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 Sunnyside
begins just 28 blocks east of the Willamette River. The lure of the
neighborhood is accessibility, plenty of locally owned shops that keeps
the neighborhood creative, and homes with character. Because of its Victorian
architecture and bohemian culture, Hawthorne along with Belmont is often
compared to San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district.
The landmark in the neighborhood is the
Bagdad Theatre pictured on the left. Universal Studios spared
little expense to build this ornate, balconied temple of entertainment
in 1927. The Bagdad's interior is an attraction unto itself with barreled
arches, ornate, wrought iron fixtures, brilliant-colored mosaic work, and
painted and stenciled Mediterranean designs and mythical characters. The
Bagdad has featured an incredible array of performances ranging from bawdy
vaudeville stage shows to Technicolor extravaganzas. The Bagdad was
the site of the premiere gala of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
in 1975. Today, with nearly 700 seats, the theater offers a grand, well-designed
forum for multimedia presentations.
Portlanders refer to the area as simply "Hawthorne" and
they have in mind the area that runs along SE Hawthorne Boulevard between
30th and 42nd Avenues. It is known for its young, liberal residents and
pedestrian-friendly high density mixed-use development. Historically, the
district has been populated by Generation X and hippies, and more recently,
hipsters. It is a young and vibrant neighborhood thanks to
having two-thirds of the residents as renters. They are also attracted
to Sunnyside's access to public transportation and affordable older homes.
Two business areas are located in the neighborhood, one
along Hawthorne Boulevard and the other along Belmont Street. All
along Hawthorne, you will find eateries, coffeehouses, pubs, unique shops,
bookstores, and the famous
Bagdad Theatre & Pub. It is also has a large Fred Meyer supermarket,
one of the few chain stories in the area. Visit the
Hawthorne Boulevard Business
Association Web site for more information about the area.
Six blocks north of Hawthorne, Belmont Avenue is a historic
corridor thick with boutiques and ethnic restaurants, centered around the
neon lights of the Avalon Theatre located at 3451 SE Belmont Street. A dollar
and a quarter gets you in. There are four screens; two will often carry
first run flicks that cost a little more. Visit the
Belmont Area Business
Association Web site for more information about the area.
History of Sunnyside
 Hawthorne
Boulevard’s was originally held by John McLoughlin of the Hudson Bay Trading
Co., the land was subsequently sold to James B. Stephens, who in 1850 designated
Hawthorne (then titled U Street) the southernmost boundary of the new city
of East Portland. The same year, Stephens established the Stark Street ferry
to transport agricultural commodities from fertile eastern areas to the
fledgling town of Portland and beyond. Used by farmers as a commercial transit
route, U Street was only a small dirt road, extending as far as present
day 39th Avenue.
During the California and Southern Oregon gold rush of
1849, Stephens’ s agricultural shipping monopoly made him a handsome profit.
Outer east side Hawthorne Boulevard was slower to develop than the area
closer to the Willamette River. One major event, the 1846 forest fire popularly
known as the “Big Burn,” had a critical impact on this area’s development.
The fire, starting at the base of Mt. Scott and spreading almost to the
Columbia River, cleared much of the thick forest at a time when settlers
had just begun to stake claims.1 The result was an inviting flat, grassy
area that was perfectly suited for pioneering farmers.
In 1858, another important figure, Dr. J. C. Hawthorne,
arrived in Portland to care for many of the county’s indigent patients.
Impressed by Dr. Hawthorne’s devotion and eager to see his town of East
Portland grow, Stephens donated seven acres of prime property to the Oregon
Hospital for the Insane in 1862. The hospital was constructed on a tract
bounded by present-day Hawthorne Boulevard, SE Taylor Street, SE 9th and
SE 12th avenues. At this time, U Street became known as Asylum Avenue. Run
by Dr. Hawthorne and Dr. A. M. Loryea, the hospital became a major employer
for the small city; 18-20 percent of the population of East Portland worked
there by 1873.
To read more about the history of the neighborhood, download
the document
Historic
Context: Hawthorne Boulevard from SE 20th to SE 55th Avenues.
