Historic building puts bike parking in former bank vault

The historic Spalding Building in downtown Portland has what might be the coolest indoor bike parking in the city. Tenants of the 12-floor office building get to roll their commute vehicles into what used to be a bank vault that’s capped by an immense 16,000 pound door. Check it out…

Given its size and heft, the door doesn’t actually close; but still, this is a very nicely executed end-of-trip facility.

I got a tour of the bike parking yesterday from Tom Kilbane with Urban Renaissance Group (they manage the building). Kilbane says the new owners are taking great care with the improvements because they see the building as a long-term investment to pass down to their children.

There are three former vaults in the building, two of them are used for bike parking. In addition to the imposing doors and two-foot thick walls, the bike parking vaults are monitored by video cameras. Also for its bike-riding tenants, the building also boasts lockers and large, private bathrooms and showers.

Built in 1911, the Spalding (319 SW Washington) is on the National Register of Historic Places and was formerly the Oregon Bank Building. The current renovation was done by Hennebery Eddy Architects.

It’s great to see such a classy building and high-end renovation give bicycle parking the prominence and attention it deserves.

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