Benson Tower, Residential high-rise in downtown Portland, Oregon, US
Benson Tower is a 250-foot (76 m) residential high-rise in downtown Portland, Oregon, completed in late 2007. The 26-floor building holds 58 one-bedroom condominiums, 92 two-bedroom condominiums and 6 penthouses. It was designed in the modern Vancouver point-tower style by Hancock Brucker, now IBI Group of Vancouver, B.C.
The tower stands on land that once belonged to Simon Benson, a timber industry leader who shaped Portland's growth in the early 20th century. Construction was completed in 2007, marking a transition from the site's residential past to modern urban development.
The tower's name recalls Simon Benson, the timber baron whose house once stood on this site; the 26-storey block was designed by Hancock Brucker, now IBI Group of Vancouver, and built by ITC Construction Group, also of Vancouver. Its point-tower form, with 58 one-bedroom and 92 two-bedroom condominiums plus 6 penthouses, follows a Vancouver residential model rather than Portland's earlier patterns.
Benson Tower is a private residential building, so visitors cannot go inside or up to the upper floors. It can be seen from the street in downtown Portland, near the coordinates 45.5146, -122.6860, and is reached on foot from surrounding downtown blocks.
The building was constructed in 2007 using non-union workers, which sparked discussions about labor practices in Portland at the time. This construction method differed from traditional local approaches and stood out in the city's building industry.
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