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Alphabet District Spells Ideal Urban Living

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Introduction to the Alphabet District

Portland, Oregon is a city full of charming neighborhoods that contain some of the most beautiful, lush landscaping found anywhere. Many residential streets reveal new surprises: poetry posts, wishing trees, fairy villages, alleys reminiscent of the Shire, Portland’s world famous painted intersections, miniature horses tied up to historic sidewalk rings, etc.

Portland’s neighborhoods are also extremely dominated by single-family-only zoning. This post features a major exception: a specific neighborhood that was developed long before the current zoning code went into effect. Containing scores of gorgeous historic apartment buildings and cherished leafy streets, this neighborhood is a living showcase of how medium- to high-density housing can create some of the most beautiful, walkable, vibrant urban scenes imaginable.

The Queen Anne style Campbell Townhouses at 1705-19 NW Irving St were built in 1893. They're on a block that's so tucked away from the rest of the Alphabet District that almost no one in Portland knows about this stunning block.
The Queen Anne style Campbell Townhouses at 1705-19 NW Irving St were built in 1893. They’re on a block that’s so tucked away from the rest of the Alphabet District that almost no one in Portland knows about this stunning block.

The beautiful block pictured above is known to almost no one, even in Portland. It’s as close to Washington, DC’s DuPont circle neighborhood (and classic East Coast rowhousing as it gets in Portland. The townhouses were built as apartments in 1893.

The neighborhood this post will feature goes by many names. Despite being one of the most densely populated districts in Oregon, it’s generically and blandly known as “Northwest District” since it’s north of Burnside and west of the Willamette River. But that could mean *any* area in NW Portland, including 5100-acre Forest Park and the vast West Hills. Forest Park is, in fact, in the equally unimaginably named “Northwest Portland” neighborhood that borders “Northwest District.” And Portland has no neighborhood called “Southwest” or “Southeast” or “Northeast.”

The western border of the neighborhood this post features is dominated by steep hills that are laced with stunning public stairways.
The western border of the neighborhood this post features is dominated by steep hills that are laced with stunning public stairways.

This neighborhood just northwest of downtown Portland (and bordered by the Pearl District to the east, across I-405) is also known to many as Nob Hill, since it has some similarities with San Francisco’s popular Nob Hill neighborhood:  narrow streets lined with Victorian houses, an incredibly popular shopping street that contains dozens of Victorians that have been turned into trendy boutiques, an extremely hilly section on its western side, etc. But to me it makes no sense to co-opt the name of one of San Francisco’s most famous neighborhoods.

The Glisan Townhomes at 1701-19 NW Glisan St look modern but were built in 1906. The 1700 blocks of Glisan, Hoyt and Irving are MUST-sees. They contain housing that's super unusual for Portland.
The Glisan Townhomes at 1701-19 NW Glisan St look modern but were built in 1906. They have a bit of a San Francisco look to them. The 1700 blocks of Glisan, Hoyt and Irving are MUST-sees. They contain housing that’s super unusual for Portland.

By far the best and most logical name for the neighborhood is the Alphabet District, which is fortunately becoming increasingly accepted as the default name for the 400-acre (5/8 of a square mile) area  bordered to the east by NW 17th Ave, to the south by West Burnside, and to west by a diagonal line stretching north and west from 23rd & Burnside to 30th & Upshur (the main entrance to Forest Park). The Alphabet District covers *only 3% of Northwest Portland* as a whole, so calling it “Northwest” (intentionally left in the map below) is highly misleading.

OK, I admit that I still usually call it “Northwest” to my friends in Portland. But I’ll stick with “Alphabet District” in this post—which, to offer another admission, much more resembles a full-length online coffee table book at this point.

Outline of the Alphabet District
Outline of the Alphabet District, shown next to familiar places such as the Pearl District, downtown, the closest entrance to Forest Park, and the Japanese Garden. I left the misleading “Northwest District” name in the image, as well.

NW 23rd Ave, or “Trendy-Third,” is by far the most visited street in the Alphabet District. It’s known to everyone in the Portland metro area, and it’s arguably the most beautiful retail street in the entire Pacific Northwest. Sadly, though, it’s often the *only* street the “bridge & tunnel” crowd will ever visit in this neighborhood, other than its upstart cousin, NW 21st.

NW 23rd Ave (or "Trendy-Third") is the main commercial street of the Alphabet District, along with the smaller but rapidly growing NW 21st Ave commercial corridor and "restaurant row."
NW 23rd Ave (or “Trendy-Third”) is the main commercial street of the Alphabet District, along with the smaller but rapidly growing NW 21st Ave commercial corridor and “restaurant row.”

The Alphabet District is a handy name because the streets go up alphabetically as you proceed north from Ankeny: Burnside, Couch (pronounced “cooch”), Davis, Everett, Flanders (the inspiration for Ned Flanders in “The Simpsons”), Glisan, etc. So, I’ll refer to this neighborhood henceforth as the Alphabet District.

Note: other neighborhoods in Northeast and Northwest Portland have some of the same alphabetical streets, but probably the best (and least known) reason to call the neighborhood featured in this post the Alphabet District is that it’s Portland’s only neighborhood which contains *every* lettered street from Burnside to Vaughn.


Beautiful century-old apartment buildings

Walking through the Alphabet District, you can’t help but notice scores of gorgeous apartment buildings dating back to around 1905. The Wilmar Apartments at 2260 NW Everett St (built in 1911) are very typical of what you’ll encounter:

The 4-story Wilmar Apartments at 2260 NW Everett St were built in 1911.

The Day Building at 2068 NW Flanders and the Ormonde Apartments (with the bay windows) at 2046 NW Flanders were both built in 1907. Both are built in the Colonial Revival style, and both are on the National Historic Register:

The Day Building is a Colonial Revival style apartment building completed in 1907

The first decade of the 20th century was by far Portland’s biggest-ever decade of growth (more on this later).

The Colonial Revival style Ormonde Apartments at 2046 NW Flanders were completed in 1907

The Worthington Apartments were completed in 1929. The building is at 708 NW 18th Ave. It’s very easy to follow the address scheme: Burnside is the dividing line between north and south, and every letter after “B” corresponds to an additional block north of Burnside. Thus, 708 NW 18th Ave is just north of Irving St on 18th.

Worthington Apts - 708 NW 18th Ave - built in 1929
Worthington Apts – 708 NW 18th Ave – built in 1929

I love all the ornamental and artistic flourishes on the apartment buildings completed in the 1920s and earlier. Even the exterior stairs match the building in color and style.

Decorative exterior stairs match the apartment building

The three buildings comprising Alhambra Condominiums  span the entire length of Irving St between 20th and 21st Ave. The block looks like a lush Italian villa; it’s absolutely gorgeous, and few people, even in Portland, are aware of this block. Each beautiful old doorway is completely different.

Alhambra Condos - 2004 NW Irving St
Alhambra Condos – 2004 NW Irving St

There are dozens of beautiful old brick apartment buildings throughout the neighborhood:

Brick apartment buildings blending beautifully with fall colors

Many apartment buildings were completed during the 1920s, when much of humanity was obsessed with all things Egyptian. You’ll see signs of it on dozens of buildings throughout the neighborhood if you look closely:

Zenabe Court Apts at 708 NW 20th Ave
Zenabe Court Apts at 708 NW 20th Ave

Many Alphabet District apartment buildings were also completed during the height of the Art Deco era.

Art Deco designs accentuate nearly every feature of many buildings

Flanders Apartments were completed in 1930. They’re at 2030 NW Flanders.

Flanders Apartments
Flanders Apartments

Chesterbury Apartments were completed in 1911; this clearly long pre-dates the Art Deco buildings above. The Chesterbury is at 2015 NW Kearney.

The Chesterbury, completed in 1911

The Victorian (2255 W Burnside) is even older; it was completed in 1908.

The Victorian, completed in 1908

Some full-block-long apartment buildings even resemble historic high schools. Below is Embassy Apartments, completed in 1925, the year after Portland’s original zoning code was adopted. In those days—and right up until 1959—large apartment buildings regularly rose in residential neighborhoods, and few people needed to drive to work.

Embassy Apartments: 2015 NW Flanders St

There are many apartment buildings completed in the 1920s that provide more affordable housing today.  The Forest and Garden Apartments pictured below were completed in 1925. Rental units range from 1200 to as small as 340 square feet. It’s in a gorgeous setting, directly across from Couch Park and near numerous historic mansions:

Forest and Garden Apts, 1955 NW Glisan St, across from Couch Park
Forest and Garden Apts, 1955 NW Glisan St, across from Couch Park

Portland Rose Apartments at 2284 NW Everett were also built in 1925:

Portland Rose Apartments

I’ve never seen a neighborhood with such a variety of balconies:

Large artistic balconies and a huge variety of buildings

Every season and every block in the Alphabet District is impossibly beautiful.

