Great East Japan Earthquake: March 11, 2011.

Today is the sixth year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake that unleashed an extreme amount of energy resulting in a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami event that some have recorded to be 40 metres high. Tens of thousands of lives lost, many of whom their bodies will never be recovered. Although I have a great interest in earth science, I am not an expert in the field, and there are certainly many sources that you might be able to find on the Internet.

My interest lies in the urban planning aspect of the disaster and also the human story told from the tragedy. I was (and still am) so interested in the disaster that in November 2015 I decided to dedicate a few days on my solo trip to Japan to visit the Tohoku Region and see for myself what the recover and reconstruction efforts were like at the time. Mind you that when I visited there, it was 4.5 years after the earthquake. The accounts and photos below are only a snapshot of time, which was November 29, 2015. The places I visited included:

1. Matsushima 松島町
2. Kesennuma 気仙沼市
3. Rikuzentakata 陸前高田市

Matsushima 松島町:
This town is an urban extension of Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku Region. Matsushima is located on a bay and consist of many small islands and islets. It is said that Matsushima Bay is the one of three most scenic places of all of Japan. The bay itself is protected by much larger islands, which form a protective cove. When the tsunami hit in 2011, this area saw relatively little damage. But of course, it is relative. When you visit the tourist information centre located at the waterfront there are photos of the aftermath of the tsunami. There is even a sign posted of the maximum height of the tsunami. As the photo suggest, I would have drowned. I think my facial expression tells you how I was feeling at the time

Kesennuma 気仙沼市:

This town is located about two hours on the Shinkansen and local train from Sendai. This town is closer to the epicentre than Matsushima and sustained more damage, especially along its coastline. Prior to the earthquake this region was considered the backwaters of the prosperous Kanto and Kansai Regions of Japan. After the earthquake this is even more the case. In order to draw more tourists from around the country and the world, and to liven the spirits of local children affected by the disaster, JR (Japan Rail) teamed up to create a special car known as "Pokemon with You". Yes you heard it right, the Pokemon Train. I think the photos says it all. It is a dream of all Pokemon lovers out there. I only heard about this from a YouTube video [Link] and its draw certainly enticed me to come to this area. More information on the train can be found in the official website [Link].

Kesennuma luckily is mostly on higher ground so the majority of the town was not destroyed. However, the industrial area and ports were washed away. This town, like all the others, depend on the fishing industry. Without a port means the industry is pretty much crippled. After taking the Pokemon Train, I took the BRT from the train station. As the disaster destroyed key transportation routes along the coast, infrastructure are sometimes rebuilt in different locations. In other instances, the damage is so severe, but the ridership is so low, that investing in the rail line's reconstruction would be too expensive. A BRT is more simple as the right of way is already available and the infrastructure cost is lower. Add some asphalt and build a few bus stops, and you pretty much have a BRT network. However, it still uses some of the highways in order to get to my destination, Rikuzentakata.

Rikuzentakata 陸前高田市:

So this is the town that was commonly known to have been "wiped off the map". There are a few of these towns and this is one of the more well known ones because of the extent of damage. Although one might think to just abandon the town and build at higher ground, in the true spirit of the people (or stubbornness, depending on how you see it), the national government decided to rebuild the town on the same land, except this time the elevation is increased by building these massive 30-40 feet high plots of land. The new town will sit on these new elevated land. At the time of the visit in November 2015, they had just completed this phase of the reconstruction and they began dismantling these massive conveyor belts that stretches for miles from the hillsides to the west. To find fill, they obliterated several hills and use the conveyor belts to transport soil and fill 24 hours a day, rather than use hundreds of dump trucks. This was efficient and quick. This whole area was a huge construction site.

From the BRT stop you walk towards the coastline and come across a few arrows. One points to the Lone Miracle Pine, so named because what stood in the area were tens of thousands of pine trees planted hundreds of years ago to protect the town from typhoons. Every single tree was washed away except this one. Sadly months after the tsunami, it too died due to salination of the soil. What you see today is a replica of the tree. This is a monument to the sadness and despair of the area.  When you visit the area there is a feeling of dread and incredible sadness. You feel alone with no one around,  but you also feel a lot of presence due to the stories of lives lost. The tall building to the left in the photo below was a dam to protect the port. Three lives were lost there as the volunteers frantically closed the flood gates, not knowing the tsunami was as tall as the building itself. 

