Guest Post: Discover North Portland
Today’s post comes from Alex Neely, a mortgage banker with Wells Fargo and avid re:PDX reader. He recently suggested a number of blog ideas, including this one about the opportunities that await buyers in “NoPo”.
If you have lived in Portland very long, perhaps you’ve seen the revitalization of communities (like Mississippi, Boise, Humboldt, and Piedmont) that once were classified as avoidable at all costs. Here, Alex touches on the up-and-coming urban alternatives to Portland’s suburbs.
Portland’s inner east side has seen an enormous revival fueled by two factors: proximity to downtown and rejuvenated historic districts. This creates what I like to call the “Urban-Suburban” feel. Residential neighborhoods feel like close-knit communities with an emphasis on walking and biking to nearby restaurants and shopping, and yet they are still a very short drive from downtown. This feel is definitive of the eastside lifestyle.
The historic districts in North Portland, however, have experienced their revival much more recently, and in some cases, have yet to get off the ground.
North Portland has seen some amazing changes due to the MAX line and the Portland Development Commission (PDC). The Mississippi district has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years and there are many homes in the area that are still begging to be renovated to their full glory (many homes are from the Victorian era). Even distressed homes in this area, however, are pricey.
To find an affordable home in the next “Urban-Suburban” district buyers should look to St. Johns or Kenton. In their present state, these districts are nothing to clamor about. St. Johns is located 15 minutes from downtown and about 10 minutes from Sauvie Island. It has two movie theaters, a few cafes, dark taverns, and five coffee shops. The key to this area is that the historic district bones are there.
The same goes for Kenton (http://historickenton.com/) which is about 8 minutes from downtown. There is little to Kenton now, but in five to ten years it will be a bustling commercial area right on the MAX line. As an added plus, Kenton is within the PDC “Urban Renewal Area” boundaries.
In both of these areas, you can find medium fixers or small renovated homes for around $200,000, which is a significant difference from the Inner Southeast districts where you would be hard-pressed to find even a distressed home within walking distance under $300,000. Think you will miss the large super-stores of suburbia? Don’t worry, Jantzen Beach Supercenter is right up I-5, just 4 minutes from Kenton.
So if you want to get into the next “Urban-Suburban” district before you are priced out, now is the time to think about North Portland.
There is much more to North Portland than just Mississippi, St. Johns, and Kenton. Contact Ron Ares to find out more about the “Fifth Quadrant.”
NOTE:
Other nice residential neighborhoods include: Overlook, Arbor Lodge, Piedmont, Mock Crest, and University Park. All these are much more residential but Overlook includes the Killingsworth commercial district. Also the entirety of Interstate Avenue (the road the MAX runs on) is being overhauled thanks to the PDC’s designation of the Interstate Corridor as an Urban Renewal Area.
Thanks Alex. I have experienced a noticeable interest in the next hot, affordable urban area, and have pointed several toward the St. Johns and Kenton areas. If you interest in properties in these areas, I suggest you use my HomeQuest service to target listings in specific neighborhoods.
Resources:
North Portland Newspaper: St. John’s Sentinel
OregonLive Blogs: St. Johns, Piedmont, Bridgeton
Contact Alex:
Alex Neely
Home Mortgage Consultant
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
503-244-4729 Tel
503-952-6692 Cell
Contact Alex via email
Technorati Tags: North Portland, NoPo, urban, neighborhood, revitalization, Kenton, Mississippi, St. Johns
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Add comment August 23rd, 2006
