthouse rises to a height of 318 feet (97 m), making it the tenth-tallest building in Portland. The design is a collaboration between the architecture firms Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates of New York and Bora Architects previously named Broome, Oringdulph, O'Toole, Rudolph & Associates of Portland, Oregon. It was completed in 1997 at a cost of $129 million, making it the fifth most-expensive courthouse of its size constructed in the 1990s. The building contains approximately 563,000 square feet (52,300 m²). Upon completion the District Court moved from the Solomon Courthouse that was built in 1933.^[4]

The building's architecture is distinctive and contemporary, especially when compared with Portland's older, primarily rectilinear towers. The distinctive cantilevered roof shelters a small green planting area which is visible to traffic approaching on Washington Street. Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the building exceeded Oregon's Energy Code by 29 percent when it was built.

History

In 1994, the General Services Administration launched a five-year plan calling for the construction of hundreds of new federal facilities – courthouses, agency offices, research labs, and border stations - in the biggest public building boom ever. GSA sought to elevate the design of courthouses and other federal buildings through its Design Excellence Program, which encourages design by nationally prominent contemporary American architects and invites prominent architects and critics to join judges and agency heads on the selection panels. This overhaul of government design was led by Edward Feiner, Chief Architect of GSA's Public Buildings Service. The new program called for regional sensitivity and urban vitality in federal architecture.^[5]

The Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse was designed and detailed by Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF) of New York City, New York; and Portland's BOORA Architects, who were actually selected by a GSA panel before the institution of the Design Excellence Program. The design won a 1994 GSA National Honor Award, one of two honor awards given by GSA for new federal buildings in 1994.^[5]

The site selected for the structure is in downtown Portland, overlooking the Plaza Blocks, a trio of civic parks shared by City Hall and other civic buildings, including Michael Grave's 1984 Portland Building. The construction of the new courthouse on this site required the removal of the Hamilton Hotel, a property eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, and underground structures associated with 19th-century Chinese commercial activity in Portland. GSA, the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation entered into a Memorandum of Agreement in order to take into account the effect of the undertaking on the historic properties. The agreement contained several stipulations, including Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) documentation of the Hamilton Hotel, salvage of architecturally and historically significant items, and archaeological testing, monitoring, and recovery from the site. It was agreed that a portion of the collection of the archaeological artifacts and specimens would be displayed in the first-floor lobby of the courthouse.^[5]

The Arts in Architecture program for the courthouse was enhanced by GSA's participation in the City of Portland's percent for arts Floor-Area-Ratio (FAR) bonus credits. In November 1994, the Community Arts panel reviewed credentials and slides representing approximately 200 artists. From this extensive list, the panel recommended four artists and sites for GSA review and approval. GSA concurred and approved the selections. The artists and sites include Eric Orr - Main Lobby; Sandra Stone - Main Lobby; Tom Otterness - 8th Floor Roof Terrace; and Judith Poxson Fawkes – 16th Floor Special Proceedings Courtroom.^[5]

The design of the building was initiated in October 1992. The base building was competitively bid at 92.3 million dollars. Site demolition, foundation, and non-court tenant improvements were constructed under separate contracts for a total construction cost of 97.9 million dollars. Construction began in June 1994 and was substantially completed in September 1997.^[5]

The courthouse became a significant target during the Portland George Floyd protests.^[6]

Architectural description

The design for the new 565,300-square-foot (52,520 m²) courthouse building is a creative, responsive and efficient solution to placing a large, complex program on a small 195' x 200' site in an important civic setting. BOORA Architects and Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates separated the sleek limestone, steel, aluminum, and glass courthouse into two distinct volumes.^[5]

An eight-story block, scaled to the height of the neighboring county courthouse building, incorporates administration offices and a law library with a roof terrace atop the 8th floor. Below the eight-story block are two levels of below-grade parking, building service areas, and storage space built out to the edge of the perimeter sidewalks. Behind the eight-story block, a 17-story tower contains two courtrooms per floor - each with a jury suite and judge's chambers - separated by a zone of services and circulation. Secure corridors wrap the north, south and east sides of the courtrooms, with punched windows that admit daylight into both jury suites and courts. The two courtroom per floor scheme results in an extremely efficient floor plan that maintains separate public, restricted, and secure circulation systems. The courthouse building completes Portland's "Government Center" facing three historic park blocks.^[5]

