The Alphabet Blocks

Where are the Alphabet Blocks in Portland?

Located in Portland’s NW section, the Alphabet Blocks in Portland are a group of streets beginning north of Burnside and continue heading north, alphabetically.

The Portland Alphabet Blocks is an ubur-trendy area known for restaurants, boutiques, antique shops, bookstores, second hand thrifts, pubs, pubs and more pubs.

The Alphabet Historic District, an area zoned for historic preservation running roughly from NW 24th Ave. to NW 2nd Ave., and from NW Vaughn St. to W Burnside St. It is named for the alphabetical progression of street names in the area and in 2000 was added to the National Register of Historic Places – Wikipedia

The Alphabet Blocks located in the NW District of Portland comprises:

• 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.

How Did Portland Alphabet Blocks Come to Be?

Maybe . . . and I’m only taking a guess . . . for the ease of locating an address.

Let’s take an address, any addres 2105 NW Hoyt, for example. The Portland City Planners of yore developed a nice block/address identifying system.

• Burnside St. is a great divider. Burnside dissects Portland north and south.
• The Willamette River is the other great divider. It dissects Portland east and west.

“B” is for Beginning the Alphabet Blocks

Portland Alphabet Blocks begins with “B” for “Burnside“

I think Alder might be the missing “A” block, but it doesn’t run the length of Portland as Burnside St.

Portland is Divided Into Five Quadrants

NW Portland : Streets NORTH of the Burnside and WEST of the Williamette river

SW Portland : Streets SOUTH of the Burnside and WEST of the river

NE Portland : Streets NORTH of the Burnside and EAST of the river

SE Portland : Streets SOUTH of the Burnside and EAST of the river

N Portland : Streets NORTH of Burnside and EAST of the COLUMBIA RIVER

So Exactly Where Are Portland’s Alphabet Blocks?

The Alphabet Blocks in Portland are located on the NORTHWEST side of Burnside St.

Alder (which doesn’t run / transverse the City as Burnside), Burnside, Couch (pronounced COO-ch), Davis, Everett, Flanders, Glisan, Hoyt, Iriving, Johnson, Kearney, Lovejoy, Marshall, Northrup, Overton, Pettygrove, Quimby, Raleigh, Savier, Thurman, Upshur, Vaughn, Wilson . . . and X Y Z apparently didn’t exist in those days of yore — since we don’t have any more Alphabet Block street names for those renegade letters.

How Do the Street Numbers Come Into “Play” with the Alphabet Blocks?

Using the Williamette River as the starting point, all streets running perpendicular to the river are numbered. Beginning with FIRST AVE. — Both on the EAST and WEST sides of the River.

SW First Ave. is WEST of Burnside, one block up from the river, southside.

2105 NW Hoyt is 21 blocks WEST of the river, north side of Burnside

Easy as ABC, 123 . . .

Map of the Alphabet Blocks in Portland NW District

View Larger Map

The Alphabet Blocks Condos for Sale

Showing properties 1 - 5 of 7. See more Alphabet District community real estate.
(all data current as of 5/18/2012)

1. $129,000 : 118 NW King AVE ,Unit 3, Portland
   
   0 beds, 1 full bath

   Home size: 481 sq ft
   
2. $215,000 : 2083 NW Johnson ST ,Unit 5, Portland
   
   1 bed, 1 full bath

   Home size: 829 sq ft
   
3. $1,150,000 : 2431 NW Thurman ST, Portland
   
   3 beds, 3 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 3,052 sq ft

   Lot size: 2,178 sqft
   
4. $480,000 : 719 NW 17th AVE, Portland
   
   4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

   Home size: 2,760 sq ft
   
5. $564,900 : 2225 NW Wilson ST, Portland
   
   6 beds, 4 full baths

   Home size: 3,220 sq ft

   Lot size: 6,969 sqft
   

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

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