by Geon, Bryan
Some apartments (and apartments that have been converted to condominiums) border Highway 43 and sprawl across the bluffs above the Willamette River or hover above the lake at its eastern end, but most waterfront (and water view) properties are single-family homes. Houses on or near the lakeshore sell at a substantial premium, as do homes along the Willamette River. A few charming old cottages and bungalows, and even some fairly nondescript ranches, remain here from a quieter era; however, many of these have been torn down to make way for enormous fenced-off quasi-mansions (or gated clusters of them). Some of these homes are true architectural gems, while others are notable mainly for their size and obtrusiveness. Homes with views on the wooded bluffs above the lake are somewhat less expensive, but hardly cheap. The quiet neighborhoods in the rolling hills north and south of the lake tend to feature winding streets lined with 1960s- and 1970s-era homes. In very broad terms, neighborhoods south of (and away from) the lake are slightly less expensive than neighborhoods north of the lake.
The western end of Lake Oswego, Lake Grove, has evolved into a major regional commercial center; the Kruse Way area, full of new Class A office space, acts as a satellite of downtown Portland, and Boones Ferry Road is lined with smaller-scale commercial developments, including restaurants and markets. This part of the city has many newer townhouse and apartment communities, together with single-family homes on the quieter side streets. These neighborhoods in general are the most affordable parts of the city for renters and buyers. The hillside Mountain Park neighborhood near Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus features well-kept homes set on culs-de-sac and curving streets. Some homes are ranches or traditional-style homes, but others are custom-designed showpieces, ranging from modern houses clinging to the hillside to remarkable mid-century designs. The streets here seem to be in competition to see which has the most erudite name: Harvard Court and Princeton Court have nothing on Erasmus, Pericles, and Cervantes (which do not even deign to have designations as streets, or roads, or courts), while freedom-fighters gravitate to the heights of Nansen Summit, where Bolivar, Juarez, and Garibaldi frolic. Because the summit is the highest point for miles, homes on the upper slopes have expansive views (the subject of which depends on which direction the house faces). The lower part of the Mountain Park neighborhood has several unobtrusive apartment complexes where many newcomers seem to end up for a while.
Lake Oswego
In addition to (or despite) the prestige factor, many people move to Lake Oswego for the excellent public amenities. The city runs a library, various community and senior centers, and many parks and natural areas. Lake Oswego skews old—the median age, like the median home price—is the highest in the region, but its excellent set of public schools is a major draw for families who can afford to live here. Lake Oswego School District (www.loswego.k12.or.us) operates nine elementary schools, two junior high schools, and two high schools (one recently rebuilt and the other remodeled). Although parts of Lake Oswego have decent bus service, and some neighborhoods have networks of paved walking trails, the city as a whole is quite car-dependent—outside the city center/First Addition area, many city streets are completely unwalkable, let alone bikeable—and the drive to Portland via often pokey Highway 43 or congested Interstate 5, while not the worst commute in the world, can be slow. The same is true for the commute to Washington County via Highway 217. (Although not a viable option for commuters, the Willamette Shore Trolley [oerhs.org/wst] a vintage trolley operated by the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society, runs along the Willamette River from downtown Lake Oswego to downtown Portland, with a shortened trip during Sellwood Bridge construction.) An actual streetcar from Portland to Lake Oswego was proposed, but plans were official suspended in 2012.
