 | | The Bennett Building has been renovated to preserve its solid contruction, beuatiful brick and stone work, and reflect a neighborhood that's attracting new residents and businesses. | When Venerable Properties Inc. of Portland purchased the Bennett Building on the corner of Northwest Sixth Avenue and Flanders Street, it lived up to its name. "Historic properties are our first love, said Venerable's Craig Kelly. "We purchased this property a year ago. It had very good bones, but it needed a facade improvement, glass and brick restoration, repainting, new doors and hardware. The 5,000-square-foot building, built in 1928, had last been used by the Henry Sherman Uniform Shop as storage. The company had relocated from the building, which originally was used by three retailers. It also had a garage in back. "I'm in their (Venerable) building (at 322 N.W. Five Ave.)," said architect Gary Bley. "They asked me to take a look at it." What Bley found was a building that had weathered the years well. "One of the reasons was the construction," he said. "They mortared the brick directly to the frame. Because the Game was fairly stable, the brick remained in real good condition."  Features such as a cast stone cornice and two-story arch around the front door were in good shape, once the paint was removed, he said.
The renovation of the building included seismic improvements, cleaning out the interior (except for the load-bearing portions), researching the original drawings and replacing the window system to closely match the original windows. Using a Pella Window system and glazing allowed Bley to design the windows to closely match the originals. The new system provided better lighting and energy savings, and offered a combination of an aesthetic wood frame interior with an easy-to-maintain aluminum frame exterior. The original natural door on the side of the building was refinished and new hardware was added. Mark Roddy of Pardue Restoration, which restored the masonry at Port land's Governor Hotel, restored the brick and cast stone. High-pressure water was used to carefully clean the stone. "They (Pardue) did an excellent job of knowing when you could not use too much pressure," Bley said. "Mark recognized when enough was enough." Bley -who especially enjoys historic projects and also works on rowhouses and mixed-use and infill housing -said using lights that reflect the Old Town acorn lenses reflected the building and area's historic roots. Venerable is a full-service real estate firm that owns and manages properties such as the Astoria Mill Pond development, a 17-acre housing and mixed-use project. The company has found a tenant for the Bennett Building. Urban Fauna, set to open in August, will offer pet supplies and day care for dogs. Owner Suzanne Losh managed a pet store for 15 years and will continue to operate a jewelry business on a limited scale from the Bennett Building. "I've noticed a lot of dogs in the Pearl District," she said. There is a need for a pet store. But this won't be the kind that sells puppies and it won't be a kennel. This will be upscale." Losh said the site is convenient for people who use transit. Maiden Lane in San Francis- co is a similar operation that meets the needs of city dwellers and their pets, she said. Kelly said putting more than $75,000 worth of improvements into the building was a risk worth taking. "The building is wonderful, with its corner location," he said. "We knew we would have no problem finding a tenant. There are five multimillion-dollar projects that are occurring or have occurred nearby." The neighborhood is bustling with new construction. Work is under way on the Port of Portland headquarters building, the Classical Chinese Garden and additional housing units near Union Station. And with nearby properties also leasing up, the Bennett Building has proven a great example of rehabilitating an existing structure to become a vibrant part of the urban street scene. 'We're looking to do this more often," Kelly said. | 