There are clearly other signs of the disaster all over what is left of the town. Concrete shells of buildings are what remained. Some of these will be preserved either as a museum, others will be repurposed. But the question is, who wants to live here again and relive the moments? After the two hour tour I quickly took the BRT back to civilization. I didn't want to be in this area after dark for sure. 

As mentioned, the photos are only a snapshot in time and I am sure things are completely different from 1.5 years ago. Therefore I would like to extend the invitation to anyone who wants to visit these stricken parts of Japan, and to witness how disasters can impact human settlement, and also to see how the living are coping and rebuilding their lives. These areas are not as glamorous as Tokyo or Kyoto, but from an urban planning perspective and the issue of resilient cities, it is interesting how today's decisions will impact lives hundreds of years from now.

The Portland Files: Square City Blocks

Portland has been known to be a very walkable city due to various reasons such as a mix of land uses, the number of public spaces scattered in the city, the interesting topography such as the Willamette River, and a strong commercial base in many of the communities. All of these reasons are vital to the success of the city, but it is Portland's street network that cements its success. Every trip by virtue begins and ends with walking. Whether the majority of the commute is by car or transit, walking is involved to get yourself away from the origin (i.e. house or school) and to the destination (barber shop or office). And when you plop yourself in the middle of Portland's City Center, or the Pearl District, you will quickly find how walkable and enjoyable it actually is.

One of the distinctions that Portland generally has is a very fine grained series of streets, and the streets themselves create perfectly sized square city blocks. Now this might not come to be a surprise and Portland is certainly not the only city with such consistent square city block pattern. New York City, Salt Lake City, and even Toronto and Hamilton has a series of grid block pattern, but in Portland these perfectly square city blocks cover a large area of the city. A simple search of Portland Oregon will reveal a city of what I am talking about (see below). The map below shows how consistent the blocks are, and other than the Interstate highway, the Willamette River, and various open spaces, the pattern is pretty much intact as it was created when the city was founded. Other than the South and North Park Blocks and land around rough terrain, each city block measures 200 feet by 200 feet which is smaller than New York City’s grid, and represents one of the smallest and fine grained city blocks in the US. Carson City's grid blocks are even smaller at 180 feet by 180 feet [Link].

When walking on the streets, one does not immediately capture the importance of having such fine grained city blocks until you have to walk an extra distance to get to your destination because there was not a shorter, more direct route. The ability to go from origin to destination in the shortest route is possible when the street connectivity is high. And with each block no more than 200 feet in length, Portland represents one of the most connected cities you can find. But how did Portland's famed grid streets come to be?

History:
Portland was founded in 1845 and was incorporated as a city in 1851 where the population was 800 [Link] where it eventually grew quickly due to the forest industry and its importance of the city due to its location on the Columbia River. By 1879 it had a population of 17,500 inhabitants. The street grid you see today was planned in 1845 by Thomas Brown [Link] for a 16 block stretch of land on both sides of the Willamette River (a major tributary of the Columbia River). As the city grew, the city blocks continued to expand in the same 200 feet by 200 feet configuration. Due to the configuration of the Willamette River, the grid pattern shifted so the east-west streets more or less remain in perpendicular with the river. This signifies the importance of the Willamette River in the development of the city. 

As the city continued to grow eastward the street network basically stayed the same. It was only when city growth hit the West Hills in the west end of the city was it impossible to impose the grid pattern, and development grew in favour of a more organic network of streets. The illustration below is from The Greater Portland Plan by Edward H. Bennett which was a master plan document released in October 1912, and shows what Portland would have been like in 1881. This would have been taken from the West Hills looking down to Portland in the foreground, the Willamette River in the middle, and the Industrial Eastside in the background with the Cascade Ranges in the far background.

