Guide to Piedmont Neighborhood in Portland Oregon

Guide to Piedmont Neighborhood

Location

Piedmont is located on the East side of the Willamette River, located in N and NE Portland. Piedmont’s boundaries are Interstate 5, Northeast Columbia Boulevard, Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and North Ainsworth Street. According to information from the 2000 census, the general boundaries of Piedmont contained 616 acres, 2518 residences, and 6,427 residents.

Piedmont is the ideal urban village boasting easy access to other popular Portland neighborhoods such as Humboldt, Alberta, Arbor Lodge, Boise, Eliot and Kenton to name a few. Piedmont neighbors the Interstate Max light rail train allowing for a convenient commuting and general “getting around”-- the Max is a quick trip to downtown Portland at ~20 minutes. Downtown by car is less than 5 minutes. Major freeway ramps located near Piedmont are off of I-5.

Description

The Piedmont neighborhood is growing by leaps and bounds. The prolific growth is marked by an influx of new residents and homeowners over the last decade. Area improvements include the Interstate Max line introduced in 2004, and two new grocery stores: New Seasons Market and Fred Meyer. We've also seen the hustle and bustle of dozens of new shops and smaller developments popping up around the area, too. This area is definitely booming.

Like many of the surrounding neighborhoods, Piedmont has endured its fair share of ups and downs over the years. Though many of the area homes fell into disrepair, you will notice a huge effort on behalf of the community to bring it back to it’s original glory. If you blink, you’ll miss a new coat of paint, creative landscaping, a newly shingled roof, new windows…Area residents pride themselves on rebuilding both the homes and the community.

If you are seeking turn of the century homes dripping with attention-to-detail, excellent craftsmanship and you enjoy the euro-urbanite lifestyle of bicycling, walking and neighborhood owned coffee and grocery shops, this area is a perfect fit for you.

Homes

The neighborhood consists of mostly older style homes, with a few turn of the century apartment buildings here and there. Homes run the gamut of 20th century architecture, from classic Bungalow, to Old Portland, to Cape Cod, Four Square and more. Piedmont was developed in 1895 as an upper middle class suburb (not considered a suburb today) which was quickly dubbed as "The Emerald, Portland's evergreen suburb". Piedmont means "foot of the mountain". A drive through the streets reveals many striking homes with vibrant color schemes and innovative landscaping. The area prides itself on the old growth trees which are found on nearly every street.

As you might imagine, Piedmont’s real estate values have launched from “fixer-upper starter home” to “established”. Piedmont has seen the highest appreciation and overall growth of all of the surrounding urban Portland areas. By some accounts, the homes have appreciated 80% or more in the last five years. Area studies show that most homes sell in the $250,000-$300,000 range though some homes are sold at considerably higher prices. It is possible to find that ever so rare low-priced gem, so don't let those prices scare you off.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home in Piedmont, check the Real Estate Page for more information. You can search all home listings at RMLS.

Entertainment

Area locals spend a great deal of time down in the Historic Mississippi area, otherwise known as Boise-Eliot. Make sure to spend some time on the Boise-Eliot page and get to know shopping, dining and bar options in that area. If you move over to Piedmont, we'll be seeing a lot of you!

Area locals also enjoy Peninsula Park & Rose Garden, one of the oldest rose parks in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy tennis, soccer, swimming, walking, smelling the roses and more. This park helped to earn Portland the title of “City of Roses”.

Piedmont Information

Piedmont Neighborhood Map

Piedmont Statistics

Historic Preservation League of Oregon

Portland Public School Boundaries

Piedmont Neighborhood Association, PNA

Portland Public School Boundaries

Elementary school: Peninsula Elementary School
Middle school: Portsmouth Middle School
High school: Roosevelt High School

Portland International Airport

Portland Police Bureau

Portland Off-Leash Dog Parks

Tri Met - Interactive Maps and Schedules for Bus, Max and Streetcar

Hot Eats

You’ll enjoy some of the tastiest organic viddles ever at the Albina Green Cafe. This teeny little café offers down-home, well prepared vittles that won’t break the bank. Located at 5128 N. Albina Ave.

We are a big fan of the eateries in our neighboring Boise-Eilot- a few favorites are Lovely Hula Hands, Por Que No!, Lorenzo's and Mississippi Station.

The cafe at New Seasons is a quick walk for a wonderful salad bar, concoct-your-own deli sandwiches and more.

Going Out

While Mississippi Ave seems to the most popular destination, there are some other bars that locals really enjoy, too:

The Night Hawk located on Portland Blvd and Interstate. 4 pool tables and a decent sized bar area (plus the famous video lottery wall)...

The Kenton Pub is a quick drive over to the Kenton Neighborhood. Pretty good bar food and a free pool table....

The Urge (formerly known as Porky's) is located right off Lombard and Albina...

Downtown...With easy access to downtown (about 5 minutes by car), there is no real shortage of options for going out and having a great time.

Grocery & Market

New Seasons Market: If you live in Piedmont or know someone who lives in Piedmont, you know that everyone is still celebrating the arrival of their very own New Seasons. The new market is just outside of Piedmont proper in Arbor Lodge, but is frequently by seemingly everyone in the surrounding neighborhoods. New Seasons is located at 6400 N Interstate Ave.

Big City Produce: Big City is often applauded for their wide selection of fresh and not so commonly found produce such as fresh cactus, daikon radishes, and collard greens. Locals brag that Big City offers the best produce at the best price. You surely won’t mind the small market homey feel either. This market is located just a few blocks outside of Piedmont, in Humboldt neighborhood at 5128 North Albina Ave.

Fred Meyer was leveled and rebuilt into a glorious mega-store (two levels with an escalator and a Starbucks to boot!) opening in the latter of 2004. The locals are overjoyed to have a spacious shopping center with ample parking. Located at 7404 North Interstate.

Coffee

The North Star Coffee House is one of the areas quaintest and most lovingly run coffee destinations in the area. A turn of the century Bungalow converted into a warm and welcoming local hangout, the North Star serves Stumptown Coffee and some of the best pastries around. The North Star is dedicated to supporting locally owned businesses and artists, so be sure to check out the many locally crafted gifts including jewelry, cards and soaps. Why we love it: Charming décor, fireplace and wrap around deck. Free wi-fi and being on the max line just makes it better…At 7540 N Interstate Ave.

Focus on…

Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus located on Killingsworth and Albina. The ever-expanding Cascade is redefining the look and feel of Killingsworth Street. The new developments are tastefully done and when complete, are sure to bring in a larger crowd of students. Homes in the immediate area are being remodeled to suit and Killingsworth has embraced a host of locally owned businesses that are looking to service students and faculty alike.

Piedmont Vibe...

Dynamic. Community conscious. A good mix of young families, singles, and local old-timers create a nest of pride and regeneration. Neighbors bond and look out for one another. Block parties, dog walkers, joggers, bicyclists and babes in strollers are Piedmont staples.

Piedmont - More Information

If you would like to share your experiences of living or working in the Piedmont area, please contact us .