'Don't Californicate Oregon,' A view of recent visitor. (Portland: 2013, condos)

[Mini-apple-less]

When did Hawthorne start to become gentrified? Like around 1993-94 if I am not mistaken? Then again their Powells has been there since 1986 so maybe even then it was already changing.

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

When did Hawthorne start to become gentrified? Like around 1993-94 if I am not mistaken? Then again their Powells has been there since 1986 so maybe even then it was already changing.

I would say it was when McMenamins bought the Bagdad Theater and converted it into a brew pub. Before that it was just a regular old theater that showed 2nd run movies. What year was that? Around 1990? Hawthorne was mostly 2nd hand clothing shops and indie coffee shops and blue collar bars when I was living there in the early 80s.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Try getting down that street on a sunny Sunday or Saturday.
It's packed with people!

It seems like every tourist and person new to Portland is down there trying to get that (fake Portland) "Portlandia" experience.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by FSF

With all due respect, you can't equate midwestern cities with coastal cities that are in high demand (not that Portland is necessarily one of those). Chicago may very well be the coolest city in the country IMO but it's STILL affordable for middle class folks, even to live in swanky buildings in the heart of the city with gorgeous views. It's easy to understand why Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Milwaukee, etc will probably always be affordable.

As for thinking back to how things use to be, there is always good and bad to consider. As one of the posters who was yearning for the old days already acknowledged within his own mind in the first reply to this thread, it was a distinct possibility for Portland to become entirely irrelevant with a largely ignorant population and declining job prospects, even worse education, and people of all ages and groups struggling to make rent. I'm not seeing that today. In fact, one of the same vocal poster here had mentioned his multiple real estate holdings that he bought back decades ago that have increased multiples in value. Would it have been better that it were Detroit and owning the property became much more of hassle than it was worth with declining values and a populace that couldn't even make rent payments? He really likely could not have had it both ways.

When people "yearn", it always seems to me that they pick and choose only the "good stuff" and not really considering things that they may not have enjoyed so much. And when Portlanders consider all the infinite permutations of where the city could have become today, I don't think they would really appreciate many of the possible alternatives. For the most part, the notion of being in very nice livable place that is very affordable, low-crime, great amenities and services, etc. is a pipe dream. IMO, it is predominantly driven by the migration of people back from suburbia to wanting to live in more urban core areas, which is a reversal of the trend from the 1950s-1980s. Portland is just one of many examples of that.

There isn't anything where I live now I couldn't get in Portland except for the high cost of getting them. I don't knock anyone who wants to pay a high price in order to live where they want to live but I wasn't willing to live in poverty just for an address.

I personally have a tendency to go in the opposite direction from where everyone else is running. That's what I did nearly four decades ago when I moved from Chicago to Portland. So now it was time to go in the opposite direction. For me. If the coastal cities are in high demand, I'm out.

I don't think anyone is yearning for the good old days in Portland as much as the good things that used to be prevalent at certain times before they were changed. As an example, it would be nice if the small green spaces and side lots in my former neighborhood that were used for gardens and little shared yards between houses and apartment buildings were still there. But they were filled in with skinny houses or large apartment buildings when the perfectly sound old houses on either side were torn down to make room for them. Good for newcomers, more room for them to live in the neighborhoods, bad for the incumbent neighbors living next to those places, no more breathing spaces, no more greenery. More concrete and brick for everyone.

That's progress sure, that's making more room sure. But be honest, those of you who weren't living there to see those green areas disappear, if you had been, wouldn't you be just a bit unhappy about losing them? Those are what made Portland neighborhoods Portland neighborhoods. They differentiated Portland city neighborhoods from other city neighborhoods. Green spaces.

Those were the good old days I believe the incumbents are talking about. I know that's what I missed when I was living there after they disappeared. That's what I have where I live now. And it's the year 2015 not 1950-1980.

My point is, there are too many people here that seem to be saying all the changes that have been made in Portland were inevitable so suck it up. They were all for the best anyway. They had to happen. They happen everywhere. Then there are those who question that. I don't care where you live. Some of the changes were good for some people. Some of them were not. Not all changes were inevitable. I think many of the changes in Portland could have been handled better as they were in other cities coastal or not coastal.

When the biggest changes in any city cause longtime residents into poverty or create slums or forces people out of the city altogether, something is very wrong with that city planning. I don't want to get into that can of worms but it seems to me that it really doesn't have as much to do with the desirability of a city and how many people are flocking to it as it does city management and how the growth is handled. If it is handled badly, it's not any wonder there are many who will yearn for the times when living conditions were better for more people.

[CanuckInPortland]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

I would say it was when McMenamins bought the Bagdad Theater and converted it into a brew pub. Before that it was just a regular old theater that showed 2nd run movies. What year was that? Around 1990? Hawthorne was mostly 2nd hand clothing shops and indie coffee shops and blue collar bars when I was living there in the early 80s.

When did NW 23rd/21st start to really change? I remember going there in the late 80s and early 90s on trips as a kid down from BC and there seemed to be some restaurants and shops, but not like it became later on, it seemed pretty low key.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

IMHO, NW 23rd/21st started to change when the NY Times started its love affair with Portland.

I have heard that that neighborhood is the closest thing to living in NYC as one can find in Portland.

Don't remember when that all began though.
Probably started in the Vera Katz days.
She was mayor from 1993 to 2005.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

When did Hawthorne start to become gentrified? Like around 1993-94 if I am not mistaken? Then again their Powells has been there since 1986 so maybe even then it was already changing.

I remember Powells being in Loehmann's Plaza, The Technical Store in SW Portland and their Travel Store in Pioneer Square in the mid 80's but I don't remember exactly when they were first on Hawthorne. I think it was also around the same time.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by CanuckInPortland

When did NW 23rd/21st start to really change? I remember going there in the late 80s and early 90s on trips as a kid down from BC and there seemed to be some restaurants and shops, but not like it became later on, it seemed pretty low key.

A former co-worker grew up in NW Portland in one of those very large houses off of 23rd as did her mom. I worked with her back in the 90's when she was in her thirties. She said that the neighborhood changed from upscale to a bit shabby to nice and then very popular.

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by Minervah

A former co-worker grew up in NW Portland in one of those very large houses off of 23rd as did her mom. I worked with her back in the 90's when she was in her thirties. She said that the neighborhood changed from upscale to a bit shabby to nice and then very popular.

Welcome back to the Portland board, Minervah! Hope things are going well in OH.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by jjpop

Welcome back to the Portland board, Minervah! Hope things are going well in OH.

Yes! Please keep sharing your insight with us!