Website: www.ci.oswego.or.us
ZIP Codes: 97034, 97035
Post Offices: Lake Oswego Post Office, 501 4th St; Lake Grove Station, 15875 Boones Ferry Rd
Police Station: 380 A Ave, 503-635-0238 (non-emergency), www.ci.oswego.or.us/police
Emergency Hospital: Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, 19300 SW 65th Ave, Tualatin, 503-692-1212, www.legacyhealth.org
Library: Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 4th St, 503-636-7628, www.lakeoswegolibrary.org
Parks: 24 developed and undeveloped parks and natural areas, including George Rogers Park, Foothill Park, Waluga Park, and Iron Mountain Park; www.ci.oswego.or.us/parksrec/
Community Publications: Lake Oswego Review, www.lakeoswegoreview.com
Public Transportation: TriMet, 503-238-RIDE, www.trimet.org; several bus lines with semi-frequent service within the city and to and from Portland, Oregon City, Tigard, and Beaverton
West Linn
Boundaries: North: Lake Oswego; West: Tualatin River, unincorporated rural area (Clackamas County); South: Willamette River, Tualatin River; East: Willamette River; Area: 8.1 square miles; Population: 25,800
West Linn is considered one of the most desirable, and is certainly among the most expensive, communities in the Portland area. Newcomers who are considering both cities often pick West Linn in preference to Lake Oswego as being both more down-to-earth and slightly less expensive. For many, the primary draw is the city’s excellent schools—the West Linn–Wilsonville School District (www.wlwv.k12.or.us) has one of the best reputations (and some of the highest test scores) in the state. Add a relatively low crime rate and an abundance of parkland and natural areas, and the appeal is clear. The city has more than 25 parks and open spaces; most are small, neighborhood parks, with playgrounds and tennis courts, although a few larger parks, such as Wilderness Park and Willamette Park, draw visitors from the whole city. The city also encompasses the large Mary S. Young State Park along the Willamette River and the Nature Conservancy’s Camassia Natural Area, a unique plateau region that was sculpted during ice age floods.
West Linn
The Willamette River makes a great bend around West Linn, and forms the city’s eastern and southern boundary. West Linn’s neighborhoods occupy the mile and a half or so between the river and the crest of the range of hills that parallels the river to the west. Because of the river’s bend, the city is shaped something like a chubby “V,” with the point aimed at Willamette Falls and downtown Oregon City across the river. The northern arm of this V extends northward towards Lake Oswego and the attractive campus of Marylhurst University. Willamette Drive (State Highway 43) is the primary north-south artery here, but it is not a major commercial strip, although it is lined in places by a few nicely landscaped retail businesses, upscale supermarkets like Market of Choice, and small shopping centers. Uphill (west) of Willamette Drive, a few steep streets wind into the hills and lead to compact, rolling neighborhoods of loops and culs-de-sac lined with contemporary and custom multi-story homes. The hills (a southern spur of the Tualatin Mountains) top out at more than five hundred feet above the elevation of the river, so many of these homes have decks with dramatic views of the Cascade Mountains. While luxury homes abound on the heights, there are also a few townhome developments and small-scale condo complexes. Back on the lowlands between Willamette Drive and the river lie neighborhoods of split-levels and well-kept ranches, many with river views or even river access. South of Mary S. Young State Park, in the Bolton neighborhood, there are many older homes—cottages, bungalows, and even a few grand Victorians.
The south half of West Linn is also a mix of old and new. Interstate 205 bisects this part of town, then crosses the river into Oregon City (as does Willamette Drive, on a much less impressive bridge built in 1922). On the bluff above the river, a few old houses, many in disrepair, have views of Willamette Falls as well as paper mills and other industrial facilities. The Sunset neighborhood, between Willamette Drive and the Interstate, features a range of newer and older homes (including some surprisingly shabby structures, and a few apartment buildings). To the west extend large developments of new, generally high-end—and, in some cases, truly enormous—homes. A new shopping center has sprung up to service these new
developments, and the city hall relocated here in 1999. The North Willamette neighborhood, on the hills just above Interstate 205, comprises winding streets of newer contemporary and traditional-style homes; some large condo complexes occupy the lower slopes near the freeway. In general, this part of West Linn is the best choice for people looking for brand-new homes.
North Willamette Neighborhood
South of the Interstate, where the Tualatin River flows into the Willamette, is the historic Willamette neighborhood; this formerly important river landing features many houses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Period-appropriate false front facades decorate the commercial buildings—even the new ones—along Willamette Falls Drive, which features a concentration of restaurants, shops, and service providers. This area is the closest thing West Linn has to a traditional downtown. The blocks between here and the riverfront have heavy concentrations of historic homes, but newer homes and apartments have cropped up opportunistically over the years north of Willamette Falls Drive, and these parts of the neighborhood feature a wide range of architectural styles.
