Business Services
Facts & Praises - 2007
Portland’s Praises
Even more about our incredible city...
Portland's a breeze
Breathe deeply, now. You don't have to rush anymore. Really.
This city of fresh air, fresh ingredients and a refreshing way of living may be full of caffeine, steeped as it is in coffee shops, but the general demeanor is dialed way back. You'll see this as you watch the people pass by — on foot, on the streetcar or on one of the bicycles seen everywhere.
St. Louis Post Dispatch, 11/11/07
In Portland, Cultivating a Culture of Two Wheels
Cyclists have long revered Portland for its bicycle-friendly culture and infrastructure, including the network of bike lanes that the city began planning in the early 1970s. Now, riders are helping the city build a cycling economy.
A Small-Town Feel in an Urban Locale
Part of the draw is that Portland has maintained a small-town feel in an urban atmosphere. There is a vibrant restaurant and cultural scene, accessible public transportation — light rail, street cars and buses — and a population enthusiastic about the outdoors and the environment. Mount Hood is an hour east of the city and the Pacific Ocean is an hour and a half west.
Portland's Pearl District and Goose Hollow high on Best Places to Retire
CNN Money.com, 10/9/07
Golden Age of Dining and Drinking
"In the way New York drew artists in the ’50s, this city at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers seems to exert a magnetic lure on talented chefs who come from almost anywhere else and decide to stay right here. About the hardest thing to find in Portland these days is a homegrown chef."
Portland is #2 Green City
"The City of Roses' approach to urban planning and outdoor spaces has often earned it a spot on lists of the greenest places to live. Portland is the first U.S. city to enact a comprehensive plan to reduce CO2 emissions and has aggressively pushed green building initiatives. It also runs a comprehensive system of light rail, buses, and bike lanes to help keep cars off the roads, and it boasts 92,000 acres of green space and more than 74 miles of hiking, running, and biking trails."
Portland is among AARP The Magazine's Top Five Places to Live (and Retire)
"What are the top places to live in for boomers 50+ looking for a great community to retire in? AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine, today unveiled its annual list of the top five places to live in the U.S. with Atlanta, Beacon Hill in Boston, Chandler, Milwaukee and Portland nabbing the honors."
Portland is a "Fast City"
"Three decades ago, Portland became a case study on how to stuff sprawl when it enacted strict limits on urban growth. Today, it's at the forefront of the "eat local" revolution, in which individuals and restaurants buy directly from area farmers to preserve livelihoods and open space. With 13 farmer's markets, and nearby world-class vineyards, residents not only buy local but they eat and drink well too."
In Portland, the zen, and zany happily co-exist
"Like a glacial breeze off Oregon's Mount Hood, Portland blows away the cobwebs of same-old travel." Rest of article, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/27/7
Portland receives inaugural Solar America City Award from U.S. Department of Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that Portland is one of thirteen U.S. cities, and the only city in the Pacific Northwest, to receive a Solar America Cities Award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Solar America Initiative: Solar Market Transformation for Solar City Strategy Partnerships” fund.
News Release, 6/20/7
Portland ranks first in nation for biking to work
The U.S. Census Bureau finds that more people bike to work in Portland than any other city in the United States.
Oregonian article, 6/14/7
Portland Ranks #2 in the Best Cities for Dogs
Men's Health magazine rated cities on availability of dog parks, pet stores, animal shelters, daycare facilities, and incidence of heartworm.
Go here for an interactive map.
The Top Ten Greenest Cities
Affordable and accessible, this city straddling the banks of the Willamette River has long made sustainable living a priority. More than 30 years ago, with other cities in a freeway-building frenzy, Portland broke ranks and tore down a six-lane expressway to make room for a waterfront park
Portland Drivers Are Most Courteous in the Nation
A new survey says Portland drivers seem to be a nice bunch. We use our turn signals, don't tailgate and about road rage...what road rage? In fact, Portland is considered home to the country's most courteous drivers.
More than 2,500 drivers who regularly commute in 25 major metropolitan areas were asked to rate road rage and rude driving in telephone surveys between January and March. The most frequent cause of road rage cited in the survey was impatient motorists. Drivers also said road rage can stem from poor driving in fast lanes and driving while stressed, frustrated or angry. The survey was conducted by Prince Market Research.
Source: The Associated Press, May 15, 2007.
Portland No. 3 on 'Best Places to Live' List
The Portland area is the nation's third-best place to live in the country, according to Cities Ranked & Rated, 2nd Edition, an annual ranking of cities from Sperling's Best Places.
