Northwest District, Portland, Oregon

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**Northwest District, Portland, Oregon**
Neighborhood representation
Association	Northwest District Association
Coalition	Neighbors West/Northwest
Neighborhood geography
Area	3.44 km² (PDF map)
Location	Interactive map
Demographics (2000)
Population	11455 (density 3330/km²)
Households	7567 (94% occupied)
Owned	1137 (15%)
Rented	6430 (85%)
Size	1.51 persons (average)

The Northwest District is a densely populated retail and residential neighborhood in the Northwest section of Portland, Oregon. Craftsman- and Old Portland-style houses are packed tightly together with grand old apartment buildings and sleek new condominiums, within walking distance of restaurants, bars, and shops. The Portland Streetcar terminates here, connecting the district to the Pearl District and Downtown Portland.

The district stretches west to east from the base of the West Hills (Tualatin Mountains) to I-405 (between NW 15th and 16th Streets), and north to south from NW Nicolai St. and the Willamette River to W Burnside St. It borders the neighborhoods of Forest Park and Hillside on the west, Northwest Industrial on the north, the Pearl District on the east, and Goose Hollow on the south.

This part of Portland is known more by names for various streets and areas within it than by its official name. These include:

NW 23rd Ave. Dubbed Trendy-third, this major shopping street is lined with swanky clothing boutiques and other upscale retail, mixed with cafes and restaurants. This area is also known as Uptown (particularly its southern end near W Burnside St.) and includes Nob Hill (centered on NW 23rd Ave. and NW Lovejoy St.).
NW 21st Ave. The neighborhood’s other main commercial district is a dining and entertainment destination, with popular restaurants, an independent film theater, and numerous bars, pubs, and nightclubs.
The Alphabet Historic District, an area zoned for historic preservation running roughly from NW 24th Ave. to NW 17th Ave., and from NW Lovejoy St. to W Burnside St. It is named for the alphabetical progression of street names in the area.

Beyond the bustle of NW 21st and 23rd are peaceful residential districts and recreational areas such as Macleay Park (acquired 1897, in the Forest Park neighborhood) with its Wildwood Trail winding among trillium and ferns beneath giant Douglas Firs. Parks within the Northwest District include Couch Park (1977) and Wallace Park (1920). Northwest District Public schools include Chapman Elementary School and the Metropolitan Learning Center.