Portland's Once-Largest Building Is Now An Oregon Event Space With Art And A Scenic Glass Elevator

Part of what makes Portland such a remarkable city is that it's full of hidden gems. From the quirkiest coffee shop with a totally offbeat atmosphere to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall with the iconic "Portland" sign out front, there's always something to discover. But if you find yourself in the northwestern district (or crossing over the Fremont Bridge), you may happen to see a massive building with the name Montgomery Park on top of it. As a former Portland local, I always wondered what was inside, and when I first visited, I was stunned.

Although Montgomery Park isn't necessarily a trendy shopping and dining spot (yet), it's one of the most unique and memorable office buildings and event spaces in the city. But the architecture is what really shines, especially with the nine-story glass atrium in the center of it all. Even just walking through the space, I was in awe of its grandeur, making it a worthy addition to any Portland itinerary. To help enhance the interior, artwork adorns many of the walls, adding pops of color and texture.

At the time of this writing, Montgomery Park is mostly an office building, with a handful of retail options. It's also an event space, which I discovered by working a few events there while I lived in Portland. But the current owners of the building, Menashe Properties, plan to transform it into a mixed-use space.

There was a time when Montgomery Ward was a department chain on par with Sears and Walmart. In fact, the company had pioneered the mail-order shopping business in Chicago in 1872. On January 1st, 1921, Montgomery Ward opened its Portland branch. The building was huge, with nine stories of offices and warehouses, and even had three railway lines leading into the basement to handle delivery shipments. When it opened, it was the largest building in Portland.

The iconic neon sign was added in 1925, while a showroom and retail space was added in 1936, transforming its facade from an L-shape to a U-shape. Montgomery Ward operated in the building until 1982, when it was purchased by H. Naito Properties (the namesake of Naito Parkway). Bill Naito was a famously frugal businessman, and he decided to change the sign to Montgomery Park, which meant only having to pay to replace two letters. It was also Naito who added the glass atrium to the center of the U and put the building on the National Register of Historic Places. 

While walking through the center of the building is mesmerizing, especially when sunlight beams through the ceiling, you must take the glass elevator to one of the upper floors. Not only do you get a better view of the atrium and the rest of the building, you can also continue to view more art pieces. The sprawling atrium is filled with many works of art and statues.

Its location in Northwest Portland means that Montgomery Park is just about 30 minutes from the Portland International Airport. Part of the appeal of this place is that it's next to two excellent downtown neighborhoods. First, there's the Pearl District, a former warehouse district full of parks, galleries, and eateries. Next, there's the former gritty wasteland-turned trendy neighborhood of Slabtown. There are multiple hotels and vacation rentals in the area, so you can easily explore each of these areas during your visit.

While walking through Montgomery Park is a treat, the main attraction is the Adidas Employee Store. Fortunately, you don't have to be an employee to shop there. According to this thread on r/PortlandOR, anyone can sign up for an AdiClub membership, reserve an appointment to shop, and save up to 50% off all items. In fact, when I worked a private event at Montgomery Park, the store remained open during regular business hours.

If you're visiting the building from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can grab a bite at a local food truck. Suburban Events hosts a different truck every day (Monday through Friday) on the northwestern corner of the building. This is a great way to support local businesses and get a taste of Portland's cuisine. Alternatively, there are plenty of great restaurants in the area, such as Urban Steel Kitchen and Bar, a chic bar and restaurant sourcing local ingredients for both food and cocktails.