Does Portland get overshadowed by Seattle like Philadelphia gets over shadowed by New York City? (new construction, price)

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

I think Seattle overshadows Portland in just about every category. What concerns me is that Portlanders mostly dont give a crap.
The 2 cities compete daily for commerce, airport flights, marine shipping and tourism of which Portland mostly loses. Most of Bellevue's development is propped up by a Portland financier that has walked away from South Waterfront development due to the Portland economy(and a completely idiotic city counsel). Even the Schnitzer's develop more in Seattle and Denver than in Portland. Portland is 100% for a locally based small firm economy and I sure hope it works out someday

And we are happy with that, the Puget Sound is where people should move to in order to keep Portland a happy, healthy smaller city. I have always said Portland is that perfect collection of small towns tied together in a big city fashion.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

And we are happy with that, the Puget Sound is where people should move to in order to keep Portland a happy, healthy smaller city. I have always said Portland is that perfect collection of small towns tied together in a big city fashion.

thats ok when you are doing well. I do think Portland is a BIG city with Big problems. Pretending we are a small town is hurting a lot of people. Small towns dont spend 4 bill on mass transit---just sayin. Building 6 story apts all around town in old residential neighborhoods but not allowing anything over 20 stories in downtown is pretty dam weird to me and its increasing property taxes for those that cant afford it. Having blocks in the core that have been vacant for 35 years is not good and trying to get public support for a market in front of the Morrison bridge is criminal--especially with who we have hired on to design it--let somebody pay for it LIKE an INVESTOR. Just like the tram which I was for but at a 4 times higher price??--And the per capita income in Portland is embarrassing. I love my town I was born here but its not as comfy now as it was back in the 70s--thats scary

Urbanlife you are smarter than this, Ive followed you posts for many years

to be better you have to get better

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

And we are happy with that, the Puget Sound is where people should move to in order to keep Portland a happy, healthy smaller city. I have always said Portland is that perfect collection of small towns tied together in a big city fashion.

Most Portlanders are NOT happy with that in real terms

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

Most Portlanders are NOT happy with that in real terms

Portland is happy with-High crime in east Portland due to gentrification?
High rents for a majority population that cant afford it?
#3 IN THE NATION FOR FOOD STAMP USAGE?
Habitual 5 and 6 % unemployment or higher?-averaging 8% over the last 15 yrs
high state tax along with property tax?
most startups get bought and moved out?
Skilled workers making 15% less than the national average???
and almost all of Oregon's historically largest employers have either moved out or sold out?

here's the funniest one---how many years have we had a convention center without a convention center hotel??

seriously we need to acknowledge problems --then we can be what we should be

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by 58rhodes

thats ok when you are doing well. I do think Portland is a BIG city with Big problems. Pretending we are a small town is hurting a lot of people. Small towns dont spend 4 bill on mass transit---just sayin. Building 6 story apts all around town in old residential neighborhoods but not allowing anything over 20 stories in downtown is pretty dam weird to me and its increasing property taxes for those that cant afford it. Having blocks in the core that have been vacant for 35 years is not good and trying to get public support for a market in front of the Morrison bridge is criminal--especially with who we have hired on to design it--let somebody pay for it LIKE an INVESTOR. Just like the tram which I was for but at a 4 times higher price??--And the per capita income in Portland is embarrassing. I love my town I was born here but its not as comfy now as it was back in the 70s--thats scary

Urbanlife you are smarter than this, Ive followed you posts for many years

to be better you have to get better

You are hoping for unrealistic expectations.

Being a big city doesn't mean we have to destroy the character of Belmont or Mississippi or such. We are also getting new urban streets that also carry this Main St feel like Division and Williams. This is all good because this is where density should go. You don't need 20 story buildings to have high density.

Buildings downtown are allowed to be over 20 stories, in a number of places they are allowed to be over 40 stories if the developer wants to. You can't make a developer to build something over 20 stories if they don't want to. Plus when you go over 22 or is it 32 stories, a whole other level of building codes kick in which makes things more costly.

As for vacant lots in downtown, you want something built on them? Then buy them and build something on them. A land owner has the choice to build what they want on their own property and don't have to build anything at all if they don't want to. I would love to see all the surface lots in downtown be built on to create a dense downtown, but you can't force people to build, and many of those land owners would probably build ugly buildings anyways.

I don't know about you, but I am actually excited that Snohetta is designing the James Beard Market and I hope this actually gets built because it will be a serious push forward for Portland in the name of amazing architecture. Which I hope would encourage more great architecture to be built here.

The tram is being covered by OHSU, all Portland did was help with the cost of it. So far that has been a pretty good investment. Though I think the biggest mistake was designing it to only be two carriers rather than 4-6 carriers.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

You are hoping for unrealistic expectations.

Being a big city doesn't mean we have to destroy the character of Belmont or Mississippi or such. We are also getting new urban streets that also carry this Main St feel like Division and Williams. This is all good because this is where density should go. You don't need 20 story buildings to have high density.

Buildings downtown are allowed to be over 20 stories, in a number of places they are allowed to be over 40 stories if the developer wants to. You can't make a developer to build something over 20 stories if they don't want to. Plus when you go over 22 or is it 32 stories, a whole other level of building codes kick in which makes things more costly.

As for vacant lots in downtown, you want something built on them? Then buy them and build something on them. A land owner has the choice to build what they want on their own property and don't have to build anything at all if they don't want to. I would love to see all the surface lots in downtown be built on to create a dense downtown, but you can't force people to build, and many of those land owners would probably build ugly buildings anyways.

I don't know about you, but I am actually excited that Snohetta is designing the James Beard Market and I hope this actually gets built because it will be a serious push forward for Portland in the name of amazing architecture. Which I hope would encourage more great architecture to be built here.

The tram is being covered by OHSU, all Portland did was help with the cost of it. So far that has been a pretty good investment. Though I think the biggest mistake was designing it to only be two carriers rather than 4-6 carriers.

sadly you missed my point--I do ok in Portland as good or better than probably any other place.

Portland has problems that we ignore --I see people move out everyday--ya... I know others move in too ,just to move out eventually--circles really

[58rhodes]

youre forgetting that OHSU recieves millions in state dollars

[58rhodes]

Urbarnlife give me 10 great things about the Portland economy

[58rhodes]

LOL I grew up on Belmont --it is nothing like it was-a lot of the business are boarded up now--Mississippi might be better now?

[58rhodes]

unrealistic expectations = livable?

LOL