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institutions, asylums, jails, schools, hospitals, etc.
commercial, industrial, and military
residential, religious, and agricultural
not all is lost: other subjects
about this site: who i am and what i do
purchase: prints, the book, and donations
event horizon: showings and other occasions
site index: if it's on the site, you can find it here
updates: the most recent additions to the website
contact: email me/get added to the mailing list
coming soon: galleries i hope to finish one day
commercial, industrial, and military
residential, religious, and agricultural
not all is lost: other subjects
about this site: who i am and what i do
purchase: prints, the book, and donations
event horizon: showings and other occasions
site index: if it's on the site, you can find it here
updates: the most recent additions to the website
contact: email me/get added to the mailing list
coming soon: galleries i hope to finish one day
a neoclassical cathedral worshipping the power of electricity, portside power plant was opened in 1925 as the herald of a
new era. the turbine hallway, modelled after the roman baths, is one of the largest open rooms ever built and at one point
housed the largest turbo-generator in the world. the need for extremely pure water to cool the high-pressure boilers
necessitated a system that sucked 50,000 pounds of water per hour from the river it sits on. in the 1960s an array of 19
turbo-generators that utilized two jet engines to propel turbines was added. in 1984 the steam plant closed and by 1985 the
plant was only used sporadically to provide extra power and the jet engines were sold. despite the recommendations of
staff and preservation groups, portside was denied a historic designation. since used only in the filming of two high profile
movies, scrappers have been slowly eating away at the copper used in much of the construction. despite being the
recipient of one of the largest asbestos abatement projects ever, portside is still a hazardous environment to say the least:
corrosive, toxic chemicals are exposed and the 130-foot high roof in the main turbine hall periodically drops plaster and
concrete onto the main floor and basement below. in addition, certain parts still have electricity but it is difficult to know
precisely where, so any of the many of exposed wires lying in ever-present pools of water could electrocute the unwary.
nonetheless, portside is an astounding building and an extraordinary accomplishment, one of the most beautiful power
plants ever built.
new era. the turbine hallway, modelled after the roman baths, is one of the largest open rooms ever built and at one point
housed the largest turbo-generator in the world. the need for extremely pure water to cool the high-pressure boilers
necessitated a system that sucked 50,000 pounds of water per hour from the river it sits on. in the 1960s an array of 19
turbo-generators that utilized two jet engines to propel turbines was added. in 1984 the steam plant closed and by 1985 the
plant was only used sporadically to provide extra power and the jet engines were sold. despite the recommendations of
staff and preservation groups, portside was denied a historic designation. since used only in the filming of two high profile
movies, scrappers have been slowly eating away at the copper used in much of the construction. despite being the
recipient of one of the largest asbestos abatement projects ever, portside is still a hazardous environment to say the least:
corrosive, toxic chemicals are exposed and the 130-foot high roof in the main turbine hall periodically drops plaster and
concrete onto the main floor and basement below. in addition, certain parts still have electricity but it is difficult to know
precisely where, so any of the many of exposed wires lying in ever-present pools of water could electrocute the unwary.
nonetheless, portside is an astounding building and an extraordinary accomplishment, one of the most beautiful power
plants ever built.
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| site last updated: august 23, 2010 |
