Have you noticed any of those red, square-shaped “U” signs that have been appearing above the entrances of buildings around town? Wondered what they could mean? Me too.
I first saw one a few months ago, above the side entrance of Union Jacks club on East Burnside Street, and then another outside the Kingston pub on West Burnside.
The signs indicate a building that Portland Fire & Rescue has deemed “unsafe.” From a PF&R memo from December: “The Unsafe Buildings Alert Program provides a tool for identifying structures that, due to their construction, use, or state of maintenance, pose extraordinary hazards to emergency personnel.”
There are currently signs on a couple dozen buildings around town. If one of the buildings catches on fire, PF&R crews will attempt to fight the fire from outside rather than enter the building. They will go inside if they need to perform a rescue, for example, but will keep their time inside the “unsafe” structure as short as possible.
Any of these dilapidated death-traps in your neck of the woods?
A thoughtful journalist would just make a public records request for the PF&R list of buildings. Then tell us about it by publishing the list. It’s kind of how the journalist – reader relationship typically goes.
I think I saw one on the former Greek Cuisina. Huge shock, I know.
@Number Six – Perhaps you mistook Blogtown for the Oregonian? I don’t really see how you could get the two confused, though. And since we’re all here because we prefer Blogtown, why don’t you piss off?
Yup, one in my neighborhood. That cool old round-faced brick building at the corner of 67th and SE Foster has one. The place is for sale too, only $595,000 the last time I checked.
Thanks for the info, I was wondering what these were..
I agree with #6. A comprehensive list would have been nice.
That building at 67th and Foster is incredibly cool. I saw someone checking it out and talking on the phone yesterday. Someone’s going to get one of the coolest buildings in town for a steal.
Oh man. I’ve seen these all over Chinatown and thought it was some kind of community initiative. Interesting. Most of the more charming old structures in town are wearing those signs. Hopefully getting the scarlet letter removed won’t also entail shedding their historical charm.
I have spotted 12 of these signs between the Memorial Coliseum, and 5th and Couch while riding the max. 3 of them are closed for business or ended their leases, MORE if you wander into China Town. This scares me more than interests me now. I have been wondering for months what those things were and no one I asked had a clue.