Man Made Lake

Postcard from Portland

I was surprised to find Portland even more bicycle friendly than when I left three years ago. But it was the summer weather and the culture of frugality that really had me longing.

Postcard from Oregon

Goodbye Portland

[insert sentimental cliche]

Central Eastside, Portland

The central eastside essentially borders downtown and thus it has historically supported the central business district with supplies (produce, office furniture, restaurant supplies, uniforms, etc).

It's definitley gentrifying, but there is no main drag, no center. A coffee shop here, a bar there. But property owners are sitting tight. Everyone knows this is the next, maybe the last, untapped central real estate killing. Half of the warehouses are beautiful brick, perfect for conversion to condominiums. The other half are disposable, perfect for the bulldozer. The views of downtown and the bridges are unmatched anywhere and one could easily walk across the Hawthorne into town. There are even plans to run a streetcar spur down Grand.

For the moment there's still plenty of decay to enjoy. Highway 99E, SE Grand Ave and MLK Blvd, splits the neighborhood in two. The [previously mentioned] eastern half has sidewalks, some trees, and the majority of the storefronts. It's more tame. The west side, showcased here, is much grittier. Half the streets are dark under the tangle of overpasses from four bridges and two interstates. SE 1st is closed to all but freight trains and the occasional transient asleep on a loading dock. Abandoned rails along Water, 2nd and 3rd have knocked everybody I know off their bikes at least once.

So next time you find yourself nursing a pint at Produce Row, wolfing down a five star meal at clarklewis or enjoying the view from the new Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade, take a minute to admire the boarded up windows, shitty paint jobs and the function-first aesthetic. They're on their way out.

Kings Hill, Portland

It's better known for mansions than apartment buildings but I guess I'm biased. I've beening living in the northwest corner of Kings Hill for about a year and a half.

Despite the density and the proximity to downtown and Northwest, Kings Hill has a somewhat unfriendly vibe. The ugly condo towers are bursting with spoiled retirees who left their manners in the 20th century. The SUV driving professionals in the adjacent castles aren't much better. Even the younger crowd in the little brick buildings awkwardly avoid eye contact on the sidewalk. Still, Green Av is the sexiest street in Portland, Washington Park is in throwing distance and I can bike to school in 9 minutes. So quit complaining.