Monday, January 21, 2008

Random Photo of the Day

Part of the "new" Portland. This was taken near the foot of the Portland Aerial Tram, which takes patients and employees up Marquam Hill to the Oregon Health Sciences University from the new OHSU facility and a ton of new condo development along the South Waterfront area, formerly an industrial wasteland. The streetcar conveniently connects this development with the other great Portland yuppie enclave, the Pearl District. The Pearl, which continues to grow out of what was a thriving industrial neighborhood in NW Portland (also along the Willamette River), is packed with entertainment and shopping opportunities. Trendy restaurants, expensive specialty grocery stores, the ever-critical equipment supply stores like REI (what yuppie can survive without lots of togs and tools for the latest activity?) abound in the Pearl, but South Waterfront is still a wasteland. Those tall, totally-inappropriate condo towers sit surrounded by . . . tall, totally-inappropriate condo towers. I did spot one restaurant, and the OHSU facility has the essential fitness center. Other than that? Pretty grim, and the west-facing condos have a charming view of I-5 rather than a spectacular view of Mt. Hood.

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