Origin of the Name Sunnyside and Hawthorne
The book, Oregon Geographic Names, states that a
post office existed in the neighborhood in the 1890s. It was located
in the vicinity of SE Belmont Street between SE 29th and SE 37th Avenues
and it was called Sunnyview. Portlander Karen Der Vee believes the
neighborhood name "Sunnyside" comes from the Sunnyside farm, so named because
it's not in the shadow of the West Hills. Karen notes that a plaque on a
building at 33rd and Belmont, across from Zupan's Market, reveals this information.
Hawthorne Boulevard was named after Dr. J.C. Hawthorne,
the cofounder of Oregon's first mental hospital which was located on Hawthorne
Boulevard south of the Sunnyside neighborhood. The road was originally named
Asylum Avenue. In 1883 the Oregon State Hospital moved to its present location
in Salem. The street was renamed in honor of Dr. Hawthorne. Residents didn't
much are for the old name and they petition to change the name to 'Hawthorne.'
Sunnyside Home Styles
 Many
vintage homes are located in the Sunnyside area. The predominate styles
are bungalows, four-squares, and Victorians. The area's housing styles
are changing as townhomes and condos are beginning to appear. Developers
can either buy a old home on a large lot and put up 2-3 townhomes or they
buy two lots.
The 2000s have seen a number of smaller condo developments
appearing in the neighborhood. Here's a list: SE Hawthorne Boulevard
and 35th Avenue, SE 42nd Avenue, SE 38th Avenue, and SE 33rd Avenue.
The neighborhood has numerous multi-family homes in the
neighborhood. they vary from small apartment building with 12-36 units in
classic brick construction to plexes.
1Sunnyside Home Prices
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Number of homes sold in Sunnyside in 2009: 108.
Distressed properties sales were 5%.
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Median price for homes sold in Sunnyside: $284,900
in 2009; $349,950 in 2008; $358,750 in 2007.
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1-year median sales price change in 2009 from 2008
in Sunnyside: -19%.
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5-year median sales price change in Sunnyside:
-10%.
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2009 metro area median home price: $247,000
(-11.2 sales price change from 2008).
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2008 metro area median home price: $278,000
(-4% sales price change from 2007).
Please be aware that the above figures are subject to
error and are intended as guidelines only. To view Sunnyside
homes currently for sale click
here.
Parks in Sunnyside
The neighborhood does not have a park but two parks are
within a few blocks on two sides of it and a community pool/sports field
10-12 blocks to the west of it.
The 195 acre
Mt. Tabor Park is on the east side of the neighborhood and on the north
side is the 28 acre
Laurelhurst Park. The
Buckman Pool along with the 12 acre
Buckman Field (athletic field) is on the west side of Sunnyside.
Christmas on Peacock Lane
 Since
the 1920s, each house in this quaint southeast neighborhood has been decorating
for Christmas. Mostly Tudors, the houses are adorned with not only beautiful
sparkling lights, but also nativity scenes, rotating Christmas trees and
stunningly life-like replicas of Santa and Frosty.
They even have their own song, The Peacock Lane Song,
written by Elsie Bush. It goes, "IT'S A SPE-CIAL TIME OF YEAR! WIN-TER
NIGHTS AND CHRIST-MAS CHEER! NORTH WINDS BLOW THE WEA-THER VANE –
HAVE YOU SEEN THE LIGHTS ON PEACOCK LANE . . ."
This is a very popular Portland tradition and the crowds
can get quite thick. It is wise to park several blocks away and walk, rather
than drive through the area. Better yet, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
Walking in Sunnyside
Sunnyside is a "browser" heaven. Stroll along Hawthorne
Boulevard and SE Belmont Street and peek into the shops along the way.
Explore the paths and historical features of Mount Tabor
Park, home to reservoirs and a remnant volcanic cinder cone. The 2.1-mile
walk combines stairs, closed roadways and unimproved paths as you climb
and descent the summit. The payoff is the views. Click
here to
download the guide.
Walk Score ranks 2,508 neighborhoods in the largest 40
U.S. cities to help you find a walkable place to live. Most of the addresses
in Sunnyside have a score in the mid to high 80s (very walkable) as recorded
by Walk Score.
Some parts of the neighborhood are in the 90s (walker's paradise). Below
is a Walk Score for an address in the center of the Sunnyside neighborhood.
Map of the Sunnyside
Neighborhood
View Larger Map
More About Sunnyside
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Neighborhood Association Web
Site
Sunnyside.