Snow graces the 1700 block of NW Irving
Snow graces the 1700 block of NW Irving

The Margaret Apartments were completed in 1909. It’s yet another beautiful building on the National Historic Register. What few know is that it has one of Portland’s few 120-year-old elevators that’s still fully intact and operational.

Margaret Apartments above retail on NW 21st
Margaret Apartments above retail on NW 21st

There are dozens of additional beautiful old apartment buildings, many of which have great bay windows like this:

Classic apartments with bay windows
Classic apartments with bay windows

Close-ups on entrances to historic buildings

Nearly all of these old apartment buildings have lush, beautiful entrances. Below is the entrance to the Highland Court Apartments at 2181 NW Glisan St. The building was completed in 1911:

Lush, inviting front entrances such as that at Highland Court are found throughout the neighborhood

If you look close enough (or up 15 feet), you’ll see details that reveal the neighborhood’s fascinating history; it’s found on every block! In 1909, Linnea, Portland’s oldest Swedish organization, built the fraternal organization pictured below (known today as Linnea Apartments). It was part of the Vasa Order of America, which helped Swedish immigrants get established in the U.S. The building is probably Portland’s only remaining Scandinavian Baroque Revival building.

Swedish style Linnea Apartments at 2066 NW Irving St
Swedish style Linnea Apartments at 2066 NW Irving St

The Swedish Coat of Arms pictured above consists of the royal shield and insignia from the Order of the Seraphim. The shield is supported by two upright lions (an important element in Swedish coats of arms), who are themselves crowned and sport forked tails. The “Three Crown” arrangement was commonly seen in the first and fourth fields, and all versions are topped by the largest crown.

Moving across the Atlantic, the doors on nearly all buildings in the Alphabet District remind me of huge, beautiful doors in old Manhattan apartment buildings:

The Presidential Court Apartments at 2210 NW Everett St were built in 1928
The Presidential Court Apartments at 2210 NW Everett St were built in 1928

Every corner evokes a new distant land and more layers of history. Zenabe Court Apartments, completed in 1929, were built in the Spanish Colonial style, but they have beautiful, very detailed Moorish influences. I have additional close-ups of Moorish doors and tiled entryways not shown here:

Lush tropical courtyard entrance to Zenabe Court Apartments at 708 NW 20th Ave
Lush tropical courtyard entrance to Zenabe Court Apartments at 708 NW 20th Ave

The “King Davis” building is *definitely* where I lived if the Alphabet District were my home! 🙂 King Davis (well named for another reason: it’s at the corner of NW King & Davis) is a fully updated condo conversion of what was once a very upscale 1909 apartment building. Its five floors contain only 16 units.

King Davis Condominiums
King Davis Condominiums

Completed in 1929, the elegant Spanish Revival style Teshnor Manor was designed by renowned architect Elmer Feig. Like many Alphabet District buildings, Teshnor Manor offers free WiFi and bicycle parking.

Teshnor Manor – 1944 NW Johnson St

The Irving, at 2127 NW Irving St, has my perhaps my favorite courtyard-style entrance. It has a very tropical feel. Palm trees and bamboo actually thrive in Portland’s mild climate.

The Irving is also famous for being in the movie “Drugstore Cowboy,” which was shot in Portland’s Pearl District (LONG before it became fashionable), as well as in the neighboring Alphabet District. The movie, which starred  Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham and William S. Burroughs, was written and directed by Portland’s own Gus Van Sant, who also directed “Goodwill Hunting,” “My Own Private Idaho,” “Finding Forrester,” “Milk,” and numerous other critically acclaimed movies.

The Irving – 2127 NW Irving

Apartment residents don’t have to spend one second on interior or exterior maintenance. This gives people a lot of extra time to just enjoy the constantly varied beauty of every block of this neighborhood. These are the Olympic Apartments at  707 NW 19th Ave, completed in 1929.

Olympic Apts - 707 NW 19th Ave
Olympic Apts – 707 NW 19th Ave

Another view of the courtyard entrance of The Olympic:

Olympic Apts - fuller view
Olympic Apts – fuller view

The Flanders Apartments, several blocks away at 2030 NW Flanders St, have a very similar look to the Olympic; they were completed in 1930. The character “Ned Flanders” from “The Simpsons” was named after Flanders Street.

Flanders Apartments - 2030 NW Flanders
Flanders Apartments – 2030 NW Flanders

The vast majority of people outside the U.S. have zero control over the landscaping of their buildings, and they don’t seem to mind a bit. In fact, the time and money saved on constant upkeep, design, maintenance, etc of private homes is instead spent on being social and enjoying lively public spaces. The Alphabet District has a *much* more European feel than 99.9% of all American neighborhoods.

The building below consists of condos at 2109 NW Irving St. It was completed in 1910.

Condos at 2109 NW Irving
Condos at 2109 NW Irving

Amber Court Apartments has some units renting for as low as $800/month. A later section will go into much more detail about the incredible variety of prices and services in the Alphabet District.

Amber Court Apartments - 2215 NW Irving St - built in 1926
Amber Court Apartments – 2215 NW Irving St – built in 1926

Day or night, every entrance of every historic apartment building in the Alphabet District is beautiful to behold:

Worthington Apts, 708 NW 19th Ave, built in 1929. 43 units.
Worthington Apts, 708 NW 19th Ave, built in 1929. 43 units.

I never tire of seeing the beautiful, highly varied courtyard entrances to the Alphabet District’s endless beautiful historic buildings. The Biltmore at 2014 NW Glisan St and completed in 1924, is one of dozens of apartment buildings in the neighborhood that are one the National Historic Register.

Biltmore Apartments
Biltmore Apartments

Italian flourishes can easily be found if you look up from your phone. 🙂 These are the Villa Florence Apartments at 507 NW 22nd Ave. They were completed in 1925.

Villa Florence Apts
Villa Florence Apts

Beautiful semi-hidden courtyards

This is a small, “natural” extension of the above section, with an emphasis on nature! This is Patricia Court, one of many courtyard apartment buildings that offers a beautiful, lush path to each door.

Patricia Court apartments at 2182 NW Hoyt St
Patricia Court apartments at 2182 NW Hoyt St

Cats seem to approve of every apartment building in the neighborhood:

Friendly cat enjoying a lush courtyard
Friendly cat enjoying a lush courtyard

Though the large apartment buildings are more noticeable, the Alphabet District also contains many low-rise courtyard apartment and condo buildings. It’s really difficult to get good pictures on clear days, due to the extreme contrast between the heavily shaded areas and the bright sky. This is just a tiny glimpse of what this and many other courtyard apartments in the area offer:

Courtyard apartments--now condos--at 2743 NW Thurman
Courtyard apartments–now condos–at 2743 NW Thurman

More beautiful and leafy than any suburb

Expanding on the nature theme in the previous section… Nearly every linear block of the Alphabet District, whether residential, retail or mixed, is lined with old trees of amazing types and sizes. The neighborhood dates back to the 1870s, and it was planned beautifully.  I don’t know of any suburb in the U.S. in which every block has such a dense, varied and well aged tree canopy.

Gorgeous leafy retail street – 1910 NW Lovejoy

Also, unlike many suburban areas, every block of the Alphabet District has nice wide sidewalks. Pictured below is NorthWest Place, a beautiful senior housing community within walking distance of countless restaurants and services. Maintenance and housekeeping is all taken care of, so your time is freed to discover gorgeous new vistas at every turn:

NorthWest Place – 2420 NW Northrup

“Leafy” typically refers to bland single-family-only suburban areas. By contrast, I love how incredibly varied the Alphabet District’s architecture is. Its famous century-old apartment buildings actually compose at most 20% of all the buildings in the neighborhood; I just chose to focus on those for several reasons; two important reasons are that 1)  “high density” can be stunningly beautiful, and 2) with sufficiently high density comes great walkability.

