Pearl District Gem of Neighborhood Revitalization
Published Mar 05, 2007
POD, a Pearl District sculpture by Pete Beeman and David Bermudez, pays tribute to the city’s infrastructure, energy and vibrancy.
The Pearl District adjacent to Portland’s downtown core is one of the city’s most creative and vibrant neighborhoods, but it wasn’t always so hip.
“Historically, the Pearl District consisted of two components: an old warehouse district and a 40-acre vacant rail yard,” says Bruce Allen, senior development manager for the city’s urban renewal agency.
But in recent years, artists, designers, professionals and entrepreneurs have reclaimed the district’s once-drab warehouses, and new condos are being developed in the former rail yard.
With more than 30 art galleries, 50 restaurants and coffeehouses, 60 boutiques and specialty retailers, and three neighborhood parks, the Pearl District is a revitalization success story that draws national attention.
“Dining, shopping, parks and architecture are a big attraction there,” Allen says. “The mix of both old and new architecture has done quite well.”
The district’s name is said to have been coined by a gallery owner who compared the neglected warehouses to crusty oysters and the galleries and artists’ lofts inside to beautiful pearls. The name is indeed appropriate, with gems sheltered within old brick buildings, such as Powell’s City of Books. Occupying an entire block, it is the world’s largest independent bookstore, according to owner Michael Powell.
The most recent manifestation of the district’s turnaround saw the turreted Portland Armory, built in 1891, restored as the Gerding Theater, home to Portland Center Stage, a professional theater company. The construction involved excavating down four stories to create a grand space, and the resulting venue has been billed as the world’s “greenest” theater.
The Portland Streetcar serves the Pearl, making it easily accessible, and the district hosts popular community and cultural events. On the first Thursday of each month, galleries stay open late and offer food, wine and entertainment, and over Labor Day weekend the district sets the stage for Art in the Pearl, an annual fine arts and crafts festival.
Story by jessica Mozo
Photo by Brian McCord
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