There are theories as to why the street network was designed the way they did. One theory is the blocks maximize the use of land. Remember in those days, you did not have massive 30-storey commercial buildings that can take up a large building footprint. Rather, you would have smaller buildings to meet the needs of a small but growing city. The second theory is the opportunity to maximize the number of corner lots, which would afford a higher land value due to the presence of two streets fronting on a lot. That also affords higher revenues generated by commercial establishments due to twice the number of pedestrians as opposed to a corner lot.

Legacy:
The foresight into the developing the city through the expansion of the original 16 blocks of perfectly laid squares has left a legacy as a city that embraces walkability. The city center is a compact community of medium and high density commercial and residential development. Due to the small size of the city blocks, development is restricted to just the block itself, limiting the size of these buildings and the ability to create intense development and still provide parking on-site. This makes the city center less claustrophobic and more inviting, and building heights that are not excessive. The only exception to this is the US Bancorp Tower, the second tallest building in the city, where it takes up the equivalent of two city blocks, but luckily this is a one-off situation and is not the norm. 

The grid street pattern throughout the city also allows for efficient laying of public transit routes such as TriMet's MAX LRT trains, dozens of bus routes, and the Portland Streetcar. Because most of the these streets are one-way streets, the transit routes fan out and spread out to provide further transit coverage throughout the city. In fact, if it wasn't for the existing street network, it might be difficult to spread transit the way it does today, and transit vehicles would either have to run through opposing traffic, force one-way streets to become two-way streets, or to separate the transit routes so far apart it becomes infeasible as transit routes would have to run several blocks from each other.

The next time you visit Portland, have a look at the street pattern, and you will see how the grid pattern has contributed to such a vibrant city center and makes the city such a walkable city. 

The Portland Files: Such thing as good Commercial Parking Facilities?

Portland has generally been known as a city implementing progressive urban planning principles such as urban growth boundaries (as mandated by the State), an extensive public transit system (Tri-Met) and a set of cycling infrastructure that compares with many European cities. But remember, Portland is an American city, and so the car still reign supreme. And so we introduce the structured commercial parking facility. This sterilizing of land use is nothing new on this part of the planet, but to see many of these buildings in downtown Portland seems like a slap in the face of growth management policies and the discouragement of using other forms of public transit. But remember, cars are still a vital form of transportation to many. 


The structured commercial parking facility (as opposed to its underground cousin), can be an eyesore if poorly designed and without relation to the street. It can sterilize the street through blank walls and hidden corners making the street unsafe and boring to walk past. A commercial parking facility near my workplace in a municipality west of Toronto is a classic example of what not to do. As shown in the Google Streetview below, the parking garage is a grey, dull, precast concrete structure with cars fully exposed on the ground floor. The little bits of landscaping does little to soften the harsh and polluted image of the structure. The street itself already lacks energy due to the absence of any kind of at-grade pedestrian oriented land use. To top if off, the pedestrian bridge allows users to bypass the street completely, further alienating the street. 

Downtown Portland isn't any better because there are almost a dozen multi-storied structured commercial parking facilities, and that number does not include those attached to an office building or other commercial/residential use. Each of these facilities can take up one city block (200 feet by 200 feet) and are generally 8-10 storeys in height. One in particular is 16 stories in height. Several of these are city-owned lots while the rest are privately owned. With the ability to park several hundred vehicles at a time, these massive buildings are a vital source of off-street parking in downtown Portland. 

So how does Portland treat these commercial parking facilities? One has to look at their Zoning Code where it goes into some detail. Without going too much detail on how the Zoning Code is structured and the different types of parking (i.e. Growth vs Preservation vs Visitor vs Residential/Hotel) the Central City District Plan contains regulations on parking and access. Within the Downtown and University Subdistrict, 50% or more of the street-facing facade must be developed for Retail Sales and Service or Office uses which can be developed at the time of construction or designed for later conversion. The remainder of the street facade would be used for the entrance to the parking garage or for stair entrances. The online source to the Zoning Code and the Central City District Plan can be found starting on page 69 [Link]. In addition to land use, there are also various landscaping requirements to provide further softening of the facility (if required).

