by Mary-Kate Fotch
Downtown Portland. Source: Wikimedia Commons
In 2016, small talk is risky business in Portland, Oregon. Seemingly innocent questions like “How long have you lived here?” or “Are you originally from Portland?” can quickly turn a conversation sour. For some Portland natives, the way you answer this question will dictate the tone for the rest of your interaction, and God help you if your answer contains any variation of “I’m from California.”
The population of Portland is growing at a rapid rate, a fact that causes many lifelong residents to grumble and sigh in defeat. Heralded as “the new San Francisco,” Portland has seen a 5.2% population growth rate since 2010. According to census estimates released on March 26th, the Portland metro area has reached a population of approximately 2.35 million residents, with just over 116,000 transplants since 2010. Forbes counts Portland as one of the 20 fastest growing cities in America and recent estimates from the regional government Metro predict a 725,000 person increase over the next 20 years.
These statistics mean many things for the City of Roses: more competition for already highly sought after jobs, greater gentrification in older areas of the city, a higher cost of living and a booming real estate market for all 112 neighborhoods in the Portland metropolitan area.
The population of Portland is growing at a rapid rate, a fact that causes many lifelong residents to grumble and sigh in defeat. Heralded as “the new San Francisco,” Portland has seen a 5.2% population growth rate since 2010. According to census estimates released on March 26th, the Portland metro area has reached a population of approximately 2.35 million residents, with just over 116,000 transplants since 2010. Forbes counts Portland as one of the 20 fastest growing cities in America and recent estimates from the regional government Metro predict a 725,000 person increase over the next 20 years.
These statistics mean many things for the City of Roses: more competition for already highly sought after jobs, greater gentrification in older areas of the city, a higher cost of living and a booming real estate market for all 112 neighborhoods in the Portland metropolitan area.
Popular real estate website Zillow ranks Portland as one of the Top Ten Hottest Real Estate Markets of 2016. In 2015 home prices rose by 10%, which according to Auction.com makes Portland the 5th best single-family home market in the nation. These statistics are good news for the economy but for the Portland residents who are accustomed to low rents and small town vibes, this only means change.
There are many schools of thought on how Portland should accommodate its ever-growing population. It only takes one cross-town venture during rush hour to recognize that the infrastructure needs updating if the city intends to keep up with the influx of people. Some see this as the end of “Old Portland”: an penultimate city set on a pedestal of nostalgia and resistance to change. Others see this as an opportunity; a chance to turn the once shunned outskirts of the city into bustling micropolitans; to renovate beloved parts of town that have seen better days; to make Portland the best possible version of itself that it can be.
Portland architect Rick Potestio believes that the population boom and sky rocketing real estate costs can be solved by converting existing low density neighborhoods into “Garden Cities” which feature New York style apartment buildings centered around schools and parks.
His vision is considered radical by some but it could be a step for Portland to begin growing vertically instead of horizontally.
What if there was a way to combine the two? Imagine this: using the already established suburbs surrounding Portland and injecting city life into them. Rather than all of us racing to the same part of town for that real Portland experience, a twenty minute MAX ride in any direction could supply the same thing.
Surely, this plan would go against the very nature that Old Portlanders have built their self-worth on: absolute originality. Dropping eclectic sub-cities into each surrounding neighborhood would only water down the identity that Portland has established. Making Portland's “weirdness” easily accessible to suburbanites only serves to lessen its unique nature. And if there’s one thing we pride ourselves on around here, it’s being unique, right?
Not necessarily. Instead of city elitists looking down their noses at the bridge and tunnel crowd, why not expand that true Portland essence to the farthest perimeter possible? By turning neighboring suburbs into their own culture hubs, we wouldn’t be diluting Portland but more accurately diversifying the presence that is already there.
What if Portland was the first major city to accomplish this massive growth without losing any of its joie de vie? What if by taking one drop of our highly concentrated culture and dropping it into surrounding low density neighborhoods, we could unlock the solution to overpopulation in the already highly saturated areas of the city that transplants are flocking to? It could be that we found a way to not duplicate Portland as it is, but let it evolve naturally into something no one has ever experienced. A burgeoning city center, full of diverse neighborhoods, surrounded by smaller hubs with their own unique presence.What would that build?
A community: a conglomeration of people from all walks of life, a range of diversity and absolute originality that could harken back to the days of “Old Portland.” It’s a chance to not only Keep Portland Weird, but to put the city at the forefront of evolution. To try something before the rest of the world catches up. To pride Portland on innovation and progress. And when it comes down to it, what’s more Portland than that?
There are many schools of thought on how Portland should accommodate its ever-growing population. It only takes one cross-town venture during rush hour to recognize that the infrastructure needs updating if the city intends to keep up with the influx of people. Some see this as the end of “Old Portland”: an penultimate city set on a pedestal of nostalgia and resistance to change. Others see this as an opportunity; a chance to turn the once shunned outskirts of the city into bustling micropolitans; to renovate beloved parts of town that have seen better days; to make Portland the best possible version of itself that it can be.
Portland architect Rick Potestio believes that the population boom and sky rocketing real estate costs can be solved by converting existing low density neighborhoods into “Garden Cities” which feature New York style apartment buildings centered around schools and parks.
His vision is considered radical by some but it could be a step for Portland to begin growing vertically instead of horizontally.
What if there was a way to combine the two? Imagine this: using the already established suburbs surrounding Portland and injecting city life into them. Rather than all of us racing to the same part of town for that real Portland experience, a twenty minute MAX ride in any direction could supply the same thing.
Surely, this plan would go against the very nature that Old Portlanders have built their self-worth on: absolute originality. Dropping eclectic sub-cities into each surrounding neighborhood would only water down the identity that Portland has established. Making Portland's “weirdness” easily accessible to suburbanites only serves to lessen its unique nature. And if there’s one thing we pride ourselves on around here, it’s being unique, right?
Not necessarily. Instead of city elitists looking down their noses at the bridge and tunnel crowd, why not expand that true Portland essence to the farthest perimeter possible? By turning neighboring suburbs into their own culture hubs, we wouldn’t be diluting Portland but more accurately diversifying the presence that is already there.
What if Portland was the first major city to accomplish this massive growth without losing any of its joie de vie? What if by taking one drop of our highly concentrated culture and dropping it into surrounding low density neighborhoods, we could unlock the solution to overpopulation in the already highly saturated areas of the city that transplants are flocking to? It could be that we found a way to not duplicate Portland as it is, but let it evolve naturally into something no one has ever experienced. A burgeoning city center, full of diverse neighborhoods, surrounded by smaller hubs with their own unique presence.What would that build?
A community: a conglomeration of people from all walks of life, a range of diversity and absolute originality that could harken back to the days of “Old Portland.” It’s a chance to not only Keep Portland Weird, but to put the city at the forefront of evolution. To try something before the rest of the world catches up. To pride Portland on innovation and progress. And when it comes down to it, what’s more Portland than that?
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