Nearly every minute on every block of the Alphabet District, you’ll find someone walking under the beautiful tree canopy:

Walking under an early spring canopy past a colorful row of townhouses
Walking under an early spring canopy past a colorful row of townhouses

Or biking, of course, this being Portland:

Beautiful spring blossoms on NW 22nd between Flanders and Glisan
Beautiful spring blossoms on NW 22nd between Flanders and Glisan

Here’s  a classic midcentury little office building at 2049 NW Hoyt St that’s tucked right into the fall splendor. You wouldn’t know it from this picture, but it’s right next to Portland’s finest Richardsonian Romanesque home (featured later in this post):

Midcentury offices amidst a carpet of yellow

This cute perch at Alhambra Condos reminds me of where Rapunzel from fairy tales might hang out. 🙂

Top-level balcony at Alhambra Condos

Here’s another view of one of the gorgeous Alhambra Condos  that were also featured in the previous section. Who wouldn’t want to skateboard down this impossibly gorgeous block? 🙂 Note: you always find *people* outside on every block; this is a preview of the “walkability/vibrancy” section.

Alhambra Condos - 2018 NW Irving St
Alhambra Condos – 2018 NW Irving St

Mature trees even line the blocks that are lined with more modern buildings, such as this block of townhouses on the 2700 block of NW Upshur, which is a 2-minute walk east of the entrance to Forest Park:

Townhomes on 2700 block of NW Upshur

There are also numerous huge trees that were planted over a century ago. The one below completely dominates the Metropolitan Learning Center (an alternative K-12 school); it’s surrounded by seating for kids of all ages. Most people walk or bike to this school, which is in beautiful Couch Park:

Tree dominates the 1915-built Metropolitan Learning Center alternative K-12 school
Tree dominates the 1915-built Metropolitan Learning Center alternative K-12 school

I love how the trees and sky are reflected in the windows on both floors:

Modern Townhouses at 2724 NW Upshur

Pharaohs and Egyptian-themed ornamentations are fairly common sights among the trees and lobbies here. Nefertiti’s perfectly intact painted limestone bust was discovered in 1912, and just ten years later, previously unimaginable treasures encompassing King Tut’s tomb were found. Thus, the entire world was consumed with everything Egyptian when many of the Alphabet District’s apartment buildings were completed during the 1920s and early 1930s.

Adornments like this are found only on large commercial and residential buildings. Any walk in this neighborhood can be turned into a treasure hunt of random icons that’s not possible in single-family or suburban neighborhoods:

Pharaoh among the trees at NW 22nd and Everett

The blocks west of 23rd all the way to Forest Park (NW 30th) along Thurman and Upshur are almost entirely under full tree canopies. And a later section will showcase the stunning courtyards dotting this area that are semi-hidden from the street.

Tree-lined block at 2743 NW Thurman St
Tree-lined block at 2743 NW Thurman St

Every minute of every day, people are seen walking dogs under the neighborhood’s tree canopy:

Dog and companion walking under spring blossoms on NW 22nd between Irving and Johnson
Dog and companion walking under spring blossoms on NW 22nd between Irving and Johnson

Classic Bay-style architecture meets lines of mature trees that are found on every block of this 400-acre neighborhood:

Bay style architecture under mature trees
Bay style architecture under mature trees

The neighborhood is so tree-dominated that even fire hydrants are no match! This one’s been semi-buried in a tree for decades. Check it out; it’s fun! You’ll find this literally semi-hidden treasure at 2541 NW Thurman St. And if you’re *really* observant, you’ll find one of the most beautiful tiny houses imaginable in a back yard half a block east of here:

There are endless hidden treasures to find when walking the Alphabet District. You can even find fairy villages pouring out of huge old trees. Do like kids and dogs, i.e., EXPLORE! :)
There are endless hidden treasures to find when walking the Alphabet District. You can even find fairy villages pouring out of huge old trees. Do like kids and dogs, i.e., EXPLORE! 🙂

I love how Portland combines classic Manhattan-style historic apartment buildings with some of the nation’s largest urban trees. This building is at NW King & Davis, across the street from my favorite building (at least for its name): the “King Davis” condos. 🙂

New York style apartments at King & Davis
New York style apartments at King & Davis

When greenery isn’t constantly broken up by driveways and individual private homes, you get a much longer, continuous and cohesive flow of beautiful plants lining your neighborhood walk. This is yet another way in which higher population density can create beautiful, unique streetscapes. And the photo does no justice to the fascinating wisteria-like plants and other colors lining the sidewalk:

Long row of bushes with tons of fascinating flowers and blossoms of many different colors
Long row of bushes with tons of fascinating flowers and blossoms of many different colors

Not all the buildings are old

As you can see from the section above, there are actually quite a few buildings completed long after World War II—and several being built right now—in the Alphabet District.

This building at 808 NW 19th Ave was completed in 2014:

Building completed in 2014 at 808 NW 19th Ave
Building completed in 2014 at 808 NW 19th Ave

This beautiful set of around 10 townhouses completed in 2003 are at 2415-2435 NW Thurman St, across from the very popular Dragonfly Coffee House and Food Front Co-op:

Rowhouses west of Tin House - completed in 2003
Rowhouses west of Tin House – completed in 2003

The modern attached homes border Tin House, which is an innovative publisher, library, literary magazine and headquarters for numerous writers’ workshops. I like how the silvery snow mimics the building and contrasts with the sky:

Tin House and snow-covered branches
Tin House and snow-covered branches

The 16-unit Quimby Court Apartments were built in 1944. They’re among around a dozen midcentury buildings that naturally provide more affordable housing than is found in either fancy new buildings or beautifully renovated century-old buildings:

Quimby Court Apartments, 2420 NW Quimby
Quimby Court Apartments, 2420 NW Quimby

Residents can save on transportation costs, since nearly everything they need is within a quarter mile. For example, Stepping Stone Cafe is right across the street. The popular cafe in a “residential area” – and it’s too bad that this is so incredibly rare. It’s a preview of my section called “Why these buildings are illegal – a history of zoning in Portland:”

Stepping Stone Cafe, 2390 NW Quimby. This is a very popular place where breakfast (including the famous "mancakes") is served all day.
Stepping Stone Cafe, 2390 NW Quimby. This is a very popular place where breakfast (including the famous “mancakes”) is served all day.

Below is another of numerous large midcentury apartment buildings that offers much more affordability through a process that occurs naturally when cities allow enough housing to be built. Jane Jacobs famously said that successful urban neighborhoods need to have buildings in a variety of ages *and* conditions. I’ll reference her again in the “zoning” section.

Large midcentury apartment building
Large midcentury apartment building

The modest-height Westerly Condos at 2351 NW Westover Road are at the base of the West Hills. The building was hotly contested by NIMBYs (“not in my back yard”) before and during its construction in 2008. One might have gotten the impression that this building’s height was a sure sign that the world was ending. I haven’t heard a peep since its completion:

Westerly Condos
Westerly Condos

There’s still plenty of room in the neighborhood for new buildings to go up. The Astor Apartments (below) are nearing completion at 921 NW 21st Ave. The ground floor will contain several great local retailers, such as Laughing Planet Café. The older man seen here lives around the corner, at Gallagher Plaza, which provides affordable housing for elderly and disabled residents. The neighborhood provides every possible service for aging in place.

Astor Apartments nearing completion
Astor Apartments nearing completion 

The Park 19 Apartments at 550 NW 19th Ave were built in 2008:

Park 19 Apartments
Park 19 Apartments

Muse is a brand new, very artsy and colorful apartment building at 1315 NW 19th Ave. Like nearly all apartment buildings in the Alphabet District, free and secure bicycle parking is provided:

Muse Apartments
Muse Apartments

The Argentier, at 1415 NW 24th Ave, is one block east of Wallace Park and one block west of a streetcar stop on NW “Trendy-Third.” It offers a completely different type of apartment living. Built in 1949 and completely renovated a couple years ago, it consists of just four loft-style apartments with great finishes—and low rental rates by Portland standards. The units are also tucked back in a quiet courtyard behind tall hedges:

The Argentier Apartments
The Argentier Apartments
Close-up view of The Argentier's more private feel
Close-up view of The Argentier’s more private feel

Finally, the far east end of the Alphabet District (Slabtown) was a no man’s land for decades. But it’s now the hottest part of the district, with the most construction activity. This was inevitable, because Slabtown is the bridge between the white-hot Pearl District and the impossibly beautiful Alphabet District. The freeway that divides the two neighborhoods is no longer seen as an impenetrable barrier.

Construction in Slabtown
Construction in Slabtown

Pedestrians enjoying every block

It’s hard to take a picture anywhere in the Alphabet District without capturing a pedestrian in it. If you don’t like encountering people walking and biking through a vibrant neighborhood, then 99.9% of American neighborhoods will suit you just fine.

Walkscore ranks the Alphabet District in the top 0.01% of all American neighborhoods for walkability; nearly every address has a Walkscore between 95 and 100.