The building site is bounded by Third Avenue to the west, Main Street to the south, Second Avenue to the east and Salmon Street to the north. The building sits on a rusticated stone base referencing Italianate palazzo design. The building sits on a black granite base. Immediately atop the granite is a rough-faced limestone veneer. The remainder of the building is clad with smooth limestone or steel/aluminum and glass curtain walls. A curved elevator tower punctuates the northwest corner of the building like a campanile. The building is capped by a vaulted metal roof canopy.^[5]

The building's main entrance is located on its west elevation. The glass and steel storefront entrance is recessed at an angle from the plane of the elevation behind a row of massive pillars and is sheltered under a projecting metal canopy. The exterior wall surfaces of the eight-story block (southern half of the elevation) above the canopy is smooth limestone veneer with punched window openings, one such being a five-story opening which constitutes virtually half of the wall surface. It is divided into four bays by vertical metal fins which terminate as flagpoles or decorative poles and horizontally by metal spandrels and mullions. The top floor of the eight-story block contains the law library. Its west elevation is fully glazed and recessed from the plane of the elevation and set under another projecting metal canopy. An open-air rooftop terrace caps the eight-story block. The northern half of the west elevation above the main entrance canopy consists of the 16-story smooth limestone and glass and steel curtain wall tower. The northwest corner is a solid limestone shaft. A curved elevator penthouse with projecting metal skirt rises above the shaft like a campanile. The curtain wall portion follows the same recessed angle back from the plane of the elevation as the main entrance. The curtain wall is divided horizontally by projecting fins at the floor plates and intermediate window mullions.^[5]

The same materials and similar details continue around to the south elevation. The employees entrance is located near the center of the first floor. The eight-story block of the south elevation features a wide, vertical band of windows near its west end and a punched four-story window opening which constitutes nearly two-thirds of the elevation's wall surface. The windows are divided horizontally by metal spandrels and mullions. The top floor of the eight-story block is fully glazed and sheltered under a projecting metal canopy. A four-story metal bracket appears to support the cantilevered canopy. The 16-story tower is set back from the plane of the eight-story block, allowing for the open-air rooftop terrace. The tower's elevation consists of a limestone center shaft flanked by glass and steel curtain walls. The limestone wall surface has punched window openings of horizontal bands and small squares. The curtain walls are divided horizontally by projecting fins at the floor plates and intermediate window mullions. The vaulted metal roof crowns the tower.^[5]

The east elevation contains the building's vehicular and service entrances. The overhead garage doors are sheltered under a wide projecting metal canopy which stretches the length of the elevation. The next two floor levels are clad with smooth limestone and contain long horizontal bands of windows. At the fourth floor level, the elevation changes character. The southern half, the 16-story tower, consists of a projecting glass and steel curtain wall that appears to be supported by projecting metal brackets. The curtain wall is divided horizontally by the same projecting fins at the floor plates and intermediate window mullions. The curtain wall is divided vertically by a central recessed channel. A bracketed vertical metal fin, rising from the 4th through the 15th floors, accentuates this channel. The 16th-floor level is set back from the plane of the elevation, creating another open-air rooftop terrace covered by an open canopy which is an extension of the building's vaulted metal roof.^[5]

The north elevation contains two-story window openings at its base, allowing natural light into the public lobby. The majority of this elevation is smooth limestone veneer with punched window openings. The projecting glass and steel curtain wall accents the northeast corner, and the solid limestone shaft with curved elevator penthouse accents the northwest corner. The building's vaulted metal roof crowns the tower.^[5]

Quotations about the law are incised around the outside ground level of the courthouse, and in various locations on the courtroom floors. A famous quotation by Wendell Phillips, "The first duty of society is justice," is in the public lobby.

