The Astoria Train Depot has finished its journey from being a decommissioned train depot to the Barbey Maritime Center for the Columbia River Maritime Museum.  The dedication took place on Jan. 25th, where public officials, the Barbey family, the CRMM Board, and the public were able to see the finished building.

The waiting rooms have been restored to their original splendor and the light pours in through the large curved windows.  The Women’s Waiting Room is being used for meeting and conferences.  The Men’s Waiting Room has become an exhibit/work space for traditional boat building crafts.  The first such exhibit to arrive was the copper nail machine and the Museum has become the sole source of these nails worldwide.  The Waiting Rooms are a tad smaller on the inside, since the exterior walls were furred out to allow the installation of steel frames and insulation.  … Read More »

The Columbia River Maritime Museum will be dedicating the opening of the Barbey Maritime Center from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, tomorrow, January 25th.  Come and take a look at how the old Astoria Train Depot was restored.

The Oregonian has a nice article and photos about the project.  It was a pleasure working with the Museum, who were committed to do right by the building.  Bremik Construction did an excellent job on the construction side of things.  A building that was held dear by the community and thought of sadly for many years as it sat unused has now been given new life.  Enjoy.

The historic Train Depot in Astoria has been renovated by its current owner, the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The original waiting rooms have become conference and exhibit space, while the baggage building will be used for wood boat building and as a workshop for the Historic Preservation Program at Clatsop Community College.

This renovation project gave new life to historic waterfront industrial buildings in Astoria. The building changed from industrial use to retail use, but windows and siding were replaced to match the original style and locations. The building was seismically upgraded and has new electrical, plumbing and heating systems. Care was taken to distinguish old from new, as well keeping the wide open expanse of the building by having interior windows between spaces to show the roof structure. A new public “indoor/outdoor” public space was added as an amenity for the Astoria Riverwalk.

The Hotel Elliott renovation turned an historic but run-down hotel into a fashionable boutique hotel. Its restoration was a critical component of similar efforts, like the Liberty Theater across the street, that helped revitalize downtown Astoria. Listed on the National Historic Register, the lobby and interior hallways were maintained while the number of rooms were reduced to provide space for individual bathrooms and suites. The basement now has a wine bar and conference room. A Presidential suite was created on the upper floor with its own large rooftop deck overlooking the city with views of the Columbia River.

This 1904 apartment building in Portland is on the National Historic Register. It was damaged by fire, including the plaster capitals on the three story classical columns. Wood windows and doors were replaced with matching wood windows, using the existing windows as templates. The plaster capitals were recreated in modern plaster using pieces from undamaged portions of the capitals to help create the molds. The original wood floors were discovered undamaged under the carpets and refinished.  Where modifications had happened in the past, they were replaced with work that more closely matched the original building.