Known formally as Altstadt Apartments (German for “Old City”), the Market Building was constructed in 1912 in Portland’s Goose Hollow neighborhood. At the time, Goose Hollow was a lively enclave just southwest of downtown – home to working professionals and close to institutions like the Multnomah Athletic Club and Providence Park (originally Multnomah Field). Altstadt Apartments was developed to meet the demand for quality housing near downtown and the bustling Washington Park streetcar line. The building’s design is understated yet refined: a low-rise Craftsman-style apartment house with overhanging eaves and bay windows, blending with the mix of Victorian homes and small flats in the area. It originally contained seven units arranged as large one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, each featuring separate living and dining areas – a layout targeting longer-term residents such as young families or businessmen‍. Through the decades, the building has been continuously occupied, witnessing Goose Hollow’s evolution from a streetcar suburb to an urban hub. The name “Altstadt” harkens to Portland’s German community influence in the early 1900s, and indeed the building sits near sites of historic German breweries and social halls. Today, the Market Building stands as a testament to early apartment living in Southwest Portland. Its location in the Goose Hollow Historic District (near the base of the West Hills) and its maintained historic character (original clapboard siding and double-hung windows) contribute to the cultural tapestry of the neighborhood. As a smaller-scale building nestled among houses and newer condos, it retains a human scale and a sense of continuity with the past. For over 100 years, the Market Building has provided comfortable urban homes, adapting to modern needs while keeping its vintage Portland soul intact.