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I had a chance this week to take a tour of part of Southeast Division Street in Portland. As you may know, there has been considerable controversy in this and other parts of inner Portland concerning apartment buildings being built with no off-street parking required. City Council did recently pass a change so that there is some parking required for buildings with more than 30 units, but it remains a point of contention for many people.

The section of Division between 26th and 38th avenues is a fascinating study in the changing face of Portland’s older neighborhoods. This is a very vibrant part of the city, with new development completely changing the look and feel of the area just in the past couple of years. The primary developer in this part of the street is Urban Development Partners, especially at the corner of Division and 33rd Place.

A group of planners toured a few of UDP’s properties and discussed the urban design issues, including parking, and how the firm has dealt with them. They say that once the hubbub of construction dies down, they have had virtually no complaints from the neighbors about apartment residents taking up too much parking. It is evident that the restaurants and other attractive new commercial businesses do cause parking issues, but adequate overnight, on-street parking seems to be available within a block or two for all residents.

The really remarkable take-away for me was the price people are willing to pay to live in this location. Studios rent for around $1,200 to $1,300 per month, with one- and two-bedroom apartments going for considerably more. There is clearly a strong market for this type of housing in Portland, which is why we are seeing so much of it under construction.