Bank of California Building (Portland, Oregon)

Bank of California Building

Industry	Banking (historic)
Predecessor	London and San Francisco Bank (branch)
Founded	July 20, 1925 (1925-07-20) in Portland, Oregon, United States
Founder	A. E. Doyle (architect)
Defunct	1977 (banking operations ceased)
Fate	Sold and repurposed; renamed Three Kings Building in 2008
Successor	New Bank of California Tower (opened 1969)
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon , United States
Area served	Portland, Oregon
Key people	A. E. Doyle (architect), Charles K. Greene (chief designer)
Products	Banking services (historic)
Owner	Surlamer Investments (current owner)
Parent	Bank of California (historically)

The Bank of California Building, also referred to as the Durham & Bates Building and presently known as the Three Kings Building, is a notable historic former banking facility located in downtown Portland, Oregon. It has been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978. This three-story edifice, completed in 1925, was crafted by architect A. E. Doyle in the Italianate style. The building’s first floor includes an impressive two-story banking hall with high ceilings. Initially serving as the premises for the Bank of California, the institution vacated around 1969 and sold the property in 1970. The last banking operations ceased in 1977, and the building is currently owned by Surlamer Investments.

Origins and Initial Function

In 1882, the London and San Francisco Bank established a branch in Portland. This branch became part of the Bank of California network in 1905 after the San Francisco-based bank acquired it, marking Bank of California’s inaugural location in Portland. By 1924, bank leadership authorized plans for constructing a new facility to replace their longtime office at Third and Stark Streets, which had been situated within the Chamber of Commerce Building (demolished in 1934). Architect A. E. Doyle was tasked with designing the new structure, with chief designer Charles K. Greene incorporating elements inspired by Greco-Roman architecture.

This project resulted in one of three Italianate-style buildings Greene created in Portland, with the Bank of California Building being the first among them. Unlike the taller multi-story Pacific Building and Public Service Building, this three-level construction resembles an Italian Renaissance palazzo. Groundbreaking took place in 1924, and the building officially opened on July 20, 1925.

Exterior Features

Positioned on a site at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Stark Streets, the building fronts 6th Avenue. The primary façade showcases five tall arched windows spanning two stories, with smaller rectangular windows positioned above on the second floor. The third floor is contained beneath a windowless hipped roof. The exterior walls are adorned with cast terracotta complemented by marble accents and topped with red clay tile roofing; terracotta also forms decorative cornices. Two elaborate bronze lamps flank the main entrance, which is highlighted by a bronze portico and gates—design elements reminiscent of Doyle’s work on Portland’s Public Service Building.

Originally, the central arch served as the sole entrance until 1977 when a secondary doorway was introduced during renovations for non-banking purposes, allowing direct access to upper levels.

The building’s north elevation was initially unadorned due to its adjacency to the six-story Fenton Building (also known as Guaranty Building). Following that structure's demolition in 1971, the exposed north façade was resurfaced using cast terracotta consistent with other sides of the building. A surface parking area replaced the former Fenton Building footprint, and a drive-up teller window was installed but later removed after banking activities ended in 1977. In 1980, a 13-story office tower—the TN Building—was constructed on this site; it was later transformed into a Marriott-operated 16-story hotel in 2008, once again concealing the building’s north face.

Interior

The structure encompasses three principal levels along with a mezzanine situated between the first (ground) and second floors. Upon its inauguration in 1925, the third floor—lacking windows—was designated for potential future use and was eventually transformed into a lounge, library, and recreational space for staff. The basement contains three bank vaults alongside various other utility areas. The ground floor houses the primary banking hall featuring teller windows positioned on the east side, designed as an impressive two-story chamber with intricately detailed coffered beam ceilings soaring to considerable heights. Initially, the mezzanine spanned only the northern side, extending a limited width there. Marble adorned the banking lobby floor as well as the original teller counters (which have since been removed), while most remaining surfaces replicate travertine marble through cast materials.

Renovations carried out in 1977 involved removing the teller windows, lengthening the mezzanine southward along the east wall until it reached the southern boundary, and installing a standalone staircase linking it to the center of the ground-floor lobby.

Immediate surroundings

The building fronts the northbound Portland Transit Mall. During its construction between 1976 and 1977, the adjacent sidewalk was resurfaced with brick and complemented by newly planted street trees. A sizable bus shelter introduced at that time was later removed during the mall’s reconstruction in 2007–08. Since 2009, MAX trains have operated along this corridor directly in front of the building. After transit mall improvements that year, the bronze sculpture Talos No. 2 was placed near the intersection of 6th and Stark streets. Opposite this building stands another bank designed by A. E. Doyle—the 1917 United States National Bank Building—whose classical architectural style provides a striking contrast to this structure’s Italianate design.

Post-1960s owners or primary tenants

The Bank of California maintained occupancy of this location for nearly 45 years before moving slightly over one block west to a new 15-story tower in December 1969, which also took on the Bank of California Building name. After merging in 1996, it became known as the Union Bank of California Building. Later occupants included Security Bank of Oregon, Oregon Bank, and insurance company Durham & Bates, Inc. Banking activities ceased around 1977 when ownership transferred to Bankside Investors and Durham & Bates leased space within. The main façade signage evolved with each tenant, displaying SECURITY BANK OF OREGON in 1970 and subsequently DURHAM & BATES. In March 1978, the building earned placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Portland brokerage Bidwell & Company acquired the property in November 1999 and completed an extensive nine-month renovation by 2000, after which Bidwell established its offices there. Following Bidwell’s purchase by TD Ameritrade in 2004, the building was vacated and sold once more. In 2008, it adopted the name Three Kings Building, with new signage reflecting this rebranding.

See also

• Architecture of Portland, Oregon
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Southwest Portland, Oregon