Fans of the Bishop’s Close Garden at Elk Rock have two questions: Who will buy the famous estate overlooking the Willamette River in Portland’s pricey Dunthorpe suburb, and will the new owner of one of the oldest, private landscapes in the Pacific Northwest open it to the public as it has been for more than six decades?
The nine-acre property at 11800 S. Military Lane was put up for sale Nov. 17 at $4.5 million. On Nov. 30, an offer was accepted, a contract to purchase it was signed and the sale is pending, according to public record.
The brokers representing the seller said they are not allowed by Oregon Licensure Law to speak about offers received for any property.
Until the transaction closes, the botanical garden remains open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, says the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon, which owns the property. As in previous years, the garden will be closed between Christmas and New Year’s.
This is the first time the land has been for sale since 1905, when businessman Peter Kerr moved to the remote spot and transformed fields of poison oak into a picturesque landscape with a magnolia walk, viewpoint of Mount Hood and an English-style garden.
After his death in 1957, Kerr’s widow, Laurie King Kerr, and two daughters, Anne McDonald and Jane Platt, donated the property along with an endowment for its upkeep to the local Episcopal Church. The gift originally came with the stipulation that the public could visit the grounds.
According to diocese spokeswoman Allison Gannett, the stipulations of the original gift of the property to the Episcopal Diocese of Oregon expired when the daughters of Peter Kerr died.
In 1994, the then bishop entered into an agreement with the daughters’ heirs, Lady Anne McDonald and John W.S. Platt. A “right of first offer” provides the heirs an opportunity to be the first to purchase the property.
The endowment will remain with the property if an heir buys the property, said Gannett. Otherwise, the endowment will be given to the nonprofit Oregon Community Foundation to be used as directed by the heirs, she said.
There are no stipulations regarding allowing public access to the property once a sale is completed, said Gannett.
Bishop’s Close and its Elk Rock Garden are for sale at $4.5 million by Kathy Hall and Kevin Hall of Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty.Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty
The real estate description said the “unequalled parcel” can be “developed” or the main residence can be restored “to its original splendor” or the new owner can “create your custom vision.”
The gated property is composed of four residential tax lots, zoned for a primary dwelling allowed on each 20,000-square-foot area within the nine-acre parcel, which has environmental overlays and setback restrictions, according to public record.
Kathy Hall and Kevin Hall of Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty listed the property and represent the seller.
The diocese has used the 9,516-square-foot mansion as an office and and meeting space since the Kerr donation, according to a statement on diocese-oregon.org
In recent years, the storied house, designed by Portland architect Ellis F. Lawrence and completed in 1917, has had the roof replaced, a new boiler installed for radiant heat and waterproofing work, but the interior has not been restored or updated since it was gifted to the church, said Kathy Hall.
Hall told The Oregonian/OregonLive on Nov. 21, “It’s not been an easy decision to sell this property, but it is very expensive to maintain and operate, and the sprawling physical layout is not conducive to the staff collaborating together.”
Hall added that “the ministry’s role is to be engaged in the communities they serve, and this isn’t very accessible to those communities or diocese members.”
The diocese plans to relocate to a meeting space accessible by public transportation and with ample parking, according to the diocese’ statement.
In 2018, Portland arts patron and philanthropist Jordan Schnitzer made an offer to buy the property, but the transaction was never completed as expected in 2020.
In 2017, the Elk Rock Garden Foundation, which was formed in 1994 along with the Friends of Elk Rock Garden to protect, preserve and perpetuate the garden, reported a $15,000 expense for legal fees on its charity report filed with the Oregon Department of Justice.
In 2018, the foundation paid $45,000 in legal fees. None of the foundation board members who knows of the legal expenses could be reached for comment.
Sara Mauritz of Portland, who had been an Elk Rock Garden Foundation board member and volunteer for 20 years, describes the property as a “gorgeous” landscape that was well designed and has trees, shrubs and rare plants dating back to the early 1900s.
“The diocese was very kind to let us meet there and raise money for the garden,” said Mauritz.
“It’s been loved for a long time and I’m sorry the diocese has decided to sell,” she said. “They own it, so there’s nothing you can do. It was probably inevitable, but I would not like to see it developed. It breaks my heart. It’s not like selling a sack of potatoes.”
— Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072
jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
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