Guide to South Waterfront Neighborhood in Portland, Oregon

The South Waterfront, (SoWa as it is commonly called) the largest and most expensive redevelopment effort in Portland history, is transforming an abandoned industrial site along the Willamette River south of downtown into a high-rise neighborhood as dense as parts of Manhattan. Eventually, some 20 high-rise buildings will be built on the site. This includes medical offices and labs for Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

The Portland Development Commission (PDC) signed an agreement with OHSU and a group of waterfront property owners that cleared the way for construction of a 30 plus acre central district, which includes 3,000 residential units, one million square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail and a hotel/conference center. If you desire to follow the progress of the development: South Waterfront.

SoWa is not an official City of Portland neighborhood. It is part of the South Portland neighborhood association but it has a character of its own so we included a separate profile for the neighborhood.

South Waterfront area has become the first urban neighborhood in the United States to achieve Salmon-Safe certification. Salmon-Safe’s certification of South Waterfront means that the area exceeds state and federal regulatory commitments to protect the Willamette River and its urban tributaries. Salmon-Safe is a Portland based nonprofit certification organization. The designation commits the neighborhood to sustain its environmental stewardship over time, including the district-wide elimination of pesticides that are harmful to salmon and other aquatic life.

In addition to South Waterfront, other Portland Salmon-Safe certified urban projects are the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Nike, Portland State University, Portland Parks, Oregon Convention Center and Toyota at the Port of Portland. Salmon-Safe’s inspection team has certified more than 65,000 acres of farm and urban lands in Oregon and Washington, including 140 vineyards that represent a third of Oregon’s total vineyard acreage.

The Sowa Notes blog was originally started by Pearlgirl as a blog about the Pearl District, but she changed the scope of the blog to include other neighborhoods that she frequents. Visit the Sowa blog at http://www.sowa.neighborhoodnotes.com.

The E-Current aims to keep you up to date and provide you with useful information about what's going on in the South Waterfront neighborhood, including calendar, maps, and other info. Click here to subscribe.

The first building, named The Center for Health & Healing (CHH), is a $150 million 16-story facility that was occupied in late 2006. The first two floors contain the March Wellness - a fitness center and health club. Four floors provide state-of-the art research space where OHSU scientists can create new knowledge and eight floors of the Center provide all types of patient care.

As riders of Portland's aerial tram descend Marquam Hill, the first feature they encounter in the new South Waterfront District is a two-story giant picture window looking in on basketball and volleyball courts at OHSU's new river campus. This is where you can discover, explore and realize your goals for a hearty and healthy life. Features of March Wellness include a lap pool, health coaching, aerobics, foreign language conversation groups, a gymnasium, meditation, financial health seminars, strength training, yoga, and healthy cooking classes.

The 50,000-square-foot center is open to OHSU's patients, students and faculty, but also to the public at rates competitive with the city's other major health clubs. The center is destined to become an important lure for the district's so-called "urban pioneers" - South Waterfront's first residents.

The Mirabella OHSU and Medford-based Pacific Retirement Services (PRS) launched a partnership in January, 2007, to build a senior living community called the Mirabella that will put hundreds of prospective residents at its South Waterfront doorstep. PRS plans to build a 30-story senior living community that would offer a range of retirement living options, from apartments to nursing home level care. The arrangement will strengthen OHSU's relationship with Intel, OHSU officials said, as the two can work to develop devices and techniques aimed at making aging easier. The project is seeking LEED Silver certification.

Alexan Apartments Atlanta-based real estate giant Trammell Crow Residential started work in the early Summer of 2007 on the first apartments in the South Waterfront area. This 22-story building is designed with a brick tower at the NW corner and a window-wall exterior that opens to the river views. The completed project will have 314 apartments and three levels of structured parking. The Alexan includes a 28,000 square foot eco roof; a storm water sculpture; and a make-up air system to increase indoor air quality. The project is slated to achieve LEED Silver certification. At 22 stories, the 230-foot tower would be the tallest apartment building built in Portland in about 40 years. It would be slightly shorter than the twin Meriwether condo towers a block away. The developers expect to charge more than $2 a square foot for some units

More Apartments It's another sign that Portland's rental market and sluggish condo sales are starting to reshape the city's housing mix, a number of apartment complexes are scheduled to be built. In late July 2007, Simpson Housing, a Denver-based developer, announced plans to build a 20-story apartment building and then later switch to a six-story building when the market started to cool. In November 2007, Prometheus Real Estate Group, a Bay Area apartment builder, announced plans for two South Waterfront towers - they plan to start construction on the first 250-foot tower in the spring of 2008. Just south of the Alexan, Trammell Crow plans to start another 22-story apartment in the fall of 2008.