The courthouse incorporates extensive security measures using building design, technology, and personnel. The building provides three independent and separate circulation systems to protect court participants. Separate elevators and corridors are provided for the public, for persons in custody, and for court personnel. These circulation paths meet in the courtrooms. Extensive electronic technology includes video cameras, electronic locks, duress alarms, X-ray, and magnetometers. Architecturally significant interior spaces include the two-story main entrance lobby with marble stair and cascading water features, upper-floor court lobbies with semi-circular elevator lobbies, finely detailed wood-paneled courtrooms and hearing rooms, and the aforementioned rooftop terraces.^[5]

Related Research Articles

The Theodore Levin United States Courthouse is a large high-rise courthouse and office building located at 231 West Lafayette Boulevard in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The structure occupies an entire block, girdled by Shelby Street (east), Washington Boulevard (west), West Fort Street (south), and West Lafayette Boulevard (north). The building is named after the late Theodore Levin, a lawyer and United States District Court judge.

The Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is a historic building on Stout Street in downtown Denver, Colorado, which serves as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Completed in 1965, the building was renamed for Colorado Congressman Byron G. Rogers in 1984. In 1996 and 1997, the criminal case against bomber Timothy McVeigh was conducted there. Additionally, the federal building is home to 11 federal agencies, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office's new Rocky Mountain Regional location that opened on June 30, 2014. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

The Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, formerly known as the U.S. Courthouse and Post Office and as the Federal Building, is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, located in Indianapolis. It is a distinguished example of Beaux-Arts architecture, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Constructed from 1902 to 1905, the United States District Court for the District of Indiana met here until it was subdivided in 1928; the United States Circuit Court for the District of Indiana met here until that court was abolished in 1912. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "U.S. Courthouse and Post Office" in 1974. The courthouse was renamed in honor of Senator Birch Bayh in 2003.

The United States Courthouse, also known as the Federal Building, is a historic building located in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has historically housed a post office, courthouse, and other offices of the United States government. The building now serves only as a federal courthouse, housing operations of the eastern division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. In 2018, the operations of the Rock Island division of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois were also moved there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Post Office and Federal Building (Wichita, Kansas)</span> United States historic place

The U.S. Courthouse, Wichita, Kansas is a historic post office, courthouse, and Federal office building located at Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas. It is a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Eldon B. Mahon United States Courthouse is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit located in Fort Worth, Texas. Built in 1933, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 and was renamed in honor of district court judge Eldon Brooks Mahon in 2003.

The Gene Snyder U.S. Courthouse and Custom House, also known as United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House, is a historic courthouse, custom house, and post office located at Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky. It is the courthouse for the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the "United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House" name.

The United States Courthouse and Post Office, also known as Federal Courts Building, is a historic courthouse and post office located at Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri. It was formerly the courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

The Federal Building, Grand Island, Nebraska is a historic post office, federal office and courthouse building located at Grand Island in Hall County, Nebraska. It is no longer used as a courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

The Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Wheeling, West Virginia is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia located in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia. Built in 1907, the building still serves its original function, and was renovated and expanded in 1937, and again in 2004. In 1979, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as a contributing building to the Wheeling Historic District.

The Federal Building and Post Office is a historic main post office, courthouse, and Federal office building in Brooklyn, New York. The original building was the Brooklyn General Post Office, and is now the Downtown Brooklyn Station, and the north addition is the courthouse for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, and is across the street from and in the jurisdiction of the main courthouse of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the Theodore Roosevelt Federal Courthouse. It also houses offices for the United States Attorney, In 2009, the United States Congress enacted legislation renaming the building the Conrad B. Duberstein United States Bankruptcy Courthouse, in honor of chief bankruptcy judge Conrad B. Duberstein.

The Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and United States Courthouse, commonly referred to as the Solomon Building, is a historic post office and courthouse located at Chattanooga, Tennessee in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The courthouse serves the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as U.S. Post Office. It was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon and Reuben Harrison Hunt with watercolor murals by Hilton Leech.

