For the Love of Architecture and Color

Bristol’s birth in January 1990 was the result of a lifelong dream that the creative designs by architects and builders of the past would have renewed appeal to urban apartment dwellers of the future.

Slowly emerging out of one of the worst recessions in a lifetime, Portland in the early 1990’s was an urban area with a damaged soul. Blight was pervasive on both sides of the Willamette River with neighborhoods like Northwest Alphabet and SE Hawthorne riddled with empty storefronts and deteriorating pre-WWII commercial and multifamily buildings. Living, dining, and shopping downtown was not viewed as a desirable lifestyle people moving to Portland for work chose the suburbs for a better quality of life.

Bristol’s bet was simply that vintage well-located apartments in the urban core had artistic character and presented an affordable and attractive lifestyle option to renters. Looking back to new apartment construction in the 70’s and 80’s developers were focused on the then modern amenities of larger more functional kitchens, decks with sliding glass door access, one-piece fiberglass tub/shower bathrooms, and off-street parking amenities.

Bristol properties provided renovated original architectural features including hardwood floors, tile bathrooms, solid wood cabinets, cast iron bathtubs, and interior common hallways featuring color and style with period lighting, stylish carpeting, and faux painted trim and entry doors. Bristol’s staff and vendors skilled at working on the building materials of the ‘20s and ‘30s painstakingly focused on all surfaces and infrastructure with the goal of delivering sparkling, well-functioning apartments at an affordable price.

Beginning with the acquisition and renovation of two properties in NW Portland in 1990 (29 years later we still own the Greenway Apartments at 1958 NW Irving) Bristol now owns and manages 35 historically significant urban properties located in Portland’s vibrant neighborhoods and continues to grow every year.

Bristol properties are easy to identify as many are painted with vibrant colors and restored grand front doors adorned with period exterior light fixtures.

As a local owner Bristol’s goals are significantly different from other companies in the industry. Our first two priorities as a housing provider are 1) service to our residents; and 2) maintaining our properties for very long-term ownership. Our highly trained professional staff measures success by resident satisfaction which is monitored daily by surveys and feedback tools. We are very proud of the consistent positive feedback we receive from our residents in all phases of our operation.

Bristol and its staff have supported many non-profit and social service organizations over the past 29+ years and view our involvement and commitment to the community as a vital part of our mission.

Significant gifts to the Oregon Food Bank, Central City Concern, Northwest Pilot Projects and The Freshwater Trust coupled with our volunteer efforts at Potluck in the Park reaffirm our connection to the community and the environment.

We look forward to celebrating our 30 year anniversary in 2020 and look forward to what the future will present us in our beloved city of Portland.