The result is a structured parking garage that has more of a defined street presence on the street instead of having a series of blank walls or cars visible from inside the facility. It also allows the parking garage operators additional revenue from leasing commercial space at grade. From a pedestrian perspective the streetscape is far more inviting and less harsh. There are more interesting things to peruse other than a blank wall and feels safer. The photos below show a relation between the pedestrian and the parking facility itself. 

The first photo is an existing commercial parking facility located at SW Alder and SW 6th. Taking up half a block, it is a 12-storey parking facility where the bottom two floors are devoted to retail uses (i.e. candy shop, stationary and office supply shop, clothing store) and are wrapped on all three sides of the building facade. The entrances to the retail stores are on SW 6th which is one of the main commercial streets in downtown Portland. SW 6th is also one of two transit mall locations so the number of pedestrians and transit users is much greater than the average commercial street. The differing uses of building materials show the attention to detail the builder proposed on the first two floors. The top floors, even though is devoted to parking of cars, also has upgraded building materials and design such as an elevator atrium facing SW 6th, and the use of light coloured brick instead of pre-cast concrete. If you look carefully, there is even decorative trim on the top of the building to have some consistency in design with adjoining buildings. This parking facility represents one of the finest examples of what a developer can do to create attractive parking structures. 

The second example below is another parking garage located at SW 5th and SW Salmon and only takes up half of a block. This six-storey parking garage (plus rooftop parking) is also located on the Transit Mall as well, and includes commercial uses at grade. In this case it is a restaurant and a retail store. The entrance to the parking garage is located on SW Salmon. The building at first glance looks less refined than the example above, but stepping away from the building you can make out the finer details of the building such as a set of metal fire stairs on the side of the building, and decorative trim on the roofline. From the street however, you can see a few of the parked cars. It would have been better if the openings were not so large in order to shield the cars from the street. 

The third and final example below shows an existing parking garage where the building facade is comprised of exposed metal beams and colourful tiled panels creating a unique pattern throughout. The design of the facility is so you cannot see the cars from the street. The corner of the building shrouds the parking facility with patterned walls.The ground floor contains numerous retail spaces but at the time of the visit many of these units were vacant. There was a coffee shop closest to one of parking garage entrance, and a retail store on the other parking garage entrance. The eight-storey building (plus rooftop parking) again takes up half a block only.  

Although all of these examples have commercial uses at grade, the design at the ground level is important as well. As the first example shows, exceptional facade design will "show" much better than one that has little thought put on the ground floor, which then attracts better tenants. As the third example show however, there needs to be some investment and attention to the design of the ground floor facade. Simply proposing commercial units at grade does little to maintain the pedestrian vitality of the street. There also needs to be cohesiveness and continuity with surrounding commercial uses. The third example above shows the ground floor appears dated and old.

There are many more examples in the city that showcases how parking facilities such as these can maintain and continue a positive pedestrian experience along a commercial street. And by no means is Portland the only city that does this, as I am pretty sure your own city have examples of parking facilities that have commercial uses at grade. Even in Toronto where I am from, there are a few examples of parking facilities that have commercial uses at grade. But in a place like in Portland where its downtown is so compact and vibrant, requirement of commercial uses at grade not only makes sense, but probably contributed to the success of its commercial streets and its pedestrian experience. 

The Portland Files: The West Hills exposed!

One of Portland's best kept secrets are the hundreds of acres of green space and hillsides that borders the western parts of the city center. Aptly named the West Hills, it is home to both humans and nature alike. Some of the most expensive real estate in the city are located along the steep slopes of the West Hills, and both flora and fauna live in between the spacious single detached dwellings that dot the landscape. The West Hills are also the location of some of the best hiking trails and tourist attractions alike such as the Pittock Mansion and the Oregon Zoo. In Part 2  of the series I take you to what I think is some of the best park land located in the middle of the city. 

Context
The West Hills (also called Tualatin Mountains) is a series of hills that is considered to be a spur of the North Oregon Coast Range [Link]. Stretching along the western part of the City of Portland, it is a unique geologic landmark within the Willamette River Valley and has determined the location of the Columbia River (located to its east of the West Hills) due to its change in topography. The West Hills generally does not contain many high elevations where the highest elevation is 390 metres. This is especially the case if you consider the broader Coast Range where elevations of some of the highest peaks can be in the thousands of metres in height.