In early 2006, the first buildings appeared along Portland's South Waterfront. Developers and city planners hope they won't entirely block the Mount Hood and river views for residents and passers-by on the west side of I-5.

It's a seemingly contradictory goal to build taller buildings yet make them less visible on the skyline. The concept used by planners, architects and activists is "permeability". This means the ability to see through the development, even if only intermittently. Permeability doesn't just mean protecting the view from a single lookout, it's about trying to avoid uniform rows or "canyons" of buildings, instead allowing sunlight, wind and a variety of view angles between towers. The permeability is trying to get at thinner buildings, buildings that aren't occupying an entire block. The issue of permeability focuses on ways to build with the same amount of square footage, but with a thinner profile.

The initial greenway parks master plan calls for $25 million in improvements to the Willamette Greenway. South Waterfront's greenway (along the river) is eventually supposed to run from the Marquam Bridge south to just beyond the Old Spaghetti Factory. The first phase will run from Gibbs Street to Lane Street and parallel to the area's first condo towers and includes trails and habitat view areas. The master plan for the first phase includes a pier and a kayak boat launch.

Elizabeth Caruthers Park is a 2.14 acre park that features an open lawn area for performances, an urban garden, boardwalks, a water feature, bike racks, public art and streetscape improvements. There is also a naturalized landscape with a storm water retention system. The park is named for Elizabeth Caruthers, one of the early settlers of Southwest Portland in the 1850s. 0s.

A cobblestone path to the river was completed when they constructed the Meriwether townhomes and it opens to an asphalt pathway along the river which is about 300 yards long. Connecting the path to the Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park to the north will not be easy as the path will have to cross over the Zidell Marine (shipbuilder) land plus other industrial land to the north of the marine. Connecting the trail to the Willamette Park to the south and to Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park in the north would mean bikers, runners, and walkers could travel about 4-5 miles along the west side of the Willamette River. The pathway would start at the Steel Bridge to the north and go all the way to the Sellwood Bridge to the south. Hopefully the planners have this in mind.

South Waterfront residents are able to have great views of the river if they face east. Looking across the river, strollers can view Ross Island, a refuge for wildlife and home to blue herons and bald eagles. The river also offers excellent canoeing and kayaking. Learn more at the River Renaissance Web site.

This poster is available for purchase from ErrolGraphics along with other tram merchandise. Local artist Craig Holmes created the poster.

Linking OHSU's Marquam Hill Campus to its first building in the river blocks, the Portland's Aerial Tram transports researchers, students, medical professionals, patients and visitors between Portland's foremost medical institution and its newest development. The 3,300-foot tram extends from the main Marquam Hill campus to a terminus at Southwest Gibbs Street and Moody Avenue near the Willamette River. The Portland Aerial Transportation (PATI) is the private non-profit organization empowered by the City of Portland to oversee the design, construction, and operation of the Portland Aerial Tram.

On December 15, 2006, the Portland Aerial Tram began ferrying Oregon Health & Science University employees. To catch a free ride on one of the nickel-colored pods requires an OHSU employee badge.

Tram Fares Officials from the city of Portland and OHSU approved the fare of $4 in late January, 2007, for non OHSU staff and patients. The $4 fare is for a round trip. OHSU staff and patients can ride free. As a courtesy, OHSU is paying the cost of the tram ride for its patients who have appointments at OHSU, and also for individuals who are visiting patients in OHSU Hospital or Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The city projects 85 percent of the tram's 1,540 daily riders will be OHSU-related. Other points:

Final Cost of the Tram The final cost of the tram came to almost $57 million with the public paying about eight and a half million dollars. The budget includes contingencies and utility relocations along with street trees and streetlights on Southwest Gibbs Street. Key neighborhood improvements included a pedestrian bridge over I-5. The annual cost to run the tram is about $1.6 million. As part of the proposal, OHSU agreed to pay 85 percent of the tram's operating cost for the first five years. OHSU had originally agreed to pay 85 percent of the cost for the first two years.

The poster displayed above is available for purchase from ErrolGraphics along with other tram merchandise. Local artist Craig Holmes created the poster.

Streetcars Links Northwest District and Downtown to South Waterfront

The streetcar extension into the South Waterfront connects the new community to the museums, theatres, and restaurants in the downtown area. The line from downtown now stops at the base of the Aerial Tram (called the Gibbs Extension).

