A while ago I wrote about our efforts to save the Greyhound
Portal, a portion of the former Pacific Greyhound bus terminal in downtown
Medford Portall. It was to be restored as a feature in Park Block #2, of the Medford Commons project, surrounding the Lithia Motors
HQ. MURA, the Medford Urban Renewal Agency had proposed saving the portal, and
then last October changed its mind, setting in motion a long series of complicated public process that involved the Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission, the Arts Commission, MURA and the City Council. Well, in the end, the MURA Board decided the
best thing to do was just go ahead with their original plan. Earlier this month they voted 7-1 to retract their request for demolition, saving the portal
and assuring its restoration. We are thrilled.
And we aren’t the only ones, apparently. Last week an anonymous donor stepped
forward. He had secured the original “GREYHOUND”
lettering when the depot was shuttered in 2008 and has kept the sign since. Now that the City agreed to keep
the portal, he donated them back. We
picked the sign up yesterday.
The letters, about 19 feet long and 30” tall, are in excellent
condition, considering they are 65 years old and have been sitting on the
ground for four years. No dings, the
original mill-finish is in excellent shape under a few coats of easily
removable paint. The chase, at the
bottom, originally held two tubes of neon, that would backlight the letters at
night. Even if we can’t find the budget
to do that now, we’ll be sure and build the opportunity to get power back to
the sign, and do so in the future!
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