The image below is a classic example. Dogs, people, trees and birds enjoy public spaces free of charge. But parking a car often requires payment. This is a highly unusual neighborhood that appears to value people over cars.

Walking is free and highly attractive on every block of the Alphabet District
Walking is free and highly attractive on every block of the Alphabet District

Most buildings have free bicycle parking. And to me, biking is by *far* the fastest, cheapest, easiest and most enjoyable way to move around this large, beautiful, and highly varied neighborhood:

Walking a bike past 2260 NW Everett
Walking a bike past 2260 NW Everett

The neighborhood lends itself to pop-up installations such as parklets for PARK(ing) Day. America’s first modern streetcar, running by in the background, stops a block from this game-filled installation that temporarily replaced two parking spots with a parklet in April 2017. It was installed by my friends at Opsis Architecture; they also participate in the wonderful annual Design Week Portland tour of open houses. I *highly* recommend visiting every single creative studio’s open house offered in the Alphabet District:

PARK(ing) Day parklet at Opsis Architecture, 920 NW 17th Ave
PARK(ing) Day parklet at Opsis Architecture, 920 NW 17th Ave

Many blocks of what were once parking lots on freight company Con-Way’s huge Portland campus are being converted into housing and retail. By far my favorite part of the project is that four consecutive blocks will have car-free mid-block passageways. These gorgeous features are common in the neighboring Pearl District:

Mid-block pedestrian thoroughfares coming soon
Mid-block pedestrian thoroughfares coming soon

You’re never more than a 5-minute walk from a Biketown station. Hop on a bike, go for an impossibly scenic ride through the neighborhood, and dock it next to your favorite cafe or pub!

Biketown bike-share station
Biketown bike-share station

Speaking of pubs, there are ways to bike & drink simultaneously while enjoying the neighborhood:

BrewCycle rolling parties are popular even in winter
BrewCycle rolling parties are popular even in winter
 With its impressive density and diversity of people and architecture, walking is never boring here.
Pedestrians enjoy the sights on every block of the Alphabet District

I’ve never seen another urban neighborhood with such a high percentage of seniors walking all the time. And there are plenty of different building types to suit every need. This block, with its solid brick walls rising straight up from the sidewalk, reminds me of Society Hill in historic Center City Philadelphia:

Diversity of ages and styles of both people and buildings
Diversity of ages and styles of both people and buildings

Where else do you see people walking home from work and casually stopping to look at all the varied housing?

Woman walking by and checking out more recently built walk-ups

Speaking of diverse scenes, I love how it looks like winter, spring and fall all seem to converge on one beautifully chaotic spot. People are out enjoying it while cars sit unused and covered in snow. 🙂

People outside enjoying a classic Cascadian convergence of seasons
People outside enjoying a classic Cascadian convergence of seasons

With so many colorful sights everywhere–not to mention great cafes within a 2-minute walk of every resident–who wouldn’t want to walk all the time in the Alphabet District?

Walking past colorful Glisan St Townhomes and spring blossoms
Walking past colorful Glisan St Townhomes and spring blossoms

This guy is enjoying a Biketown bike; they’re the world’s most modern and comfortable bike-share bikes. He’s crossing Flanders St. Once the Flanders Street car-free bridge goes over I-405, it will be an instant game-changer for cycling from NW Portland right through the Pearl District, leading directly to the car-free portion of the Steel Bridge. This will give people on bikes an easy, fast, safe, and super enjoyable way to bike from the Alphabet District to Portland’s east side across the Willamette River. There are many wide bike lanes in the neighborhood, but the car-free I-405 passage will surely multiply the number of people who commute downtown by bike.

Cyclist crossing Flanders, which will soon have a car-free bridge across I-405
Cyclist crossing Flanders, which will soon have a car-free bridge across I-405

Snow only makes the scene all the more magical for pedestrians. It’s yet another reason to leave the car behind.

Walking amidst a scene that's a classic Northwest combination of snow and lush vegetation
Walking amidst a scene that’s a classic Northwest combination of snow and lush vegetation

Retail vibrancy, even on side streets

The main shopping/cafe/restaurant streets of the Alphabet District (NW 23rd and NW 21st) are so well known throughout Portland that I’ll concentrate instead on some of the beautiful surprises you find when casually strolling through the neighborhood.

None of this retail would be possible without having sufficient population density—again, a preview of sections to come.

Leafy retail 2700 block of NW Thurman
Leafy retail 2700 block of NW Thurman

Cafe Nell is one of many beautiful restaurants and shops found on random corners, tucked under the tree canopy and yet providing sunny spots in which to watch the world quietly walk by.

Cafe Nell's lighting and atmosphere are constantly changing in fascinating ways. 1987 NW Kearney St
Cafe Nell’s lighting and atmosphere are constantly changing in fascinating ways. 1987 NW Kearney St

Every time you walk the neighborhood, you’ll discover another cute retail corner—or even mid-block retail sandwiched between housing (this type of mixed use found almost nowhere else in Portland—much more on this later).

And the architecture couldn’t be more varied or charming. Pictured below at 909 NW 19th Ave is Christopher David, a cafe inside a floral & design store. Unseen in the image is one of Portland’s 150 bike corrals that replace car parking. Businesses in Portland ask for more bike corrals all the time. You can see the Italian touches applied by Chris Giovarelli:

A slice of Italy in Portland
A slice of Italy in Portland

Not surprisingly, specialty grocers and other food outlets abound in the Alphabet District. Elephants Deli, Portland’s original in a long line of specialty grocers, is reminiscent of an old-world épicerie. It’s also an ideal place to pick up salads and box lunches for those  on the run. And a store like this would be illegal today; it contains fewer than 20 parking spaces. Most people arrive here by foot and bike.

Elephants Delicatessen, 115 NW 22nd Ave
Elephants Delicatessen, 115 NW 22nd Ave

Again, NW 21st and 23rd dominate the Alphabet District’s retail scene, but this section features some of the charming side streets that almost none of the “bridge & tunnel” crowd knows about, such as this beautiful leafy stretch around 1910 NW Lovejoy that was also featured in an earlier section:

1900 block of NW Lovejoy
1900 block of NW Lovejoy

Montgomery Park, in the far northwestern corner of the neighborhood, happens to located at the exact spot where the Lewis & Clark Centennial Expo was held in 1905. The building has more office square footage than downtown Portland’s 41-story Wells Fargo Center (though much less than the “Big Pink” office tower). Only the “W” and the “D” on the historic sign were changed; it used to say MONTGOMERY WARD. The huge mixed-use building will soon be served by an extension of the Portland Streetcar.

Montgomery Park
Montgomery Park

I’ve been at numerous events in its stunning 9-story atrium. All the old Sears buildings are must-sees; I’ve taken hundreds of pictures inside every one of them, from coast to coast. Each building could be the subject of fascinating blog post:

Montgomery Park atrium
Montgomery Park atrium

The Wild Arts Festival Book Fair brings out dozens of my favorite local authors. Pictured with me (clearly I need a new razor) is Grant McOmie of “Grant’s Getaways,” which I record every week!

Tim Davis and Grant McOmie
Tim Davis and Grant McOmie

New Seasons Market is anchoring an unprecedented wave of new development where the Alphabet District meets Slabtown. I love all the environmental features incorporated into the design: living walls, bioswales, tons of bike parking, a Biketown station, four consecutive blocks of car-free corridors, etc. I only wish that Con-Way planned to *activate* the mid-block corridors with retail.

New Seasons Market's newest location
New Seasons Market’s newest location

Heading a few blocks east of New Seasons: Besaw’s, The Solo Club, Breakside Brewery, etc are in the far northeastern corner of the Alphabet District. In just two years, it has transformed from a barren stretch of pavement to the hottest part of the district:

Besaw's, in a new location at 1545 NW 21st Ave
Besaw’s, in a new location at 1545 NW 21st Ave

Turn the corner, and Besaw’s looks totally different and equally inviting, even in early February:

Besaw's and Biketown docking station
Besaw’s and Biketown docking station

Mixing theater and cleverly named retail “seams to fit” the neighborhood:

CoHo Theatre and Seams to Fit
CoHo Theatre and Seams to Fit

Even on a rare snowy day, locals enjoy exploring beautiful semi-hidden retail courtyards that almost no one outside the Alphabet District is even aware of:

Courtyard on NW 19th between Kearney and Lovejoy
Courtyard on NW 19th between Kearney and Lovejoy

After hours in the same courtyard on a beautiful fall day:

Commissary Cafe, tucked in a beautiful urban courtyard
Commissary Cafe, tucked in a beautiful urban courtyard

Even the community centers have friendly names. Friendly House, which has served a diverse community since 1926, one of several community centers within a quarter mile. A later section will feature the amazing number and variety of resources for people of every possible mental and physical ability and background.