The West Hills over time have shaped the way Portland was built. Even today there are few transportation options to go from Portland to Beaverton, a separate municipality west of the city centre. With the US Route 26 (Sunset Highway) providing the main vehicular transportation link with the west end of the urban area and the MAX (the city's LRT network), there are few other transportation alternatives. NE Burnside and NE Cornell Roads are the only streets that traverses the West Hills and provides direct access to the hundreds of homes in the area. Besides being a predominantly upper class residential community, the West Hills are also home to a large network of green space such as Washington Park, Linnton Park, Forest Park, Oregon Zoo, the Japanese Garden, and the International Rose Garden. Although it makes a lot of sense to treat the West Hills as open space, the legacy of such a public place is due to the efforts by the Olmstead Brothers.

Olmstead Portland Park Plan
John Charles Olmsted (his stepfather was Frederick Law Olmsted) was an instrumental figure in the early 1900s and transformed Portland into a city of many connected parks and open spaces we see today. In 1904 he presented the Olmstead Portland Park Plan to city council where the long term vision was to create a series of parks through land acquisition and long term planning to fulfill the document's vision [Link]. Although his vision has still not been fully realized more than one hundred years later, many of the document's elements are currently in place, such as Forest Park and Tryon Creek State Park located further south near Lake Oswego. The image below is the original plan as visioned to be laid out for the city [Link]. 

Source: American Society of Landscape Architects (https://www.asla.org/portland/site.aspx?id=43661)

Tour of the West Hills
Although many of Olmstead's vision was never realized (and with so much urban growth now, probably never will), the numerous parks and attractions within the West Hills is still something to be celebrated. By taking a casual hike in the West Hills as a day trip, it will become quite apparent how it has shaped how Portlanders view nature. As part of a day trip, I took the bus into the city center and then transferred into another bus (Route 15) that takes you into one of the entrances into the park located at NW Thurman and NW 29th. From there you take the series of metal stairs down to the ravine below. 

Lower MacLeay Trail
As you approach the bottom of the ravine you will be greeted by a metal truss bridge. This is the starting point of the Lower MacLeay Trail which then takes you to the broader series of trails within the West Hills. From here and for the next several hours you are treated to vegetation so lush and typical of the Pacific Northwest. Even though this trip was  held in the middle of August and the hottest time of year in Portland, the vegetation was still very green. During this time of year, Balch Creek is nothing but a little stream with very little volume due to the endless days of sun and no rain. Still, the trickling of water down this little waterfall was quite soothing.

There was also some nature amongst the leafy canopy, such as a bright green caterpillar and the nasty looking banana slug. This apparently wasn't even the largest specimen, as these slugs can grow to almost 10 inches in length.

Witches Castle
A fifteen minute easy stroll on the Lower MacLeay Trail will take you to what is called the Witches Castle. Despite the name, the stone structure appears to be a former house built by someone located in the middle of a forest. The structure is completely abandoned and other than the stone walls there is nothing else that remains. It is a reminder however that you are still within very close proximity to the city. This pitstop is also where the Wildwood Trail meets the Lower MacLeay Trail and the level of difficulty in traversing the trail rises a notch.

Wildwood TrailOne of the main trails in the entire trail system in Forest Park is Wildwood Trail, which links several large tourist attractions such as the Pittock Mansion and the Oregon Zoo. You literally can go from one end of Portland and to many destinations around the West Hills without the necessity of a car. But of course by the time you get to your destination, you are likely going to be sweaty and used up all your energy. That is because the trail takes you through a variety of slope conditions from flat to downright scary especially if you are afraid of heights. 

The trail really teaches you a lot about conservation and the protection of the city's natural areas, as I did not see any garbage during my three hour hike, nor was there the smell of weed anywhere, despite Oregon being one of the first states in the US to legalize recreational marijuana use. From an urban planner's perspective, Forest Park and the West Hills in general is an example of environmental protection against developer interest. If it wasn't for the number of parks and trails in the area, the entire West Hills could have become a haven for wealthy Portlanders. 

