New life for the Commodore Hotel

The Commodore Hotel in Astoria is just being completed. I thought it was a new business refurbishing and inhabiting an old building, but that's only part of the story. Apparently it's rising from the ashes and creating a new life for itself. Read more here. I was one of those people who associated this spot with only one thing - Chris's News. Although there is a big historic sign on the other side of the building saying "Commodore Hotel," I never considered why it was there - what history it might be preserving. I may have thought of it as a residence hotel. It had simply become part of my landscape. I'd questioned many signs and bits of ornamentation in Astoria, but somehow not that one.

Chris's News took up the right-hand corner as you see it here, and my feeling was that there were apartments upstairs, but I really don't know. On April 10th, I noticed the understated, classy, deep brown finishing touches that brought out the tan higher up and made the building feel all-of-a-piece, and I saw the name of the new establishment for the first time. I'm glad I'm taking so many photos. The town keeps changing right before my eyes - sometimes good, sometimes not so. I do like the look of the new Commodore, and I'm sure the guests will enjoy the location. It's only half of one short block from here to the River Walk that hugs the Columbia.

I took the photo on April 10, 2009. I'm away this week and am posting from my archives. I should be back at it in person by May 11.