Moving to Portland, Or -- Where to live?

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi all,

I just accepted a job offer in Portland and will be moving there in mid June. My place of work will be near 6th and Taylor (right next to Pioneer Courthouse Square).

Where is the best place to live in Portland for access to easy running/swimming/biking and just generally good living?

I would prefer to be close to work and I am not interested in car commuting – that being said I Wouldn’t mind a 10-20 minute MAX ride or a 5+ ish mile bike commute. I’m also not really looking to live in a studio as my 4 bikes are moving with me.

2

You have many options…much of it depends on how much you want to pay and what you are looking for with regard to house, apt. or condo. The area around NW 23rd is great with easy access to Forest Park and phenomenal restaurants. However, certainly more exensive. You can also look at the Pearl…again, more costly. To the south you have the up and coming South Waterfront area extending to John’s Landing. Another option is across the river (on the “East Side”) in the Hawthorne/Belmont region. All these areas have their own pros and cons but you will have easy access to the Waterfront and can explore outward from there. Good luck and welcome to PDX.

3

If I’m looking to pay under $1500/month, are there some options in what you mentioned for me to have something nicer with space for my bikes?

4

Alone, or sharing with someone else?

5

Could share if the person and space was right, but I don’t know anyone there yet.

6

Is that near Springfield?

jaretj

7

Dunno where you’re coming from, but to me PDX is expensive. Not San Francisco expensive, but I just visited a friend of mine for the first time since he just got a job there last fall and moved his wife in… they have an old-ish 1BR apt in a 4-unit building (common entry/stairway, 1 LH/RH downstairs and 1LH/RH above so each has a small patio/balcony in back, but no garage or off-street parking) in the Belmont/Hawthorne area on the east side; fairly desirable for walkability to markets and pubs/restaurants, etc; he takes the Tri-Met bus to & from work downtown… and they’re paying ~$1250/mo, or what my mortgage payment is for a 4BR/3BA house w/ a 2-car garage about 2 hours away. They’re looking for a house, but even in this ‘down’ market it’s tough if you’re trying to avoid getting stuck in Gresham or Vancouver.

8

I would agree…probably your best bets would be to look at the Eastside or South Waterfront areas. Even the Sellwood area (south of Hawthorne) on the east side isn’t a bad commute to downtown. Could certainly do it by bus/MAX or there are bike paths on both sides of the river right into downtown. Again, great markets, restaurants, bike shops, etc.

9

I would go for NW. You can find good deals if you’re patient. I live in Goose Hollow and love it. It’s worth the extra money to be in that area, IMO.

10

Move to the 'couve. I think my brother-in-law has a trailer out behind the main house that’s for rent.
/

11

Rent or own? If you are willing to live in not the most yuppy neighborhood, just go a bit more east. I live in a “horrible” neighborhood according to Portland. Nothing is really dangerous here compared to other towns. I live near SE 122nd and Stark and would let my wife walk around at night by herself. That being said, you can buy a house, 1,500 sq ft 3 bed 2 bath for less than $100k. I have a Max stop a couple of blocks away that takes me downtown in 30 mins. I can ride my bike downtown in 20 min all on bike paths. I like living in the ghetto.

If you want something nicer and more expensive, with a great running area, check out the Mt Tabor area or around Laurelhurst park neighborhood.

Sure everyone is going to say NW rocks. Which it does, but I weigh your options. You can live a mile from Forest park (awesome) or a 30 min bike ride away (not bad). The difference in cost of living is enough to buy you several super bikes every year.

t

12

You’re gonna have to let me know if the dream of the 90’s is really alive in Portland.

13

:slight_smile: It is… Hipsters everywhere in the Pearl district where I work.

14

Some ideas:

-Woodstock area, near Reed College: can jump on Springwater Corridor and be in the city quicker then a car during rush hour- prolly 25min tops; can get to decent riding from doorstep.

-West-side, Bethany. It’s the burbs but on the edge of urban growth boundary, best riding. 45min bike commute due to hills.

-Sylvan Hill- still on west side but you can jump Max and be downtown in 5-10min max, can get to decent riding from doorstep. 10-15 bike commute.

-Downtown- Goose Hollow, Vista, Lair Hill are all “cool” 'hoods. I lived in GooseHollow a long time ago; all I could afford was a studio. Walk to work

-East-side- Tabor-area near 53rd street Max stop (20-30min from downtown); cool 'hood. I used to live out there, can get to decent riding from doorstep. 15-20min bike commute

15

Inner Southeast
.

16

felony flats
.

17

Oh yes, Hipsters, ignorant bike messangers all dressed in 80’s/90’s, Portlandia is very much Portland EVERY day downtown. Portland is like many cities and each area has different charm and personality and culture. NW23rd, lots of great food, cafes, boutique shopping, BMW, Mercedes, Ranger Rover’s everywhere and $$, Pearl about the same, just east of NW23rd. Downtown, a mixed bag, fair amout of homeless in PDX compared to a few other cities I have lived, Hipsters, messengers, business suits, casual, classy, a bit of everything. East side is all over the map with pockets of good and bad. North and NE Portland has a large African American population but with some really great neighborhoods mixed in as the area slowly rebuilds and modernizes. You hear of lots of gang related activity in this area which carries into downtown on occasion. Also Gresham which is far east portland, has a pretty high crime and gang presence, most meth and other drug related crimes. SE has some great areas as does SW portland, more middle class, run of the mill, shopping centers etc. West of Portland you have west hills, big expensive houses with views, that will all crumble into a pile if/when we ever have the big one “Earthquake”. Then further west, more suburbia, Beaverton, Hillsboro, home of intel, nike etc, typical suburbia all about 20-30 min bike and/or max ride into downtown. Not much going on out there, low key, family life etc. Also clackamas, about 20-30min max commute is similar to west side suburbia, with a mixed bag from affordable to $$$$$$$$$$$ houses with great views.

Even though I stereotyped many of these areas, there are exceptions to each one and you really have to find the area with the amenities and people you enjoy spending time with to be happy here. The best part of PDX is you can bike everywhere, as long as you don’t mind riding in the rain! Lots of cycling infrastructure for commuters all over downtown and growing outward. West side, with the west hills and the Hillsboro area has great country roads with lots of rolling, flat or hilly landscapes to keep you challenged. Max lines run all over town so you can get to a good spot to start a ride no matter where you live.

We have lots of running paths along waterfront and LOTS of hill running in forest park. Its a triathlon training playground, as long as you ride in the rain, can tolerate 50-60 degree water for open water swimming for early season training and like to keep your sun exposure to a minimum most of the year. :slight_smile: Rain gets old, but on a typical year, no place beats the oregon summer from July4th-Late Sept! Then, you get out the cross bike and have a BLAST racing CX till Dec.

Welcome to PDX!

18

Technically speaking, summer in pdx starts after July 4th.

Come to think about it, more like mid July :slight_smile:

19

ha, I may be moving to Corvallis this fall!