The Portland Files: Food Carts and Food Pods

Portland has been for the past decade an active foodie paradise, and is one of the reasons why I love this city so much. A quick whisk around downtown Portland, or in some of the commercial streets like Alberta and Mississippi will reveal a plethora of different cuisines.  If you eat a meal in Portland, chances are the ingredients come from local sources. Even Burgerville, a fast-food joint originating from Vancouver, Washington, sources most of its ingredients within 400 miles from the city it was founded. In a previous blog post about independent (non-franchise) food establishments and the growing local economy [Link], one of the keys to success in a local economy is the ability for local and tourist populations to support home grown restaurants. And in Portland this is especially the case due to the large number of bricks and mortar locations and food carts. It is the food carts that are the focus of this article. 

For starter's, a food cart is not your usual hotdog stand nor is it an illegal shack in the middle of the city whilst strangers secretly prepare radioactive food for your consumption. These are legitimate food establishments that have become tourists attractions in their own right. Both locals and tourists alike flock to food carts for a quick lunch as their typical business hours are between 11am to 4pm. Some remains open until 6pm especially in downtown where office workers adjourn to their abode for the day. 

So what exactly is a food cart? As you can see below they typically are immobile structures that are not intended to be moved around but can be in the event the carts need to be hauled away. Often times they are refurbished RV trailers such as an Airstream popular in the 1960s. Other than electricity supplied by the land owner, they typically use propane as a source of heat. These carts have an opening towards the sidewalk to interact with customers, and a menu board to the side of the cart. An awning is typical of a food cart to allow shade from the elements and the ability to close the opening when closing shop. Food carts do not serve alcohol and many (especially in downtown locations) do not offer seating. Those that do have a few seats for paying customers only. Each cart requires a license through Multnomah County, and more information can be found [Here].

A collection of food carts is called a food pod. Food pods are typically found in parking lots of existing development or on vacant land. A food pod, especially if there is sufficient land like in the suburbs, will be offered communal seating to have your meal. Downtown food pods generally have insufficient room to provide communal picnic table seats so people either eat at the many public squares or back in their office. Some food pods might also be decorated nicely to enhance the experience to differentiate from other food pods. The food pod scene is so entrenched into Portland's culture that it is featured in skits in Portlandia. There is also an app and website allowing you to look for food pods in case you are in the area and want a quick bite to eat [Link].

A food pod may serve many different types of cuisines from different countries such as Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Creole, British, and even Ethiopian. They may also serve your traditional pizzas, hot dogs, and Philly steaks. A few even serve just one type of food such as soups and salads. A food pod attracts different types of businesses so each pod will serve a unique combination of foods. The quality of food is usually as outstanding as any offered in a traditional restaurant, but a select few are so good that they become celebrities in their own right. For example whenever I go to Portland, I try to go to Nong's Khao Man Gai where their specialty is a chicken and rice dish with side order of clear soup. This particular food cart is so popular that they have been featured by numerous print and media sources [Link], and the founder has spoken at a TED talk.

From an urban planning perspective food carts can have a impact on the city from an economic development standpoint. Food carts are essentially small businesses on wheels. Food carts are generally independent businesses that are not operated by a franchise (since the business model would be so different). Because these are not bricks and mortar locations, the start up cost is much cheaper because there is no need to leasing or buy a commercial unit, there is no need for expensive renovation costs, and there is no need to hire dozens of people. It allows entrepreneurs to start a food establishment with little money.  Oftentimes, some of these food carts are so successful they create a name of their own, and they have the ability to use their brand to open an actual bricks and mortar location, such as Nong's Khao Man Gai did, located at the Industrial East Side. 

The question however, is does a food pod affect the viability of bricks and mortar restaurants within close proximity. It really depends on the type of restaurant. Because food carts are intended to be fast, cheap, and to be consumed in another location, you actually attract a narrow field of customers. In addition, food carts do not serve alcohol, and do not have entertainment such as TVs or music. Apart from suburban locations, most do not have seating available. So in summary they do not compete with your "high class" restaurants, family restaurants, sports bars, lounges and night clubs, taverns, and pubs. They do however compete with fast food joints and ethnic restaurants (since so many of these food carts serve ethnic food). 