Despite its popularity, West Linn is not for everyone. In addition to its fairly high home prices, well above the metro-area median, the city is very car-dependent, and it can be a long and tedious commute to some of the more distant employment centers, whether via Interstate 205 or up Highway 43 to downtown Portland. Some residents complain that there is no real downtown; although there are a few office parks and other businesses near I-205 and along some of the main streets, the city is overwhelmingly residential—some 80% of the city is zoned for that purpose. In case you’re wondering, there is no Linn (or East Linn, for that matter); West Linn got its name in 1854 when its predecessor, Linn City, was renamed.
Website: www.westlinnoregon.gov
ZIP Code: 97068
Post Office: Marylhurst Post Office, 17600 Pacific Hwy; West Linn Post Office, 5665 Hood St
Police Station: West Linn Police Department, 22825 Willamette Dr, 503-655-6214 (non-emergency), www.westlinnpolice.com
Emergency Hospitals: Providence Willamette Falls Hospital, 1500 Division St, Oregon City, 503-656-1631, www.providence.org Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, 19300 SW 65th Ave, Tualatin, 503-692-1212, www.legacyhealth.org
Library: West Linn Public Library, 1595 Burns St, 503-656-7853, www.westlinn.lib.or.us
Parks: More than 25 parks and natural areas within city limits, including Willamette Park, Wilderness Park, and Mary S. Young State Park; www.westlinnoregon.gov/parksrec/
Community Publications: West Linn Tidings, www.westlinntidings.com
Public Transportation: TriMet, 503-238-RIDE, www.trimet.org; two bus lines with semi-frequent service to Oregon City or Lake Oswego/downtown Portland
Stafford
The unincorporated zone between Lake Oswego, West Linn, Tualatin, and Wilsonville is one of the most scenic parts of the metropolitan area. This region of hills, woods, and fields, generally called Stafford, lies outside the metropolitan urban growth boundary, and so is lightly populated and nominally agricultural. The area’s proximity to Portland—Interstate 205 runs right through Stafford (and features a Stafford exit, just southwest of Wankers Corner)—means that, in practice, most of the properties here are hobby farms. In particular, Stafford is horse country. Most properties are large, multi-acre spreads, and much of that acreage is devoted to horse barns, pastures, and other equestrian facilities. Many homes are situated on ridges, like Petes Mountain, to take advantage of expansive views of the Cascades and the Willamette and Tualatin valleys. Some areas of Stafford feel so sylvan and remote that it is difficult to accept that they’re only half an hour from downtown Portland (in light traffic).
Stafford
Stafford is likely to remain predominately semi-rural—or more accurately, quasi-rural, since most residents actually make their living in white-collar professions—for the immediate future (barring major changes in land use laws). Nonetheless, some small-scale developments are starting to crop up, such as the 30-odd luxury homes of The Quarry at Stafford (built on the former site of an actual quarry). The Borland area has been designated as urban reserve land, meaning it may eventually be brought inside the urban growth boundary. Stafford is part of the West Linn–Wilsonville School District (www.wlwv.k12.or.us). Apart from a tiny commercial area at Wankers Corner (hold the snickers—it’s pronounced “Wonkers”), at the intersection of Stafford Road and Borland Road, shopping and services are located primarily in surrounding communities. No public transportation serves the area.
Wilsonville
Boundaries: North: Unincorporated Washington County; West: Unincorporated Clackamas County; South: Willamette River (partial), unincorporated Clackamas County; East: Unincorporated Clackamas County; Area: 7.4 square miles; Population: 21,500
The fast-growing suburb of Wilsonville is 17 miles south of Portland via frequently congested Interstate 5, which neatly bisects the city into east and west sides. The northern portion of the city is in Washington County, while most of Wilsonville is part of Clackamas County. Wilsonville historically had more jobs than residents: the city is home to technology companies like Mentor Graphics, Xerox Office Group, and FLIR Systems, as well as to various corporate distribution centers that are located here to take advantage of good freeway access and proximity to Portland. These businesses cluster on either side of the Interstate, especially in the northern part of the city. Major retail developments such as the massive Fry’s Electronics complex and the adjacent Family Fun Center also border I-5, and drivers who never venture off the freeway can be forgiven for thinking that no one actually lives in Wilsonville at all.