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Location Drive out
of downtown on the Hawthorne Bridge and after a few blocks, you will
be on SE Hawthorne Boulevard. When you come to SE 28th Avenue,
Sunnyside will be off to your left.
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Topography Flat with
mature trees on properties. Parks are wooded.
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Sidewalks and Streets
The street pattern is grid with sidewalks for walking.
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2005 Livability Study
93.8% of Sunnyside residents rated their neighborhood "good" or "very
good."
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2Drive
Time to Downtown 10-11 minutes.
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Public Transportation
five bus routes run through the neighborhood. see schedule and
routes at the
TriMet Web
site.
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3Demographics
Population: 7,155. Area: 383 acres. Population
density: 18 persons per acre. Households: 3,487. Home
owners: 35%. Renters: 65%. Diversity: 12.1% non-Caucasian.
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4Crime
Stats for 2009 28 violent crimes. Total crimes
per 1,000 people was 51. For the latest crime statistics for the Sunnyside
neighborhood, click
here.
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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. Sunnyside zip code(s): 97214, 97215.
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5Shopping
and Services Number of supermarkets: 2. Number of health
club: 1. number of coffee shops: 6. Sunnyside has two commercial
areas - one on the north side called Belmont and the other on the south
side called Hawthorne. The main business activity takes place
from the hub at SE 39th Avenue and SE Hawthorne. You will find
a Fred Meyer supermarket, bookstore, deli, boutiques, a movie theatre,
and a few restaurants. In other words, just about everything you
would need can be purchased in the neighborhood. New Seasons Market
is opening a store at 41st and Hawthorne in late 2009. They are taking
over the Daily Grind store space which closed in 2008. Click
here to access a shopping guide/map of Hawthorne and click
here for a shopping guide/map of Belmont.
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Eating Out The Hawthorne
area has some well-established eating spots along with coffee and pizza
places. Three Doors Down at 1429 SE 37th Avenue and Bread and
Ink at 3610 SE Hawthorne. Close by is Cup & Saucer and Chez Machin
(the main attraction is the crępes). Bridgeport Brewing at 3632
SE Hawthorne is the place for a cold one and a good burger. Also
in the neighborhood are pizza shops, BBQ, and a fish sandwich eatery.
See Willamette Week
for reviews of these restaurants. The Belmont area has been adding new
businesses in the last few years and now has 3-4 eating places.
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Public Library The
neighborhood's
Belmont
Library is located at 1038 S.E. 39th Avenue - between SE Yamhill
and SE Taylor.
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Who lives in Sunnyside
Singles as 42 percent of the residents live in a one person household.
Only 7.4% of the households have children. Close to two-thirds
of the residents are under 39 years of age.
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Cars in the Neighborhood Pickups,
SUVs, Chevys, Fords, and a few Hondas/Toyotas/Nissans. Luxury
autos are rare.
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6Biking
Quality High.
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Belmont area has been adding new
businesses in the last few years and now has 3-4 eating places.
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Public Schools Elementary
school: Sunnyside K-8
and Glencoe.
Middle school: Sunnyside
K-8. High school:
Cleveland
High School and
Franklin
High School.
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7School
Report Card Grades Elementary schools: O. Middle school: O.
High school: O/S. Click
here for report card details.
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Private Schools
Belmont Academy
is a private, non-affiliated school offering preschool and elementary
school education.
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1Real Estate Values Data
on real estate values provided by RMLStm.
Distressed properties include short sales and bank-owned properties for
the period July 2009 through December 2009.
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.
4Crime Statistics
Numbers on crime represent total crimes for 2009 and were obtained from
Portland Police Bureau. Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape,
robbery, and aggravated assault. Crimes per 1,000 are based on reported
incidents of murder, rape, larceny, aggravated assault, arson, burglary,
robbery, and motor vehicle theft.
5Shopping and Services
Numbers were determined from local directory listings and county/municipal
library systems.
6Biking Quality Rating
based on the 2007 Cycle Zone Analysis conducted by the City of Portland
Office of Transportation. The six-tier ratings have been reduced to three
levels: High, Fair, and Low.
7School Report Card Grades
"O" = Outstanding; "S" = Satisfactory; "I" = In Need of Improvement.
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