Will a proliferation of food pods be successful in every city? No, because it depends on how well established the restaurant industry is currently (i.e. how many restaurants are in existence now), and how receptive they are by the restaurant industry. In many cases, the saturation point has been reached in many places so putting in a food pod will only cause strain to the existing industry. However, if there is confidence a small food pod will not compete with other restaurants nearby, then both can live in harmony.

As an example, Toronto (finally!!) has a food pod (Market 707 [Link]) located in Alexandra Park, at Dundas and Bathurst. This intersection is the location of Toronto Western Hospital, a local library and community space, and is located on the fringe of some of the poorest neighbourhoods in the city. There are a few restaurants nearby but is concentrated at Kensington Market and Chinatown. To the west is a larger collection of independent restaurants. This food pod exists because it has about a dozen food establishments located in old shipping containers. Unlike their Portland counterparts there are half a dozen picnic tables located on the sidewalk for customers to eat their food. This food pod has become a hotbed for foodies in the know and "hipsters" in the area who want quick and fast food prepared fresh. Tables here make it a place for families and group of friends to hang out. It has become a social space and an extension of the community centre of where it sits on. Highly successful, this space offers opportunities for small business to start up, and create a local tourist destination. 

Does it compete with other restaurants? It sure does, but because it is located along two busy transit routes, a major employer across the street, and a community centre in which thousands use it every day, the saturation point is high enough so every food establishment is happy. But really, does a Tim Horton's offer this type of snack? I think not. 

As much as Portland's food cart scene is something all cities should learn from, it isn't for everyone. But I am sure almost every city in North America has some version of it and are successful in every way.

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The Portland Files: City Center

Located on the west side of the Willamette River, Portland's city center I find is as iconic as any larger North American City. Like New York City or Chicago or Toronto, you have to appreciate the skyline from afar. If you don't have a drone, you can enjoy its scenery on the Burnside Bridge or even atop the West Hills at the Japanese Garden.

Whenever I visit Portland, one of the first places I head to is its City Center. As the heart and soul of the city, it is a place where I feel most at home. Coming from Toronto which these days are filled with monotonous glass curtain wall skyscrapers, I feel Portland's City Center as less claustrophobic and dirty, and yet more lively and full of character. Whether you sit and relax in any one of the public squares such as Director's Park, Pioneer Courthouse Square, or the Keller Fountain, you feel like you can lose yourself amongst the trees or people, depending on which public square you go to. 

And speaking of public square, a city of this size cherishes its public spaces. Also called "Portland's Living Room", the Pioneer Courthouse Square is one of the most celebrated public spaces in the city. It is the site of many events such as the farmers market and the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. 

Over the next few series I will be discussing the great things about the City Center from an urban planning perspective. Stay tuned...

The Portland Files: A New Series

It has been a while since I have posted anything since I had to digest the amazing trip I had in August 2016. As an urban planner I was treated to a city that has seemingly done things right in many aspects, from its top class public transit system, to its outstanding support for small businesses. The food scene makes you want to stay in Portland forever.

But a closer look shows the city hasn't been too honest. Gentrification in many inner city neighbourhoods have shoved households in poverty to the already-stricken east end. Housing cost is now increasing faster than many red hot markets in the US. Suburban development typical of cities without growth management policies, continue to show up in areas of the west end. 

To document all of this, I will be starting a brand new series titled "The Portland Files", a collection of thoughts about the state of urban planning in the Rose City. 

But a bit of a disclaimer. I love Portland but I do not live there. I am an observer but not an expert. I think of Portland as an utopia, but I am also a realist. So join me in this journey as I delve into the good, the bad, and the ugly of what it has to offer. 

Portland Oregon Trip August 2016 - Afterword

And so ends my big trip of the year. Unlike the past several years where I have travelled overseas to spend my vacation, I decided to return to Portland and visit a city I have much loved. I haven't been to Portland since 2012, and although there has been four years that have passed since I last step foot in this city, I didn't really expect too much change. Of course I was wrong. Very wrong. A lot of things have happened in the past several years, and not necessarily for the good. And so here is a bit of a snapshot of what I had noticed.

