[Sekkle]

The Irvington neighborhood is located in Northeast Portland between 7th and 26th Avenues west to east and between Broadway and Fremont south to north. The neighborhood is almost entirely residential, with houses (some of them huge) dating from the late 1800’s through the 1920’s. There are also several apartment buildings and complexes in the southern blocks of the ‘hood and some more suburban-looking housing in the northern portion. Irving Park is a couple blocks long by a couple blocks wide, and is located in the northwest corner of Irvington.

As in the last neighborhood tour thread, I went strictly by city of Portland neighborhood association maps, so in this case, I have photos of the north side of Broadway, although this street would probably be considered part of the Lloyd District (Irvington’s southern neighbor) by locals. Broadway has pretty much the only non-residential area in Irvington, and it’s the southern border (there is only one other small set of shops within the center of the neighborhood). With the lack of retail, especially in the northern part of the neighborhood, and all of the medium density residences concentrated in the southern blocks, there didn’t seem to be a lot of pedestrian activity, although it was nice and easy to walk around. The quiet feel is largely by design since, when Irvington was set up in the late 1800s, it was zoned as an “exclusive” neighborhood – nothing but residential was allowed, homes had to be a generous setback from the street and had a minimum cost, etc.

I took these photos on a few days earlier this month, and it was cloudy and/or rainy each time I went there… my camera’s not the greatest, and the place probably would have looked better if there was some sun or blue sky… or leaves on the trees. Anyway, here you go…

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8743/img2964styl4sk9.jpg

Starting at the south with Broadway
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/4596/img2937shrh0.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7384/img2940sheg9.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7523/img3052shdo7.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2969/img3063shkf0.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8602/img3065shkb2.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/9324/img3053shrp9.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8269/img3066shay2.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/7332/img3067shkm1.jpg

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/162/img2945shym2.jpg

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4766/img2960shcx8.jpg

Possibly the only Hummer in the city of Portland…
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3909/img3049shoq6.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/8126/img3034shyy6.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6477/img3072shdf9.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6765/img3044shzl8.jpg

Residential blocks north of B’way
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/128/img3060shxe0.jpg

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/686/img2870shkh6.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2946/img2867shqz6.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/8919/img2967shzn1.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7288/img2952shgy4.jpg

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/4476/img2948shhb6.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/1156/img2873shgo9.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3148/img2871shdm4.jpg

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/3271/img2898shoj4.jpg

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4675/img2899shhv8.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3555/img2887shho2.jpg

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/9201/img2874shhd7.jpg

There are several complexes like this at the southeast corner of the neighborhood… I thought it was probably only necessary to take a photo of one!
http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4324/img2936shjz6.jpg

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9733/img2933shlj2.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6696/img2934shnp6.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9271/img2929shem1.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7725/img2920shgq3.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7017/img2976sheg4.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/6717/img2914shjh6.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3016/img2918shnd5.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4606/img2980shst8.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/7197/img3014shjc2.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3255/img3016shrc9.jpg

An old house… now a bed & breakfast I believe
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1761/img3009shzg4.jpg

More apartments
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/8331/img3008shgo2.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5508/img2969shtp4.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3794/img2970shpz8.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2678/img2971shcq5.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3513/img2973shms2.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/3903/img2866shjq8.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6718/img2891shxq8.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/6359/img2889shwy1.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2341/img2888sheq0.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/2340/img2885shyv8.jpg

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/7253/img2879shcq6.jpg

http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3724/img2883shfd6.jpg

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9517/img2893shvg7.jpg

http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8258/img2876shph0.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9996/img2882shli3.jpg

http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/8080/img2877shqp9.jpg

Some newer stuff
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/5497/img2903shfl8.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/25/img2901shtp1.jpg

I think this is a b&b too
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8067/img2950shmt6.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6669/img2935shmt6.jpg

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/2433/img2907shrx3.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/8145/img2904shhc1.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8132/img2910shwc6.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/1416/img2911sham2.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9831/img3001shfq9.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/4248/img3002shap2.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6157/img3005shlv0.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/7020/img3006shej7.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5839/img3018shkd9.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/4686/img2875shpr4.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/7818/img2884shkg7.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/574/img2892shtu7.jpg

Irving Park at the far northwest corner of Irvington
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/1324/img2992shcg4.jpg

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6606/img2994shhh0.jpg

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8058/img2986shrz1.jpg

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3382/img2988shso3.jpg

That’s it!