The authors looked at more than 400 metro areas in the United States to come up with their rankings, which are ranked by 10 criteria:
|
|
|
And in case Sperling's wasn't enough to convince you, the 25th Anniversary Edition of the Places Rated Almanac ranked Portland #4 among most livable cities in America. Source: Portland Business Journal and BestPlaces.net, May 7, 2007. |
||
Oregon Becomes One of Seven
Oregon will become the seventh state to grant same-sex couples full marriage-style benefits allowed by state law, after the Oregon Senate approved a landmark "domestic partnerships" bill Wednesday. Senators voted 21-9 to approve House Bill 2007-A, with two Republicans joining all of the chamber's Democrats and one independent in support. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski vows to sign the bill into law.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, same-sex couples will be able to go to their county courthouse and enter into a legally binding contract that grants them rights and responsibilities. The benefits include nearly all those accorded to married couples under state law, covering the rights to jointly file state taxes, child custody, hospital visitation and inheritance rights, among others.
Oregon and other states with comparable statutes cannot offer marriage benefits to same-sex couples that derive from federal law, such as jointly filing federal taxes, Social Security and other benefits.
Source: StatesmanJournal, May 3, 2007.
Oregon Communities Fare Well with the Air That We Breathe
Find out about Portland and other areas throughout the state on the American Lung Association's State of the Air: 2007 report.
The Portland area rated as one of the cleanest U.S. cities for ozone air pollution. Multnomah and Clackamas counties (among others in Oregon) ranked among the cleanest counties for ozone air pollution. On the other extreme, the Los Angeles area (LA-Long Beach-Riverside) ranked the most polluted city for both short-term and year-round particle pollution ratings, and was also the most ozone-polluted city in the U.S. Read more about the best and worst cities, and see how your state's cities and counties fared.
Help make a difference in the air you breathe by telling the EPA to strengthen ozone smog standards—the state of our air relies on everyone's support.
Source: American Lung Association, May 2007.
Portland Ranks Among Most Humane Cities in the U.S.
Portland ranks third among the 25 largest U.S. metro areas across a dozen animal protection issues. The Humane Society of the United States just released their new report, the Humane Index.
This report is the first-ever attempt to compare how communities across the country measure in terms of the treatment of animals, and includes a wide range of topics related to pets, farm animals, wildlife, animals in entertainment and advocacy for animals.
How does the Portland area stack up when it comes to celebrating animals and confronting cruelty?
- Portland owes its third place ranking to its high concentration of wildlife rehabilitators, Canadian seafood boycotters, and establishments with cage-free egg policies.
- Portland also enjoys a healthy dose of vegetarian dining options (#4).
Source: Humane Society of the United States, Apr 30, 2007.
Portland is One of America's Top 100 Places to Live
2007 marks the tenth year that Relocate America has compiled their list of the best places to live in the United States. This is the only list that is determined by statistics and feedback of the people who live, work and play in these communities.
Throughout the calendar year, they accept nominations for cities throughout the country to be considered as a "great place to live."
The nominating parties must include their own reasons why they feel their city should make the list. The nominations, along with key data regarding education, employment, economy, crime, parks, recreation and housing are reviewed, rated and judged by Relocate America's editorial team.
Source: Relocate-America.com, Apr 19, 2007.
Portland is Ranked #1 in Overall Sustainability Ratings for 2006
Portland is proud to hold the title of being the role model for the nation.
"How Green is Your City? is the first national ranking of 50 US cities evaluating how well cities are doing in implementing sustainable practices based on a comprehensive set of indicators, ranging from air quality to use of renewable energy.
This is a must read for city officials and citizens who are interested in how cities are responding to the integrated global challenges of environmental and economic sustainability."
— Prof. S. Wachter, The Wharton School
Portland ranks #3 among the 10 U.S. cities making the best use of renewable energy in city operations. The survey assessed the 50 largest U.S. cities to determine what percentage of each city's electricity comes from renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and small-scale hydro energy. Oakland, Calif., led the nation with 17 percent of its electricity produced by renewable energy sources; the Bay Area city gets some of its wind energy power from nearby Altamont Pass, one of the largest wind power generating facilities in the nation.
San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose tied for second with 12 percent of their electricity coming from renewable energy sources; and Portland came in third, with 10 percent. The other leading cities include: Boston, 8.6 percent; San Diego, 8 percent; Austin, 6 percent; Los Angeles, 5 percent; Minneapolis, 4.5 percent; Seattle, 3.5 percent; and Chicago, 2.5 percent.