Housing Cost: Portland has over the past many years lagged behind other cities on the West Coast when comes to the cost of housing. A legacy of the Great Recession, many properties (including one of my friend) remained underwater for many years. Although not good for many, this might a good thing for others as housing affordability remained pretty low and many people (in theory) can still afford to rent or own as long as they had a good job. However on this trip, I noticed housing costs have increased substantially in the last few years as the US economy (as well as the local economy) has finally picked up steam to the point that is has put some pressure on housing supply and demand. Although the internal forces might not be at play as much, it is the external factors that have made housing more expensive. In fact, 11% more expensive year over year between July 2015 and July 2016 [Link]. This trend may not be news to many red hot US and Canadian housing markets, but for a place like Portland, it is huge. The external factors are people moving into the city from Seattle or California in search of new jobs and cheaper housing. A result of this is the local population increasingly unable to afford a home in their home city. Portland is a place where young people go to retire. Wealthy young people.

Homelessness: Portland in the past has seen its fair share of poverty especially in the east end of the city where disjointed communities have almost become a dumping ground for the less fortunate. Despite all that, the city continues to function and people, as poor as they may seem, are still friendly and genuine (I can vouch for this because I stayed in the poor parts of Portland during my stays). Homelessness was either never a big issue, or because they were just hidden. Sadly four years later, the issue is a big political hot potato as these squatter camps are everywhere. They are in parks, vacant lands, ravines, and even in abandoned buildings. These individuals have nowhere to go, and so they create a place for themselves. Most are civil and fairly private as long as you leave them alone, but recently in places such as the Springwater Corridor, they have become more of a nuisance as they have at times compromised the security of users of the park [Link]. Without much solution to the problem, this continues to be a hot button topic.

Division Street redevelopment: Certain communities seems to be more active than others with respect to the infill development and revitalization of communities. Case in point is SE Division Street between SE 20th and SE50th. Although this stretch of street is located in a better part of town, the street itself has always been dotted with under-utilized  commercial buildings, vacant lands, and parking lots. The potential has always been there as the SE Division is surrounded by middle to upper-middle class households. The transformation of the street has been impressive with lots of new mid-rise residential construction and a revitalization of SE Division due to the influx of new independent shops and restaurants. The first Google streetview is taken dated July 2011, and the second was taken dated August 2016. Sure its been five years between photos, but you have to remember this is part of Portland that might have seen little development at this scale ever.

With so much investment in the community, Tri-Met, the region's public transit agency, is calling on residents to assist in developing a rapid bus service. This service will run through the entire stretch of SE Division from the City Center to its terminus in Gresham [Link]. 

So in summary Portland has changed a lot in the past four years since I last visited here. Unfortunately the changes have not always been for the better. I hope one day homelessness will be a thing of the past, and housing cost will not impact those who already cannot afford a place to live. I doubt it, but I know Portland is resilient as it always has been.

Portland Oregon August 18, 2016 - Photos and Diary - Cannon Beach

One place everyone recommends going when in Portland is the Oregon Coast, or simply "the coast". In particular is Cannon Beach, about 1.5 hours from Portland. And what an amazing day it was with the sun shining and the cool Pacific breeze coming from the ocean. The sand was hot from baking in the sun, but the cold ocean waters makes up for the heat.

A very faint mist is visible on the beach as the cold air clashes with the heat of the day.

One of the main draws in Cannon Beach is Haystack Rock and the sea stacks. With the low tide you can walk to the large monolithic rock, which we were fortunate enough to do.  

When the tide is out, tidal pools forms near the rock, revealing lots of marine life like sea anemone, seaweed, and barnacles. 

After a long day frolicking in the beach, it was time to head back to shore and have an early dinner at one of the famous Driftwood Restaurant. When you are on the coast, you HAVE to have clam chowder. Rated as one of the best in Oregon, I can see why. I also had to have salmon as well. Grilled to perfection.