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Alfred Faber, who designed the house that was built at 3828 S.E. Division St. in 1910, was known as an eccentric architect.

鈥�(Each house) should be unlike any other house that the architect has ever designed,鈥� Faber once stated, according to a 2006 presentation to the Architectural Heritage Center by Robert Mercer, Jim Heuer and Francene Grewe. 鈥淎 man who is unable to get away from a certain style and who shows a similarity of design in every building he puts up is not an architect; he is simply a copyist. He had better get an Edison mold and be done with it.鈥�

Faber referred to a concrete prefabricated home that Thomas Edison invented in the early 1900s. Faber was born in Pennsylvania in 1883, but moved to Portland in 1904 and became a pioneer of Craftsman style creativity.

For the house at 3828 S.E. Division St., Faber incorporated concrete block in the exterior facade. The move was atypical for the period and cost a premium up front, but it saved approximately 20 percent in maintenance costs. Also, the weathered blocks became irregular colors and added character.

The 2,946-square-foot structure was built as a duplex; the first and second floors are identical, with separate entrances. The owner, David Socolofsky, purchased the building in 1985 and converted it into office space. It is now for sale for $649,000.

Alexandra Ionescu, a Norris, Beggs & Simpson broker who is listing the property, said it has received a lot of interest from law firms and health care practitioners; however, it could suit many kinds of companies.

鈥淚t鈥檚 right on the bus line,鈥� Ionescu said. 鈥淭here are a ton of restaurants and coffee shops. It鈥檚 just a couple blocks from the Hawthorne neighborhood and very close to downtown. So, I think it could be appealing to a wide range of businesses.鈥�

Ionescu said the interior is simple, but it does boast some of the original natural woodwork and high ceilings. The exterior speaks for itself.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very charming, attractive building in a great and growing area,鈥� she said.

For more information, contact Ionescu at 503-273-0314 or [email protected].

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