Here at Property Watch we’ve had the opportunity to profile homes from several important local architects, like Pietro Belluschi’s second-to-last commission located on a lavender farm, and a color-blocked original from William Fletcher. But here is something even more rare: one of the only two homes in Oregon designed by famed architect Richard Neutra.

Neutra was Austrian-born architect who moved to the United States in 1923, working briefly for Frank Lloyd Wright before setting up shop in California. He’s now known in the history books for his contributions to modernism and the International movement, which eschewed decorative ornament in favor of blocky geometric forms and bands of windows, all made possible by new building technologies.

In 1940, Neutra heard from Jan and Peggy de Graaff. Jan was a horticulturist known for lilies, and Peggy was the grandchild of Ida and Isidor Straus, who held part ownership in the Macy’s department store and perished on the Titanic. The de Graaffs were moving to the area to establish a bulb farm and wanted a modern house fit for their collection of contemporary art and furniture.

They commissioned Neutra to design a home for them on a prized perch in Riverdale, just south of Portland proper—a 0.61-acre lot with stunning views downriver toward downtown. (An additional 0.25-acre parcel is included in the sale, featuring a flat grassy expanse that’s buildable.)  

Neutra worked with a local supervisory architect, Van Evera Bailey, and the ensuing press upon its 1941 completion helped establish Bailey’s career. Historic pictures show a cedar-clad, flat-roofed volume with horizontal ribbons of windows anchored to the hillside. Apparently, Bailey talked the California-based Neutra out of exterior stucco in favor of wood to better fit the PNW climate.

In the ’80s, the house changed ownership, and successive remodels rendered it seriously unrecognizable from the original Neutra style. In 2003, new owners bought it with the goal to restore the home back to its roots as much as possible, with the help of local architect Ryan Walsh. Now, exterior tongue-and-groove siding has been reinstated in places, as well as the bands of windows wrapping a prominent corner on two levels.

Inside, in an ode to the original style, the ornamentation is kept spare, delivered via rich material picks, like the African mahogany at the living room fireplace. There are a few remaining swoops, hallmarks of the International form, like the curved wall in the entry and the gently circular staircase connecting the main floor to the upstairs bedrooms.

At 6,887 square feet across three levels, the floor plan is generous, underscored by high ceilings and big windows everywhere. A series of nooks and alcoves are sprinkled throughout, with several defined by custom built-ins, as in the den tucked behind the fireplace in the living room and the family room off the kitchen.

While the home has seen more than its fair share of change, much of it will be appreciated by today’s buyers, including the exterior deck lining the main floor, complete with an outdoor kitchen, expanded bathrooms, and a large laundry room with custom cabinetry on the same level as the upstairs bedrooms. Of course, there’s also what hasn’t changed: namely, the incredible views, which aren’t confined to just the principle areas but show up even from a humble bathroom on the lower level.

Listing Fast Facts 

• Address: 1901 S Comus St, Portland, OR 97219
• Size: 6,887 square feet/5 bedrooms/4.5 bath  
• List Date: 9/22/2023 
• List Price: $3,550,000
• Listing Agent: Tracy Hasson, Cascade Hasson Sotheby's International Realty

Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. She is based in Portland, Oregon. Contact Dalton here. 

Editor’s Note: Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column takes a weekly look at an interesting home in Portland’s real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].