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.

1 minute read

December 13, 2005, 7:00 AM PST

"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."

Thanks to Hugh Pavletich

FULL STORY: Portland: lost in its own reflection

Monday, December 12, 2005 in The Oregonian

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