Wilsonville
In fact, not only do people live in Wilsonville, but the city has been for many years one of the fastest-growing communities in the metro area, with a 47 percent increase in population between 2000 and 2012. Home prices here are generally higher than in Tigard or Tualatin but lower than West Linn (with which Wilsonville shares a school district). Apartments comprise a relatively high percentage of the city’s housing stock, with a concentration of complexes near Wilsonville Town Center, an agglomeration of decentralized shopping plazas, a park-and-ride lot, and Town Center Park on the east side of Interstate 5. On the edge of this quasi-downtown, Memorial Park slopes down to the banks of the Willamette River and features short climbing walls, an innovative playground, a tennis court, and a boat dock. The new developments to the north and northeast include some “apartment homes” and townhouses along with neighborhoods of very large single-family homes. Almost all of this development is of fairly recent vintage.
West of Interstate 5, beyond the office parks, light industrial facilities, distribution facilities, and the like, extend several quiet neighborhoods of townhomes and two-story, single-family contemporary-style homes, some of which overlook the Willamette. A few of these developments border shady alleys of hazelnut groves, which are almost certainly not long for this world. The big news in Wilsonville housing is the ongoing construction of master-planned community Villebois (www.villebois.com). Billing itself as “drawing inspiration from a compact French urban village,” this walkable, mixed-use development includes hundreds of “green-built” residences in various traditional styles, arranged around a central park and village center. Villebois, which includes five different homeowner associations, associated with separate developers, is still being built out, and it may be a good choice for people looking to buy a new home in a planned community. The Wilsonville Farmers’ Market (http://www.wilsonvillemarket.com), which runs Thursdays from mid-June to mid-September, takes place in a park within Villebois. Residents tend to like the development, but it is a bit out of the way, and is isolated not just from surrounding communities but from the rest of Wilsonville itself.
Across the Willamette, the Charbonneau District centers on a golf course, surrounded by one- and two-story contemporary houses, condos, and apartment complexes set amid trees, fountains, lakes, and—of course—fairways. (Fore!)
The district contains a small village center with basic services; a few pathways link the disparate parts of the neighborhood, but most people walk heedlessly in the middle of the streets, which lack sidewalks and fortunately have light traffic. Charbonneau’s only link with the rest of Wilsonville is Interstate 5’s Boone Bridge over the Willamette; the city has proposed building a new foot/bike bridge between Charbonneau and Memorial Park, but no firm plans are in place.
Charbonneau District
Wilsonville likes to think of itself as a family-friendly city, and about one-quarter of the city’s residents are under 18. The highly regarded West Linn–Wilsonville School District (www.wlwv.k12.or.us), which covers most of the city, is a major draw for many parents. Students from the Charbonneau area attend schools in the Canby School District (www.canby.k12.or.us). Despite the abundance of jobs within the city limits, most residents don’t actually work in the city, so traffic can be heavy in either direction during rush hour. The Boone Bridge over the Willamette River at Wilsonville is the only road bridge that crosses the river between Newberg and West Linn, and so it is a frequent traffic chokepoint. For some reason, Wilsonville is also the site of many accidents and traffic backups on Interstate 5. The city has its own public transit agency, South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART; 503-682-7790, www.ridesmart.com), which provides bus service within Wilsonville and between the city and Portland, Salem, Tualatin, and Canby. TriMet’s WES commuter rail service carries commuters to Wilsonville from Beaverton, via Tualatin and Tigard (and vice versa) during peak hours only; SMART buses connect with trains to carry commuters to and from the city’s major employers.
