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Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve written about multiple projects in the city’s Central Eastside Industrial District. These projects are part of a trend of small, startup companies renovating old warehouses in the district, which I examine here.

One thing I mention briefly in the story is the misconception many have 鈥� from architects, to business owners, to everyday Portlanders 鈥� that the CEID will become the next Pearl District. I lay out in my piece a few reasons as to why the comparison is wrong, but it’s worth looking into more.

The main reason it could never become the Pearl is because the zoning won’t allow it; the CEID is an 鈥渋ndustrial sanctuary,鈥� meaning it’s made up of mostly industrial zoning. Only a small sliver of it is residential zoning, unlike the Pearl. Of course, zoning can be changed, but the city has no interest in this case 鈥� taking away the sanctuary would create an even greater deficiency of industrial zoning. And the city is able to make more money from the district as it stands because of its business enterprises, which return more property tax revenue and income taxes than residential properties.

Also, as Terry Taylor of the Central Eastside Industrial Council pointed out, the makeup of the district is much different than what the Pearl was before it was developed. The Pearl was made up of mostly empty warehouses; some businesses have been located in the CEID for close to 100 years. Changing the zoning would have a much greater impact.

鈥淏etween all the businesses that are here and the ones that want to move in, they won’t allow it to happen to themselves; I don’t see it ever becoming the Pearl,鈥� Taylor said.

The Portland Development Commission doesn’t want to see it happen, either, as Steven Shain told me he would also fight the rezoning issue if it were to ever come up.

So, while the CEID is quickly becoming the trendiest district in town, it will remain primarily industrial.

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