Guide to the Concordia Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

If you like diversity, funky, and art, you'll love Concordia. Park your car and start walking along NE Alberta Street from NE 33rd Avenue heading west. Stop and browse at some of the dozen or so art galleries along the way. Note the complete absence of national chains and fast food outlets. When you get thirsty and hungry, stop off for lunch at one of the eating establishments along the street.

Now that you have seen Concordia, you will realized that this was a neighborhood in transition and it has turned the corner. You can find lots of historic homes (especially on the east side of the neighborhood boundary) that need some TLC.

New Seasons Market at Concordia has been recognized as a national business model for New Seasons' approach to opening a business with the community's best interest in mind. When Portland's Concordia neighborhood voiced their need for a grocery store in 2000, New Seasons jumped at the chance, while other retailers second-guessed the store's location. New Seasons Market established relationships across cross-cultural barriers, attended neighborhood meetings and responded to the neighborhood's priorities. It's a store that's clean, friendly, and a pleasure to shop at. Try their Rocky natural chickens or the Oregon Beef. But the best is their Pacific Coast fish, always fresh and wild (no farm raised fish sold at New Seasons).

The Concordia News newspaper is a free, self-supporting, volunteer, monthly publication of the Concordia Neighborhood Association. It is without doubt one of best, if not the best, publication of any Portland neighborhoods. If you considering purchasing a home in Concordia, you will want a subscription. Contact The Concordia News at: P.O. Box 11194, Portland, Oregon 97211 or Diane Born at dvduck@comcast.net.

The Portland Sentinel does an excellent job of covering the news for the North Portland neighborhoods as well as those Northeast Portland neighborhoods along the boundary between the two areas such as Concordia, Eliot, King and Piedmont.

Funky galleries, independently owned boutiques, coffee shops, and restaurants and all located in one of Portland’s most culturally diverse neighborhoods, with many African-American and Latino-owned businesses. That's Alberta Street. Alberta Street has many renovated retail storefronts that are mixed in with older businesses that have been there for years. Just a few years ago, you would be viewing many boarded up windows but today fresh paint and stylish logos are the trend.

Go virtual shopping on Alberta Street by downloading a shopping guide/map − just click here.

Art on Alberta is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Alberta's Street distinct culture and identity through public art, visual art, and educational activities. They have sponsored a "Last Thursday" on Alberta Street since 1997. The event is held every month, year round. The galleries, studios, restaurants and other art venues on the street open their doors for a celebratory evening of art. Generally the galleries are open between 5 to 9:30 p.m. They publish a monthly Last Thursday walking map, which identifies the art activities, sponsored by Art on Alberta members. Download the current Art Map by clicking here.

In the late 90s, the Alberta Street community was engaged in a planning process to make the street a better place to walk, ride a bike and use transit, while maintaining automobile access and parking. The plan was adopted by Portland's City Council in February 2000. Construction begin in April 2002 and was completed in late summer 2003. The project is building improvements between NE Martin Luther King Jr. and NE 33rd Avenue, including curb extensions at transit stops and key crossings, school crossing improvements, new ornamental street lighting and traffic signals, street trees and public art..

This neighborhood is the home of Concordia University, a Lutheran liberal arts school.

This neighborhood has many historic homes, especially on the east side of the neighborhood which borders the Alameda neighborhood. It also has a few ranch homes. Most of the homes are small (under 1600 square feet) and on lots just under 5,000 to 7,000 square feet.

Please be aware that the above figures are subject to error and are intended as guidelines only. View Concordia homes currently for sale by clicking here.

Fernhill Park, located at NE 37th and Ainsworth, is a 24.15 acre park. The park includes softball, baseball, football, and soccer fields, two tennis courts, volleyball court, horseshoe pit, playground, wading pool, picnic tables, and restrooms. There’s no better way to spend a summer evening than gathering with friends and family in Fernhill Park for music, dancing and family fun. The Fernhill Concert Series has been an unqualified success, offering high-quality entertainment to the neighborhood with five free concerts.

