Drive-by Astoria #17: Perspectives

Astoria, Oregon ~ September 15, 2012

Marine Drive

At the beginning of the drive-by series, starting with photo #2, we were tripping along Bond Street. Now we're heading back toward town on Marine Drive paralleling Bond, which is somewhere in the midst of the vegetation climbing this hill. I'm not sure which row of windows is street level on the white building ( believe it's the second row from the roof), but . . . (see below) . . . 

. . . this nearby tall building is the back of the apartment complex I showed in this post. The lower row of windows seen here is at street level on the other side. You can just see the top of the windows on the 4th floor, and there is one more below that - the apartment where I lived when I first moved here. From this angle, it looks like it wouldn't have much of a view, but it certainly did.

When I stepped out the back door and climbed half a dozen steps . . .

. . . the world opened up. These last two photos were taken August 7, 2001.

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Drive-by Astoria #4: "Oasis on Bond Street"

Astoria, Oregon ~ September 15, 2012

Bond Street Hill / Columbia View Apartments

Here we are at the top of the Bond Street hill. When I first came to Astoria from Colorado in the summer of 2001, there were about 6 or 7 apartments available in the entire city. Only the one in this building seemed remotely livable, and when I walked in I thought I'd found Heaven. It was affordable, it was clean, it was spacious, the building was secure, it had an incredible view of the river AND a back deck! 

The building actually has five floors. It has three on the street side, but since it's on a steep slope, there are two more floors down once you get inside. My apartment was the only one on the bottom floor, which was strange, because it didn't feel like a basement. One side of the apartment was dug into the hillside, which kept it from getting hot in summer, and the other side perched high above Marine drive and the shipping channel. It's one of the coolest places I've ever lived. The title of this post is what Erby called the place. She was the very efficient and friendly caretaker when I lived here.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Can anyone explain this building?

I've been wanting to show you this building for a long time. As interesting as it is, it's hard to photograph. I finally gave up on "good" and just went for "expository." See the very odd angles of the front section? Note the interesting eaves brackets. It's not the only place in Astoria that has this type of ornate eaves bracket, but the other buildings don't have simiar "things" on the front. Is this a cross between a turret and a portico? Maybe someone can help me out. Also note the cement arch behind the power pole. Just for the record, this building is on Exchange near 16th.

This time it's not the angles are not the digital camera doing its thing, it really is a building with strange lines. Is this an odd blend between Victorian and Craftsman? Again, I have not taken time to do the research, but I always enjoy looking at this place and wondering about it. I would also like to rip off the electrical wiring and conduits and plunk it down into an idyllic rural setting. It makes me think of a lodge from around 1910.

This arch also intrigues me. Going with the idea of a turret, maybe the arch is a secret entrance to a fortress camouflaged as an apartment building.

About 10 feet deep in the recess of the arch is a door, apparently locked. The door is for people, not for vehicles, so thisi not one of the built-into-the-hillside garages one sees locally. In any event, I consider this odd place one of Astoria's man-made wonders.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.