[PacificNW]

Nice! Tks! :banaride: :banaride:

[OhioGuy]

Good lookin neighborhood.

[hymalaia]

nothing but residential was allowed, homes had to be a generous setback from the street and had a minimum cost, etc.

This hurts Irvington a bit imo. The houses, although very nice, are too far apart. It lacks the cozy tight feeling of other Portland neighborhoods like Ladd's Addition. Very suburban feeling for being so close to downtown. Even some Portland suburbs have a lot more density than this. That said, it is quiet. On certain streets you can hear a pin drop. This neighborhood gets very little through traffic, even the distant hum of traffic can be suspiciously absent. So that, combined with big historic houses and it's easy to see this places appeal. The apartments closer to Broadway sure can be ugly though! But some are nice and they add density so I suppose it's a fair trade off...

[WilliamTheArtist]

Looks like a nice area. Its nice to have those quiet neighborhoods near a downtown, but its also nice if those areas have a bit more of a shopping/dining strip that is close by to walk to. Hard to tell in the pics what the balance is, but looks nice.

[Sekkle]

This hurts Irvington a bit imo. The houses, although very nice, are too far apart. It lacks the cozy tight feeling of other Portland neighborhoods like Ladd's Addition. Very suburban feeling for being so close to downtown. Even some Portland suburbs have a lot more density than this. That said, it is quiet. On certain streets you can hear a pin drop. This neighborhood gets very little through traffic, even the distant hum of traffic can be suspiciously absent. So that, combined with big historic houses and it's easy to see this places appeal. The apartments closer to Broadway sure can be ugly though! But some are nice and they add density so I suppose it's a fair trade off...
I agree. I didn't know what to expect when I went up to Irvington for the first time (I have only lived in Portland for ~5 months now). It was quieter than I expected given its proximity to downtown, and in comparison it to neighborhoods I've visited in southeast that are relatively the same distance from the city center. I felt almost out of place walking around the interior of the neighborhood. That said, it does feel somewhat "historic" (not in an east coast way, but in a Portland way), and reading the history of the way it was laid out, I think the original planners accomplished their objectives pretty well.

Looks like a nice area. Its nice to have those quiet neighborhoods near a downtown, but its also nice if those areas have a bit more of a shopping/dining strip that is close by to walk to. Hard to tell in the pics what the balance is, but looks nice.
The balance is only there in the three (or so) blocks nearest to Broadway. That's where the multifamily, higher density stuff is concentrated. The rest, as hymalaia points out, seems almost suburban, although there aren't any cul-de-sacs, cookie-cutter developments or strip malls.

Just realized that I forgot to post a map showing this neighborhood in relation to downtown Portland... Downtown is on the left, outlined in red.
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9545/irv3xr5.jpg

[Okstate]

Keep up the good work! I swear PDX must be America's Subaru capital.

[ArchMadness]

Some killer trees. Looks like a good biking area. Is it up hill or down hill to downtown?

[pdxman]

Nice pics forateoh...what neighborhood is next?

[Sekkle]

Some killer trees. Looks like a good biking area. Is it up hill or down hill to downtown?
I guess downhill... it's kind of tough to tell since it is across the river, but Downtown is probably closer to the elevation of the river than Irrvington is.

Nice pics forateoh...what neighborhood is next?
I don't know exactly. I'm thinking Goose Hollow just to get a more urban neighborhood to contrast with this one, but haven't decided for sure.

[horatioalfonzo]

For a year I lived two blocks away from Irving park, but in the King neighborhood. Biked through Irvington almost every day on my way to work on Broadway. Its a cool neighborhood. Very peaceful and very family oriented in the Portland/West Coasty way. It might be a bit dull itself but there is pleanty to do on Broadway, Fremont and such. I would love to own a cute little bungalow in Irvington or Alameda, which is the next neighborhood over.