Of the 15 individual category rankings, Portland was ranked in the top five of the following:
#1 — |
Knowledge Base & Communications | #2 — |
Air Quality (EPA data) |
#1 — |
Green Economy | #2 — |
Green (LEED) Buildings |
#1 — |
Energy & Climate Change Policy | #4 — |
Planning & Land Use |
#1 — |
City Innovation | #5 — |
Local Food and Agriculture |
#2 — |
Tap Water Quality | #5 — |
Solid Waste Diversion |
Source: SustainLane, Apr 16, 2007. (Ratings are for the 50 largest U.S. cities.)
Food Network Awards 2007: Delicious Destination of the Year!
The Food Network's chef Emeril Lagasse has just announced the cable network's first-ever awards to honor the people, places and products that are making a delicious difference in our world today. Portland, a 'rising city with a fast-growing food scene,' was selected as the 2007 Delicious Destination of the Year.
The awards will be presented at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival Feb 22-25, 2007.
Source: The Food Network, Apr 16, 2007.
"NICE” is an adjective that Portland, Ore., can't seem to shake. But below the fleece-clad and Teva-wearing exterior lurks a cool and refreshingly unneurotic city that marches to its own cosmopolitan beat. Truth is, Portland doesn't want to be Seattle, its highly caffeinated neighbor to the north.
With less traffic, better public transportation and Mount Hood in its backyard, this self-styled City of Roses doesn't stand in anybody's shadow. Its vibrant downtown overflows with urban pleasures like chic restaurants, funky nightclubs and spritely neighborhoods crackling with youthful energy, but nobody's boasting. That's another nice thing about Portland.
Source: The New York Times, Travel, Apr 15, 2007.
Portland Among World's Top Cities in 2007 Quality of Living Survey
Though Canadian, European and Australian cities continue to dominate the rankings this year, eight U.S. cities made the top 50 including Portland, Oregon. Portland was also among the 50 best worldwide cities in terms of its Health and Sanitation ranking.
Quality of Living vs. the quality of life—The Quality of Living index is based on several criteria used to judge whether an expatriate is entitled to a hardship allowance. A city with a high Quality of Living index is a safe and stable one, but it may be lacking the dynamic je ne sais quoi that makes people want to live in world-renowned cities such as Paris, Tokyo, London or New York. Sometimes you need a little spice to make a city exciting. But that "spice" may also give a city a lower ranking.
What makes one person's quality of life better or worse cannot be quantified in an objective index. Therefore, Mercer's Quality of Living report reflects only the tangible aspects of living in a city on expatriate assignments, and leaves the question of the quality of one's life to those living it.
Source: Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Apr 2, 2007.
The new Portland Aerial Tram is much more than a high-elevation way to get to work. One of the first urban trams in the country, it's a hot ticket to some of the city's best views.
It was the catalyst for the development of the lively South Waterfront District, a new neighborhood at the base of Marquam Hill. And the tram's riviting profile (the result of an international design competition) is redefining the skyline.
Silvery aluminum-and-glass pods almost the size of a small bus travel 3,300 feet in three minutes, rising 500 feet over busy Interstate 5. Trams leave every five minutes between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. The Portland Streetcar stops right in front of the lower station. Visit www.portlandtram.org for directions and info.
Source: Sunset magazine, March 2007.
Portland a Great Place for Gays and Lesbians
Portland is one of the 10 best cities for gay and lesbian people to live in the United States, according to The Advocate newsmagazine. "Where We Live," the 12-page article looks outside all the traditional gay centers to find the 10 best places for openly gay and lesbian families and singles—as well as emerging trends related to these locales. The article includes travel tips, local interviews, demographic highlights and scenic photo spreads.
The Top 10, in alphabetical order, include Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Ferndale, Michigan; Ithaca, N.Y.; Lexington, Kentucky; Missoula, Montana; Portland, Oregon; San Diego, California; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Tucson, Arizona.
The article (from the April 2007 issue which will be posted on 3/27/07) includes Census information for the Top 10—including median household income and quotes from locals, business owners and political figures who tout their city's achievements in fostering a gay-friendly community. Also considered were the quality of public schools, retirement communities and condos, an integrated sense of community and the quality of environment for raising children.
Source: PlanetOut, Inc., Mar 14, 2007.
Portland Ranks High on Environmental 'Cleanliness'
Only two small cities have cleaner environments than Portland, according to the 2007 Urban Environment Report, a national study released Thursday, February 22, 2007.
Fargo, North Dakota and Burlington, Vermont are the only cities that offer locals a better combination of clean air, water and an all-around healthy environment than Portland. And no city of comparable size rated as high as the Rose City, according to a report from the Earth Day Network, based in Washington, D.C. View the overall rank and report results at EarthDay.org.
Portland's Environmental Data Card and City Score Card can be downloaded here. (single PDF file, 124 kb).
Source: OPB News, Feb 23, 2007.
