Here at Property Watch, we have a great fondness for the city’s historic garden apartments. They often popped up on the east side, where land was much more plentiful for developers. The earliest recognized example is a cluster of bungalows on SE Ash Street in Buckman, built in 1925. As the name implies, a garden court complex had units that were arranged around a shared courtyard. Such a layout made it so light and ventilation were plentiful for each unit, provided a front and back entrance, and gave residents more separation and independence.

The mid- to late-1920s saw an explosion in popularity for these garden apartment complexes, and they were designed by architects in all types of styles, including Spanish Revival, English Cottage, Mediterranean, and Tudor Revival. Take this one in the heart of the Hollywood district, built in 1932 and previously referred to as both Beacon Arms and Halsey Court Apartments, before being converted to condos in 1999.

It’s attributed to Ewald Theodore Pape, who immigrated to the United States from Germany. While technically not an architect, he was a talented designer and draftsperson nevertheless and proclaimed himself a “Designer of Character Homes.” History has since remembered him for his work elevating apartment architecture throughout the city. 

This particular building is perched above the sidewalk with its back to Halsey Street, so the interior courtyard is privatized from the main arterial. With its brick exterior, clay tile roof, arched doors, and leaded glass windows, it looks a little bit Tudor, a little bit Jacobethan, and completely charming.

The corner unit currently for sale, #15 of 20 in total, has a few hallmarks of Pape’s style. It’s two stories, and there are quite a few distinctive add-ons, like a decorative wrought iron railing at the stairs, dining room built-ins with leaded glass, and solid wood trim and doors, the latter all still with their crystal doorknobs. More important, it’s a townhouse that lives quite large, with a total of 1,449 square feet, and three large bedrooms on the upper level.

In 2019, the owner gave the kitchen and bathroom a thoughtful remodel, collaborating with design studio Cielo Home and contractor Redding Custom Building on the project, after having seen an exhibit on the “Frankfurt Kitchen” in a museum. The “Frankfurt Kitchen” came out in 1926, designed by German architect Grete Schütte-Lihotzky, and is the earliest work by a female architect in MoMA’s collection.

It was a kitchen designed to be compact, efficient, and uberfunctional—all of which it achieves here, with lot of storage via custom cabinets, a fold-down table, and a pantry tucked under the stairs. There’s delightful detail everywhere, including the custom wood cabinet pulls, vintage aluminum dry goods drawers, integrated chef appliances, and a cheerful blue-green and yellow color scheme.

The upstairs bathroom follows suit, with wainscot tile of the same yellow shade, complemented by marble hex floor tile, a walk-in shower, double-basin sink, custom medicine cabinet, and inset storage that acts like a vanity.  

Of course, this is a prime location for doing, well, pretty much everything, with your choice of grocery stores, a farmers market, bars and restaurants galore, not to mention that other historical standout and the neighborhood’s namesake: the Hollywood Theatre.

Listing Fast Facts

• Address: 4353 NE Halsey St, #15, Portland, OR 97213
• Size: 1,449 square feet, 3 bed/1 bath
• List Date: 4/25/2024
• List Price: $429,900, with $975/month HOA dues
• Listing Agents: Grant Williams, Explore Home Realty @ Urban Nest Realty

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here. 

Editor’s Note: Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column takes a weekly look at an interesting home in Portland’s real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].