Pearl District vs. Lake Oswego (Portland, Beaverton: 2010, apartments, condos)

[Gables]

I'm starting a new job in Beaverton in a few weeks and cannot decide where to live. I currently live in Florida and my time spent in the PDX is limited to just a couple of weeks (I did live in London, England for a couple of years which I understand has similar weather patterns). My wife and 3 kids will not be joining me until after the academic school year (probably June 2010). Until then, I will be commuting every couple of weeks.

My question for this Forum concerns where I should live. I have a choice of temporary housing for the next 6 months and cannot decide between Lake Oswego and the Pearl District. My knowledge of each is extremely limited, but below is my relatively novice attempt at deciphering the pros and cons of each:

LO - Affluent suburb with several quaint restaurants and shops. Close proximity to Beaverton and Downtown Portland for the weekends. LO or its environs is likely my permanent destination when my family arrives so this gives me a sneak peak to determine if that is really where we want to live.

The Pearl District - City life at its best. Plenty of shops, restaurants, cafes, bookstores, etc. Lots to do. Further away from Beaverton which leads to a longer commute. Unlikely that the family will settle in this part of Portland given the school district and lack of houses (mainly condos and apartments). Thus, while the lifestyle sounds better, the six months spent here will be deemed somewhat of a "waste" since it is really isn't a permanent option for the family.

Are there any other factors that I should consider? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Don't assume that the commute from the Pearl District to Beaverton is worse. I used to commute from North Portland to Beaverton and it was a breeze (about 15-20 minutes) because you are commuting in the opposite direction as everyone else. Highway 217 is very congested so LO to Beaverton could be longer than you think depending on the exact destination.

Yes, LO is better for families and it has a nice downtown of its own (though nothing compared to the Pearl).

edit: forgot to add, for your situation... I think your best options would be to look at Lake Oswego, the Bull Mountain area, and unincorporated Northwest Portland (also known as the 97229 zip code, the area north of US 26 between Bethany and Highway 217 - this is in the Beaverton School District). I'm biased towards the transit-oriented Orenco Station development in Northeast Hillsboro but it may not be quite what you are looking for (schools are a bit better in LO and Beaverton, and both are closer to downtown).

Good luck in your search.

[philwithbeard]

Hmmm, furnished temporary housing for about 6 to 9 months.....
Married guy with wife and kids elsewhere.....
Presumed Temp housing may not be location of house for family which arrives in June.
Also, we can presume house hunting while in Temp housing,

Are you **sure** there are not Temp housing other that LO or the Pearl?

I could swear there is some furnished temp housing out by Washington Square Mall just south and a bit east of Beaverton. But I could be wrong.

If you were single, the Pearl would be just the spot, hands down. But away from the grasp of your wife's arms, and her steel hard cold eyes to remind you "don't you dare..." maybe not so much the Pearl... Good action though in the Pearl... a lot of distractions going on. Yep, a lot of distractions... Your wife knows about you wanting to live in the Pearl on your own, son? And no tight little smiles? Gosh that must be a great woman you got there!!!

LO, is really the 'burbs. Standard great place for family and friends but LO has reputation of limited social-economic diversity. Man without his family? Not my call on that one.

Phil

[sayulita]

Where is your job in Beaverton? The Pearl is definitely closer to Beaverton than Lake Oswego. In the end, the Pearl would be a great place for you while you are "single", but Lake Oswego better for when your family arrives. I'd recommend also exploring other options (for the permanent home) such as 97229 mentioned above and close in Portland. Ladd's addition, Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Burlingame, Alameda etc. If you are temporarily in the Pearl it will be easier to access and explore these areas than if you were in Lake Oswego.

[davefr]

For a temporary place to live then pick the Pearl.

However once your family arrives there's no way I'd choose to live there.

[Gables]

Phil,

Thanks for the concern, but my wife and I have been married for over 15 years and we are comfortable with our relationsip. We have done the "long distance" thing before and just recently completed a 9-month stint where I commuted every week to and from Mexico. I am not look for that type of "action."

The relo company suggested The Pearl District and LO. I visited LO before and found it charming albeit limited in things to do on weekends. Beaverton, with all due respect to those who may live there, did not seem appealing to me. The Pearl District seems like it would offer more options on those weekends when I am not returning home to see the family. However, it would be a 2 bedroom condo as opposed to a 3+ bedroom home in Lake Oswego. The larger home comes in handy when the family and/or friends visit.

[Gables]

Sayulita,

Nike is my new employer. I know it is technically on the outskirts of Beaverton. Which area is closer, LO or The Pearl? Is the commute with or against rush hour traffic?

Thanks again.

[sayulita]

Originally Posted by Gables

Sayulita,

Nike is my new employer. I know it is technically on the outskirts of Beaverton. Which area is closer, LO or The Pearl? Is the commute with or against rush hour traffic?

Thanks again.

Beaverton is definitely closer AND going against rush hour commute. It's a pretty quick trip to jump on the freeway from the Pearl. Lake Oswego to Beaverton would also be against the rush hour commute but is farther away. And depending on where you live in LO, just getting to the freeway could take a while and many stoplights. Based on everything, I still say you'd be better off in the Pearl. Plus there you just walk out the front door and you are in the midst of it all. It's very walkable. Less lonely and more interesting. Just make sure that the place you get has parking. Parking can be a b**ch in the Pearl.

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by Gables

I visited LO before and found it charming albeit limited in things to do on weekends. Beaverton, with all due respect to those who may live there, did not seem appealing to me. The Pearl District seems like it would offer more options on those weekends when I am not returning home to see the family. However, it would be a 2 bedroom condo as opposed to a 3+ bedroom home in Lake Oswego. The larger home comes in handy when the family and/or friends visit.

Portland really isn't that big. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to say that you'd choose the Pearl District because it has more things to do on the weekends than Lake Oswego, assuming you'll have your own transportation. Lake Oswego is about 8 miles from downtown and there's not much traffic on weekends. There are also many things to do in this area on weekends that aren't downtown.

To me, the decision should be city living versus suburban living. That means more than just weekends. You know you will be living in the suburbs when your family arrives, so why not take the opportunity to live in the Pearl District until then? When would you get the opportunity to do that again? What better way to learn a city than to live there?

I had the opportunity to do something similar in NYC. Even though I knew I would not be a permanent city-person, I could not pass up that experience.

[Rob Allen]

Are you planning to drive to work or ride MAX? The Beaverton Creek station is walking distance from Nike, I think. If that's an option, the Goose Hollow area just west of downtown would be good; also the Orenco Station area that someone mentioned, although that's farther from Portland.