Lee’s mongolian grill

The 215 Main Street building is a rare example of midcentury architecture in downtown Springfield, but this identity was hidden for decades until its dramatic transformation in 2022.

The Main Street blocks in Springfield showcase a rich architectural fabric from the early 1900s to the present. Many of the original structures are intact, however decades of remodels have disguised the character defining features. So far, most of the adaptive reuse and historical renovations have focused on early 1900s and pre-WWII buildings. 215 Main Street is of historical significance because it is one of the few remaining midcentury modern buildings in downtown Springfield.  Built in 1957, the Timber Topper drive-in diner was a true snapshot of the 1950s. The north half of the restaurant was a dining room, the south half was a drive-in. Designed by Frank Bonson of Eugene, the building exemplified characteristics of midcentury modern style through its low horizontal profile and expressive post and beam framing with glass and brick infill.

An architectural rendering published in the local newspaper to promote the restaurant’s opening in 1957 illustrates the character of the original building well.  The post and beam structure was exposed, and the beams cantilevered beyond the walls to create an extended horizontal roof profile with a covered entry stoop.  The infill between the posts was brick and glass, and horizontal planter boxes wrapped around the façade.  A small two-story portion of building extended above the primary roof and accentuated the datum of the lower roof plane.  Prominent lighted signs perched on the roof at each end of the building, one along Main Street and the other along South A. 

The original Timber Topper restaurant (1957) persisted until the 1980s. The building housed different restaurants over the years, and it was the Spring Garden restaurant since 2008. The Spring Garden building suffered for years from severe blight. It had been sitting vacant for at least two years and its deteriorated condition was a recurring topic of conversation for the city and downtown stakeholders.  The blight of peeling paint, graffiti, roof leaks, and vermin infestation was of great concern as a health, safety, and welfare issue; the continued disrepair would likely have resulted in future condemnation of the site. The blight was accentuated by the building’s highly visible location on Main Street and Pioneer Parkway. This intersection is a central hub for foot, bicycle, and vehicle traffic entering Springfield from the north and east thoroughfares. The building had the potential to welcome people to downtown, but instead it was a sore sight, noticeably out-of-place among more polished and refurbished Main Street storefronts.

Fortunately, the new owners of the property saw its potential and committed to a full rehabilitation of the building and site in 2022. The exterior work included significant roof repair, window and door replacement, and rehabilitation of the façade to showcase the midcentury character of the original 1957 diner building.

The exterior transformation started with removal of the existing roof overstructure, framing and equipment, as well as replacement soft/compromised T&G decking. Then the new roof was installed, beam ends and the underside of the roof overhang were painted, and downspouts were replaced. The second story office/storage required the removal non-original additions (walls, roof, door), then replacement of the roof-access door, installation of house wrap and furring strips, new fiber-cement siding panels, and new paint. The ground floor façade and windows were addressed by removing non-original faux-stone veneer from all sides of building, removing wall infill at the entry vestibule, removing all glass and stops/trim/casings, and installing new windows and doors throughout using insulated glass units.  Finally, the brick-profile concrete block and concrete columns were cleaned, prepped, sealed, and painted.

This project is a striking example of what is possible when saving and rehabilitating existing structures. The building now hosts a local restaurant, Lee’s Mongolian Grill, and the corner is an inviting, bustling eatery once again.