Portland Neighborhood Feature: Downtown

Bustling downtown Portland is vibrant and alive with change. There are many beautiful parks to enjoy, as well as numerous theater, music, and entertainment events, restaurants and tax-free shopping. Portland’s famous light rail system, the MAX, runs through downtown Portland in what’s called the “fareless square.” Portland’s downtown blocks are shorter than most, roughly 200ft on each side, as a result making it easier to get around by foot.

In the heart of downtown Portland is Pioneer Courthouse Square, also known as “Portland’s Living Room.” It’s a brick-covered square that takes up a city block and it’s the perfect spot for the many festivals and public concerts that take up the square during the summer. It’s a popular place for Portlanders to hang out, eat lunch or read the paper.

Lying along the elegant, tree-lined South Park Blocks, you can explore some of the city’s major fine and performing arts institutions in the Cultural District. Interspersed among these six blocks are the Portland Art Museum, Portland Center for the Performing Arts, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Northwest Film Center, Lincoln Hall, Oregon Historical Society, and some of the city’s most impressive early architecture. The Portland State University campus is just a short stroll away. With a Safeway grocery store and several new loft-style condominiums, this area is an urban-dwelling destination.

Sites of Interest: Pioneer Courthouse Square, Park Blocks, Portland Saturday Market, Portland State University, Portland Art Museum, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland Farmers’ Market.

Location: Along the Willamette River bordering Naito Parkway to the east, Burnside St to the north, I-405 to the west and south.

Typical price and style of homes: Older historic buildings recently converted into condos, new loft-style condominiums and apartments primarily centered around PSU students. The average price is $480,571 and the median price is $349,000.

You can also view more neighborhood stats at: http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/real-estate/articles/neighborhoods-by-the-numbers/