Friendly House nonprofit neighborhood center and social service agency
Friendly House nonprofit neighborhood center and social service agency

Even rug sellers have creative rooftop adornments:

Istanbul Rug Bazaar--and a rare shot from NW 23rd, or "Trendy-Third"
Istanbul Rug Bazaar–and a rare shot from NW 23rd, or “Trendy-Third”

Plenty of historic single-family homes remain

Manhattan used to have thousands of beautiful single-family homes; the Mayor’s Mansion is the only one left. Meanwhile, the Alphabet District maintains a fascinating diversity and juxtaposition of many home and building styles. There are more intact single-family historic homes remaining than most may realize; they come in every size and style, and they blend into nearly every square block of the neighborhood. The homes date as far back as the 1870s, and many hold stories of Portland’s early business and government leaders.

Just one of many such homes, for example, is Portland’s greatest remaining house that  was designed by legendary local architect Albert E. Doyle. Completed in 1908 and located at 2642 NW Lovejoy (just below a beautiful set of public stairs leading into the West Hills), this home is across the street from the most innovative car I’ve ever heard of; it’s a car that almost no one is aware of, even though it’s hidden in plain sight. The car became the focus of a separate blog post whose parallel theme is all about the incredible discoveries that can be made when walking through a neighborhood and really noticing what’s around you.

Historic Harmon-Neils House, designed by Albert E. Doyle
Mixed Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman-style Harmon-Neils house, designed by Albert E. Doyle and on the National Register of Historic Places. Below the house is a car that will blow your mind, and above the house is the beginning of a sequence of gorgeous public stairways through the West Hills.

Of all the homes designed by David C. Lewis, who also designed many of the buildings for the 1905 and 1909 World’s Fairs, the Walter & Myrtle Honeyman House (completed in 1911) stands as the purest example of  the Tudor Revival style. A beautiful public stairway accesses this house that has panoramic views of several glaciated peaks and all of Portland.

Honeyman House at 2658 NW Cornell Rd. Walter Honeyman owned Honeyman Hardware, which was an enormous business in its day. Several Honeyman commercial and apartment buildings still exist in what's now the Pearl District.
Honeyman House at 2658 NW Cornell Rd. Walter Honeyman owned Honeyman Hardware, which was an enormous business in its day. Several Honeyman commercial and apartment buildings still exist in what’s now the Pearl District.

The home pictured below, built in 1892, belonged to Portland’s first Jewish mayor, Munich-born Bernard Goldsmith. In his short term (1869-71), he added to Portland’s collection of park blocks (which began in 1852; they precede New York’s Central Park!). He also purchased 40 acres in the hills that would later become the centerpiece of what’s now called Washington Park. He even paid $200,000 of his own money (in 1871!) to help create a system of locks that would allow goods produced in the Willamette Valley to reach Portland by Willamette River shipping. He’s regarded as one of Portland’s most successful mayors. Goldsmith switched parties during the Civil War to support President Lincoln in opposing slavery.

Bernard Goldsmith House, dominated by glorious trees of the Pacific Northwest
Bernard Goldsmith House, dominated by glorious trees of the Pacific Northwest

Here’s another view of the Goldsmith Home (1507 NW 24th Ave, at Quimby St), which was narrowly saved from demolition when neighbors bought the home from Lake Oswego-based developer Marty Kehoe. The Shingle Style home was designed by Edgar Lazarus, who designed many famous buildings in Oregon (Vista House in the Columbia Gorge, Salem’s Dome Building, Astoria’s Clatsop County Courthouse, etc).

Mayor Goldsmith's home. The awkward angle is party to avoid a lot of construction materials beneath the home; it's still being renovated.
Mayor Goldsmith’s home. The awkward angle is party to avoid a lot of construction materials beneath the home; it’s still being renovated.

The George F Willett home pictured below was built in 1911. It occupies a rare large, level lot. It was saved from bulldozers when neighbors came together to buy the house. It has scrolled brackets, an iron balcony and a portico under a Palladian arch:

George T Willett home, 2541 NW Overton St
George T Willett home, 2541 NW Overton St

These colorful townhouses are actually separate homes; they’re each separated from their neighbors by an inch of sound-proofing. It’s a little touch of San Francisco “painted ladies” in Portland. They span the entire 2300 block of NW Overton St:

Colorful townhomes at 2347 NW Overton
Colorful townhomes at 2347 NW Overton

The George F Heusner House is a Shingle Style home built in 1892:

George F Heusner House, 333 NW 20th Ave
George F Heusner House, 333 NW 20th Ave

The Sackett House, built in 1896, is a more modest Queen Anne style home. It’s just three doors down from the very popular Stepping Stone Cafe that occupies a corner spot in the heart of a residential area. There are dozens of gorgeous old homes lining NW 24th and 25th avenues:

Jeff and Lori Sackett House, 1404 NW 24th at Pettygrove
Jeff and Lori Sackett House, 1404 NW 24th at Pettygrove

There are plenty of older single-family homes in the neighborhood that aren’t mansions. Many of them are creatively “decked out” and otherwise decorated, such as this house:

Red doors and decorative elements celebrate spring in the beautiful Pacific Northwest
Red doors and decorative elements celebrate spring in the beautiful Pacific Northwest

This home at 1333 NW 24th Ave, built in 1904, was home for a half-century to the Boys and Girls Aid Society of Portland. It’s another preview of the “Serving the needs of a diverse community” section:

1333 NW 24th Ave
1333 NW 24th Ave

The E.S. Jackson Home is a Colonial Revival, built in 1902:

E.S. Jackson home, 2434 NW Kearney St
E.S. Jackson home, 2434 NW Kearney St

If you walk up any number of gorgeous public stairways leading up into the steep hills directly above the neighborhood, you’ll, of course, encounter tons of stunning homes. Below are just two out of hundreds of them.

Huge home and yard at 2851 NW Cumberland

Portland-based rock group Everclear has a famous song called “I Will Buy You a New Life” in which they sing, “I will buy you a garden where your flowers can bloom. I will buy you a new car, perfect, shiny, and new. I will buy you that big house way up in the West Hills.” But many large, old homes remain in the flat part of the Alphabet District, as well. And many of them have been creatively re-used, as the next section will show.

Large West Hills mansion, the kind that Everclear lead singer Art Alexakis sang about--and actually bought.
Large West Hills mansion, the kind that Everclear lead singer Art Alexakis sang about–and actually bought.

Walking the neighborhood will reveal old homes in seemingly every style. This section is just a tiny preview of what you’ll find in the Alphabet District. Go, explore and enjoy! 🙂 Walking is free, and if doctors could name the best possible magic pill for health, they’d call it “Walk for 30 minutes daily.” Again, you’ll never be bored walking here.

Mediterranean style home at 2411 NW Northrup St. No two homes on this block are of the same style.
Mediterranean style home at 2411 NW Northrup St. No two homes on this block are of the same style.

Adaptively re-used single-family homes

A great way to save old homes is to convert them into all kinds of creative re-uses. For example, the beautiful Victorian below, completed in 1894, is now home to the Portland Theosophical Society Library at 2377 NW Kearney:

Portland Theosophical Society Library
Portland Theosophical Society Library

What few realize is that there are also many *very small* single-family houses in the neighborhood. And many are home to creative businesses–and sandwiched between buildings of different types. This NEVER happens in other Portland neighborhoods–again, a preview of an upcoming section.

For example, the house below reminds me of the famous “Up” house in Seattle that inspired Disney’s “Up” movie, as well as a “99% Invisible” podcast episode titled “Holdout” to which I highly recommend listening.

House reminiscent of both the movie "Up" and the famous "Up" house in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood
House reminiscent of both the movie “Up” and the famous “Up” house in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood

This is an entire block of really cute little houses that are bookended by large corner buildings:

Small homes bordering both large apartments and retail--only in the Alphabet District
Small homes bordering both large apartments and retail–only in the Alphabet District

The home below (the Isam White House, designed by Whidden & Lewis in 1904) belongs to friends of mine who run Arciform (which does a wonderful job bringing stories of dozens of Portland historic homes back to life). It’s one of the last grand Colonial Revival homes in the neighborhood that’s still a residential home. Construction is evident in the photo; they’re adding several residential units within the home:

Isam White House (311 NW 20th Ave) and neighboring Williams Plaza (2041 NW Everett St)
Isam White House (311 NW 20th Ave) and neighboring Williams Plaza (2041 NW Everett St)

9-story Williams Plaza is literally right in their back yard, as you can see above—and they don’t mind at all. In fact, my friends say that Williams Plaza residents are great neighbors! The building is a public housing (Home Forward) apartment community with over 100 units, many of which cater to the elderly and persons with various ranges of disabilities. It’s a classic juxtaposition that’s just not found in other neighborhoods—and it’s a preview of my favorite section of this entire post: “Serving the needs of a diverse community.”

