While there’s been much hype about this popular part of Portland, East Ender (and development insider) Susan Morris explains why she’s a genuine fan of her neighborhood.
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On any given morning, you can feel the energy on Portland’s East End from the influx of residents, workers and visitors on the streets. I watch grandparents taking kids to school, dog walkers, skateboarders, commuters and people waiting for a bakery to open up. I grab a coffee, head to the gym and the office, do my grocery shopping and enjoy some culture, all on foot. And every business I frequent is locally owned. Hello, East End Portland.
As a business strategist who has worked in the hotel, housing and workplace industries, my lens has always been on demographic and lifestyle trends. It is only six years since I moved into Portland from midcoast Maine and the city has been on steroids, especially in the East End.
Here is a sample of the lifestyle trends, from A through G (arts, business, condos, dogs, exercise, food and green space), driving growth in the East End. It is happening in cities and rural towns across the country.
Arts grow economies and create more desirable places to live and work. They employ people, buy from local businesses, make communities more vibrant, and attract tourists. On the East End, cultural offerings are blooming; recent additions Cove Street Arts and Indigo Arts Alliance in burgeoning East Bayside.
Businesses in search of qualified talent in a tight labor market are relocating their headquarters in town. Workers want modern housing, food and beverage offerings and ample entertainment — all within walking distance. Attracted to the quality of life the East End offers, WEX Inc. (NYSE: WEX) moved over 400 workers to its new headquarters here and Covetrus (Nasdaq: CVET) is expected to bring more than 1,200 people when its headquarters is completed next year. This makes Tilson Technologies look like a pioneer, arriving just two years ago.
Condos offer ways to live large in smaller space by providing amenities outside your door. Seven condo projects of 10 units or more have been completed in the past five years. Other condo and rental dwellings, ranging from three units to 31, are being built throughout the East End.
Dogs are human’s best friends and treasured family members. Residents of the East End report that they do not know the names of the people they meet but can call their dogs by name. Many stores have water bowls on the sidewalk and treats on the countertops.
Exercise is increasingly taking place in the out of doors. In the East End, options range from sailing to paddling to tennis and softball and even outdoor yoga and boot camps on the waterfront. Winter brings snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding. Portland Trails makes it easy to cycle to work and take a run during lunch.
Food that can be eaten as takeout or taken home. Eateries and grocers that are locally owned. The Boston Globe recognized “East End’s emerging identity as one of Portland’s coolest spots.” There is no shortage of options in the India Street neighborhood, Munjoy Hill or Washington Avenue. To wash down the tasty treats, stroll along Washington Avenue and you will find beer, kombucha, mead, coffee, wine and spirits.
Green space makes us happy, provides peace of mind. More and more research shows a relationship between green space and higher levels of mental health. Look at an aerial view of the East End and not only will you see the expanse of the Eastern Promenade but also Eastern Cemetery, North Street Park, as well as the community gardens near East End school.
The ways in which these seven trends are taking hold in Portland’s East End demonstrate that this is not a blimp in time but these changes will take hold and direct the future economic growth and lifestyle focus of the city … to the east.
Susan V. Morris is a principal at Portland-based NewHeight Group, which developed the condominium building Luminato, which opened in 2017, and just broke ground on the Verdante, which will have 31 condos when it opens in 2020. She can be reached at susanvmorris@newheightgroup.com
