58 BCBusiness JunE 2016
culture, it's also at the heart of a debate
about urban industry's future. The
area developed as an industrial enclave
in the late 1800s—connecting farmers
and distributors via the warehouses
bordering the rail lines—but as the city
has grown, industry is coming under
pressure. Most tourists will be familiar
with the transformation of the Pearl
District—the downtown area immedi-
ately adjacent to Powell's Bookstore.
Like the Central Eastside, it too was
once home to warehouses and light
industry—until the late 1990s, when
the elimination of a viaduct opened up
the area to redevelopment. Now it's a
pedestrian-friendly mecca of upscale
restaurants, shops and condominiums.
In a more organic way, gentrišcation
has started coming to the Central
Eastside as land in the booming region
becomes an increasingly hot commodity.
Fast-growing tech companies, always
on the bleeding edge of real estate,
are now moving across the Willamette
River—and the hot new restaurants,
distilleries and breweries drawing
that moneyed crowd are following suit
(see sidebar).
While locals like Matt Preston aren't
opposed to the inªux of trendy eateries
and buzzy tech šrms, he and others
want to preserve a balance—to keep
some of the gritty industrial space that
speaks both to Portland's past and its
future. And in the growth of
ADX and
similar organizations, he sees hope.
"In Portland, despite everything
that's happening, there's this huge
movement of makers that's constantly
popping up. We had 10 new businesses
start here in the last six months. This is
where people go to work—but to work
for what they love."
Eating and
Drinking in the
Central Eastside
EAT / True to their
surroundings, many of
the area's top restaurants
borrow names from their
industrial past
Olympia Provisions
You like meat? Well,
you've come to the
right place. While you
could pick a proper
entrée, many opt for
one of the charcuterie
and cheese plates
Our fave: the Spanish
Board, with two
Spanish salamis,
lomo, sweetheart ham, fresh chorizo, Miticaña,
fried almonds and piquillo pepper salad
(olympiaprovisions.com).
Kachka
Come for the authentic Russian cuisine (the
veal tongue is delish, as is the seven-layer
herring dip) but stay for the restaurant's
famous infused vodkas. We loved the horse-
radish and matsutake mushroom varieties
(kachkapdx.com).
Taylor Railworks
A contemporary
spin on American
standards. High-
lights include the
Noodles Alla Johnny
(spicy crab, prawn and
tomato) and the very boozy Coffee Panna Cotta,
with a whiskey cocktail gelee (trwpdx.com).
ResT yOuR HeaD HeRe One of Portland's most
character-filled properties, the Sentinel Hotel combines
two historic buildings–the turn-of-the-20th-century
Seward Hotel and neighbouring Portland Elks Lodge–into
one boutique 100-room luxury experience in the heart of
downtown (sentinelhotel.com).
Creative Class
(Clockwise from top left)
ADX owner Kelley Roy; ADX
woodshop; Portland Razor
Co.; and Jacobsen Salt Co.
