Portland will become the next San Francisco (Salem: sales, real estate)

[The Global Citizen]

I don't suggest that Portland becoming the next San Francisco is a negative (or positive) occurrence. Rather, I am suggesting this seismic transformation is based on observation of social, political, and (soon to be) economic ideals. I believe Portland is two "anchor" companies from unseating Seattle as the top city in the Northwest. If Portland had Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in the next 10 years, it would bring the economic and global clout that would usurp Seattle as the region leader, and start looking like a San Francisco-esque global city. Some may think that growing another 1-2 million in the next 50 years would be a bad thing, understand that I'm not pushing it either way. Yet, I am simply observing what I believe is only 2 or 3 anchor companies from changing Portland forever.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by The Global Citizen

I don't suggest that Portland becoming the next San Francisco is a negative (or positive) occurrence. Rather, I am suggesting this seismic transformation is based on observation of social, political, and (soon to be) economic ideals. I believe Portland is two "anchor" companies from unseating Seattle as the top city in the Northwest. If Portland had Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in the next 10 years, it would bring the economic and global clout that would usurp Seattle as the region leader, and start looking like a San Francisco-esque global city. Some may think that growing another 1-2 million in the next 50 years would be a bad thing, understand that I'm not pushing it either way. Yet, I am simply observing what I believe is only 2 or 3 anchor companies from changing Portland forever.

I don't think so. I do think that Portland and San Francisco are similarly laid out and I think the burbs are going to grow like the Bay Area suburbs have. We also have the best Pinot noir in the country.

[GJJG2012]

Beginning of 2016, I've read OR will take the title for the most friendly state for serious cannabis fans. I read what will allowed is each home may have 4 plants growing, plus 8 ounces ready to smoke. The 4 plants at home will help keep the dispensary prices down, as well as the state having no sales tax being appealing to many who might consider living in another state.

I keep wondering if all these fires lately might make some consider moving from small city/rural areas to metro Portland. A map in my local paper seemed to indicate closest fire to Portland has been the one NW of Salem. Maybe metro Portland can get more tourist money & attract more residents & businesses by saying don't worry, we're virtually fireproof. Best wishes.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by The Global Citizen

I don't suggest that Portland becoming the next San Francisco is a negative (or positive) occurrence. Rather, I am suggesting this seismic transformation is based on observation of social, political, and (soon to be) economic ideals. I believe Portland is two "anchor" companies from unseating Seattle as the top city in the Northwest. If Portland had Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in the next 10 years, it would bring the economic and global clout that would usurp Seattle as the region leader, and start looking like a San Francisco-esque global city. Some may think that growing another 1-2 million in the next 50 years would be a bad thing, understand that I'm not pushing it either way. Yet, I am simply observing what I believe is only 2 or 3 anchor companies from changing Portland forever.

I would tend to think not.

SF is a very unique area geographically. It is at the center of a huge state and is a major international hub.

Portland has a defined and small downtown. Current zoning laws doesn't even allow us to grow like Seattle with 3 or 4 large downtown districts in the suburbs. As such, I think we will simply remain as we are only with more people.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

I would tend to think not.

SF is a very unique area geographically. It is at the center of a huge state and is a major international hub.

Portland has a defined and small downtown. Current zoning laws doesn't even allow us to grow like Seattle with 3 or 4 large downtown districts in the suburbs. As such, I think we will simply remain as we are only with more people.

San Francisco has 35% more people in a land area 1/3 the size of Portland's. They also have a "natural" urban growth boundary: they bay and the ocean so they literally have nowhere to expand.

[pdwpdx]

Originally Posted by The Global Citizen

I don't suggest that Portland becoming the next San Francisco is a negative (or positive) occurrence. Rather, I am suggesting this seismic transformation is based on observation of social, political, and (soon to be) economic ideals. I believe Portland is two "anchor" companies from unseating Seattle as the top city in the Northwest. If Portland had Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in the next 10 years, it would bring the economic and global clout that would usurp Seattle as the region leader, and start looking like a San Francisco-esque global city. Some may think that growing another 1-2 million in the next 50 years would be a bad thing, understand that I'm not pushing it either way. Yet, I am simply observing what I believe is only 2 or 3 anchor companies from changing Portland forever.

That would be a very negative thing for a lot of people in this city who are not rich and don't make a ton of money.

[58rhodes]

Originally Posted by pdwpdx

That would be a very negative thing for a lot of people in this city who are not rich and don't make a ton of money.

Portland will lose population before it becomes the next San Francisco--nowhere the large corporate structure they have--We have a very fragile service based economy.

[Bluesmama]

If 1 to 2 million people are expected to squeeze into Portland then it will end up like Hong Kong, not San Francisco. Get ready for those wrecking balls to make room for a TALL city. Actually, I really am not joking. That statistic means that Portland would grow to MORE than twice it's population now. So how in the world would accommodations go but "up"???

[CanuckInPortland]

Portland will never be like San Francisco for a long time. It won't even really be like Vancouver BC for a long time. It'll be like Seattle, where they put in a lot of multi-family infill in places, but it's still mainly a city of low-rise single-family neighborhoods overall.

The value of single-family homes is too expensive to ever redevelop much larger patches for denser housing. San Francisco was built dense since the late 1800s because of land constraints. Even then San Francisco resisted becoming like Manhattan by preserving a lot of old Victorians and older apartments and row-houses instead of tearing down more for high-rise residential developments(this happened in the 1970s). Historic preservation is great--though at the same time the end result can often mean much much higher property values for what's left. Once real estate becomes valuable in a geographically constrained city, you're sort of damned if you do or damned if you don't.

[pdwpdx]

They keep saying hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of people will be moving to Portland. My questions are: how will they afford it, and where will they WORK?