The William J. Nealon Federal Building and United States Courthouse is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It was completed in 1931, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

The Joseph F. Weis, Jr. U.S. Courthouse is a Beaux Arts-style building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US. It is a courthouse for the Western District of Pennsylvania, a United States district court. Until 2015, the building was known as the US Post Office and Courthouse-Pittsburgh.

The James A. Redden Federal Courthouse, formerly the United States Post Office and Courthouse, is a federal courthouse located in Medford, Jackson County, Oregon, United States. Completed in 1916 under the supervision of architect Oscar Wenderoth, it houses the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. A substantial extension was completed in 1940, under the supervision of architect, Louis A. Simon. In September 1996, the United States Senate enacted a bill introduced by Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield to rename the building for long-serving District Court judge James A. Redden.

The Richard Sheppard Arnold United States Post Office and Courthouse is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock, Arkansas. Completed in 1932, in 2003 it was renamed for Court of Appeals judge Richard S. Arnold. It is located at 500 West Capitol Avenue. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as Little Rock U.S. Post Office and Courthouse.

The Walter E. Hoffman United States Courthouse, formerly known as the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Norfolk, Virginia. Built in 1932, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, reflecting Art Deco architecture. Historically it served as a courthouse and additionally as a post office.

The Ketchikan Federal Building is a courthouse of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, located at 648 Mission Street in Ketchikan, Alaska. It was completed in 1938, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 2006. The building's primary tenant is the United States Forest Service Tongass National Forest Supervisor's Office, which occupies space on the first, second, third, fourth and sixth floors. The fifth floor houses a courtroom and related support offices, while the first floor also houses an office of the United States Customs and Border Protection.

The John Archibald Campbell United States Courthouse, also known as the United States Court House and Custom House, is a historic courthouse and former custom house in Mobile, Alabama. It was completed in 1935. An addition to the west was completed in 1940. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 8, 2008.

Robert A. Grant Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, also known as the Federal Building, is a historic post office and courthouse building located at South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. It was designed by architect Austin and Shambleau and built in 1932–1933. It is a four-story, Art Deco / Art Moderne style building faced with Indiana limestone and Vermont granite. It housed a post office until 1973.

References

↑ Libby, Brian (October 28, 2002). "Hoffman's Wayne Drinkward says the key to success is doing things well". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
↑ An Act to Designate the United States Courthouse under Construction at 1030 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon, as the "Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse," and for Other Purposes.
1 2 3 Painter, John Jr. Hamilton Hotel Block to be courthouse site. The Oregonian , February 20, 1992.
↑ Historic Federal Courthouses: Portland, Oregon. Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved on November 19, 2007.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 General Services Administration webpages on the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse.
↑ What You Need To Know About The Battle of Portland.

External links

Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse (Emporis)

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Libby, Brian (October 28, 2002). "Hoffman's Wayne Drinkward says the key to success is doing things well". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 22 May 2014.

[2] An Act to Designate the United States Courthouse under Construction at 1030 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon, as the "Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse," and for Other Purposes.

[selection-3] 1 2 3 Painter, John Jr. Hamilton Hotel Block to be courthouse site. The Oregonian , February 20, 1992.

[fjc-4] Historic Federal Courthouses: Portland, Oregon. Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved on November 19, 2007.

[GSA-5] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 General Services Administration webpages on the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse.

[BEL-6] What You Need To Know About The Battle of Portland.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e Courthouses in Oregon
Italics indicate courthouses in limited use or no longer in use
Appellate courts	Supreme Court Court of Appeals
Circuit courts	Baker Benton Clackamas Clatsop Columbia Crook Curry Deschutes Douglas Gilliam Harney Hood River Jackson Jefferson Josephine Klamath Lake Lane Lincoln Linn Malheur Marion Morrow Multnomah (old) Multnomah (Central) Polk Sherman Tillamook Umatilla (Hermiston) Umatilla (Pendleton) Union Wallowa Wasco Washington Yamhill
Federal courts	Mark O. Hatfield (Portland) Gus J. Solomon (Portland) Pioneer Courthouse (Portland) John F. Kilkenny (Pendleton) Wayne L. Morse (Eugene) James A. Redden (Eugene)

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
Geographic	Structurae