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How one man built many Mid-county homes

AMBER MCKENNA
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

Joan and Cliff Schilling have been residents of Northeast Portland for over half a century. She from the first David Douglas High School class to graduate; he is a 1953 Parkrose High School graduate.
AMBER MCKENNA Photos/MID-COUNTY MEMO
A home Cliff Schilling built in the 1960s. Schilling is responsible for building more than 50 homes in the Portland area, most east of 82nd Avenue in the Argay neighborhood.
Cliff Schilling points to an advertisement for one of his homes for sale from the 1960s. In this scrapbook Schilling has kept pictures and memorabilia from his early home building work.
Home building then and now

“My first lot was $300; today it would probably cost $50,000.”

“There was no permit in order to get an 'OK' to build on that lot; today permits are a big process.”

“I had to go down to the local water district to get my address. They gave you your address for the cost of your numbers, which were $5 each.”
For the true meaning of a local, look no further than Cliff and Joan Schilling.

The pair has been involved with numerous community organizations and not only have they lived in Northeast Portland for over half a century, they are also responsible for building quite a bit of it.

Cliff built around 50 homes in the Portland area starting with his first in 1954, and later under the Limited Liability Corporation, Cliff Schilling Construction.

“My father was a builder, so all through school I knew what I wanted to do,” he said.

Local roots grown strong
Cliff said his dad decided he want to become a builder after working in the shipyards of Portland in the early '40s and that his mom worked right alongside him. As a kid, Cliff said he “got all the jobs nobody wanted.”

Joan, on the other hand was a member of David Douglas High School's first four-year graduating class in the late 1950s and has stayed near to her roots.

“I've lived in a 2-mile radius my whole life,” she said. “I've never considered moving away.”

They both remember Mid-county with no freeways and far fewer buildings.

Blast from the past
Though it's been over 50 years since Cliff built his first house, he remembers it clear as crystal.

After graduating from Parkrose High School, in 1953, Cliff said he set out to build a house.

“I did all my own work - aside from the plumbing, heating, electrical - and laid the brick,” he said “And it's still there, absolutely, just on Northeast 114th Avenue at Halsey Street.”

The selling price for the brick two-bedroom house with a large kitchen and walk-in closets: $25,000.

He barely had time to admire his work before the house was sold.

“I was going to have an open house and a woman showed up before it even started and said 'I'll take it,' you could have knocked me over with a feather,” Cliff said. “I never did have that open house.”

So there was Cliff, an 18-year-old kid with a “bunch of money and a checkbook.”

With such quick success with his first build, Cliff asked his realtor to get him a few more lots right away.

He quickly started work two homes, but ran out of funds. So, Cliff said he figured he would just sell them in progress. But in his eagerness to build more homes, he had overlooked one important detail: as a result of an inheritance safeguard law, a minor could own a deed, but not transfer one.

“I had two houses all framed up, and I was out of money,” he said. “I didn't know what to do, so I decided to go into the service.”

Cliff volunteered for the draft in 1957 and spent two years as a clerk typist with the Army stationed in Denver, Colo. while his father finished the houses.

“When I got back, I was old enough [to transfer the deed] and put both houses on the market; both sold right away,” he said.

Strength of community
Overtime Cliff built custom homes, everything from an A-frame on Larch Mountain to a 15,000 square foot home in Estacada, to light remodels and commercial property construction.

His work is most visible in the Argay Terrace neighborhood, above I-84, below Northeast Sandy Boulevard. and bordered by Northeast 122nd Avenue to the west and Northeast 142nd Avenue to the east. Cliff estimates he built over 30 homes in this neighborhood.

Many residents who first bought these homes still reside in them, and the Schillings still remember their names.

“We've maintained lasting friendships with customers,” Joan said. “We've been blessed and met a lot of really nice people.”

Many of the Schillings' connections were made through their long-time activity with the Home Owner's Association. Cliff was the local HOA president in 1975 and the state president in 1979. He was also in leadership for the National Association of Home Builders.

“We would take trips to Washington D.C. once or twice a year for 25 years and meet with our congressmen to talk about issues,” Cliff said.

The pair were also involved with Habitat for Humanity on a local and international level. Specifically, the Schillings were a part of the Rockwood neighborhood build, which, according to the Habitat for Humanity Web site, is Habitat's largest neighborhood in Oregon.

Joan said he once travelled throughout Africa to meet with other Habitat for Humanity leaders and worked a build in Nepal. “Cliff has a tremendous work ethic, is hardworking and totally honest,” Joan said.

He also put this passion for work and community to use through the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, which aims to teach students technical skills, and Housing One Street at a Time (HOST), an organization specializing in affordable housing. One time, Cliff chaired the Street of Dreams Home Show when Northeast 162 Avenue was featured.

Admiring what they've built
These days the Schillings are getting settled into the home they moved into a few months ago in the Summerplace neighborhood. Joan works as a travel agent and teaches line dancing to senior citizens. They both enjoy spending time with their sons and two granddaughters.

After 52 years of marriage, and residence in Northeast Portland the Schilling say they're still happy to be in the neighborhood and enjoy the life they've made for themselves.

“One of the really nice things about being a builder is that when you're done you can take about 20 paces back and look at what you've done, no matter how long it's been, and you can say I've built that,” Cliff said.
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