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An old, funky, brick building sits at the corner of Northwest Third Avenue and Glisan Street, near the west end of the Steel Bridge in Portland. Green trim surrounds boarded windows and a 鈥淯鈥� sign 鈥� the fire department’s mark that the structure is unsafe for firefighters 鈥� hangs on the building’s red garage doors.

The small, two-story building has faded over the years, since it was born more than 100 years ago via a bit of blackmail.

In 1906, according to the city’s Historic Resource Inventory, Portland Mayor Harry Lane was targeting the site for a firehouse. The problem was that the land was owned by the Northern Pacific Terminal Co. and Lane did not want the city to lease it for the project.

But Lane discovered that Northern Pacific was occupying Northwest Irving and Kearney streets without the necessary franchise license. Lane called the company’s manager and threatened to dig up the tracks that the company was running its trains over illegally, unless it deeded the proposed firehouse site to the city.

Lane received the deed by September 1906, Northern Pacific got its license and by 1913 Portland Fire Department Engine House No. 2 was built.

However, during construction the entire building cracked in half during a flood, which is why the east end tilts slightly downhill. Its architect was former fire chief Lee Holden, who built numerous fire stations around Portland in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Today, the Portland Development Commission owns the unreinforced masonry building, at 510 N.W. Third Ave. If it were renovated, it would likely need a seismic upgrade.

Shawn Uhlman, a PDC spokesman, said redevelopment projects in the area 鈥� including the Blanchet House of Hospitality 鈥� might help spur activity at the firehouse.

鈥淲e do not currently have plans to sell the property to anyone and we’re currently not marketing it as a property for sale; however, we would certainly be interested in exploring opportunities if they present themselves,鈥� Uhlman said.

Block by Block is a weekly look at commercial real estate around Portland. Send suggestions for properties to [email protected].