91视频

Konnell Construction got a little surprise two weeks ago during the demolition of the former Zell Bros. Jewelers in downtown Portland.

While knocking down the historic building to make way for a 33-story Park Avenue West office tower, Konnell crews ran into a freestanding safe they didn’t know was there, according to general contractor Hoffman Construction Co..

鈥淭hey probably felt they’d struck gold,鈥� Ernie Pittaway, general manager of Zell Bros. said.

The locked safe was hidden behind a wall, and the crew didn’t see it until workers had actually ploughed into it with a backhoe, said Justin Paterson a marketing director for Hoffman.

The safe didn’t budge, and the crew joked about cracking it open with the machine, Paterson said, but workers were unsure who the safe belonged to.

Technically, the safe belongs to TMT Development, said Debra Cushman ,a former manager and longtime Zell Bros. employee. The safe was one of three that were sold along with the property.

TMT referred questions about the safe to Hoffman.

Zell Bros. doesn’t know the combination to the old spin-dial safe, but the business is fairly certain it’s empty, Cushman said. Though, she added 鈥渋t’s possible there could be something in there.鈥�

The safe was located in what used to be former watchmaker Ray Young’s room where a wall resembling a shower stall had been installed around it at some point, Cushman said.
 

鈥淗e had Alzheimer’s toward the end, so it did pique my interest,鈥� Cushman said.