The
Central East Side Industrial District is a treasure land for those who make things or work on their houses or need something special made that you can't buy. Some of the businesses are well known, even outside Portland.
Pratt and Larson tile.
Bullseye Glass.
Rejuvenation. Some other well known ones started there such as
Schoolhouse Electric.
We have used many businesses there for our projects. You can get tools sharpened or repaired. We got our marmoleum there. John had wood milled at
Creative Woodworking. I got
upholstery supplies for my tuffet. There are many stone suppliers (we visited many for our granite counter top). More than 17,000 people work there. And they are not working for big corporations. These are the places where both tradition and innovation thrive. This is a place worth preserving. This is the lifeblood of what makes Portland Portland.
Here is a pretty
cool history of the area by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. However, I am highly suspicious of their plans to integrate new businesses in (I think they mean coffee shops and swanky stuff aka trendy new neighborhood).
"Construction and renovation of buildings are frequent sights throughout the Central Eastside, including this project at the corner of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and Southeast Water Ave. City planners are trying to strike a balance between the development of the area into a trendy new neighborhood while maintaining the district's manufacturing and industrial base. (Kristyna Wentz-Graff / The Oregonian)" Source
This area has been an industrial sanctuary. We need it to stay that way. And it is under threat from unbridled growth.
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