The line will continue from the Aerial Tram with a 0.6 mile extension (called the Lowell Extension) that connects SW Moody and Gibbs, follows SW Moody south to SW Lowell, east on SW Lowell to SW Bond. The route continues north on SW Bond to SW Moody & Gibbs. The Portland Streetcar started construction on the Lowell Extension in August of 2006, with completion scheduled for early summer 2007. Start-up of operations is scheduled for August 2007.

In continuous operation since 2001, the Portland Streetcar links the Northwest District (Nob Hill) neighborhood to Portland State University through the heart of downtown. Download the route map. Learn more about the project at Portland Streetcars.

Hopes to Create a Bio Tech Industry

Atop the wellness center is Oregon Graduate Institute's new Department of Biomedical Engineering, the first step toward the city's dream of creating a bioengineering development cluster.

In March 2006, California biotech company Genentech Inc. announced plans to put a new packaging facility in Hillsboro that eventually will employ 200 to 300 workers. What excited state officials was the recruitment of a leading player in the biotech industry, particularly one whose presence could expand and come together with a research push under way at Oregon Health & Science University.

The facility planned for Hillsboro will not manufacture drugs. Instead, it will receive bulk shipments of Genentech drugs manufactured in California and carry out the final processing and packaging. Whether biotechnology manufacturing and research can become a new frontier of the state economy is an open question.

More About South Waterfront

South Waterfront is not an official City of Portland neighborhood as it is part of the Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill. Lying at the north end of the Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill, South Waterfront doesn't fit into the designated neighborhood association as it looming high-rise buildings are so different from the townhomes, 2-3 story condos, and detached single family homes in the rest of the neighborhood. Once South Waterfront has a few thousand residents, we are certain it will have its own official neighborhood.

Neighborhood Association Web Site The South Waterfront does not have a Web site but you can find information about the neighborhood at the South Waterfront Web site.
Location Just south of downtown along the Willamette River.
Drive Time to Downtown About 5-7 minutes to Pioneer Square.
Topography Flat. It is barren of trees and greenery except along the river.
Sidewalks and Streets Sidewalks are in place except in the construction areas. Limited street parking but parking garages and parking lots exist and more are planned.
Public Transportation The Portland streetcar line runs through the South Waterfront.
Demographics Population: About 500 as of May 2007 but we are guessing. Area size: 38 acres. Number of households in the first three condos (Atwater, Meriwether, and John Ross): 723.
Sex Offenders Click here for the State of Oregon Sex Offender Inquiry System. After agreeing to the "Conditions of Use Statement" you will be redirected to a "Enter Search Criteria" page. Insert a zip code in the "Zip" field and click on the "Query" button. South Waterfront zip code: 97239.
Shopping and Services A mini-mart, Urbana, is open for business in the west Meriwether tower along with a cleaners. All the condos have retail space build on the first floor and residents can expect to see shops and services available. The closest food stores for groceries is Whole Foods in the Pearl (close to the streetcar line) and Safeway downtown. Another choice is Zupan's on Macadam Avenue. Umpqua Bank opened their first Innovation Lab in the John Ross in the fall of 2007. Many other shops and services are available along Macadam Avenue to the south.
Farmers Market Every Tuesday beginning May 19 through October 6, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. OHSU Auditorium Courtyard. Click here for more informaton.
Eating Out City Cafe, a full service eating place is located in the OHSU CHH building. City Cafe has another outlet in the Pearl District. Also available in the center is a coffee shop. Le Hana, a Japanese French Grill, opened in the summer of 2007 in the Meriwether Tower - they also have a restaurant in Hillsboro. Bella Espresso, a coffee shop, also opened in the summer of 2007. Orupa, serving continental European Cuisine is ready to begin operations in early 2008. Spaghetti Factory is a short walk to the south. You will have to walk (or take the streetcar) a few blocks north along the river to the RiverPlace area to find a wider variety of restaurants. Or take the streetcar line to downtown where you have all kind of cafes, bistros, and restaurants.
Public Library Hop on the streetcar and travel downtown to 801 SW 10th Avenue where you will find the Multnomah County Central Library.
Who Lives in South Waterfront A combination of staff members from OHSU, a few OHSU students, young folks who want to be close to downtown, and empty nesters who like condo living.
What They Drive in South Waterfront This is one neighborhood where ownership of an automobile is not necessary as the streetcar line makes it easy to travel downtown. OHSU staff and students ride the tram to work or school. Since most of the condos offer underground parking, the garages are full of SUVs and luxury autos.