[denveraztec]

Nice tour of some great homes, thank you!

[SuburbanNation]

looking at the housing and commercial districts, portland occasionally reminds me of a kansas city with a syringe labeled "balls out chicago juice" half injected in its hand.

[Chelsea Spy]

Looks like a very pleasant suburb... could do with more pedestrians, but some beautiful Victorian houses.

[Okstate]

It is not a suburb. This is a Portland Neighborhood Tour. This particular neighborhod, as noted by others, is popular for its quietness....so it doesn't need more pedestrians. There are plenty of pedestrian oriented neighborhoods in PDX. If Goose Hollow is next, perhaps we will see some of that.

[Cambridgite]

Nice pics! :tup:

I always love a Portland thread. Even the public housing complexes looked good!

[midwestcityfan]

Looks like a very walkable, urban-minded neighborhood. Great photos!

[MarkDaMan]

might look like a quiet neighborhood but I SWEAR, every time I drive through the neighborhood I see all the bikers from Hollywood/NE/North turning those streets into Bicycle Boulevards. Not sure if you experienced the same ForAteOh as it is the off-season, but that area is really biker territory, and I see a lot of families biking together too on weekends...

nice pic thread BTW.

[arbeiter]

I visited Portland a few weekends ago, and it impressed me in many ways. I was going to try and visit this area but didn't have enough time.

[i-215]

WOW!

Thank you so much for posting the photo tour! I was a Mormon missionary in the Irvington, Hollywood, and Cully neighborhoods back in 2004-2005, so I got to know a lot of people there - and I recognize a lot of the buildings too. Of all the places I worked in Oregon, only Sandy, Oregon was friendlier than Irvington. It was in this neighborhood I learned that I have more in common with open minded agnostics than I thought. The only difference is a belief in God. As opposed to the evangelicals I kept running into in Salem who kept reminding me I was going to hell. Uugh.

But I digress..... These photos make me want to go to PSU or something so I can live in that neighborhood again! Such a neat place. I think I can still remember the streets going north.... let's see: Burnside, Hoyt, Glisan, The Banfield, Halsey, Broadway, Knott, Fremont, Prescott, Killingsworth, and Lombard... (and without a map)!

And I still can remember this hideous thing was on the corner of 8th and Schuyler....
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4675/img2899shhv8.jpg
....but nothing compared to Dalkhe Manor across the street. Ugly ugly ugly!

Anywho ... thanks again!

[Jularc]

Looks very pleasant to live there.

[RED_PDXer]

I live center in the heart of Irvington, near Knott and 15th. A flyer was delivered to my house a couple weeks ago with this title "Irvington becoming Pearlington?". I was aghast to see evidence of such NIMBYism in what I thought was such a progressive neighborhood. The flyer smacked of anti-density, anti-development rhetoric as a result of a new six-story building near the edge of Irvington on NE Hancock and 15th near Broadway.

I love this neighborhood and I think it should be preserved, but it could use a little more vitality, especially if planned right. It's not pleasant to walk on a street where there are more cars than bikes and pedestrians. More people on the edge of Irvington near Broadway is an appropriate place for higher density. The zoning is currently in place for up to 75' and fairly dense development along Broadway. Some NIMBYs here are trying to roll it back. I hope the zoning stays in place.

As for the comments about bicycling, this is why I moved here. It's a wonderful place to bike around throughout the year. I hardly ever pass Knott Street without seeing another bicyclist riding along it. It's also very easy to take transit into downtown and walk to work in the Lloyd district. I actually get by quite well here without owning a car.

The only downer here is that commercial services are all located on the edge of the neighborhood as opposed to the center of it. There's Broadway, Fremont and MLK (if you wanna walk a few extra blocks). It almost feels like there's no heart to the neighborhood. Despite this, it's still a wonderful place to stroll through and quite walkable since the street grid goes through the entire neighborhood, with the exception of Irving Park.

[Thundertubs]

These Portland neighborhood tours are excellent. I need to get my butt out to the PNW sometime. These streets look so pleasant and liveable.
Keep it up.