UP

This 1894 Queen Anne Victorian serves as the law office for Portland lawyer Randal Acker. Randal purchased the house in 2005 to serve as his law office. During this time frame, the neighbourhood was populated mainly by Italian and Jewish immigrant families. Now, surrounding the house one can see the partial skeleton of Portland State University's 16 story student housing building that is being constructed at a cost of $90 million.

Shortly after Randal bought the house, TriMet began purchasing the houses and property surrounding Randal's office and in 2007 they attempted to purchase Randal's house, but he refused to sell. TriMet informed Randal it was contemplating taking the house under eminent domain, which allows public entities to buy private property for public use even if the seller is unwilling. Randal fought back threatening to take legal action. He is an attorney after all. Eventually, TriMet backed down. However, by then TriMet had sold the land surrounding Randal's house to Portland State University and this is what one sees.

I commend Randal for standing up to TriMet and not backing down. This beautiful, historic building, affectionately called Figo House after his dog, deserves to stand proudly among the new buildings.