Richmond

Located in the southeast section of Portland, I think of the Richmond suburb as variety of neighborhoods, shops, homes and lifestyles all thrown together to create a little something for everyone.

There are some very cool homes in Richmond, many updated, but you never know what the guy down the street will do to their house which for me could be unsettling. While many homes are loving restored to an older Portland, which always appeals to me, other homes are very run down and in need of some serious upkeep. As a homeowner, I would find this frustrating.

At the northern point of Richmond, you will find Hawthorne Street, which is very popular for the funky shops, restaurants, galleries and the such. At the southern end, you will find Division Street, which is attempting to renew itself as more of a popular shopping destination. It’s slowly getting there.

Portland schools are generally very good, so I’m assuming the schools in Richmond are decent. I do know that Richmond Elementary School is a 100% lottery school, meaning if you live outside the district and you want your child to attend this school, you need to win its lottery. I’m certain one reason is because it’s the only school in the area with a Japanese Magnet Program. There is only one park in Richmond, a neighborhood park called Sewallcrest Park. It has a simple playground and plenty of room for sports and picnics.

Like most communities of Portland, Richmond is a very easy walking community and you can get anywhere fairly quickly.

While I like Richmond, as the residents are friendly, the shop owners are nice and always glad to see you and many of the restaurans are popular and busy, I can’t say that I would want to live here, due to the fact that so many of the neighborhoods have seen better days

Richmond is one of my favorite SE Portland areas. The great thing about this part of town is that the walkability is so high. You can walk pretty much anywhere! Included in this part of town are the interesting eclectic shops and restaurants both on Division Street as well as on Hawthorne. Between these two streets, you can find just about anything you might need in the way of stores and entertainment. Also the people who live in Richmond tend to be so friendly. This is the type of place where you just feel like making friends with people.

There are some gorgeous old homes amid the tree-lined streets in Richmond. Some streets, however, are much better than others. You can find great bungalows, cottages and English tudor style homes both to rent and to own. You see a lot of people beautifying their homes and gardening in the Spring, Summer and Fall.

The only park in Richmond is Sewell Park. This park is the only park in Richmond that I know of, so those who want to be near lots of large Portland parks might prefer another neighborhood. However, for gardeners there is also the Sewall Crest Community Gardens.

Richmond, in Southeast Portland, is hard to classify. Lying between Hawthorne Street to the North and Powell Boulevard to the South, within its borders you'll find a little bit of everything, from a rundown strip mall aesthetic to fancy galleries to quiet residential streets, and everything in between.

The northern edge of Richmond is in the trendy Hawthorne district, and offers a number of small shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. Other parts of Richmond are home to strip malls and other signs of suburban sprawl. Between these two extremes lies Division Street, an up-and-coming area with unique businesses housed in unassuming storefronts and warehouses. Restaurants in Richmond tend to be diverse; a favorite among locals is the Thai restaurant Pok Pok.

Richmond Elementary School, which houses Portland's Japanese Magnet Program, is located in the neighborhood. Known for second language education, it has a high number of English language learners. This is not a neighborhood school; as a magnet school, it brings in students from all over Portland.

The residential streets of Richmond offer a mix of expansive and modest homes, nearly all built many decades ago. Homes vary considerably, from colorful well-kept historic homes to smaller, plainer houses. Prices here tend to be average, and the homes tend to look fairly average on the outside; you won't see manicured lawns, but few of the homes seem unkempt. Typical residents include families and singles in their 20s and 30s, giving Richmond a young, urban feeling.