A Crush on Portland (Just in time for Valentine's Day)
Minneapolis city officials look to the Pacific Northwest for urban planning inspiration. What better qualities could City Hall want in a Valentine? He's cute, smart, and best of all, totally progressive on transportation and environmental issues.
What's up with all the love for Portland lately at [Minneapolis] City Hall?
City officials swoon about Portland's streetcar system and its environmentally friendly city agenda, among other things. "Everyone around the country sees Portland as a mecca for best practices in urban planning," City Council member Gary Schiff sayd. "Once anybody goes to Portland, they are inundated through every sense by so many layers of good government practices." And the praises just go on and on...
Source: Southwest Journal, Feb 12, 2007.
Top 10 American Cities to be a Moviemaker
's sixth annual survey of America's best places to live, work and make movies has ranked Portland among the top 10 for 2007. The survey mentions the abundance of film festivals—there are more than 34 throughout the state—and the strong support from organizations such as Film Action Oregon and the NW Film Center make Portland a city that doesn't "just cater to its independent moviemakers, it is a city that is built upon its artistic community."
Also considered a factor in Portland's selection as a Top 10 city are the incentive programs offered through the state including the Oregon Production Investment Fund and the Greenlight Labor Rebate.
Source: MovieMaker:Magazine, Feb 6, 2007.
Portland ranks #9 from the Top 25 Fittest Cities in America
The ninth annual Men's Fitness ranking of the fittest and fattest cities in America is in for 2007, and Portland has moved from #17 in 2006 to the top 10. See the "25 Fittest and Fattest" lists, and sign in to read the complete story and details on your favorite city.
Source: Men's Fitness, Feb 2007.
Portland is One of the Best Cities in America to Have a Baby
If it takes a village to raise a child, what kind of place does it take to have a baby?
When Fit Pregnancy set out to find the best cities in America to have a baby, we looked at everything from doctors and hospitals to doulas, midwives, breast-feeding success rates, birth and health risk, stroller-friendly trails and parks, affordability, and a whole lot more. Rankings were compiled for the 50 U.S. cities with the largest population.
The survey analyzed 47 weighted categories selected by a panel of experts from the Fit Pregnancy Advisory Board, using the most recent information available from government agencies, private foundations, professional associations and public databases.
Portland ranked #4 among the top 10 cities in America. See the complete results at a glance, in order of ranking.
Source: FitPregnancy, January 2007.
Great restaurants and a thriving music and theatre scene make the city an exciting getaway
Lots to do for Portland's visitors who come from British Columbia.
Source: The Vancouver Sun, January 6, 2007.
Mutual Admirers—How Portland and Vancouver exchanged looks
The Portland Way is paying off. They say $2 billion in development has been invested because of the Portland Streetcar. That's maybe stretching it. But inarguably, the city is being shaped by the kind of transit that investors can identify with.
Portland (Oregon) and Vancouver (BC) are the poster children of good urbanism in their respective countries. But they also influence each other. The current issue of Price Tags illustrates how in each city's newest neighborhoods.
In Portland, change is most dramatic where the streetcar meets the Aerial Tram at South Waterfront, and to the north, where the Pearl District is marching block by block towards the Willamette River waterfront. In between, there's an emerging "West End." The Vancouver B.C. influence is evident.
But it's not only one way. Portland's Pearl District has helped Vancouver move away from the towers that have made that city so distinct.
See the complete issue online. Source: Price Tags, January 7, 2007.
Portland 10th Best Market for Office Buyers
The 2007 Global Real Estate Forecast report from real estate company Grubb & Ellis states that Portland is projected to be the nation's 10th best office market for investors over the next five years.
The Northwest fares well, with Portland rated 10th and Seattle 5th on the strength of population and employment growth, healthy expected rent growth in 2007 and "still-reasonable" cap rates. A presentation of the 2007 Global Real Estate Market Forecast for Institutional Investors report is available online, along with an interactive real estate forecast.
Source: Grubb & Ellis, January 2007.
Portland Ranked Among Healthiest Cities
Thought Los Angeles was where the health nuts hang out? Not so, according to Cooking Light magazine, which reveals its list of the country's 20 heathliest cities in its new issue.
The research took into consideration stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and factored in the number of farmers markets and public green spaces. Though not yet available online, a reader's post in Cooking Light's community forum reveals the published list. We've provided the top 10 below:
|
|
Archives: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003
 for PDC's News & Information E-mail Lists |
 |
| View the e-mail archive | Unsubscribe from our e-mail Lists | |
| Find us on: | |
   |
Portland Development Commission | 222 NW Fifth Ave | Portland, OR 97209-3859
Phone: 503-823-3200 | Fax: 503-823-3368
Survey
Page