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McMenamins has provided a sneak peek at one of its newest properties: the Taft Hotel in downtown Portland’s West End neighborhood. In-progress construction photos show clawfoot tubs, original 1906 architectural features, and new original murals themed around the songs “Because the Night” by Patti Smith, “Fire it Up” by Modest Mouse and “China Cat Sunflower” by the Grateful Dead.
The new hotel is an addition to what McMenamins is calling its “Crystal Blocks,” which includes the Crystal Ballroom next door and the Crystal Hotel, Al’s Den and Hal’s Café across the street.
“We first noticed the Taft Hotel while we were renovating the Crystal Ballroom next door, and I was struck by its absolute beauty. It’s truly a piece of living history right in the heart of Portland,” said Mike McMenamin in a statement. “When the opportunity to purchase the Taft presented itself, we knew it was a perfect complement. With its connection to the Crystal Ballroom, plus proximity to other McMenamins and Portland landmarks, it’s a perfect fit.”
The property, located next to the McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, was known as the Taft Home until it shuttered in 2021. That’s when more than 70 low-income and disabled seniors were told they had to leave their homes in the four-story Southwest Portland residence due to dozens of building violations (“The Mystery of the Taft Home”, WW, July 27, 2022).
McMenamins is renovating the hotel to include 63 hotel rooms, three bars and restaurants, a gift shop and a direct bridge to the Crystal Ballroom. The Taft was designed by Portland architect Edgar M. Lazarus, who also designed the Vista House at Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge.
McMenamins purchased the building in 2024 for $1.5 million. The ground floor restaurant, Cassidy’s Restaurant and Bar, and the bar Scooters will remain open, McMenamins says. The company has not announced an official opening date for the hotel yet.
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