(APR 30, 2022) Jessica K., resident of Collins View since 2015, alerted us to the fact that the Alice St. Water Tank is finally up for sale, as of April 25, 2022.
The City of Portland Water Bureau owns the property, structures, and infrastructure located at 118 SW Alice Street. The Water Bureau no longer needs the property, structures, and infrastructure for on-going operations.
Location of Collins View Water Tank
Note that this is adjacent to the Avi Shalom cemetery.
As part of the contract and condition of the sale, the buyer will be responsible for removal of the above ground steel tank and pump station.
Designated R7
Land: 9,815 SQ FT
Land value appraised at $150,000.
Listed for $210,000.
Visit the Water Bureau Surplus Property web page
[LINK] to
see the process under SURPLUS PROPERTY STATUS / CATEGORY 3.
It was declared “excess property” on September 8, 2020.
It has gone through 12 steps of the process so far!
Just the 'SOLD' step remains.
Cindy C. (lifelong Collins View resident) recalls the water tank on the top of the hill was our water storage for the area in ~1950s. The tank originally was silver and was painted green in the 80’s.
See Cindy's (upcoming) Recollection of the nearby Water Masters House. (LINK will appear here.)
Questions for our Readers
Crowdsourcing this research might help us craft an eventual History article.
Feel free to comment on line (Nextdoor) or contact us with any answers (or more questions)!
When was the tank originally built? 1950? 1920?
Where did the water come from that went to the tank?
Was water supplied via the Palatine Pumping Station on the river?? (See below)
What was the extent of the Water District, assuming there was one?
When did the Portland Water Bureau take it over?
Why isn't the tank needed?
Where does Collins View water come from now? (Bull Run, but via what mains?)
Does the Collins View tank have anything to do with the water tower on Palatine Hill Road between the L&C undergrad and grad campuses?
More on Water Masters House soon.
What will become of this Property and The Collins View Tank?
Would it be possible to leave the tank in place and make a multi-story home? Just cut windows out etc. Must be a great View from up there! Or convert to multiple residences with a neighborhood cafe on the top level! Structurally, the support for floors would come up from the bottom, within the shell, although the shell could play a role in the overall structure. There is such a thing as Recycling a water tower into a Water Tower House!
[LINK]
We guess the city would not permit it. But, if so, the cell towers mounted on it might remain in use (?) and would be a source of income for the new owner. Oh No! 5G! LOL
Another point of Interest... the Palatine Pumping Station
From S Leflar, History of South Portland:
The water works on the river operated somewhere from around 1887 to about 1895 when the Bull Run line was completed. Rather elaborate facility, however they soon learned that the water supply from the river wasn’t the best and probably deteriorating, plus there was an increasing amount of clutter at times. Thus, developing Bull Run was a priority.
Palatine Pumping Station (aka Waterworks) 1903 photo
The Willamette Shore Trolley passes behind this fancy place (below), made from the pumping station. It's off of South Riverwood Road, just across the river from Waverley Country Club.
Pumping Station remade into Modern Villa
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