Speaking of preview of future sections…Below is a preview of the “zoning” section on zoning. Most of the homes and commercial apartment buildings I’m showing here (along streets not “zoned” for them) would be illegal today, for a variety of reasons, one of which is that there’s “not enough parking” provided. The low parking ratio seems inversely proportional to this neighborhood’s popularity and walkability. But if you’re someone who likes (or needs) to drive and park multiple times daily, the Alphabet District won’t be a good fit if your residence doesn’t offer private parking.

Large old homes neighboring large old apartment buildings--which inspired which?
Large old homes neighboring large old apartment buildings–which inspired which?

Several homes have been expanded and subdivided in creative ways. I think I counted 7 mailboxes on this house. Some hate the design, but I love the variety. The Alphabet District is *never* boring.

House expanded and subdivided creatively
House expanded and subdivided creatively

Only in the Alphabet District would a hair salon be tucked into a small house that’s itself tucked beneath a large apartment building:

Gossamer Salon at 2636 NW Thurman
Gossamer Salon at 2636 NW Thurman

Several old mansions in the neighborhood have been converted into law offices, such as this beautiful home completed in 1908:

Gadsby House Law Offices at 1205 NW 25th Ave
Gadsby House Law Offices at 1205 NW 25th Ave

The creative re-use of old homes is just amazing. I SOOO wish other neighborhoods would have even a fourth the amount of mixed uses on residential streets. Stepping Stone Cafe is very popular, even on cold winter mornings.

Stepping Stone Cafe - 2390 NW Quimby St
Stepping Stone Cafe – 2390 NW Quimby St

And many have been converted to other uses today. Counting mailboxes will often show homes that have been converted into four-plexes in ways that are invisible from the street. I have many such pictures, but I invite you to walk the neighborhood and discover them for yourself! 🙂


Serving the needs of a diverse community

This might be my favorite aspect of the Alphabet District. It’s also probably the neighborhood’s least known feature. Blending in among all the diverse homes and buildings are organizations that serve people of every possible type. Social service agencies have filled many of this neighborhood’s historic homes since the 1950s, and it had the double benefit of saving these irreplaceable locally designed treasures.

Though the pictures are nowhere near as scenic as those in this post’s other sections, it’s the most meaningful section to me. I’ve always wanted to share stories about some of the incredible organizations serving a diverse community—including many that are hidden in plain sight in gorgeous old homes.

Alano Club – 909 NW 24th Ave

For example, many Portlanders will recognize the mansion pictured above; it occupies a prominent, elevated corner at 909 NW 24th Ave. But few are aware of the great organization housed inside. (Note: Built in 1904, the stunning Colonial Revival home was almost entirely rebuilt following a fire in August 1989.) The building is home to the Alano Club, a unique community center that serves as Oregon’s largest and oldest resource center for individuals and families recovering from a variety of addictions and disorders. Alano Club holds over 100 recovery support meetings, seminars, workshops, yoga and meditation classes, and more each week.

Below is, of course, a totally different type of recovery center. Most urban neighborhoods would NEVER allow a giant hospital to be plopped right down in the middle of single-family blocks, but the Alphabet District is full of beautiful dichotomies like this. Legacy Good Samaritan literally breaks up the exact center of Portland’s greatest retail street (NW 23rd)—and no one complains. It also offers literal reflections of a variety of architecture and nature:

Reflections in an urban hospital
Reflections in an urban hospital

But what almost NO ONE notices (because people rarely explore anything 10 steps outside of their normal routes) is the hospital’s beautiful, totally publicly accessible block-long corridor filled with healing gardens and horticultural therapy!

Every tree and plant in the healing garden is labeled
Every tree and plant in the healing garden is labeled

I had a nice talk with this woman as we admired many of the creative art in this car-free mid-block passageway provided by the hospital. We agreed that almost *no one* explores their own city enough to spot treasures like this found all over Portland. 🙂

Enjoying a stroll among art and healing gardens, completely free from cars
Enjoying a stroll among art and healing gardens, completely free from cars

There are several environmental aspects to the healing gardens, as well. Interpretive signs describe the solar and water features in a peaceful semi-covered environment:

Solar panel, rain barrels, pleasant places to sit
Solar panel, rain barrels, pleasant places to sit

There are also several large Home Forward affordable housing projects in the Alphabet District. This building at 2140 NW Kearney St is called Gallagher Plaza. It’s a Section 8 apartment community that has a waiting list preference for seniors with a disability. I had a nice long talk with the woman in this picture:

Gallagher Plaza
Gallagher Plaza
Diverse people and building types co-exist harmoniously on nearly every block of the Alphabet District
Diverse people and building types co-exist harmoniously on nearly every block of the Alphabet District

Portland’s grandest extant Richardsonian Shingle style house is the MacKenzie House, built in 1892.  It’s now known as the William Temple House, which is at 2023 NW Hoyt St, across from Couch Park.  The nonprofit social services agency supports individuals and families from throughout the area with affordable mental health counseling, spiritual care, and emergency assistance for healthy food, hygiene items, clothing, dental and vision care, rent, utilities, and more. They also operate the William Temple House Thrift Store, a resale shop benefiting our programs and client services.

William Temple House
William Temple House

The home looks equally inviting in winter:

MacKenzie House in Snow
MacKenzie House in Snow

Some of Portland’s oldest diverse-community-centered religious organizations are also found in the neighborhood. The beautiful Byzantine Revival Jewish temple built in 1928 is home to Congregation Beth Israel. This is merely the centerpiece of a beautiful Jewish campus and community that also contains the Sherman Education Center, the Amy R. Goldsmith Library, Shemanski Chapel, Blumauer Auditorium, Miller Room, the WRJ/BIS Judaica Gift Shop, Schnitzer Family Center, Pollin Chapel, Lipman Foyer, Goodman Reception Hall, Robert P. Weil Administrative Offices and the Shirley & Herbert Semler Board Room. The Oregon Jewish Museum also happens to be just four blocks north of here.

Speaking of the Jewish community, you can even pass Vera Katz’s old house while walking there! Beloved (and sadly recently departed) long-time Mayor Katz has such an incredible biography that I wouldn’t know where to begin.

Congregation Beth Israel
Congregation Beth Israel

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral proudly welcomes people of all faiths:

Trinity Cathedral welcomes all
Trinity Cathedral welcomes all

Both Trinity Cathedral and St Mary’s Cathedral (one block to the east) serve free food daily to an incredibly diverse community of need. And both campuses are fully ADA accessible and completely open to the public.

In only a few minutes, I saw several people of various ages, races and physical abilities receiving free food
In only a few minutes, I saw several people of various ages, races and physical abilities receiving free food

Green Gables Guest House (2183 NW Northrup St) provides low-cost housing (just $25 per room) for out-of-town patients who lack the strength or ability to travel each day to and from the hospital or who need to be near a patient.

Green Gables Guest House
Green Gables Guest House

Green Gables is even located directly at a stop of the Portland Streetcar.

Green Gables sits right at a streetcar stop
Green Gables sits right at a streetcar stop

Finally, no great urban neighborhood would be complete without a great public school or two. Chapman Elementary is extremely popular, and Portland’s top-rated public high school (Lincoln) is a 5-minute walk from the southern edge of the Alphabet District.

Diverse art in front of Chapman Elementary, built in 1923
Diverse art in front of Chapman Elementary, built in 1923

Chapman is also where the world’s greatest concentration of Vaux’s Swifts dives into the school’s giant chimney every night in September, drawing thousands. Kids love to sled downhill while waiting for the Swifts. I have a long post about a particularly rare night while watching the Swifts! 🙂

Kids sledding down Chapman Elementary's hill while watching Vaux's Swifts circle the giant chimney
Kids sledding down Chapman Elementary’s hill while watching Vaux’s Swifts circle the giant chimney

In short, the Alphabet District is much, MUCH more than what outsiders view it as: “Restaurant Row” (a very inaccurate characterization of NW 21st) and “Trendy-Third” (NW 23rd). It also clearly offers generous services and housing for a huge variety of needs.

