History
Our Vertical Village
- The Willamette Towers was completed in 1965 as “Eugene’s Tallest High Rise Luxury Apartment” building. 88 residential units on 11 floors, which are identical in plan with the exception of the 3 2nd floor terraces; 4 penthouses at #13; and commercial bays, storage, office and laundry at #1; a 2 story parking garage provides a parking space for every unit.
- WT was constructed on 4 typical parcels about 80 x 150 feet, (now 320 x 150) which was formerly occupied by 4 single family houses. Density on this parcel went from 4 to 92, which is high for Eugene. The area is zoned C-2/Community Commercial, which allows buildings up to 150 feet in height, as well as a mix of commercial and residential units.
- The building was designed in the modern period of American architecture in the International Style.
- The 1964 architectural plans for the building inform us that Culler, Gale & Martell were the Architects; Norrie and Davis were the Engineers; and both of these firms were located in Spokane, Washington.
- What is now referred to as the Modern Period of architecture began in Europe in the 1920s with the work of Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe of Germany, and Le Corbusier of France. During this period architects sought a new vocabulary for architecture that was non-academic, had a functional approach to design, and used the machine, the new technology, and new materials to their best advantage.
- The International style is notable for its lack of ornament and its geometric compositional elements.
- Following WWII Oregon and Eugene grew by leaps and bounds. Eugene’s population in 1950 = 36,000; 1960 = 51,000; Eugene in 1970 = 76,000
- The city of Eugene defines our “modern” era as beginning in 1935 and ending in 1965.
- The Patterson Towers was constructed in 1965 as a 12-story concrete and steel structure with 91 apartments, penthouse, and basement parking lot.
- Ya Po Ah Terrace was completed in 1964 as retirement living for seniors.
- Willamette Towers is the third apartment tower in Eugene that dates from the mid-1960s, and might have been the last of the three referenced.
- Earlier apartments include the Florence Apartments (4 floors) – 1927; Lane Towers (11 floors & 122 units) – 1951; and Eugene Manor Apartments (6 floors & 72 units) – 1950.
- The fenestration of Willamette Towers is distinctive, just like its zigzag shaped concrete slab roof. No clear pattern in the placement of windows and wall panels emerges when you study the east and west elevations. The aluminum frame single pane glass, fixed and casement windows are of the period and define the modernism inherent in the design of this building.
- Cast concrete pointed arches adorn the spans (8-bays) at the first floor. Traditionally this arch form was Gothic in inspiration, making it unique to Willamette Towers.
- The floors of the entrance lobby and meeting room were originally covered in mosaic tiles, color unknown.
- Some features that are worth considering: apartments doors were all uniform in appearance with aluminum knobs and hardware;
- original lighting fixtures were classic 1960s aluminum and glass, in Jetson shapes;
- the lobby was designed so that swinging doors separated the bathroom corridor and parking lot corridor from the lobby.
- There appear to have been potted plants in the entrance lobby.
- In 2015, Willamette Towers will be 50 years old, making it eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
- The National Register is the premier list of architecture that defines the American experience.
- The Willamette Towers could be strongly eligible for this listing because of its distinction as a premier example of International style architecture in Eugene, Oregon.
- Listing in the National Register requires that the majority of property owners consent to such action. Certain tax advantages can be sought once the listing in the National Register becomes final.
Curious to hear from you what you like, or what you dislike about living in WT.
The board of directors, the subcommittees, Bennett Management Company, and many others are to be commended for working so hard to make Willamette Towers a first-class residential building again, which it was obviously built to be. Thank you.