Elements of Urbanism: Portland

[Metro Jacksonville]

Elements of Urbanism: Portland



Many claim they want downtown Jacksonville to be vibrant. However, most have no idea of what a vibrant urban mid-sized city looks like at street level. They say a picture can speak a thousand words. So instead of spending time explaining urban vibrancy, this photo essay of downtown Portland, Oregon visually provides the answer.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jul-elements-of-urbanism-portland

[simms3]

I still have yet to visit, but it looks like a very attractive city.  I recognize most of the retailers visible in these pics and others I have seen (very strong retailers), and without having been I don't know the concentration or where in the city they are, but I do know offhand that Portland has a vibrant enough central core to be considered a 24 hour market, small but 24 hours (well nothing is 24 hours, but it gets the title by many now).

[urbaknight]

Jacksonville is an 8 hour 5 day a week, but I'll just say a 4 day a week city based on the fact that those that run services and most businesses are closed whenever they get the chance. Very pathetic. WAKE UP JACKASSVILLE!

[lewyn]

I was in Portland a couple of weeks ago for a conference.  In downtown there's just a lot more retail and residential than in Jacksonville- more types of restaurants, more food trucks, more bookstores, more housing.  There are definitely bums (and even a "skid row" district that has a concentration of social service agencies) but they don't seem any more common than in other cities.

[JaxAvondale]

Portland added "crossbikes" to some of their roads.

http://bikeportland.org/2016/08/02/say-hello-to-crossbikes-portlands-latest-bikeway-innovation-188841

[camarocane]

Portland added "crossbikes" to some of their roads.

http://bikeportland.org/2016/08/02/say-hello-to-crossbikes-portlands-latest-bikeway-innovation-188841

Man, this would be great in Avondale and Riverside! Even though cars wouldn't necessarily be forced to stop, it would at least be an indicator. Living around Boone Park we cross at Herschel and Park Street a lot after work.

[JaxAvondale]

I would love to see something like this around Boone Park, Dancy & Herschel, and Riverside Avenue around Edgewood.

[tufsu1]

^ They could become part of a local bicycle boulevard/neighborhood greenway network.  There is momentum behind developing one in the urban core neighborhoods.