In fact, there’s a 100% affordable project being proposed at 624 NW 18th (that’s between Hoyt (the 6th letter past “Burnside”) and Irving (7 blocks north of Burnside). I’ll be following the development closely! The nearby historic Buck-Prager building at 1727 NW Hoyt St might also become affordable housing.


Why these mixed uses are illegal nearly everywhere in Portland – a brief history of Portland zoning

Welcome to NW Portland mural - a fitting entrance to the Alphabet District, where the *pre-1959* zoning makes everything and everyone much more welcome
Welcome to NW Portland mural – a fitting entrance to the Alphabet District, where the *pre-1959* zoning makes everything and everyone much more welcome

A century ago, Portland created some of the most beautiful middle-density, middle-income housing in the U.S. I like to think of them as a unique Pacific Northwest answer to East Coast rowhouses. The apartments and their lush landscaping and trees have aged beautifully over the decades.

Until 1959, all kinds of residential housing were allowed in every part of every neighborhood in Portland, except for some locations in Laurelhurst, Eastmoreland, Overlook and the West Hills.

Notice how similar the apartment building below (along ultra-popular Hawthorne in Inner Southeast Portland) looks to several in the Alphabet District. It was built in 1911, decades before Portland decided to severely restrict development nearly everywhere outside of commercial corridors to single-family lots. Now, with the city more popular than ever (and with well over 100 people moving to the metro area *every single day*), housing like this is desperately needed throughout the city:

Hawthorne Court Apartments, 1650 SE Hawthorne, built in 1911
Hawthorne Court Apartments, 1650 SE Hawthorne, built in 1911

In the original 1924 zoning code, the vast majority of Portland’s developable land was designated Zone II (multi-family). Even well into the 1950s, very few areas (mainly wealthy areas in the hills) got converted to Zone I (single-family).

Creative, unexpected juxtapositions abound in the Alphabet District. This long, narrow courtyard playground was shoehorned Manhattan-style between a school and an apartment building. The school probably has among the state's highest percentage of kids who walk and bike to school.
Creative, unexpected juxtapositions abound in the Alphabet District. This long, narrow courtyard playground was shoehorned Manhattan-style between a school and an apartment building. The school probably has among the state’s highest percentage of kids who walk and bike to school.

Equally importantly, single linear blocks often contained—totally legally—a wide variety of buildings and uses. For example, Fire Station 17 (below) was built in 1913; its seven nearest neighbors include two small homes, two mansions, two apartment buildings, and a cafe located in a historic home. This mid-block “disruption” (in a block that has aged beautifully) *never* appears in any other Portland neighborhood—or in nearly any other American neighborhood.

Portland Fire Station 17 - smack between apartments, mansions and smaller homes, all on a single block--and all of it looking more beautiful than ever today
Portland Fire Station 17 – smack between apartments, mansions and smaller homes, all on a single block–and all of it looking more beautiful than ever today

Then, the post-WWII era filled everyone with fantasies about escaping to newly developing suburbs. The private auto ruled literally every decision made regarding land use, zoning, parking and urban planning in general. From 1946 until the late 1950s, St Louis-based Earl Mills traveled throughout the West, promoting his private-car-based code with great success. Portland was one of many cities that totally overhauled its zoning code.

There's some nice "missing middle" housing in close-in neighborhoods east of the Willamette, but it's a tiny fraction of what's needed. These are the Bennett Court Apartments at 703 NE 21st Ave. They were built in 1926 - obviously long before the 1959 downzone.
There’s some nice “missing middle” housing in close-in neighborhoods east of the Willamette, but it’s a tiny fraction of what’s needed. These are the Bennett Court Apartments at 703 NE 21st Ave. They were built in 1926 – obviously long before the 1959 downzone.

In 1959, the zoning code that we’re largely stuck with today was adopted. There are currently fierce negotiations on changing the code, but to me they don’t go nearly far enough.

It seems wonderfully anachronistic to be reading a newspaper in a semi-private outdoor courtyard space in an urban setting
It seems wonderfully anachronistic to be reading a newspaper in a semi-private outdoor courtyard space in an urban setting

There are a few “cottage cluster” communities in Portland’s very popular (and incredibly expensive) Inner Southeast/Northeast neighborhoods, but, naturally, they were all built before 1959, when apartments were discouraged (and were suddenly made illegal nearly everywhere), and cars and suburban lifestyles were all the rage—and “parking minimums” began to rule our urban land use.

Bristol Urban Apartments span the entire 800 and 900 blocks of NE 23rd Ave, providing some of the most appealing non-millionaire housing in Inner Northeast Portland. They're very close to both Sandy Blvd and I-84.
Bristol Urban Apartments span the entire 800 and 900 blocks of NE 23rd Ave, providing some of the most appealing non-millionaire housing in Inner Northeast Portland. They’re very close to both Sandy Blvd and I-84.

The beautiful multi-building Mediterranean-style apartment complex pictured below (address: 3087 SE Ankeny St) was built in 1928. It’s just east of where the old “East Ankeny Line” (historic streetcar) turned off of Ankeny and headed north on 28th Avenue, which is still a major commercial district. It’s *stunning* in the spring, when the magnolias and rhododendrons explode in color. And all that time residents can don’t have to spend landscaping can be enjoyed two blocks away at one of Portland’s favorite parks, Laurelhurst.  The housing below is some of the most affordable—and literally coziest—in Laurelhurst. And it’s totally illegal to build now:

Mediterranean style apartments built in 1928 at 3087 SE Ankeny St
Mediterranean style apartments built in 1928 at 3087 SE Ankeny St

The Buckman Gardens Apartments at 537-539 SE 15th Ave are also obviously illegal today, since they’re in the dominant “R5” zone (one house per 5000-square-foot lot). Not only do they offer a very rare affordable option to $1+ million homes found everywhere in the vicinity, but they have whimsical touches such as electrical boxes that are painted in bold, playful colors. Good thing they were built before 1959:

Buckman Gardens residents have pride in their community, as well as an artistic flair
Buckman Gardens residents have pride in their community, as well as an artistic flair

And the gardens in the center of this affordable cottage cluster are maintained year-round by one of the residents. It’s ideal “missing middle housing” that’s so badly needed, especially within several miles of downtown Portland.

Thousands more apartments like this are urgently needed to improve housing options and affordability in Portland
Thousands more apartments like this are urgently needed to improve housing options and affordability in Portland

The image below depicts one of the most fascinating mish-mashes of building styles, ages I’ve seen in all my travels—and I’m always seeking them out. NC3D, an ultra-modern design agency (whose 3D Portland city model is something design nerds *must* see) is immediately surrounded by a junky old auto repair shop, a new apartment building, a brownfield, and an animal hospital—and the occasional pop-up nano-brewery and indoor-outdoor open houses.

Ultra-high-tech NC3D (1922 NW Pettygrove St) sandwiched between junky trucks, fancy new apartments, and a fence blocking off a brownfield site
Ultra-high-tech NC3D (1922 NW Pettygrove St) sandwiched between junky trucks, fancy new apartments, and a fence blocking off a brownfield site
A nicer shot of NC3D's fancy digs. They held an extremely popular open house during Design Week Portland 2018. No one cared at all about the junky trucks next door.
A nicer shot of NC3D’s fancy digs. They held an extremely popular open house during Design Week Portland 2018. No one cared at all about the junky trucks next door.
Dove Lewis, one of the nation's finest emergency animal hospitals, is directly across the street at 1945 NW Pettygrove St
Dove Lewis, one of the nation’s finest emergency animal hospitals, is directly across the street at 1945 NW Pettygrove St

In 2015, former Metro Councilor and Alphabet District resident Robert Liberty wrote a love letter to his old neighborhood called “My Illegal Neighborhood” in which he talks about all the great urban features that are now illegal in most cities.

Portland for Everyone‘s Michael Andersen quoted Robert Liberty’s letter in his own great photo-dominated article for BikePortland that also focused entirely on the Alphabet District; fittingly, in these days of the greatest housing affordability crisis Portland has ever faced, his article is titled, “Portland’s best model for population growth without catastrophe is right in front of us.”

I couldn’t agree more with the great observations that Robert Liberty and Michael Andersen made about this great neighborhood!

Swift Agency, at 1250 NW 17th, is a fascinating digital creative agency that's led 57% by women. Its facility is in the middle of a super varied mixed-use area, and it all comes together beautifully.
Swift Agency, at 1250 NW 17th, is a fascinating digital creative agency that’s led 57% by women. Its facility is in the middle of a super varied mixed-use area, and it all comes together beautifully.

