T
he 1912 English Arts & Crafts manor on Southeast 13th Avenue, once the Portland Arts Retreat, closed its latest chapter when it sold on September 3 for $1.3 million. It is only the third time in 113 years that the architecturally significant bluff‑top property overlooking the Willamette River has changed hands.
Wade Pipes, a celebrated Oregon architect who studied in London, designed the house for his brother. The home has long been a landmark in Sellwood‑Moreland, featuring intricate woodwork, leaded glass, and a steeply pitched roof that echoes the English country style.
The Sikora family acquired the 0.26‑acre lot in 2007. Richard Sikora, a UBC ethics professor, and his wife, visual artist Dorothy, turned the house into a sanctuary for thinkers and artists. They hosted philosophers Derek Parfit, Paul Edwards, A.J. Eyre, and animal‑rights advocate Peter Singer. Their daughter Anne later restored the residence and founded the Portland Arts Retreat, drawing guests such as photographer Janelle Lynch and Pulitzer‑winning writer Nam Le.
The property went on the market on June 6 with an asking price of $1.6 million. More than 40 groups of buyers attended open houses and private showings, according to listing broker Yvonne Blewett of Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty. Blewett noted that visitors “cherish artistry over trend, history over hurry, and the timeless craftsmanship that turns a house into a living legacy.” The price was reduced to $1.49 million on July 14, and an offer was accepted six days later.
After the retreat concluded in August, a shipping company moved sentimental furniture and artwork to the Sikora family, while the remaining furnishings were sold at an estate sale organized by Kristen Hudson of Family Affair. Blewett’s experience with the Sikoras is part of a broader narrative: last year she helped close three transactions from Hawaii to Bend to Portland, and this year she facilitated the sale of the Sikoras’ family home, completing a “fourth chapter” in her career.
Blewett’s approach differed from the seven agents the Sikoras had consulted. While most suggested repainting bold colors—deep red trim, burnt orange dining room, bright green master bedroom, and pink in other rooms—to create a blank canvas, Blewett embraced the house’s artistic spirit. She recommended softer hues that preserved character, partnered with Michelle Easby of Imagine Home Staging & Design to showcase the seller’s furniture, and presented buyers with a clear plan for updates that honored the 1912 charm. The strategy paid off: an offer was accepted 43 days after listing.
Blewett no longer practices dual agency; she referred an unrepresented buyer to her Sotheby’s colleague, Tage Packebush, who represented a Portland family.
Architectural highlights include the original Arts & Crafts detailing, updated kitchen and bathrooms that reflect the movement’s emphasis on handmade craftsmanship and functional simplicity, and a standalone second home with a private porch suitable for multigenerational living or a creative studio. The 3,332 sq ft of living space sits amid landscaped grounds featuring raised garden beds, a Japanese‑style garden, and a saltwater hot tub beneath old‑growth trees.
The house was owned by the Staats family from 1954 until the Sikoras purchased it in 2007, and it has since served as a nexus for artistic and intellectual exchange in Portland.