Another park on the west border of Concordia is the 16.70 acre Alberta Park (adjacent to Vernon Elementary School). Alberta Park includes softball and football/soccer fields, basketball court (covered), two tennis courts, playground, wading pool, picnic tables, trails, and restrooms.

Alberta Street runs through the center of the neighborhood and it is an excellent place to walk with it many art galleries and retail storefronts. It also has a number of restaurants and coffee shops. The small shops lining Alberta Street highlight handmade local designer clothing, imported gifts, and the Alberta art galleries and shops showcase some fine local work. You won't find a national chain on Alberta.

The Art on Alberta Web site has an Arts Walking Tour which you can download and print by clicking here.

Walk Score ranks over 2,500 neighborhoods in the largest 40 U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. Walk Score gave Concordia a score of 70 (very walkable). Below is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the Concordia neighborhood.

Map of the Concordia Neighborhood

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More About Concordia

Neighborhood Association Web Site Concordia Neighborhood Association.
Location Head north in I-5. Take the Highway 30/Lombard Street exit and head off to your right which is east. When you arrive at NE 22nd Avenue look right and you're in Concordia.
Topography Flat with a traditional grid pattern of blocks. A good quantity of mature trees but it could use more.
Sidewalks and Streets The street pattern is a grid with sidewalks for walking.
2005 Livability Study 90.8% of Concordia residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very good." See Livability Study.
²Drive Time to Downtown 15-16 minutes by car. Public Transportation TriMet has four bus routes in Concordia. No MAX light rail or streetcar line in Concordia.
³2000 Demographics Population: 9,564 people. Area (acres): 849. Average population density: 11 persons per acre. Number of households: 3,769. Home owners: 71%. Renters: 39%. Diversity: 40.5% non-Caucasian.
⁴Crime Stats for 2008 35 violent crimes, 44 residential burglaries, and 38 auto thefts. Total crimes per 1,000 residents was 46.
⁵Shopping and Services Number of supermarkets: 1. Number of health clubs: 1. Number of coffee shops: 1.
At NE 33rd Avenue between NE Killingworth and NE Alberta, sits one of the Portland area's better locally owned food markets, Concordia New Seasons Market. Just a few blocks west of the Concordia border is a co-op food market located at 15th and NE Alberta. Alberta Street shopping guide/map by clicking here.
Eating Out NE Alberta Street has a number of interesting restaurants and coffee shops and more are appearing every few months. You will not find a Starbucks but you will find coffee shops that fit the neighborhood character. The main attraction of the Concordia neighborhood would have to be the Kennedy School (5835 NE 42nd Avenue), where local beer, a movie theater, hotel rooms, a restaurant, a hot soaking pool and a music venue all come together under one large McMenamin’s-owned roof. The building is actually an old elementary school that has been renovated to fit the needs of the public. Another popular spot is the Concordia Ale House (3276 NE Killingsworth Street), where you can always find an impressive rotating list of tap microbrews. Visit Yelp for a list of the neighborhood restaurants.
Public Library The closest branch library of the Multnomah County Library system is the Hollywood at 4040 N.E. Tillamook Street.
Who Lives in Concordia Blue collar, gray collar, and white collars are increasing. Todd Haynes, filmmaker (2003 Oscar nominee for "Far from Heaven" purchased a home in Concordia in 2000.
Autos in the Neighborhood Buicks, Olds, and pickups. Toyotas and Subarus are increasing.
Schools Elementary schools: Faubion and Vernon. Middle school: Whitaker. High schools: Jefferson High School and Meek ProTech.
School Report Card Grades Elementary schools: C. Middle school: C. High schools: C. Click here for report card details.

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¹Real Estate Values Data on real estate values provided by Graphical Data, Homequest, and RMLS™.²Drive Time to Downtown Estimated commuting time obtained from Yahoo Maps and Google Maps. Drive time was calculated from a central intersection in each neighborhood to Pioneer Courthouse Square during the morning peak commute time.³Demographics Data Numbers were obtained from Census 2000 and www.portlandmaps.com.⁴Shopping and Services Numbers were determined from local directory listings and county/municipal library systems.
⁵Real Estate Values Data on real estate values provided by Graphical Data, Homequest, and RMLS™.