Decades earlier, of course, Jane Jacobs wrote the now famous four necessary conditions (but not necessarily sufficient) for creating thriving diverse districts. The Alphabet District clearly meets all four:

  1. Short blocks (Portland’s blocks are famously short—just 200 feet long, not including intersections). Michelle Stockwell explains this criterion really well: “Short blocks ensure that pedestrians aren’t limited to an isolated route. Allowing frequent opportunities to turn the corner and explore a new path can enrich the social life of a district and help businesses in all locations flourish. This gives the independent grocer or new bookstore a fighting chance of attracting customers, strengthening the economy overall.”
  2. A variety of ages *and conditions* of buildings. Michelle Stockwell again does a great job of summarizing its importance: “Buildings must be mixed in age and condition so that people of all socio-economic backgrounds are able to make the neighborhood home and participate in its economic life. Aging buildings are necessary in order to be able to host non-profits, artist studios, and affordable housing units. Older buildings and lower rents create opportunities for news businesses to gain their footing.”
  3. Primary mixed uses; this ensures that people visit the area on different schedules and for different purposes, while using many of the same facilities. This helps keep the area activated throughout the day and evening with all kinds of people.
  4. A sufficiently high *population density* to make the “sidewalk ballet” come to life.

I’ll end with my favorite only-in-the-Alphabet-District example of crazy juxtapositions. Below is Thunder Road Guitars, at 1024 NW 19th Ave. There’s a single-family house directly behind it. And they’re both crammed between—literally touching on both sides—large apartment buildings. And a perfectly flowering Crape Myrtle is thrown in for good measure. The whole scene looks like something out of the movie “Up,” with the thousands of flowers representing the thousands of balloons that launched the cartoon house, well, up!

Thunder Road Guitars dwarfed by neighbors on all sides - and everyone survived and even thrived
Thunder Road Guitars dwarfed by neighbors on all sides – and everyone survived and even thrived

The Alphabet District successfully dodges the colonial imperialist separation of “home zone” from “work zone” and other 100% private-auto-based separations of single-purpose areas. Modern zoning rewards both sprawl and large new developments that appear successful in the short term. But the long-term consequences are devastating, both financially and environmentally.

Finally, I wish to conclude with a bit of a sidebar that’s worth mentioning, as I’ve thought constantly about great urbanists while creating this post. For example, Charles Marohn of Strong Towns talks weekly about how post-WWII development patterns are making our cities broke; no one explains it more clearly for the lay person than he does. Every elected official and city planner in the U.S. needs to pay very close attention to Strong Towns.

Chuck also offers a very low-cost alternative model of development. It features insights from some of my favorite urban thinkers: Mike Lydon (of tactical urbanism fame), Portland’s own R John Anderson (a nationally known small developer educator), and Paul Stewart (whose work to turn Oswego, New York around is a *must* read).

Portland and its peer cities (Seattle, Austin, Denver, etc) have nothing short of a housing *emergency*; housing supply continues to fall *thousands* of units behind demand every single year. The Alphabet District, while far from perfect, provides a model that planners in many American cities need to study as they review post-WWII downzones that increasingly create low-density cities that cater increasingly to the wealthiest or luckiest few.


Bonus section: incredible scenery found within and just outside the Alphabet District

The Alphabet District is in the center of–but hidden in–the picture below. It lies directly between all the buildings in the foreground (the Pearl District) and the deeply forested hills of aptly named Forest Park. Nowhere else in the U.S. do so many great urban and nature elements come together in such close proximity: America’s widest river, a 5100-acre forested city park, hills reaching over 1000 feet above downtown, every type of land-based public transit, widely varied architecture, and dense vibrant neighborhoods.

The Alphabet District couldn't have a better urban-meets-nature setting
The Alphabet District couldn’t have a better urban-meets-nature setting

Here’s a closer view of a tiny part of the West Hills:

Autumn view of West Hills. Colors gradually change from September all the way through November, due to Portland's mild climate.
Autumn view of West Hills. Colors gradually change from September all the way through November, due to Portland’s mild climate.

From Chapman Elementary (referenced above, where large crowds gather in September to watch the Vaux’s Swifts), there’s a beautiful, steep trail through the woods that leads to Pittock Mansion, where you’ll have views of the skyline and Mt Hood such as this:

View from Pittock Mansion of the skyline, Washington Park, Mt Hood and dozens of dormant volcanic buttes
View from Pittock Mansion of the skyline, Washington Park, Mt Hood and dozens of dormant volcanic buttes

The view is pretty cool in the winter, as well:

Pittock Mansion view of Portland skyline and many area dormant volcanic buttes
Pittock Mansion view of Portland skyline and many area dormant volcanic buttes

Here’s another view of the crowds that gather every evening in September to watch thousands of Vaux’s Swifts descent almost all at once into Chapman Elementary’s chimney. I have a separate post with many more pictures taken on the most unusual type of evening.

Crowds gathering each September to watch Portland's famous Vaux's Swifts
Crowds gathering each September to watch Portland’s famous Vaux’s Swifts
 Directly across Burnside from the Alphabet District is impossibly beautiful Washington Park. This is one of many iconic views in the Portland Japanese Garden, which is regarded as the world’s most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.
Japanese Garden explosion of colors
Japanese Garden explosion of colors

This is one of the most photographed Japanese Maples in the U.S.:

Iconic Japanese Maple under solar spotlight
Iconic Japanese Maple under solar spotlight

I actually took this shot on the same day. It’s amazing how much the colors seemed to change under different lighting. This was 2 hours earlier:

Japanese Garden iconic Maple wearing a variety of colors
Japanese Garden iconic Maple wearing a variety of colors

Between Hoyt Arboretum, the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, the World Forestry Center, the many powerful memorials, and all the trails and historic reservoirs in the park, you could explore Washington Park for years and never be bored:

Japanese Garden variety of trees
Japanese Garden variety of trees

The International Rose Test Garden is America’s premier rose garden. I’ve taken hundreds of far more scenic pictures of this garden than the one below, but I don’t have time to go through them. This is the first one I came across, and it’s good enough for now. 🙂

Woman enjoying scenic bench location in the International Rose Test Garden
Woman enjoying scenic bench location in the International Rose Test Garden

But the biggest attraction by far to lucky Alphabet District residents is Forest Park, the nation’s largest urban forested park (5100 acres). It’s incredible to have such a stunning park *exactly 1 kilometer* west of the Northwest’s most iconic shopping street (NW 23rd):

Balch Creek Trail in Forest Park
Balch Creek Trail in Forest Park

Forest Park is a world-class free public amenity. People in the Alphabet District spend far less time taking care of huge lawns and much more time in REAL nature. Often in winter, Forest Park will be snowy, while nearby downtown will have no snow.

Super peaceful, scenic trails abound in Forest Park
Super peaceful, scenic trails abound in Forest Park

Here’s a fact that’s surely never appeared on any blog until now: The main entrance to Forest Park (close to where this couple is holding hands) is exactly 10,000 feet from Pioneer Courthouse Square, the center of downtown Portland. I love seeking cool numerical coincidences like this. 🙂

Happy couples walking Forest Park trails
Happy couples walking Forest Park trails

There are many other great options for recreational walkers, runners, cyclists and paddlers in the Alphabet District. The river is just two blocks from the NE edge of the neighborhood. And every single morning, regardless of the weather, walkers and runners love to climb the Alphabet District’s many public stairways. This woman is about to reach the base of one of them. The image’s background is all the new towers in the Pearl District, along with the Fremont Bridge to the left and Mt Hood to the right:

Woman running up to the base of public stairs
Woman running up to the base of public stairs

These are the stairs she’s climbing. I absolutely love such unusual scenes like this in the heart of a big city. I’ve also been a guest at the beautiful B&B from which this picture was taken. It was about 15 years ago, and the owner (Betty) was about 85 years old. I don’t know the current status of the owner or the B&B. 🙂

Classic historic Alphabet District home framed by stairs and large trees
Classic historic Alphabet District home framed by stairs and large trees

At the top of the stairs, one’s immediately rewarded by a clear shot of Mt St Helens. Mt Hood and Mt Rainier (hiding behind Mt St Helens in this shot) are also visible from here:

Mt St Helens from public stairs
Mt St Helens from public stairs

Go out and spend a day or a week in the Alphabet District—aka Nob Hill, or “Northwest.” Whatever you call it, ENJOY it! You’ll never be bored. And my sincerest hope is that other neighborhoods and especially our civic leaders can learn a LOT from observing the beautiful mixed uses found on nearly every block of this amazing neighborhood.