Is Portland's Praise Deserved, Or Has It Become An 'Ephemeral City'?
Can a city like Portland survive -- and thrive -- primarily as a marketer of an urban experience, asks Joel Kotkin.
"Portland is becoming what I call an Ephemeral City. What do ephemeral cities do? Not much by traditional standards. They don't create a lot of jobs for working or middle-class people. Instead they mostly exist to celebrate themselves and provide an attractive setting for visitors and would-be migrants.
...So if Portland's present accomplishments are less than stellar, what does the future hold ? Actually, it won't be too bad for those who like the way things are.
Given current trends, Portland's inner city will continue to be attractive to its core demographic niches. As an attractive Ephemeral City, it will remain a lifestyle pit stop for wayward twentysomethings and a lure for the financially secure's quest for quality of life."
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Cities as Sardine Cans
Joel Kotkin makes an error in terminology in this article, when he calls urban neighborhoods "sardine cans." (Exlaining why people move to suburbia, he writes: "most families -- yes, they still exist -- usually opt not to raise their kids inside sardine cans if they can at all help it.") This is a serious defect in an article that consists of name calling, rather than reasoning.
"Sardine can" is a clever metaphor and certainly an original one that shows Kotkin's creativity.
However, it is a well known fact that the proper term for urban neighborhoods is "rabbit warren." This term is the universally accepted usage among NIMBYs who oppose environmentally sound planning using name calling rather than reasoning, so I hope Kotkin will adopt it in the future.
Poor Portland
It sounds like someone got dissed at the local coffee shop.
yeah, whatever
This reply article (published in the Oregonian next to Kotkin's) sums Kotkin's piece, or perhaps Kotkin, better than I can.
http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1134089702175...
Regarding Kotkin's piece, is it really possible to publish an article in the Oregonian entirely based on a critique of buzzwords and hype, giving virulent expression to Republican anti-urban and anti-community values? Yes, apparently, it is. Big surprise there.
I raise my children in Portland and it's a nice nice place to live. Lot's of people agree. Those who don't go elsewhere. Whether those trends add up to something worth discussing is an interesting question, but the analysis in Kotkin's article is heavy on insults and political agenda and light on reality.
Peace, dude, and try the herbal tea next time.
Portland Ground: Photographs of Portland Oregon - Direct from the belly of the beast
Pepperland goes Blooey!!
I sought proper dictionary definitions for the following words in Kotkin's writing: archaic, ballyhooed, ephemeral, self-indulgent, genteel, rhapsodizer, sophistos (sic), 'obligatory liberal genuflection', and wayward. I choose one word to describe the purpose behind his writing: demagoguery.
Joel Kotkin attacks Portland like Peter Max's Blue Meanies attacked roses, music and love. Fans of the animated feature "The Yellow Submarine" know, the Blue Meanies didn't want to make Pepperland blue - they wanted Pepperland to go Ka--'Blooey'.
Contemplating the Sunday Oregonian artist's rendition of Portlandia staring at her reflected image, I didn't think it narcisstic. I thought she might be looking at the image of a better future. No US city I've visited has even near as many family-oriented activities as Portland. So I hope Portland's genuine success continues, indifferent to the yammerings of Grinches like Kotkin.
Portland Face Off
I was wondering which -enumerable- criteria the advocates of the Portland model were interested in putting forth as those measurable results they wishto have Portland be compared. I can think of dozens of "typical" or "traditional" or "quality of life based" possibilities but I can't think of any of those that Portland would be proud to defend.
Kotkin blowhards
Mister Cote, you must not have travelled enough, if you can't see how well Portland compares with most metropolitan cities that are far more entangled in traffic, their air and water more polluted, their culture more chaotic and isolationist. Like Mr Kotkin, you play the partisan demogogue repeating the lies expounded upon by republican blowhards like Kotkin.
So Correct
Astute, I am both ill travelled and ignorant. We know this because "Wells" asserts it is so. Who am I to be the one to point out the fallacy of this claim? I ask only to be judged on my comments but as we see that isn't the standard.
I ask only for the -enumerable- measures by which thr Portland boosters wish Portlsnd be compared.
Why is this so diffucult?
Difficult..
It's difficult, Mr Cote, to list for your benefit, the enumerable measures by which Portland boosters wish to be compared, because you're not interested in hearing it. You're just being a partisan hack, attack dog, liberal-hating, Limbaugh-listener looking for an argument rather than a discussion.
Answer the Question
I've asked twice, politely, for one simple thing and for my troubles I've endured numerous insults and accusations. The reasonable conclusion could be either the Portland boosters have no enumerable metrics supporting their claims, the Portland boosters are so technically unskilled that they are unable to provide the criteria, the Portland boosters know that their claims are based on purely ephemeral issues, the Portland boosters have seen the data and refuse to accept the conclusions. Why would any Portland booster fear the likes of me who by their own description is at best a subhuman lifeorm? Why are the Portland boosters so afraid to answer such a simple question? I ask only for the -enumerable- measures by which Portland boosters wish Portland be compared. Do not the emperors see just how fine is the cloth which with their fair city is draped? After the fabric is described by its admirers we can procede to make sure the tailors receive their just reward.
plenty of data on Kotkin and Portland
http://lewyn.tripod.com/blog
Ironically, my complaint about Kotkin is identical to Cote's complaint about the other commenters- that even where the data don't disprove his points, he provides no data to support his views.
At Last, Something to be Proud of
Lewyn reports: "Only 10.3% of Portland households earned over $100,000, according to the 2000 Census. Only 9.9% of them had income under $10,000 per year. That leaves about 80% of Portland households in the “working and middle classes.”
Since when is a household earning $10,000 per year "middle class?" The correct term is significantly below the poverty level.
Well golly gee, I'll use the same metric. Nearly 30% of the households in Portland earn less than $12/hr. Shining City on the Hill indeed.
Anyone interested in Portland's progress on other fronts? Say housing affordability? Say addressing congestion? Say stormwater management? Come on. Let's hear from the Portland boosters. What are you most proud of?
More to be proud of..
Portland is a city of jay-walkers. Few cities have engineered traffic speeds to be kept sufficiently low within walking districts and neighborhoods to allow casual and tolerated jay-walking.
Portland closes major downtown streets many times a year for parades, 'runs', bicycling and other such activities; another example of outstanding traffic management.
Portland is able to host many outdoor festivals downtown.
Portland's can boast that its housing is still more affordable than Seattle, San Francisco, and most US cities its size.
Portland's downtown is within walking distance of neighborhoods that are largely single-family homes, mixed with apartments and commercial districts.
Portland has delicious tap water.
Portland population growth may be attracting young people, but this guarantees a percentage of eventual, young families.
Portland does not have many residents who agree with Robert Cote.
Somethings to be proud of
Portland has...
A nationally renowned park system
A vibrant downtown
More “green” buildings than any other city in the US
One of the highest rates of bicycle ridership in the country
Decreasing Vehicle Miles Traveled per capita