Uptown Terrace (Portland, Burns: condos, buying, living)

[Elva101]

I'm considering buying a condo at Uptown Terrace. I'm concerned about the steep hill leading up to the condos and also about turning left onto Burnside during morning rush hour. Does anyone have experience with this? The view is wonderful, but concerned about winter.

[Nell Plotts]

The work-around turning east on Burnside is to turn right, move to the left lane then turn left at the light at Tichner, swing left then turn right at the light at Burnside. Not bad if you need to do that only a couple times a day.

I have heard that that condo has under-driveway heating for snow/icy conditions.

My concern would be guest parking. That location isn't very pedestrian friendly if you use the bus.

[USDefault]

If you drive and will be living on or near Burnside, I think it's a must you get dedicated snow tires, and use them when there is snow or ice, generally from mid-to-late November until mid-February. A good pair of snow tires that also can grip on ice, like Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2s. This is because the roads into, out of, and around the complex are steep, and traction on snow and ice is precarious. You don't want to be one of the dopes who has to abandon their car in an inch of snow at the bottom of Burnside, or on Maywood, MacLeay, or many other streets.

Then again, I think everyone in the PNW should use dedicated snow tires in the winter, they are amazing in snow, ice, slush.

So many fools with abandoned cars on NW 23rd Place and Avenue, because they have garbage winter equipment and are spinning out long before they hit the steeper areas. So, even if you have the right equipment and can zip on up to your place, I assure you many, many others will not. It could be years before Portland sees snow again, but when it does, the lessons of this year will have been forgotten. These people will delay you, so be prepared for it.

Beyond this issue, it's a nice place. You can walk to most stuff you need if you are willing to walk for an hour, and it's really beautiful there.